Shudan Yang

1. Developing novel NIR-II fluorophore – albumin conjugates for lymphatic system imaging a. Designed and synthesized novel chloride-cyanine dyes (20 chemical reactions conducted) and prepared albumin protein solution. b. Conjugated chloride-cyanine dyes with albumin through the reaction between the cysteine thiol group of albumin and chloride of cyanine dyes. 2. Developing fluorescent non-canonical amino acids to functionalize proteins a. Designed and synthesized fluorescent non-canonical amino acids (30 chemical reactions conducted, such as Heck coupling, Mitsunobu reaction, etc.) b. Genetically incorporated ncAAs into various protein models (hSOD, Htt, STIM1, CRY2, sfGFP). c. Study protein conjugation through confocal microscope. 3. Developing potential drug candidates for cancer bone metastases a. Designed and synthesized photoactivatable prodrugs of paclitaxel, CA-4, and SN-38, based on a novel thio-caged photosensitizer (20 reactions conducted, such as Micheal cyclization, ortho/para-directed substitution reactions, etc.). Prodrugs can be used for both photodynamic therapy and chemotherapy. b. Constructed pH-sensitive Tras antibody nanoparticle and further conjugated antibody nanoparticles with anticancer drugs (Bisphosphonate) for bone metastases (7 reactions conducted). c. Designed and synthesized pH-responsive NIR-II fluorescent photosensitizer–alendronate conjugates used for bone metastases detection and photodynamic therapy (19 reactions conducted, such as aldol condensation, click reaction, BODIPY construction, etc.).

Managed lab equipment and materials Addressed students’ queries during experiments Evaluated lab reports and assignments for undergraduate chemistry courses

Developing Fluorescent Ligands Conjugating to Double-Strand DNA a. Designed and synthesized a nucleobase analog to label DNA double strands with abasic site and conjugated it with Rhodamine dye to form a FRET pair (10 reactions conducted). b. Tested binding affinity to the abasic sites of DNA based on FRET through a fluorometer and SDS-PAGE.

Exploration of the reduction rate of disulfide bonds by GSH in HDAC inhibitor analog dimers a. Synthesized dimers of HDAC inhibitor analogs with disulfide bonds (10 reactions conducted) and analyzed their reduction rates by GSH through HPLC.

Conducted analysis of vitamins and amino acids of a new healthy beverage called “Nine Cereals Ferment Juice” Screened over 100 molecules in the beverage through HPLC-MS Identified key components using MassLynx and Unify

Coordinated with medical staff to ensure accurate medication distribution Answered their inquiries about medication use

Recognized and harvested medicinal plants Learned their key natural product components, and understood their therapeutic applications