2020-至今 福州大学化学学院，教授、博导。

2019-2020加州大学洛杉矶分校，博士后。

2017-2019阿贡国家实验室，博士后。

2016-2017北卡罗莱纳州立大学，博士后。

2010-2016中科院长春应化所，博士研究生。

2006-2010西北工业大学，工学学士。

目前主要从事生命分析化学及化学生物学相关的基础研究与应用，包括仿生人工细胞、生物正交催化/生物催化、纳米医药(针对糖尿病、神经退行性疾病、癌症等疾病)、X射线光遗传学等。近年来已在相关领域发表SCI论文100余篇，其中第一作者/通讯作者论文30余篇，包括：Nat. Nanotechnol. (2篇), Nat. Chem. Biol., Sci. China Life Sci.,J. Am. Chem. Soc. (3篇), Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. (3篇), Adv. Mater., Adv. Funct. Mater., Chem. Soc. Rev., Acc. Chem. Res. (5篇), ACS nano (2篇), Biomaterials (2篇), Biosens. Bioelectron., Chem. Commun., Chem. Eur. J.。总引用次数10600余次，H-因子54。工作多次被NatureNanotechnology, Nature Methods, JAMA等亮点报道。

1.福州大学“闽江学者”特聘教授科研启动基金(2020-2023；主持)。

2.国家海外高层次人才引进启动基金（2021-2025；主持）。

3.福建省海外高层次人才引进启动基金（2021-2025；主持）。

4.国家重点研发计划纳米科技重点专项“靶向肿瘤转移节点分子的多模块可编程纳米药物”项目，承担其中课题二的子课题(2021-2026；主持)。

5.国家自然科学基金青年项目（2022-2024；主持）。

6.国家自然科学基金面上项目（2023-2026；主持）。

国家自然科学金创新群体项目（2025-2029；项目骨干）。

1.国家海外高层才人才青年项目获得者

2.闽江学者特聘教授

3.福建省海外高层次人才

4.中科院优秀博士学位论文

5.中科院朱李月华优秀博士生奖

6.博士研究生国家奖学金

(I) Artificial synthetic cells and protocells built upon chemistry, synthetic biology and micro-/nanomaterials for theranostic, biosensing, bioenergy conversion and life-of-origin researches.

1.Z. Chen, J. Wang, W. Sun, E. Archibong, A. R. Kahkoska, X. Zhang, Y. Lu, F. S. Ligler, J. B. Buse and Z. Gu (2018). "Synthetic beta cells for fusion-mediated dynamic insulin secretion."Nature Chemical Biology14: 86. (Highlighted by NIH blog and JAMA.)

2.Z. Chen, G. De Queiros Silveira, X. Ma, Y. Xie, Y. A. Wu, E. Barry, T. Tajh, H. C. Fry, P. D. Laible, E. A. Rozhkova (2019) “Light-Gated Synthetic Protocells for Plasmon-Enhanced Chemiosmotic Gradient Generation and ATP Synthesis.”Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 58, 4896. (Highlighted by Nature Nanotechnology)

3.Z. Chen, H. Zhang, P. Guo, J. Zhang, G. Tira, Y. J. Kim, Y. A. Wu, Y. Liu, J. Wen, T. Rajh, J. Niklas, O. G. Poluektov, P. D. Laible and E. A. Rozhkova (2019). “Semi-artificial Photosynthetic CO2 Reduction through Purple Membrane Re-engineering with Semiconductor.”Journal of the American Chemical Society141, 11811.

4.Z. Chen*, D. Wen, & Z. Gu * (2020). “Cargo-encapsulated cells for drug delivery.”Science China Life Sciences63, 599.

5. X. Han, H. Li, D. Zhou,Z. Chen*and Z. Gu* (2020). “Local and Targeted Delivery of Immune Checkpoint Blockade Therapeutics.”Accounts of Chemical Research53, 2521.

6.Z. Chen, Z. Wang, Z. Gu (2019) “Bioinspired and Biomimetic Nanomedicines”Accounts of Chemical Research, 52, 1255.

7.Z. Chen, Q. Hu, and Z. Gu (2018). “Leveraging Engineering of Cells for Drug Delivery.”Accounts of Chemical Research51, 668.

8. C. Chen, Y. Zhang,Z. Chen*, H. Yang* and Z. Gu*(2021). Cellular transformers for targeted therapy.Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews179, 114032.

(II) Inspired by the nature of metalloenzyme-catalyzed reactions, metal complex (artificial enzymes) or metal nanoparticles (bioorthogonal catalysts) can be synthesized and utilized as abiotic catalysts for deploying artificial chemistry in biological environments.

1. F. Zeng, Y. Pan, M. Wu, Q. Lu, S. Qin, Y. Gao, X. Luan, R. Chen, G. He, Y. Wang*, B. He*,Z. Chen*and Y. Song*. (2024). Self-Metallized Whole Cell Vaccines Prepared by Microfluidics for Bioorthogonally Catalyzed Antitumor Immunotherapy,ACS Nano, DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.3c09871.

2. X. Liu, H. Huang,Z. Chen*, and H. Yang*. (2023). “Progress in Controllable Bioorthogonal Catalysis for Prodrug Activation.”Chemical CommunicationsDOI: 10.1039/D3CC04286C.

3.Z. Chen, H. Li, Y. Bian, Z. Wang, G. Chen, X. Zhang, Y. Miao, D. Wen, J., G. Wan, Y. Zeng, P. Abdou, J. Fang, S. Li, C. and Z. Gu* (2021).“Bioorthogonal Catalytic Patch.”Nature Nanotechnology,16, 933-941.(Cover of the August Issue; highlighted byMatterandF1000 Faculty Opinions)

4.Z. Chen, H. Ji, C. Liu, W. Bing, Z. Wang and X. Qu (2016). "A Multinuclear Metal Complex Based DNase-Mimetic Artificial Enzyme: Matrix Cleavage for Combating Bacterial Biofilms."Angewandte Chemie International Edition55(36): 10732.

5.Z. Chen, Z. Wang, J. Ren and X. Qu (2018). “Enzyme Mimicry for Combating Bacteria and Biofilms.”Accounts of Chemical Research51, 789.

(III) The high spatiotemporal resolution of light makes optical nanomaterials promising for therapeutic/bioimaging studies, and developing optogenetic light delivery devices.

1. Z. Hong,Z. Chen,* Q. Chen,* and H. Yang* (2023). "Advancing X-ray Luminescence for Imaging, Biosensing, and Theragnostics".Accounts of Chemical Research56(1): 37.

2. X. Tang,Z. Chen,* and H. Yang* (2022). "Near-infrared-II-activated photothermal nanotransducers for wireless neuronal stimulation."MedComm – Biomaterials and Applications1(2): e15.

3.Z. Chen, V. Tsytsarev, Y. Zou Finfrock, O. A. Antipova, Z. Cai, H. Arakawa, F. W. Lischka, B. M. Hooks, R. Wilton, D. Wang, Y. Liu, B. Gaitan, Y. Tao, Y. Chen, R. S. Erzurumlu, H. Yang, and E. A. Rozhkova (2021). "Wireless optogenetic modulation of cortical neurons enabled by radioluminescent nanoparticles."ACS Nano15(3), 5201.

4.Z. Chen, Z. Li, J. Wang, E. Ju, L. Zhou, J. Ren and X. Qu (2014). "A Multi-synergistic Platform for Sequential Irradiation-Activated High-Performance Apoptotic Cancer Therapy."Advanced Functional Materials24(4): 522.

5.Z. Chen, Z. Liu, Z. Li, E. Ju, N. Gao, L. Zhou, J. Ren and X. Qu (2015). "Upconversion nanoprobes for efficiently in vitro imaging reactive oxygen species and in vivo diagnosing rheumatoid arthritis."Biomaterials39: 15.

(IV) Bioinspired microreactors made of Pickering emulsions, colloidal particle-stabilized droplets, or functional nanomaterial-integrated living cells, for biocatalytic conversion applications and beyond.

1. X. Xu, W. Xie, T. Wu, C. Chen, X. Chen, Y. Yang, H. Lian, H. Chen, X. Chen, Z. Chen, G. Chen, L. Chen, Y. He,Z. Chen,* B.P. Binks* and H. Yang* (2024). "Bacterial Microcompartment-Mimicking Pickering Emulsion Droplets for Detoxification of Chemical Threats under Sweet Conditions",Science China Chemistry, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11426-024-2014-9.

2.Z. Chen, E. A. Rozhkova (2018) “Intracellular gold nanoclusters boost energy conversion.”Nature Nanotechnology, 13, 880.

3.Z. Chen, C. Zhao, E. Ju, H. Ji, J. Ren, B. P. Binks, X. Qu (2016). “Design of Surface-active Artificial Enzyme Particles to Stabilize Pickering Emulsions for High-Performance Biphasic Biocatalysis.”Advanced Materials28(8): 1682.

4.Z. Chen, H. Ji, C. Zhao, E. Ju, J. Ren and X. Qu (2015). "Individual Surface-Engineered Microorganisms as Robust Pickering Interfacial Biocatalysts for Resistance-Minimized Phase-Transfer Bioconversion."Angewandte Chemie International Edition54(16): 4904.

5.Z. Chen, L. Zhou, W. Bing, Z. Zhang, Z. Li, J. Ren and X. Qu (2014). "Light Controlled Reversible Inversion of Nanophosphor-Stabilized Pickering Emulsions for Biphasic Enantioselective Biocatalysis."Journal of the American Chemical Society136(20): 7498.

(V) The rich chemical, physical and biological functions of biomolecules, like DNA, protein, and polysaccharides, enabled us to develope advanced theranostic platforms for biomedical engineering applications.

1. J. Dai, Z. Liu, L. Wang, G. Huang, S. Song, C. Chen, T. Wu, X. Xu, C. Hao, Y. Bian, E.A. Rozhkova,*Z. Chen,* H. Yang* (2023). "A Telomerase-Activated Magnetic Resonance Imaging Probe for Consecutively Monitoring Tumor Growth Kinetics and In Situ Screening Inhibitors",Journal of the American Chemical Society, DOI: 10.1021/jacs.2c10749.

2. S. Song, Q. Wang, J. Xie, J. Dai, D. Ouyang, G. Huang, Y. Guo, C. Chen, M. Wu, T. Huang, J. Ruan, X. Cheng, X. Lin, Y. He,* E. A. Rozhkova,*Z. Chen,* and H. Yang* (2023). "Dual-Responsive Turn-on T1 Imaging-Guided Mild Photothermia for Precise Apoptotic Cancer Therapy",Adv. Healthcare Mater., 2023, n/a, 2301437.

3. H. Chen, X. Tang, Y. Huang, C. Chen,* Y. Yang, C. Hao, W. Xie, T. Huang, X. Cheng, Q. Xu, S. Huang, Z. Ye, X. Lin,Z. Chen*and Z. Chen* (2024), "Remodel the Perifollicular Microenvironment via Minoxidil-loaded Microneedle Patch and Cold Atmospheric Plasma for Treating Androgenetic Alopecia".Nano Research,DOI: 10.1007/s12274-024-6619-0.

4. B. Chen, J. Dai, S. Song, X. Tang, Y. Guo, T. Wu, M. Wu, C. Hao, X. Cheng, X. Lin, Y. Bian,Z. Chen,* H. Yang* (2023). "An Activatable Nanoscintillator Probe for Detecting Telomerase Activity and Screening Inhibitors In Vivo",Targets, 1(1). 34-47.

5.Z. Chen, C. Liu, F. Cao, J. Ren and X. Qu (2018). “DNA Metallization: Principles, Methods, Structures and Applications.”Chemical Society Reviews47, 4017.