Ke Zhang
Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology | Northeastern University
360 Huntington Ave | Boston, MA 02115 |M: (617) 373-4415|k.zhang@neu.edu
EDUCATION
Washington University in St. Louis, MO, USA
Ph.D. Chemistry
2005 – 2009
Nanjing University of Technology, Jiangsu, China
B.S. Applied Chemistry
2001 – 2005
PROFESSIONAL HISTORY
Assistant Professor
Northeastern University, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology
2012 – present
Postdoctoral Fellow. Advisor: Prof. Chad A. Mirkin
Northwestern University, Department of Chemistry
2010 – 2012
Research Assistant. Advisor: Prof. Karen L. Wooley
Washington University in St. Louis, Department of Chemistry
2005 – 2009
PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES
Reviewing:
Ad Hoc Reviewer for National Science Foundation
Ad Hoc Reviewer for National Institute of Health BMBI study section
Reviewer for Journal of the American Chemical Society, Biomacromolecules, Journal of Polymer
Science Part A Polymer Chemistry, Nanomedicine, Molecular Pharmaceutics, Journal of
Controlled Release, ACS Nano, Nanoscale, Nanomedicine NBM, ACS Macro Letters, Advanced
Materials, Chemical Reviews
Membership:
Member of the ACS Division of Polymer Chemistry
Member of the ACS Division of Polymeric Materials: Science and Engineering
2013
2013
2009 – present
2007 – present
2007 – present
HONORS AND AWARDS
Outstanding Researcher, International Institute of Nanotechnology
NSF CAREER Award
ACS PRF Doctoral New Investigator Award
2012
2014
2014
PUBLICATIONS
Since Independence:
1.
Lu, X.; Tran, T.-H.; Jia, F.; Tan, X.; Davis, S.; Amiji, M.; Zhang, K.* “Providing oligonucleotides with
steric selectivity by brush polymer-assisted compaction”, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2015, 137, 12466
2.
Tan, Xu; Li, B. B.; Lu, X.; Jia, F.; Santori, C.; Menon, P.; Li, H.; Zhang, B.; Zhao, J. J.; Zhang, K.* “Lighttriggered, self-immolative nucleic acid-drug nanostructures”, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2015, 137, 6112
Ke Zhang c.v., August 2015
Page 1
3.
Chen, Y.; Zhang, K.; Wang, X.; Zhang, F.; Zhu, J.; Mays, J.; Wooley, K. L.; Pochan, D., “Multigeometry
nanoparticles: Hybrid vesicle/cylinder nanoparticles constructed with block copolymer solution
assembly and kinetic control”, Macromolecules, 2015, 48, 5621
4.
Nevin, P.; Lu, X.; Zhang, K.; Engen, J. R.; Beuning, P. J. “Non-cognate DNA damage prevents formation
of active conformation of Y-family polymerases DinB and Pol kappa”, FEBS, 2015, 29, 561.8
5.
Jia, F.; Lu, X.; Tan, X.; Zhang, K.* “Facile synthesis of nucleic acid-polymer amphiphiles and their selfassembly”, Chem. Commun. 2015, 51, 7843
6.
Lu, X.; Watts, E.; Jia, F.; Tan, X.; Zhang, K.* “Polycondensation of polymer brushes via DNA
hybridization”, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2014, 136, 10214
7.
Zhang, K.;* Zhu, X.; Jia, F.; Auyeung, E.; Mirkin, C. A. “Temperature-activated nucleic acid
nanostructures”, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2013, 135, 14102
Bolded names: Undergraduate researchers
Graduate and Postdoctoral Work:
8.
Zhu, J.; Zhang, S.; Zhang, K.; Wang, X.; Mays, J. W.; Wooley, K. L.; Pochan, D. J. “Disk-cylinder and
disk-sphere nanoparticles from block copolymer blend solution construction”, Nat. Commun., 2013,
doi:10.1038/ncomms3297
9.
Wang, Z.; Zhang, K.; Shen, Y.; Smith, J.; Bloch, S.; Achilefu, S.; Wooley, K. L.; Taylor, J.-S. A. “Imaging
mRNA expression levels in living cells with PNA·DNA binary FRET probes delivered by cationic shellcrosslinked nanoparticles”, Org. Biomol. Chem., 2013, doi:10.1039/C3OB26923J
10. Ibricevic, A.; Gunsten, S. P.; Zhang, K.; Shrestha, R.; Liu, Y.; Sun, J.; Welch, M. J.; Taylor, J.-S. A.;
Wooley, K. L.; Brody, S. L. “PEGylation of cationic, shell-crosslinked knedel-like nanoparticles
modulates inflammation and enhances cellular uptake in the lung”, Nanomedicine NBM, 2013,
doi:10.1016/j.nano.2013.02.006
11. Shen, Y.; Fang, H.; Zhang, K.; Shrestha, R.; Wooley, K. L.; Taylor, J.-S. A. “Efficient protection and
transfection of small interfering RNA by cationic shell-crosslinked knedel-like nanoparticles”, Nuc. Acid
Ther., 2013, doi:10.1089/nat.2012.0390
12. Wang, Z.; Zhang, K.; Wooley, K. L.; Taylor, J.-S. A. “Imaging mRNA expression in live cells via peptide
nucleic acid (PNA) strand-displacement activated probes”, J. Nuc. Acids, 2012, doi:10.1155/2012/962652
13. Zhang, K.; Hao, L.; Hurst, S. J.; Mirkin, C. A. “Antibody-linked spherical nucleic acids for cellular
targeting”, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2012, 134, 16488–16491
14. Auyeung, E.; Cutler, J. I.; Macfarlane, R. J.; Jones, M. R.; Zhang, K.; Mirkin, C. A. “Synthetically
programmable nanoparticle superlattices: The hollow three-dimensional spacer approach”, Nat.
Nanotechnol., 2012, 7, 24-28 (Cover article; highlighted by MRS Bulletin)
15. Zhang, K.; Zheng, D.; Hao, L.; Cutler, J. I.; Auyeung, E.; Mirkin, C. A. “ImmunoPods: Polymer shells
with native antibody crosslinks”, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 2012, 5, 1169-1172 (Hot Paper)
16. Pochan, D. J.; Zhu, J.; Zhang, K.; Wooley, K. L.; Miesch C.; Emrick, T. “Multicompartment and
multigeometry nanoparticle assembly”, Soft Matter, 2011, 7, 2500-2506
17. Cutler, J. I.; Zhang, K.; Zheng, D.; Auyeung, E.; Prigodich, A. E.; Mirkin, C. A. “Polyvalent nucleic acid
nanostructures”, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2011, 133, 9254-9257 (Equal first author; highlighted by C&EN and
WTTW Chicago Tonight TV program)
18. Zhang, K.; Cutler, J. I.; Zhang, J.; Zheng, D.; Auyeung, E.; Mirkin, C. A. “Nanopod formation through
gold nanoparticle templated and catalyzed crosslinking of polymers bearing pendant propargyl ethers”,
J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2010, 132, 15151-15153
19. Zhang, J.; Langille, M. R.; Personick, M. L.; Zhang, K.; Li, S.; Mirkin, C. A. “Concave cubic gold
nanocrystals with high-index facets”, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2010, 132, 14012-14014
Ke Zhang c.v., August 2015
Page 2
20. Sun, G.; Berezin, M.; Fan, J.; Lee, H.; Ma, J. Zhang, K.; Wooley, K. L.; Achilefu, S. “Bright fluorescent
nanoparticles for developing potential optical imaging contrast agents”, Nanoscale, 2010, 2, 548-558
21. Zhang, K.; Fang, H.; Wang, Z.; Li, Z.; Taylor, J.-S. A.; Wooley, K. L. “Structure-activity relationships of
cationic shell-crosslinked knedel-like nanoparticles: Shell composition and transfection
efficiency/cytotoxicity”, Biomaterials, 2010, 31, 1805-1813
22. Ma, J.; Bartels, J. W.; Li, Z.; Zhang, K.; Cheng, C.; Wooley, K. L. “Synthesis and solution-state assembly
or bulk state thiol-ene crosslinking of pyrrolidinone- and alkene-functionalized amphiphilic block
fluorocopolymers: from functional nanoparticles to anti-fouling coatings”, Aust. J. Chem., 2010, 63, 11591163
23. Li, Z.; Ma, J.; Cheng, C.; Zhang, K.; Wooley, K. L. “Synthesis of hetero-grafted amphiphilic diblock
molecular brushes and their self-assembly in aqueous medium”, Macromolecules, 2010, 43, 1182-1184
24. Li, Y.; Hindi, K.; Watts, K. M.; Taylor, J. B.; Zhang, K.; Li, Z.; Hunstad, D. A. Cannon, C. L.; Youngs, W.
J.; Wooley, K. L. “Shell crosslinked nanoparticles carrying silver antimicrobials as therapeutics”, Chem.
Commun., 2010, 46, 121-123
25. Zhang, K.; Fang, H.; Li, Z.; Ma, J.; Hohlbauch, S. V.; Taylor, J.-S. A.; Wooley, K. L. “Composite softmatter nanoscale objects: nanocylinder-templated assembly of nanospheres”, Soft Matter, 2009, 5, 35853589 (Cover article)
26. Zhang, K.; Fang, H.; Shen, G.; Taylor, J.-S. A.; Wooley, K. L. “Well-defined cationic shell crosslinked
nanoparticles (cSCKs) for efficient delivery of DNA or PNA”, Proc. Am. Thorac. Soc., 2009, 6, 450-457
(Cover article)
27. Fang, H.; Zhang, K.; Gang, S.; Wooley, K. L.; Taylor, J.-S. A. “Cationic shell-crosslinked knedel-like
(cSCK) nanoparticles for highly efficient PNA delivery”, Mol. Pharm., 2009, 6, 615-626 (Equal first
author)
28. Li, Z.; Zhang, K.; Ma, J.; Cheng, C.; Wooley, K. L. “Facile synthesis of cylindrical molecular brushes by a
sequential RAFT and ROM ‘grafting-through’ methodology”, J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem., 2009,
47, 5557-5563
29. Zhang, K.; Fang, H.; Wang, Z.; Taylor, J.-S. A.; Wooley, K. L. “Cationic shell-crosslinked knedel-like
nanoparticles (cSCKs) for highly efficient gene and oligonucleotide transfection of mammalian cells”,
Biomaterials, 2009, 30, 968-977
30. Sun, G.; Fang, H.; Cheng, C.; Lu, P.; Zhang, K.; Walker, A. V.; Taylor, J.-S. A.; Wooley, K. L.
“Benzaldehyde-functionalized polymer vesicles”, ACS Nano, 2009, 3, 673-681
31. Du, W.; Xu, Z.; Nystrom, A. M.; Zhang, K.; Leonard, J. R.; Wooley, K. L. “19F- and fluorescently labeled
micelles as nanoscopic assemblies for chemotherapeutic delivery”, Bioconjugate Chem., 2008, 19, 24922498
32. Zhang, K.; Rossin, R.; Hagooly, A.; Chen, Z.; Welch, M. J.; Wooley, K. L. “Folate-mediated cell uptake of
shell-crosslinked spheres and cylinders”, J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem., 2008, 46, 7578-7583 (Cover
article)
33. Zhang, K.; Fang, H.; Chen, Z.; Taylor, J.-S. A.; Wooley, K. L. “Shape effects of nanoparticles conjugated
with cell-penetrating peptides (HIV Tat PTD) on CHO cell uptake”, Bioconjugate Chem., 2008, 19, 18801887
PRESENTATIONS
1.
“Teaching Old Oligonucleotides New Tricks – A macromolecular approach”, Mississippi State
University, 2016 (invited talk)
2.
“Sterically Protected Nucleic Acids for Supramolecular Assembly and in Vivo Delivery”, PacifiChem,
2015 (invited talk)
3.
“Teaching Old Oligonucleotides New Tricks – A macromolecular approach”, Shanghai Jiaotong
Ke Zhang c.v., August 2015
Page 3
University, China, 2015 (invited talk)
4.
“Brush polymers as non-toxic, biocompatible gene transfection carriers”, Nanyang Technological
University, Singapore, 2015 (invited talk)
5.
“Self-assembly of Nucleic Acid Amphiphiles”, ACS national meeting, 2015
6.
“Rational Design of Macromolecular Superstructures”, ACS national meeting, 2015
7.
“Nucleic Acid Delivery – A Tale of Two Approaches”, Jiangsu University, China, 2015 (invited talk)
8.
“Nucleic Acid-mediated Self-assembled Nanostructures”, Chemistry Department, Bridgewater State
University, 2015 (invited talk)
9.
“A Carrier-free, Light-activated Nanoparticle System for the Simultaneous Delivery of Nucleic Acids
and Cancer Drug”, ACS national meeting, 2015
10. “Gene Delivery through Structure Design”, International Symposium on Bioanalysis, Biomedical
Engineering and Nanotechnology, China, 2014 (invited talk)
11. “Nucleic Acid Delivery – A Tale of Two Approaches”, Hunan University, China, 2014 (invited talk)
12. “Nucleic Acid Delivery through Structure Design”, ACS national meeting, spring 2014 (invited talk,
ACS Polymer Chemistry Award symposium)
13. “Supramolecular Programming with Nucleic Acid-Polymer Conjugates”, Nanjing University of
Technology, China, 2014 (invited talk)
14. “Supramolecular Programming with Nucleic Acid-Polymer Conjugates”, Nanjing University, China,
2014 (invited talk)
15. “Nucleic Acid Delivery through Structure Design”, Shenzhen University, China, 2014 (invited talk)
16. “Nucleic Acid Delivery through Structure Design”, Northeastern University PharmSci Colloquium
Series, 2014 (invited talk)
17. “Designing the Connectivity between Nanoscopic Objects with DNA”, International Symposium on
Bio, Organic, and Nanoelectronics, China, 2014, (invited talk)
18. “Stimuli-responsive nucleic acid-drug nanostructures”, Gordon Research Conference, Drug Carriers
in Medicine and Biology, 2014, (poster)
19. “Self-assembly of polymer brushes via DNA hybridization”, Gordon Research Conference, Bioinspired
Materials, 2014, (poster)
20. “Nucleic acid nanostructures for efficient gene regulation”, Gordon Research Conference, Cancer
Nanotechnology, West Dover, VT, July 14, 2013 (poster)
21. “Gold nanoparticle templated and catalyzed formation of nanopods using polymers bearing pendant
propargyl ethers”, Gordon Research Conference, Polymers, South Hadley, MA, June 9, 2013 (poster)
22. “Nanopods – Hollow polymer and nucleic acid nanostructures”, World Polymer Congress,
Blacksburg, VA, 2012 (invited talk)
23. “Polyvalent nucleic acid nanostructures for gene regulation”, Gordon Research Conference, Cancer
Nanotechnology, Waterville, ME, 2011 (poster)
24. “Gold nanoparticle-templated and –catalyzed polymer crosslinking: From chemistry to biological
applications”, 241th American Chemical Society national meeting, Anaheim, CA, 2011 (oral)
25. “Polymer nanopod formation through gold nanoparticle templating and catalysis”, Gordon Research
Conference, Macromolecular Materials, Ventura, CA, 2011 (poster)
26. “Development of cationic shell-crosslinked knedel-like nanoparticles as highly potent transfection
agents”, 238th American Chemical Society national meeting, Washington DC, 2009 (oral)
27. “Polymer shell-crosslinked knedel-like nanoparticles as delivery vehicles for DNA, siRNA and PNA”,
Ke Zhang c.v., August 2015
Page 4
Gordon Research Conference, Polymers, South Hadley, MA, 2009 (poster)
28. “Cell uptake and the dependency on surface moieties of differently-shaped nanoparticles”, 236th
American Chemical Society national meeting, Philadelphia, 2008 (oral)
29. “Effects of nanoparticle shape on cellular uptake”, 234th American Chemical Society national meeting,
Boston, MA, 2007 (oral)
PATENT
1. Mirkin, C. A.; Giljohann, D. A.; Daniel, W. L.; Cutler, J. I.; Zhang, K.; Zheng, D. “Templated
nanoconjugates” EP Patent 2,494,075, 2012
FINANCIAL SUPPORT
Internal and External Support:
NSF CAREER Award (Active)
“CAREER: Supramolecular Polycondensation of Polymer Brushes via DNA
Hybridization”
03/2015-02/2020
525,000$
ACS PRF Doctoral New Investigator Award (Active)
“Controlling Polymerization Reactions at the Nanoscale”
05/2014-04/2017
110,000$
Rogers Corporation Collaborative Research Grant (Active)
“Novel thermosets for next-gen high-frequency applications”
05/2015-04/2016
140,500$
Dana Farber-Northeastern Cancer Research Grant (Completed)
“Development of a Novel Carrier-free Drug-DNA Nanoparticle System for
Cancer Therapy”
08/2014-07/2015
50,000$ (Zhang: 25,000$)
Dana Farber-Northeastern Cancer Research Grant (Active)
“Development of a Novel Carrier-free Drug-DNA Nanoparticle System for
Cancer Therapy”
08/2015-07/2016
50,000$ (Zhang: 25,000$)
Northeastern University Tier 1 Research Development Award (Completed)
“Plasmonic Metamaterials: A Sustainable, Bottom-up Approach”
“08/2013-07/2014
50,000$ (Zhang: 33,000$)
Northeastern University Start-up
“08/2012-07/2015
761,200$
Proposals Under Consideration:
NIH R01
“Making Nucleic Acids Better Biopharmaceuticals by Polymer-assisted
Compaction”
02/2017-03/2022
2,000,000$
NIH NIGMS R35
“Oligonucleotide Steric Selectivity: A New Route to Better Biopharmaceutical
Characteristics”
07/2016-06/2021
1,250,000$
Ke Zhang c.v., August 2015
Page 5