New Promises of Advanced Molecular Recognition: Bioassays, Single Cell Analysis, Cancer Therapy, and Beyond
Authors: Xu Shuxin , He Hui , Liu Zhen 
Published: November 2021

Comprehensive Summary

The development of biomimetic affinity materials holds great value for scientific research and practical applications. Starting from boronic acid chemistry, we developed a series of boronate affinity materials (BAMs) with desired binding properties in aspects of binding pH, affinity and selectivity. Based on BAMs, molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) and aptamers capable of targeting vital biomolecules were rationally designed and prepared. Using these affinity reagents as potent tools and combining with advanced analytical techniques particularly liquid chromatography, mass spectrometry and spectrometry allowed for the construction of promising analytical methods to provide new qualitative and quantitative solutions to challenging applications including targeted proteomics analysis, single cell analysis and disease diagnostics. In addition, the targeting capability of these affinity reagents particularly nanoscale MIPs opened a unique access to develop innovative nanotherapeutics for cancer treatment.

What is the most favorite and original chemistry developed in your research group?

So far, the most favorite and original chemistry developed by us is that HER2‐glycan‐imprinted nanoparticles could function as an anti‐cancer drug through blocking the HER2 signaling pathway and thereby inhibiting the growth of HER2+ breast cancer.

How do you get into this specific field? Could you please share some experiences with our readers?

Actually, I was not educated and trained to be a scientist for my current research field. During my graduate education and post‐doctoral research, separation science, particularly liquid chromatography and capillary electrophoresis, was the focus of my study and research. After I started my independent research career, I had to do something different from what I was trained and the contributions for which my previous supervisors were well recognized worldwide. I first picked up boronate affinity chromatography, a unique mode of affinity chromatography with great potentials but less explored, to start up. This choice was not because it was hot; rather, because there were many challenges that hamper this technique to be practically useful. Along with solving these issues one by one, I recognized that we need not to go elsewhere since this field is so cool that we can do quite a lot of things different from others.

What is the most important personality for scientific research?

I believe that persistence is the most important personality for scientific

research, because it is the key to success. Albert Einstein once said, “It's not that I'm so smart, it's just that I stay with problems longer.” If you are not smarter than Einstein, think about the chances for you to succeed if you do not persist.

What are your hobbies?

I love walking, hiking and listening to music. Waling and hiking make me healthy while listening to music drives me into diverse favorite moods, be deep in thought, be passionate, and so on. I am good at whistling. I like to mimick bird singing walking in forest and to blow my favorite tunes when I am alone.

Who influences you mostly in your life?

In some sense, my dad influenced me mostly in my life. When I was a little boy, he always inspired me to think about things beyond what is seen. Also, via brewing rice wine, he showed me a very basic ideas about chemistry in which the best product quality greatly depended on quantitative conditional optimization.

If you have anything else to tell our readers, please feel free to do so.

While many readers try their best to catch up strengths and beauties stated in a scientific paper, a good reader, in my own opinion, should keep curiosity to figure out hidden information behind the paper via critical thinking.