Zhang Liang

Address:

Building: NELCF Building,
Office: A505.

Research Interests:

1. Fuel-ethanol production:

• By focusing on two major global concerns -- energy and environment, this research will provide an innovative ethanol production system, which improves raw material-ethanol system and reduces the environmental impacts and further contribute to providing new economic opportunities to develop sustainable agriculture and industry with less reliance on fossil fuels.

Some specific research topics include: 

1. developing new non-food materials used for fermentation; 
2. the hydrolysis process for cellulosic materials; 
3. the metabolism engineering of industrial Saccharomyces cerevisiae; 
4. the ethanol fermentation from raw materials; 
5. the systemic utilization of ethanol stillage.

2. Physiology and metabolic engineering of yeast:

• Yeasts as an important microorganism play important roles in fermentation production of ethanol and other product. 

Some specific research topics include: 

1. the detailed annotations on the Genome of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, like the SSR and the anti-acid repression genes; 
2. yeast screening and engineering for the production of organism acid and citicoline; 
3. the structure and  simulation of metabolic network of Pichia stipits, Spathaspora passalidarum, Candida tenuis, Candida amazonensis and Candida jeffriesii, the investigation of new genes, and the construction of new expression system.

3. Enzyme Technology and Engineering:

• Enzymes are relatively large, complex molecules that catalyze biochemical reactions.
• The creation of improved enzymes has been an important field of study for the last 50 years. A variety of steps are involved in the creation of modified enzymes.
• Our specific research topics include phospholipase (A1, A2, C, D), xyloglucanase, Feruloyl Esterase, adenylate deaminase, etc.

4. Probiotic Bacillus:

• Bacillus strains have been widely used as a feed additive in animal husbandry and aquacu lture for the advantages of resistant to the environmental stress (heat, acid, chemicals, etc.) and can produce many enzymes (cellulase, amylase, lipase, etc.). 

Some specific research topics include: 

• Screening and metabolic improving new Bacillus strains; 
• Process for high-density fermentation and high concentration spore powder; 
• Study on novel complex probiotic Bacillus preparation and the applications.

Biography:

• Dr. Zhang joined the School of Biotechnology in Jiangnan University since the fall of 2005, and at 2009-2010, works as a research scholar at Michigan State University in Dr. Liao’s research group. 
• At Jiangnan University, he is a faculty member of both the National Engineering Laboratory for Cereal Fermentation Technology and School of Biotechnology, as well as a member of the key laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, Ministry of Education. 
• Since 2006, he acts as the principle investigator in four different ‘863’ and NSFC programs, and also in some programs sponsored by Ministry of Education, Jiangsu Province and companies. 
• Besides, he was sponsored by Distinguished Young Scientists Foundation of Jiangsu Province (2014), Six talent peaks project in Jiangsu Provincethe (2013), Fok Ying-Tong Education Foundation (2012) and Program for New Century Excellent Talents in University(2011).