Education

2001，B.Sc., Xiamen University;

2006, Ph.D., Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry (SIOC), Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Professional Experience

2006-2011, Research Fellow, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School;

2011-present, Principal Investigator of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry Group, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University.

Research Area

Our research is focused on two major areas: chemical biology and medicinal chemistry. At the interface of chemistry and biology, we use organic synthesis to create new chemical tools for studying biological problems in human health and disease. These functional small-molecule tools are applied to control and elucidate cellular signal transduction incancer, stem cell, and neural diseases. Second, we pursue established medicinal chemistry approaches including structure activity relationship (SAR) study and pharmacokinetics modification to optimize pre-clinical drug candidates. We're working to address the following general questions: a) How can we develop small-molecule modulators with selectivity towards desired targets such as protein kinases and epigenetic enzymes? b) How can we use discovered-small-molecule tools to dissect themolecular signaling pathways? c) How can we develop the 'lead' of targeted-drug from the tool compound?

Selected Publications

1. Ma, T.; Tian, X.; Zhang, B.; Li, M.; Wang, Y.; Yang, C.; Wu, J.; Wei, X.; Qu, Q.; Yu, Y.; Long, S.; Feng, J.-W.; Li, C.; Zhang, C.; Xie, C.; Wu, Y.; Xu, Z.; Chen, J.; Yu, Y.; Huang, X.; He, Y.; Yao, L.; Zhang, L.; Zhu, M.; Wang, W.; Wang, Z.-C.; Zhang, M.; Bao, Y.; Jia, W.; Lin, S.-Y.; Ye, Z.; Piao, H.-L.; Deng, X.*; Zhang, C.-S.*; Lin, S.-C.*, Low-dose metformin targets the lysosomal AMPK pathway through PEN2. Nature 2022, 603 (7899), 159-165. (Recommended by Faculty Opinions rated as exceptional).

2. Yin, C.; Zhu, B.; Zhang, T.; Liu, T.; Chen, S.; Liu, Y.; Li, X.; Miao, X.; Li, S.; Mi, X.; Zhang, J.; Li, L.; Wei, G.; Xu, Z.; Gao, X.; Huang, C.; Wei, Z.; Goding, C. R.; Wang, P.*; Deng, X.*; Cui, R.* Pharmacological targeting of STK19 inhibits oncogenic NRAS driven melanomagenesis. Cell, 2019, 176, 1113-1127.e16. (Highlighted by Cancer Discovery).
3. Chu, Y.; Chen, S.; Yang, M.; Chen, Y.; Fang, H.; Huang, P.; Xie, Y.; Sun, C.; Chen, Y.; Zhang, B.; Li, L.; Mu, H.; Song, D.; Cheng, W.; Wang, C.; Jiang, W.; Xu, X.; He, Z.; Chen, S.; Liu, M.; Ma, J.; Yang, M.; Cao, J.; Gao, J.; Shen, J.; Zhang, L.; Bai, Y.; Liu, Z.; Chen, J.; Dai, S.; Zeng, Y. A.; Zhao, Y.; Zhou, H.; Chen, C.; Ru, H.; Tan, L.; Chi, X.; Wang, F.; Gao, D.; Lin, M.; Deng, X.*; Jiang, H.*, A rapid imaging-based screen for induced-proximity degraders identifies a potent degrader of oncoprotein SKP2. Nat. Biotechnol. 2025. doi:10.1038 /s41587-025-02793-8 (Highlighted by Nat. Rev. Drug Discov. and Nat. Chem. Biol. )
4. Zhang, C. S.; Li, M.; Wang, Y.; Li, X.; Zong, Y.; Long, S.; Zhang, M.; Feng, J. W.; Wei, X.; Liu, Y. H.; Zhang, B.; Wu, J.; Zhang, C.; Lian, W.; Ma, T.; Tian, X.; Qu, Q.; Yu, Y.; Xiong, J.; Liu, D. T.; Wu, Z.; Zhu, M.; Xie, C.; Wu, Y.; Xu, Z.; Yang, C.; Chen, J.; Huang, G.; He, Q.; Huang, X.; Zhang, L.; Sun, X.; Liu, Q.; Ghafoor, A.; Gui, F.; Zheng, K.; Wang, W.; Wang, Z. C.; Yu, Y.; Zhao, Q.; Lin, S. Y.; Wang, Z. X.; Piao, H. L.; Deng, X.*; Lin, S.-C.*, The aldolase inhibitor aldometanib mimics glucose starvation to activate lysosomal AMPK. Nat. Metab. 2022, 4 (10), 1369-1401.
5. Fan, F.; He, Z.; Kong, L. L.; Chen, Q.; Yuan, Q.; Zhang, S.; Ye, J.; Liu, H.; Sun, X.; Geng, J.; Yuan, L.; Hong, L.; Xiao, C.; Zhang, W.; Li, Y.; Wang, P.; Huang, L.; Wu, X.; Ji, Z.; Wu, Q.; Xia, N. S.; Gray, N. S.; Chen, L.; Yun, C. H.*; Deng, X.*; Zhou, D.* Pharmacological targeting of kinases MST1 and MST2 augments tissue repair and regeneration. Sci. Transl. Med. 2016, 8, 352ra108. (Cover story, Highlighted by Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology)
6. Li, L.*; Wang, Y.; Wang, Y.; Li, X.; Deng, Q.; Gao, F.; Lian, W.; Li, Y.; Gui, F.; Wei, Y.; Zhu, S. J.; Yun, C. H.; Zhang, L.; Hu, Z.; Xu, Q.; Wu, X.; Chen, L.; Zhou, D.; Zhang, J.; Xia, F.*; Deng, X.*, Dimeric natural product panepocyclinol A inhibits STAT3 via di-covalent modification. Acta Pharm. Sin. B 2025, 15 (1), 409-423.
7. Su, N.; Lian, W.; Zhang, B.; Tian, Y.; Li, L.; Chen, Y.; Zhi, X.; Zeng, T.; Wu, Q.; Chen, L.; Zhou, D.; Wang, H.-R.; Cheng, S.-C.; Li, L.*; Deng, X.*, Inhibiting NEDD4 in triple-negative breast cancer cells reprograms tumor immune microenvironment via the β-TrCP/YAP/ECM axis. Cell Rep. Med. 2025, 6 (10).
8. Lu, Y.; Fan, Z.; Zhu, S. J.; Huang, X.; Zhuang, Z.; Li, Y.; Deng, Z.; Gao, L.; Hong, X.; Zhang, T.; Li, L.; Sun, X.; Huang, W.; Zhang, J.; Liu, Y.; Zhang, B.; Jiang, J.; Gui, F.; Wang, Z.; Li, Q.; Song, S.; Huang, X.; Wu, Q.; Chen, L.; Zhou, D.; Zhang, J.*; Yun, C. H.*; Chen, L.*; Deng, X.*, A new ALK inhibitor overcomes resistance to first- and second-generation inhibitors in NSCLC. EMBO Mol. Med. 2022, 14 (1), e14296. (Highlighted by ALK Positive Org. ).
9. Zhang, J.*; Bhuiyan, M. I. H.; Zhang, T.; Karimy, J. K.; Wu, Z.; Fiesler, V. M.; Zhang, J.; Huang, H.; Hasan, M. N.; Skrzypiec, A. E.; Mucha, M.; Duran, D.; Huang, W.; Pawlak, R.; Foley, L. M.; Hitchens, T. K.; Minnigh, M. B.; Poloyac, S. M.; Alper, S. L.; Molyneaux, B. J.; Trevelyan, A. J.; Kahle, K. T.*; Sun, D.*; Deng, X.*, Modulation of brain cation-Cl− cotransport via the SPAK kinase inhibitor ZT-1a. Nat. Commun. , 2020, 11, 78. (Highlighted by The Medical News).
10. Wang, Y.; Zhang, L.; Wei, Y.; Huang, W.; Li, L.; Wu, A. A.; Dastur, A.; Greninger, P.; Bray, W. M.; Zhang, C. S.; Li, M.; Lian, W.; Hu, Z.; Wang, X.; Liu, G.; Yao, L.; Guh, J. H.; Chen, L.; Wang, H. R.; Zhou, D.; Lin, S. C.; Xu, Q.; Shen, Y.; Zhang, J.; Jurica, M. S.; Benes, C. H.; Deng, X.*, Pharmacological Targeting of Vacuolar H(+)-ATPase via Subunit V1G Combats Multidrug-Resistant Cancer. Cell Chem. Biol. 2020, 27 (11), 1359-1370.e8.
11. Wang, Y.; Jiang, Z.; Zhang, K.; Tang, H.; Wang, G.; Gao, J.; He, G.; Liang, B.; Li, L.; Yang, C.*; Deng, X.*, Whole-Tumor Clearing and Imaging of Intratumor Microbiota in Three Dimensions with miCDaL Strategy. Adv. Sci. 2024, 11 (44), 2400694.
12. Li, Y.; Liu, Z.; Li, L.; Lian, W.; He, Y.; Khalil, E.; Mäkilä, E.; Zhang, W.; Torrieri, G.; Liu, X.; Su, J.; Xiu, Y.; Fontana, F.; Salonen, J.; Hirvonen, J.; Liu, W.; Zhang, H.*; Santos, H. A.*; Deng, X.*, Tandem-Mass-Tag Based Proteomic Analysis Facilitates Analyzing Critical Factors of Porous Silicon Nanoparticles in Determining Their Biological Responses under Diseased Condition. Adv. Sci. 2020, 7 (15), 2001129.
13. Zhang, L.; Wang, Y.; Huang, W.; Wei, Y.; Jiang, Z.; Kong, L.; Wu, A. A.; Hu, Z.; Huang, H.; Xu, Q.; Li, L.; Deng, X.*, Biosynthesis and Chemical Diversification of Verucopeptin Leads to Structural and Functional Versatility. Org. Lett. 2020, 22 (11), 4366-4371.
14. Gui, F.; Jiang, J.; He, Z.; Li, L.; Li, Y.; Deng, Z.; Lu, Y.; Wu, X.; Chen, G.; Su, J.; Song, S.; Zhang, Y. M.; Yun, C. H.; Huang, X.; Weisberg, E.; Zhang, J.*; Deng, X.*, A non-covalent inhibitor XMU-MP-3 overrides ibrutinib-resistant Btk(C481S) mutation in B-cell malignancies. Br. J. Pharmacol. 2019, 176, 4491-4509.
15. Wu, Z.; Liu, X.; Yan, X.-E.; Wu, X.; Huang, W.; Li, J.; Xiu, Y.; Lv, C.; Sun, C.; Wang, Z.; Xu, G.; Wu, X.; Hu, Z.; Huang, H.; Huang, X.; Zhang, J.*; Yun, C.-H.*; Li, L.*; Deng, X.*, Discovery of Potent and Selective Pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidine Derivatives as Fourth-Generation EGFR Inhibitors Targeting Triple Mutations. J. Med. Chem. 2025, 68 (18), 19205-19228.
16. Huang, W.; Sun, X.; Li, Y.; He, Z.; Li, L.; Deng, Z.; Huang, X.; Han, S.; Zhang, T.; Zhong, J.; Wang, Z.; Xu, Q.; Zhang, J.; Deng, X.* Discovery and Identification of Small Molecules as Methuosis Inducers with in Vivo Antitumor Activities. J. Med. Chem. 2018, 61, 5424-5434.
17. Jiang, J.; Gui, F.; He, Z.; Li, L.; Li, Y.; Li, S.; Wu, X.; Deng, Z.; Sun, X.; Huang, X.; Huang, W.; Han, S.; Zhang, T.; Wang, Z.; Jiao, B.; Song, S.; Wang, H.-R.; Chen, L.; Zhou, D.; Liu, Q.; Ren, R.*; Zhang, J.*; Deng, X.* Targeting BRK-positive breast cancers with small molecule kinase inhibitors Cancer Res. 2017, 77, 175-186. (Highlighted by BioWorldTM).
18. Jiang, H.; He, H.; Chen, Y.; Huang, W.; Cheng, J.; Ye, J.; Wang, A.; Tao, J.; Wang, C.; Liu, Q.; Jin, T.; Jiang, W.*; Deng, X.*; Zhou, R.* Identification of a selective and direct NLRP3 inhibitor to treat inflammatory disorders. J. Exp. Med. 2017, 214, 3219-3238. (Highlighted by Nature Reviews Rheumatology).
19. Deng, X. ¶; Dzamko, N. ¶; Prescott, A.; Davies, P.; Liu, Q.; Yang, Q.; Lee, J. D.; Patricelli, M. P.; Nomanbhoy, T. K.; Alessi, D. R.; Gray, N. S. Characterization of a selective inhibitor of the Parkinson's disease kinase LRRK2. Nat. Chem. Biol. 2011, 7, 203-5.
20. Yang, Q. ¶; Deng, X. ¶; Lu, B. ¶; Cameron, M.; Fearns, C.; Patricelli, M. P.; Yates, J. R., 3rd; Gray, N. S.; Lee, J. D. Pharmacological inhibition of BMK1 suppresses tumor growth through promyelocytic leukemia protein. Cancer Cell 2010, 18, 258-67.