About
Peng Zhan is an Associate Professor in the Department of Medicinal Chemistry at the School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shandong University, where he has been employed since November 2014. Prior to this, he served as a JSPS Postdoctoral Fellow at Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine in Japan (2012-2014) and as a Researcher (Lecturer) at Shandong University (2010-2012). His extensive academic background and research contributions have established him as a prominent figure in medicinal chemistry and drug discovery.
Dr. Zhan received his educational training entirely at Shandong University: BS in Pharmaceutical Engineering (2001-2005), MS in Medicinal Chemistry (2005-2008), and PhD in Medicinal Chemistry (2008-2010). His academic journey demonstrates a consistent focus on pharmaceutical sciences with progressive specialization in medicinal chemistry.
Dr. Zhan's research primarily focuses on the discovery of novel antiviral, anticancer, and neurodegenerative disease-related agents based on rational drug design and combinatorial chemistry approaches. His expertise spans medicinal and pharmaceutical chemistry, synthesis, molecular docking, organic synthesis, nuclear medicine, HIV pharmacology, and molecular modeling. His work demonstrates a strong emphasis on structure-based drug design, particularly targeting HIV reverse transcriptase and capsid proteins, with significant contributions to overcoming drug resistance in antiretroviral therapy.
Analysis of Dr. Zhan's recent publications reveals a consistent focus on antiviral drug discovery, particularly for HIV treatment, with increasing exploration of novel mechanisms including protein degradation-based approaches and molecular proximity techniques. His work shows progression from traditional inhibitor development to more innovative therapeutic modalities, with strong emphasis on addressing drug resistance challenges and improving pharmacokinetic profiles. The research spans structural biology, computational chemistry, and medicinal chemistry with practical applications in antiviral therapy.
- CPA-Servier Young Investigator Awards in Medicinal Chemistry (2016)
- National Excellent 100 Doctoral Dissertation nominee (2012)
- Superiority doctor graduation thesis of Shandong Province (2011)
- Multiple first prizes in Shandong Province for scientific research achievement (2010)
- President Scholarship of Shandong University, the supreme award for students (2009)
- Multiple postgraduate scholarships and superiority awards throughout his academic career
Dr. Zhan has successfully secured substantial research funding from multiple prestigious sources including the National Natural Science Foundation of China (multiple grants), Research Fund for the Doctoral Program of Higher Education, Science and Technology Development Project of Shandong Province, Postdoctoral Science Foundation of China (both Special and General Programs), JSPS Research Project in Japan, and Independent Innovation Foundation of Shandong University. His research group has produced an impressive volume of scholarly work, with over 500 publications and more than 120,000 reads on ResearchGate, demonstrating significant impact in the field of medicinal chemistry.
As a principal investigator, Dr. Zhan leads a productive research laboratory focused on drug discovery, with particular emphasis on antiviral agents. His lab employs advanced techniques including molecular docking, structure-based drug design, combinatorial chemistry, and rational drug design approaches. The team has developed numerous patented compounds targeting HIV, influenza, and other viral infections, with significant contributions to understanding drug resistance mechanisms and developing next-generation therapeutics with improved profiles.
