The design and development of life-like assembly systems and their applications in biomedicine, smart materials, catalysis and other fields.

2012-09--2017-07 Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences，PhD 

2008-09--2012-07 Yanshan University, Bachelor

2023-- present, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Professor

2018--2023, University of Groningen, Postdoctoral Fellow

40. Liu K., Blokhuis A. W. P., Ewijk C., Kiani A., Wu J., Roos W. H., Otto S. Light-Driven Ecological-Evolutionary Dynamics in a Synthetic Replicator System. 2024, Nat. Chem. 16, 79-88.

39. Liu K., Blokhuis A.W. P., Dijt S.J., Hamed S., Kiani A., Matysiak B.M., Otto S. Systems Chemistry across Multiple Length Scales: Macroscopic Flow via Dissipative Co-Assemblies Featuring Transient Amides. 2022, DOI: 10.26434/chemrxiv-2022-msgf8.

38. Liu K., Ottelé J., Otto S., Emergent catalysis by self-replicating molecule. Supramolecular catalysis: new directions and developments, Wiley-VCH, Weinheim, 2022, 605-612. 

37. Liu B., Wu J., Geerts M., Markovitch O., Pappas C.G., Liu K., Otto S. Out-of-Equilibrium Self-Replication Allows Selection for Dynamic Kinetic Stability in a System of Competing Replicators. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 2022, 61, e202117605.

36. Zhang H., Liu K., Gong Y., Zhu W., Zhu J., Pan F., Chao Y., Xiao Z., Liu Y., Wang X., Liu Z., Yang Y., Chen Q. Vitamin C supramolecular hydrogel for enhanced cancer immunotherapy. Biomaterials, 2022, 121673.

35. Liu B., Beatty M. A., Pappas C. G., Liu K., Ottelé J., Otto S. Self-Sorting in Dynamic Combinatorial Libraries Leads to the Co-Existence of Foldamers and Self-Replicators. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 2021, 60, 13569-13573.

34. Yang S., Schaeffer G., Mattia E., Markovitch O., Liu K., Hussain A. S., Ottelé J., Sood A., Otto S. Chemical Fueling Enables Molecular Complexification of Self-Replicators. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 2021, 60, 11344-11349.

33. Liu K., Otto S., Dynamic combinatorial chemistry out of equilibrium. Out‐of‐equilibrium (supra) molecular systems and materials, Wiley-VCH, Weinheim, 2021, 215-239.

32. Santiago G. M.,  Liu K., Browne W. R., Otto S. Emergence of light-driven protometabolism on recruitment of a photocatalytic cofactor by a self-replicator. Nat. Chem., 2020, 12, 603-607.

31. Pappas C. G., Mandal P. K., Liu B., Kauffmann B., Miao X., Komáromy D., Hoffmann W., Manz C., Chang R., Liu K., Pagel K., Huc I., Otto S. Emergence of low-symmetry foldamers from single monomers. Nat. Chem., 2020, 12, 1180-1186.

30. Han J.,^# Liu K.,_# Chang R., Zhao L., Yan X. Photooxidase-Mimicking Nanovesicles with Superior Photocatalytic Activity and Stability Based on Amphiphilic Amino Acid and Phthalocyanine Co-Assembly. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 2019, 58, 2000-2004. (_#equal contribution)

29. Liu K., Ren X., Sun J., Zou Q., Yan X. Primitive Photosynthetic Architectures Based on Self-Organization and Chemical Evolution of Amino Acids and Metal Ions. Adv. Sci., 2018, 5, 1701001.

28. Xie Z.,^# Liu K.,^# Ren X., Zhang H., Xin X., Zou Q., Yan X. Amino-Acid-Mediated Biomimetic Formation of Light-Harvesting Antenna Capable of Hydrogen Evolution. ACS Appl. Bio Mater., 2018, 1, 748-755. (_#equal contribution)

27. Zhang H., Liu K., Li S., Xin X., Yuan S., Ma G., Yan X. Self-Assembled Minimalist Multifunctional Theranostic Nanoplatform for Magnetic Resonance Imaging-Guided Tumor Photodynamic Therapy. ACS nano 2018, 12, 8266-8276.

26. Bian K., Zhang X., Liu K., Yin T., Liu H., Niu K., Cao W., Gao D. Peptide-Directed Hierarchical Mineralized Silver Nanocages for Anti-Tumor Photothermal Therapy. ACS Sustain. Chem. Eng., 2018, 6, 7574-7588.

25. Liu K., Zhang H., Xing R., Zou Q., Yan X. Biomimetic Oxygen-Evolving Photobacteria Based on Amino Acid and Porphyrin Hierarchical Self-Organization. ACS nano 2017, 11, 12840-12848.

24. Liu K., Yuan C., Zou Q., Xie Z., Yan X. Self-Assembled Zinc/Cystine-Based Chloroplast Mimics Capable of Photoenzymatic Reactions for Sustainable Fuel Synthesis. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 2017, 56, 7876-7880.

23. Liu K., Abass M., Zou Q., Yan X. Self-assembly of biomimetic light-harvesting complexes capable of hydrogen evolution. Green Energy Environ. 2017, 2, 58-63.

22. Liu K., Zhang R., Li Y., Jiao T., Ding D., Yan X. Tunable Aggregation-Induced Emission of Tetraphenylethylene via Short Peptide-Directed Self-Assembly. Adv. Mater. Interfaces, 2017, 4, 1600183.

21. Sun J., Yendluri R., Liu K., Guo Y., Lvov Y., Yan X. Enzyme-immobilized clay nanotube–chitosan membranes with sustainable biocatalytic activities. Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2017, 19, 562-567.

20. Zou Q., Liu K., Abbas M., Yan X., Peptide-based supramolecular chemistry. Supramolecular chemistry of biomimetic systems, Springer, Singapore, 2017, 135-163.

19. Liu K., Xing R., Li Y., Zou Q., Möhwald H., Yan X. Mimicking Primitive Photobacteria: Sustainable Hydrogen Evolution Based on Peptide–Porphyrin Co-Assemblies with a Self-Mineralized Reaction Center. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 2016, 55 ,12503-12507.

18. Liu K.,_# Xing R.,^# Zou Q., Ma G., Möhwald H., Yan X. Simple Peptide-Tuned Self-Assembly of Photosensitizers towards Anticancer Photodynamic Therapy. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 2016, 55, 3036-3039. (_# equal contribution)

17. Xing R.,_# Liu K.,_# Jiao T., Zhang N., Ma K., Zhang R., Zou Q., Ma G., Yan X. An Injectable Self-Assembling Collagen–Gold Hybrid Hydrogel for Combinatorial Antitumor Photothermal/Photodynamic Therapy. Adv. Mater., 2016, 28, 3669-3676. (_# equal contribution)

16. Wang J.,_# Liu K.,_# Yan L., Wang A., Bai S., Yan X. Trace Solvent as a Predominant Factor To Tune Dipeptide Self-Assembly. ACS nano, 2016, 10, 2138-2143. (_# equal contribution)

15. Liu K., Kang Y, Ma G, Möhwald H, Yan X. Molecular and mesoscale mechanism for hierarchical self-assembly of dipeptide and porphyrin light-harvesting system. Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2016,18, 16738-16747.

14. Liu K., Miao S., Su Z., Sun L., Ma G., Zhang S. Castor oil-based waterborne polyurethanes with tunable properties and excellent biocompatibility. Eur. J. Lipid Sci. Technol., 2016, 118, 1512-1520.

13. Liu K., Su Z., Miao S., Ma G., Zhang S. UV-curable enzymatic antibacterial waterborne polyurethane coating. Biochem. Eng. J., 2016, 113, 107-113.

12. Liu K., Su Z., Miao S., Ma G., Zhang S. Enzymatic waterborne polyurethane towards a robust and environmentally friendly anti-biofouling coating. RSC Adv., 2016, 6, 31698-31704.

11. Wang J., Liu K., Xing R., Yan X. Peptide self-assembly: thermodynamics and kinetics. Chem. Soc. Rev., 2016, 45, 5589-5604.

10. Zou Q., Liu K., Abbas M., Yan X. Peptide-Modulated Self-Assembly of Chromophores toward Biomimetic Light-Harvesting Nanoarchitectonics. Adv. Mater., 2016, 28, 1031-1043.

9. Chen C., Li S., Liu K., Ma G., Yan X. Co-Assembly of Heparin and Polypeptide Hybrid Nanoparticles for Biomimetic Delivery and Anti-Thrombus Therapy. Small, 2016, 12, 4719-4725.

8. Li Y., Yan L., Liu K., Wang J., Wang A., Bai S., Yan X. Solvothermally Mediated Self-Assembly of Ultralong Peptide Nanobelts Capable of Optical Waveguiding. Small, 2016, 12, 2575-2579.

7. Wang J., Shen G., Ma K., Jiao T., Liu K., Yan X. Dipeptide concave nanospheres based on interfacially controlled self-assembly: from crescent to solid. Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2016, 18, 30926-30930.

6. Liu K.,_# Xing R.,_# Chen C., Shen G., Yan L., Zou Q., Ma G., Möhwald H., Yan X. Peptide-Induced Hierarchical Long-Range Order and Photocatalytic Activity of Porphyrin Assemblies. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 2015, 54, 500-505. (_# equal contribution)

5. Liu K., Zhang S., Su Z., Ma G. Preparation and Characterization of Castor Oil-Based Cationic Waterborne Polyurethane. Advanced Materials Research, 2015, 1090, 3-7.

4. Chen C., Liu K., Li J., Yan X. Functional architectures based on self-assembly of bio-inspired dipeptides: Structure modulation and its photoelectronic applications. Adv. Colloid Interface Sci., 2015, 225, 177-193.

3. Miao S., Liu K., Wang P., Su Z., Zhang S. Preparation and characterization of epoxidized soybean oil-based paper composite as potential water-resistant materials. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2015, 132.

2. Liu K., Gao D., Liu Z., Li N., Bian Y., Zheng R., Zhang X. Screening of lactic acid bacteria with high activities malolactic enzyme and analysis of indigenous flora in red wine. J. Chem. Pharm. Res., 2014, 6, 136-144.

1. Wang L.,_# Liu K.,_# Gao D, Hao J. Protective effects of two Lactobacillus plantarum strains in hyperlipidemic mice. World J. Gastroenterol., 2013, 19, 3150-3156. (_# equal contribution)

1. Biomolecular self-assembly and functional soft materials

2. Non-equilibrium self-assembly and their regulation in biological interfaces

3. Dissipative self-assembly and active materials