Hongbin Li

Professor Hongbin Li is a Professor and Canada Research Chair in the Department of Chemistry at the University of British Columbia. His research program focuses on single molecule biophysical chemistry, biomaterials, and protein engineering. He leads an active research group investigating the mechanical properties and conformational dynamics of elastic proteins using advanced single molecule techniques.

Professor Li received his B.Sc in Polymer Engineering from Tianjin University, China in 1993. He earned his Ph.D. in Polymer Chemistry and Physics from Jilin University, China in 1998 under the supervision of Profs. Jiacong Shen, Xi Zhang and Hermann E. Gaub. During his doctoral studies, he was a visiting PhD student at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Germany (1996-1997) working with Prof. Hermann E. Gaub. Following his Ph.D., he completed a Research Fellowship at Mayo Medical Center, USA (1999-2002) with Prof. Julio M. Fernandez.

Professor Li's research program centers on understanding the mechanical properties and conformational dynamics of elastic proteins at the single molecule level. His laboratory combines protein engineering with single molecule atomic force microscopy (AFM) and computational approaches to rationally design and engineer proteins with tailored mechanical properties. Using AFM as their primary tool, his team directly manipulates proteins one molecule at a time to measure mechanical properties and monitor folding/unfolding trajectories in real time.

His research spans four main directions: (1) Protein Mechanics and Engineering, where they design proteins with specific mechanical properties; (2) Single Protein Folding/Unfolding Dynamics, investigating folding mechanisms at the single molecule level; (3) Protein-based Biomaterials, designing biomaterials with tailored mechanical properties for biomedical applications; and (4) Polymer physical chemistry using single molecule AFM. His work bridges fundamental protein mechanics with practical applications in biomaterials design.

Professor Li has received numerous prestigious awards recognizing his contributions to biophysical chemistry and protein engineering:

• 2020: AAAS Fellow (the American Association for the Advancement of Science)
• 2012: Changjiang Guest Chair Professorship (Jilin University, China)
• 2011: JILA Visiting Fellowship (JILA and University of Colorado, Boulder)
• 2011: Alexander von Humboldt Fellowship (Technical University of Munich, Germany)
• 2010: JILA Distinguished Short-term Visiting Fellow
• 2010: Charles McDowell Award for Research (UBC)
• 2006: Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research Career Investigator Award
• 2005: Peter Wall Institute for Advanced Studies Early Career Award (UBC)

Professor Li has mentored numerous graduate students and postdoctoral fellows throughout his career at UBC. His research has been supported by multiple grants, including his Canada Research Chair position which he has held continuously since 2004. His work bridges chemistry, physics, and biology, attracting funding from diverse sources including the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), the Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research, and international collaborations. His laboratory maintains strong connections with research groups worldwide, particularly in China and Germany, reflecting his international research profile.

Professor Li leads an active research group within the Department of Chemistry at UBC that combines expertise in protein engineering, single molecule biophysics, and biomaterials science. His laboratory is equipped with state-of-the-art atomic force microscopes and optical trapping systems, enabling cutting-edge single molecule studies. The group maintains close collaborations with researchers in the Michael Smith Laboratories and other interdisciplinary centers at UBC, fostering a highly collaborative research environment focused on understanding protein mechanics and developing novel protein-based materials.