Liu Yungen

Dr. Liu Yungen is a Research Associate Professor at the Department of Chemistry, Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech), with a career spanning over 15 years in catalytic chemistry and chemical biology. Prior to joining SUSTech in 2017, he held research positions at The University of Hong Kong from 2002 to 2017, including Ph.D., Postdoctoral Fellow, and Research Officer roles.

• Education: Ph.D. (2002-2007) and B.Sc. (1995-1999) from The University of Hong Kong; M.Sc. from Lanzhou University (1999-2002)

Research Interests:

• Transition metal-catalyzed C-H bond functionalization (particularly iron-based systems)
• Visible-light-induced photocatalytic reactions
• Synthesis and modification of natural products with anticancer properties
• Chemical biology of traditional Chinese medicines
• Mechanistic studies of metal-catalyzed oxidation and amination reactions
• Development of green chemical processes using sustainable oxidants

Research Trends: Recent publications (2015-2023) reveal a strong focus on: iron/ruthenium-catalyzed C-H functionalization reactions, visible-light photocatalysis for organic transformations, mechanistic studies of reactive metal intermediates, development of metal-free phosphinylation methods, and chemical biology applications in anticancer drug development.

Research Funding:

• Shenzhen Science and Technology Innovation Committee (2018-2020): Natural products-based anticancer research
• NSFC (2019-2022): Iron-catalyzed C-H amination
• NSFC Joint Program (2019-2022): Chiral iron-catalyzed asymmetric reactions

Laboratory Recruitment: Actively seeking postdoctoral fellows and research assistants with expertise in catalytic chemistry, coordination chemistry, and organic synthesis, offering competitive compensation packages including housing subsidies, research funds, and career development opportunities.