Professor George Guo-Qiang CHEN received his BSc and PhD from South China University of Technology in 1985 and Graz University of Technology (Austria) in 1989, respectively. He also conducted research in 1990-1994 as a postdoc at University of Nottingham in UK and University of Alberta in Canada, respectively. He has been focusing his research on microbial materials polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) metabolic engineering, synthetic biology and PHA biomaterial application since 1986. After joining Tsinghua University in 1994, he has developed the Next Generation Industrial Biotechnology (NGIB) based on Halomonas spp., has published over 400 international peer reviewed papers with over 43,000 citations (H-Index 106) as reported in Google Scholar. With over 70 issued patents and 50 pending patents, Prof. Chen’s technologies have been provided to several companies that succeeded in mass production of microbial polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA), other chemicals including enzymes and protein products. He has received many awards for his contributions to the microbial manufacturing fields. Beginning from 2015, he becomes the Funding Director of the Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology in Tsinghua University. From 2015-2024, he serves as Guest Chair Professor of Synthetic Biology, The University of Manchester/UK.

Publications in the year 2024-2025

1. Fang Yang, Huan Wang, Cuihuan Zhao, Lizhan Zhang, Xu Liu, Helen Park, Yiping Yuan, Jian-Wen Ye, Qiong Wu, Chen Guo-Qiang. Metabolic Engineering of Halomonas bluephagenesis for Production of Five Carbon Molecular Chemicals Derived from L-Lysine. Metabolic Engineering 81 (2024) 227-237 doi.org/10.1016/j.ymben.2023.12.001

2. Yueyuan Ma, Jian-Wen Ye, Yina Lin, Xueqing Yi, Xuan Wang, Huan Wang, Ruiyan Huang, Fuqing Wu, Qiong Wu, Xu Liu, Chen Guo-Qiang. Flux optimization using multiple promoters in Halomonas bluephagenesis as a model chassis of the next generation industrial biotechnology. Metabolic Engineering 81 (2023) 249-261 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ymben.2023.12.011

3. Jing Zhang, Xu Yan, Helen Park, Nigel Scrutton, Tao Chen, Chen Guo-Qiang. Non-Sterile Microbial Production of Chemicals based on Halomonas spp. Current Opinion in Biotechnology 85 (2024) 103064 (COBIOT-D-23-00049R2 Accepted on Dec 30/2023)

4. Helen Park, Hongtao He, Xu Yan, Xu Liu, Nigel S. Scrutton, Chen Guo-Qiang. PHA is not just a bioplastic! Biotechnology Advances 71 (2024) 108320 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biotechadv.2024.108320

5. Qitiao Hu, Simian Sun, Zhongnan Zhang, Wei Liu, Xueqing Yi, Hongtao He, Nigel S. Scrutton, Guo-Qiang Chen. Ectoine Hyperproduction by Engineered Halomonas bluephagenesis. Metabolic Engineering 82 (2024) 238-249 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ymben.2024.02.010 (2024)

6. Shuang Zheng, Xu Yan, Peng Jiang, Zonghao Zhang, Jiale Wang, Yifei Zheng, Kang Ren, Lizhan Zhang, Xu Liu, Chen Guo-Qiang. A self-stimulating mechanism based on a polyhydroxyalkanoates biosensor and its applications for Halomonas. Chemical Engineering Journal 498 (2024) 151413 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2024.151413

7. Zhang Lizhan, Ye Jian-Wen, Li Gang, Park Helen, Luo Hao, Lin Yina, Li Shaowei, Yang Weinan, Guan Yuying, Wu Fuqing, Huang Wuzhe, Wu Qiong, Scrutton Nigel S, Nielsen Jens, Chen Guo-Qiang. A Long-Term Growth Stable Halomonas sp. Deleted with Multiple Transposases Guided by Its Metabolic Network Model Halo-ecGEM. Metabolic Engineering 84 (2024) 95–108, DOI: 10.1016/j.ymben.2024.06.004 (2024)

8. Helen Park, Lizhan Zhang, Hongtao He, Xu Yan, Nigel Scrutton, Chen Guo-Qiang. Engineering EPS in Halomonas bluephagenesis leads to self-flocculation and filamentation for convenient downstream processing. Chemical Engineering Journal 495 (2024) 153374 doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2024.153374

9. Chen Fanfan, Zhao Zifan, Liu Xinyi, Chen Hu, An Lihua, Wang Yuan, Xu Weisi, Guo Suli, Jiang Songlun, Chen Guo-Qiang, Sun Yuchun Sun, Zhang Xu. A multifunctional microneedle patch loading exosomes and magnetic nanoparticles synergistically for treating oral mucosal lesions. Applied Materials Today 40 (2024) 102382 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apmt.2024.102382

10. Ge Zhang, Weike Guo, Xueqing Yi, Zhongnan Zhang, Lizhan Zhang, Xu Liu, Fuqing Wu, Qiong Wu, Guo-Qiang Chen. Engineered Halomonas for Production of g-Aminobutyric Acid and Butyrolactam, Bioresource Technology 413 (2024) 131448 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2024.131448

11. Jian Li (李健), Xu Zhang (张旭), Zi-Xin Peng, Jian-Hai Chen (陈建海), Jian-Hui Liang (梁建辉), Li-Qing Ke (柯丽青), Dan Huang (黄丹), Wen-Xiang Cheng (成文翔), Sien Lin (林思恩), Gang Li (李刚), Rui Hou (侯蕊), Wen-Zhao Zhong (钟文钊), Zheng-Jie Lin (林正捷), Ling Qin (秦岭), Guo-Qiang Chen (陈国强),*, and Peng Zhang (张鹏)*. Metabolically activated energetic materials mediate cellular anabolism for bone regeneration. Trends in Biotechnology 2538 (2024) 1-31 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tibtech.2024.08.002

12. Zhongnan Zhang, Mingwei Shao, Ge Zhang, Simian Sun, Xueqing Yi, Zonghao Zhang, Hongtao He, Kang Wang, Qitiao Hu, Qiong Wu and Chen Guo-Qiang. Engineering Halomonas bluephagenesis for Synthesis of Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) in the Presence of High Nitrogen Containing Media. Metabolic Engineering 86 (2024) 242-249 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ymben.2024.10.012

13. Yiling Chen, Xu Liu, Lizhan Zhang Jishuai Yang, Weike Guo, Shuang Zheng, Jiale Wang, Fuqing Wu, Xu Yan, Qiong Wu, Chen Guo-Qiang. Cell Sizes Matter for Industrial Bioproduction, A Case of Polyhydroxybutyrate. Advanced Science 2025, 2412256 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202412256

14. Zonghao Zhang, Shuang Zheng, Zhongnan Zhang, Fuqing Wu, Qiong Wu, Chen Guo-Qiang. Lactose Induced Bioproduction by Halomonas Grown under Open Conditions. Chemical Engineering Journal 507 (2025) 160468 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2025.160468

15. Shuang Zheng, Mingwei Shao, Wanze Wang, Chen Guo-Qiang. Next-generation biotechnology inspired by extremes. EMBO Reports. Science & Society section 27 (2025) 1-5 DOI:10.1038/s44319-025-00389-6

16. Zheng Shuang; Zhao Cuihuan; Chen Yuemeng, Zhang Zonghao, He Yuhan, Wang Jiale, He Hongtao, Chen Guo-Qiang. Engineered Vibrio natriegens with Toxin-Antitoxin System for High-Productivity Biotransformation of L-Lysine to Cadaverine. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry (2025) https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.4c12616

17. Huan Wang, Yunyun Ouyang, Weinan Yang, Hongtao He, Jiangnan Chen, Yiping Yuan, Helen Park, Fuqing Wu, Fang Yang*, Chen GQ*. Production and Characterization of Copolymers Consisting of 3-Hydroxybutyrate and Increased 3-Hydroxyvalerate by β-Oxidation Weakened Halomonas. Metabolic Engineering 89 (2025) 97-107 doi.org/10.1016/j.ymben.2025.02.009

18. Yiping Yuan，Huan Wang，Hongtao He，Zhongnan Zhang，Fang Yang， Yiling Chen, Fuqing Wu, Qiong Wu, Chen Guo-Qiang. Polyhydroxyalkanoate Production by Engineered Halomonas Grown in Lignocellulose Hydrolysate. Bioresource Technology 425 (2025) 132313 doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2025.132313

19. Xu Yan, Jiale Wang, Rou Wen, Xinyu Chen and Guo-Qiang Chen. The Halo of Future Bio-industry based on Engineering Halomonas. Metabolic Engineering 90 (2025) 16-32 doi.org/10.1016/j.ymben.2025.03.001

20. Hongtao He, Ng Wuh Jer, Qitiao Hu, Zhongnan Zhang, Simian Sun, Geyuan Xu, Shimao Yang, Shuang Zheng, Xu Liu, Qiong Wu*, Chen GQ*. Engineering Halomonas bluephagenesis for Pilot Production of Terpolymers (3-Hydroxybutyrate, 4-Hydroxybutyrate and 3-Hydroxyvalerate) from Glucose. Metabolic Engineering 90 (2025) 117-128 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ymben.2025.03.003

21. Xu Liu, Helen Park, Yannic Sebastian Ackermann, Luc Avérous, Hendrik Ballerstedt, Werner Besenmatter, Blas Blázquez, Uwe T. Bornscheuer, Yannick Branson, William Casey, Víctor de Lorenzo, Weiliang Dong, Tilman Floehr, Manuel S. Godoy, Yu Ji, Andreas Jupke, Jürgen Klankermayer, David San León, Luo Liu, Xianrui Liu, Yizhi Liu, Maria T. Manoli, Esteban Martínez-García, Tanja Narancic, Juan Nogales, Kevin O’Connor, Ole Osterthun, Rémi Perrin, M. Auxiliadora Prieto, Eric Pollet, Alexandru Sarbu, Ulrich Schwaneberg, Haijia Su, Zequn Tang, Till Tiso, Zishuai Wang, Ren Wei, Gina Welsing, Nick Wierckx, Birger Wolter, Gang Xiao, Jianmin Xing, Yilin Zhao, Jie Zhou, Tianwei Tan, Lars M. Blank, Min Jiang, Guo-Qiang Chen. Exploring biotechnology for plastic recycling，degradation, and upcycling for a sustainable future. Biotechnology Advances 81 (2025) 108544 doi.org/10.1016/j.biotechadv.2025.108544