biocompatible photochemistry: organic photochemistry, photochemical biology

2013-present, Joint Professor at School of Physical Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, China.
2011-present, Professor at Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China.
2007-2011, Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, USA. Mentor: Professor David R. Liu.
2003-2007, Research Assistant, Department of Chemistry, Princeton University, USA. Mentor: Professor Chulbom Lee.
2002-2003, Research Assistant, Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, USA. Mentor: Professor Joseph Z. Tsien.
2001-2002, Research Assistant, Department of Chemistry, Peking University, China. Mentor: Professor Zhen Yang.

Bayer Investigator Award, China, 2021.

WuXi AppTec Life Science and Chemistry Award, China, 2021.

Shanghai Academic/Technology Research Leader, China, 2021.

Shanghai Science and Technology Youth Award, China, 2018.

Thieme Chemistry Journal Award, Germany, 2018.

Perfect Light Excellent Young Scholar Award of Photochemistry, China, 2017.

NSFC Excellent Young Scholar Award, China, 2016.

Shanghai Pujiang Investigator Award, China, 2012.

Thousand Talents Program Young Investigator Award, China, 2012.

Bristol-Myers Squibb Graduate Fellowship in Synthetic Organic Chemistry, USA, 2005.

Mingde Scholarship, Peking University, China, 1998-2002.

Silver Medal, 30th International Chemistry Olympiad, Australia, 1998.

1.       Zhang, J.; Liu, D.; Chen, Y.* Oxygen-centered radicals, In Science of Synthesis: Free Radicals: Fundamentals and Applications in Organic Synthesis, Fensterbank, L.; Ollivier, D., Eds.; Thieme: Stuttgart, 2021, Vol. 1, 323−380. DOI: 10.1055/sos-SD-234-00177.

2.       Jia, K.; Chen, Y.*, Photochemistry of hypervalent iodine compounds, In Patai Chemistry of Functional Groups, Chemistry of Hypervalent Halogen Compounds, Olofsson, B.; Marek, I., Rappoport, Z. Eds.; John Wiley & Sons, 2019, 855−896. DOI: 10.1002/9780470682531.pat0958.

3.       Chen, Y.; Lee, C.*, Tris(acetylacetonato)iron(III), e-EROS Encyclopedia of Reagents for Organic Synthesis; Paquette, L. A., Ed.; John Wiley & Sons, 2007.

1.      Tan, J.¹; Hao, K.¹; Yuan, Y.¹; Xie, S.¹; Qi, L.¹; Che, Q.¹; Li, Y.; Wang, R.*; Zhang, Y.*; Chen, Y.* Bioorthogonal Photocatalytic Protein Labeling and Cross-Linking Enabled by Stabilized Ketyl Radicals. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2025, 147, 49, 45774–45784.

2.      Che, Q.¹; He, R.¹; Zhang, Y.¹; Zhang, H.; Zeng, K.; Chen, Y.* Miniature Photoenzyme Enables Organelle-Specific Cellular Control via Deboronative Hydroxylation. Angew. Chem., Int. Ed. 2025, 64, e15137.

3.      Wang, Y.¹; Bao, P.¹; Dong, X.¹; Lan, Y.*; Chen, Y.*  Thiophenol-Catalyzed Radical Hydroformylation of Unactivated Sterically Hindered Alkenes. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2025, 147, 31662–31670.

4.      Chen, X.¹; He, R.¹; Xiong, H.; Wang. R.; Yin, Y.; Chen, Y.*; Zhu, Z.*  Quantitative Profiling of Lipid Transport between Organelles Enabled by Subcellular Photocatalytic Labeling. Nat. Chem. 2025, 17, 1534–1545.

5.      Zou, P.¹; Fu, D.¹; Wang, H.¹; Sun, R.; Lan, Y.*; Chen, Y.*  Photochemical 1,3-Boronate Rearrangement Enables Three-Component N-Alkylation for α-Tertiary Hydroxybenzylamine Synthesis. Nat. Commun. 2024, 15, 10234.

6.      Dong, X.¹; Shao, Y.¹; Liu, Z.; Huang, X.;  Xue, X.*; Chen, Y.*  Radical 6-Endo Addition Enables Pyridine Synthesis under Metal-Free Conditions. Angew. Chem., Int. Ed. 2024, 63, e202410297.

7.      Zeng, K.¹; Jiao, Z.¹; Jiang, Q.; He, R.; Zhang, Y.; Li, W.*; Xu, T.*; Chen, Y.*  Genetically Encoded Photocatalysis Enables Spatially Restricted Optochemical Modulation of Neurons in Live Mice.  ACS Cent. Sci. 2024, 10, 1, 163–175.   

8.      Hao, K.¹; Li, D.¹; Fu, D.; Zou, P.; Xie, S.; Lan, Y.*; Chen, Y.*  Metal-Free 1,3-Boronate Rearrangement to Ketones Driven by Visible Light. Angew. Chem., Int. Ed. 2024, 63, e202316481.

9.      Liu, D.¹; Yang, K.¹; Fang, D.¹; Li, S.; Lan, Y.*; Chen, Y.* Formyl Radical Generation from α-Chloro N-Methoxyphthalimides Enables Selective Aldehyde Synthesis. Angew. Chem., Int. Ed. 2023, 62, e202213686.

10.   Zhang, Y.¹; Han, L.¹; Tian, X.; Peng, C.; Chen, Y.* Ligand-Directed Caging Enables the Control of Endogenous DNA Alkyltransferase Activity with Light inside Live Cells. Angew. Chem., Int. Ed. 2022, 61, e202115472. 

11.   Wang, H.¹; Zhang, Y.¹; Zeng, K.¹; Qiang, J.¹; Cao, Y.; Li, Y.; Fang, Y.; Zhang, Y.*; Chen, Y.* Selective Mitochondrial Protein Labeling Enabled by Biocompatible Photocatalytic Reactions inside Live Cells. JACS Au 2021, 1, 1066−1075. 

12.   Xie, S.; Li, D.; Huang, H.; Zhang, F.; Chen, Y.* Intermolecular Radical Addition to Ketoacids Enabled by Boron Activation. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2019, 141, 16237−16242.

13.  Wang, H; Li, W.; Zeng, K.; Wu, Y.; Zhang, Y.; Xu, T.*; Chen, Y.* Photocatalysis Enables Visible Light Uncaging of Bioactive Molecules in Live Cells. Angew. Chem., Int. Ed. 2019, 58, 561−565.  

14.   Zhang, J.; Li, Y.; Xu, R.; Chen, Y.*  Donor-Acceptor Complex Enables Alkoxyl Radical Generation for Metal-Free C(sp³)-C(sp³) Cleavage and Allylation/Alkenylation. Angew. Chem., Int. Ed. 2017, 56, 12619−12623.

15.   Jia, K.; Pan, Y.; Chen, Y.*  Selective Carbonyl-C(sp³) Bond Cleavage to Construct Ynamides, Ynoates, and Ynones by Photoredox Catalysis. Angew. Chem., Int. Ed. 2017, 56, 2478–2481.

16.   Qi, L.; Chen, Y.* Polarity-Reversed Allylations of Aldehydes, Ketones, and Imines Enabled by Hantzsch Ester in Photoredox Catalysis. Angew. Chem., Int. Ed. 2016, 55, 13312−13315.

17.   Jia, K.; Zhang, F.; Huang, H.; Chen, Y.* Visible-Light-Induced Alkoxyl Radical Generation Enables Selective C(sp³)-C(sp³) Bond Cleavage and Functionalizations. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2016, 138, 1514−1517.

18.   Zhang, J.; Li, Y.; Zhang, F.; Hu, C.; Chen, Y.* Generation of Alkoxyl Radicals by Photoredox Catalysis Enables Selective C(sp³)-H Functionalization under Mild Reaction Conditions. Angew. Chem., Int. Ed. 2016, 55, 1872−1875.

19.   Huang, H.¹; Zhang, G.¹; Chen, Y.* Dual Hypervalent Iodine(III) Reagents and Photoredox Catalysis Enable Decarboxylative Ynonylation under Mild Conditions. Angew. Chem., Int. Ed. 2015, 54, 7872−7876.

20.   Huang, H.; Jia, K.; Chen, Y.* Hypervalent Iodine Reagents Enable Chemoselective Deboronative/Decarboxylative Alkenylation by Photoredox Catalysis. Angew. Chem., Int. Ed. 2015, 54, 1881−1884.

21.   Huang, H.; Zhang, G.; Gong, L.; Zhang, S.; Chen, Y.*, Visible-Light-Induced Chemoselective Deboronative Alkynylation under Biomolecule-Compatible Conditions. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2014, 136, 2280−2283.

22.   Dumelin, C.; Chen, Y.; Leconte, A. M.; Chen, Y. G.; Liu, D. R.*, Discovery and Biological Characterization of Geranylated RNA in Bacteria. Nat. Chem. Bio. 2012, 8, 913−919.

23.   Chen, Y.; Kamlet, A. S.; Steinman, J. B.; Liu, D. R.*, A Biomolecule-Compatible Visible-Light-Induced Azide Reduction from a DNA-Encoded Reaction-Discovery System. Nat. Chem. 2011, 3, 146−153.

24.   Chen, Y.; Ho, D. M.; Lee, C.*, Ruthenium-Catalyzed Hydrative Cyclization of 1,5-Enynes. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2005, 127, 12184−12185.

Chen, Y.; Li, Q.; Liu, D.; Li, D., A Photochemical Flow Reactor, ZL 2018 2 1079241.X.

Professor  Chen's research group focuses on biocompatible photochemistry, including organic photochemistry and photochemical biology. The research goal is to develop versatile bond-cleaving and bond-forming reactions in a biocompatible fashion to enable the photo-manipulation of biological functions, for the potential photo-diagnostics and photo-therapy applications.