Jianfeng Xu

Dr. Jianfeng (Jay) Xu is a Professor of Biochemical Engineering at Arkansas State University's Beck College of Sciences & Mathematics, Department of Molecular Biosciences. He holds a Ph.D. and B.S. in Biochemical and Environmental Engineering from Dalian University of Technology, China.

• Education:
  • Ph.D., Dalian University of Technology, China (Biochemical Engineering)
  • B.S., Dalian University of Technology, China (Environmental Engineering)

His research focuses on plant-based bioproduction platforms using genetic engineering and genome editing to enhance therapeutic protein and biofuel yields. He developed the "HypGP Engineering" technology, enabling over 500-fold protein yield increases in plant systems. Applications include oral medications for inflammatory bowel disease and bioenergy crop modifications for improved biomass digestibility.

Recent publications emphasize plant cell engineering for therapeutic proteins, glycosylation optimization, biomass processing, and biomedical applications. His work has received federal funding from NIH, NSF, USDA, and DOE. Scientific contributions include 8 issued U.S. patents related to plant glycoprotein production and expression systems.

• Grants:
  • National Institutes of Health (NIH)
  • National Science Foundation (NSF)
  • United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)
  • Department of Energy (DOE)
• Patents:
  • Growth hormone and interferon-alpha-2 glycoproteins in plants
  • Designer glycomodules for protein expression
  • Methods for hyp-glycosylation site prediction

Dr. Xu leads the Xu Lab, pioneering plant cell systems for biopharmaceuticals and sustainable biofuels. His lab investigates macromolecular crowding effects, cell wall reconstruction, and recombinant protein trafficking mechanisms.