ChBME - Director | Chemical and Biomedical Engineering
Biography
Zhongyu Yang is a MizzouForward faculty hire and an associate professor in the Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering at the University of Missouri. He also serves as the Director of Undergraduate Studies for Biological and Biomedical Engineering Program. His research lies at the interface of biomolecular engineering, materials chemistry, and molecular biophysics. The Yang group integrates biologically active macromolecules, particularly proteins, enzymes, and peptides, with nanoscale synthetic materials to understand and control biomolecular behavior at interfaces and under confinement. By combining Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) spectroscopy and molecular biophysics with rational materials design, the group investigates how nanoscale geometry, surface chemistry, and molecular organization regulate protein structure, dynamics, folding, aggregation, transport, and catalysis. These mechanistic insights are used to develop biohybrid systems for programmable biocatalysis, biomacromolecule delivery, sensing and bioelectrochemical interfaces, and sustainable molecular separations and resource recovery. Representative platforms include metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), covalent organic frameworks (COFs), polymeric self-assemblies, and other nanostructured materials.
Education
Postdoc from University of California, Los Angeles
PhD from University of Pittsburgh
BE from University of Science and Technology of China
Technical Focus
Biohybrid materials for programmable biocatalysis/sensing/delivery
Biomolecular nanoconfinement/biointerfaces/EPR biophysics
Sustainable separations and resource recovery