Chemical Biology
In view of the occurrence and harm of disease pest and weed in China, we use bioactive molecules as the lead compounds to carry out research on the discovery and development of new pesticides with high efficiency, low toxicity, low residue and environmental friendliness. We have our own certain advantages and unique features on the research of discovery and validation of pesticide active molecule from natural origin, the research of drug design, biological activity and SAR based on the biology and computational chemistry, and the research of establishing rapid detection methods for specific biomolecules and their functional study in living organisms. We also carry out the research on the catalytic mechanism of enzyme proteins, protein modification and target protein interactions with drug molecules, and the screening and modification of drug molecules. We have undertaken some research projects, such as the national support program, the 863 program, and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) projects. We have recently applied 12 patents, and 6 of them have been granted.
Organic Chemistry
Our research activities in the subdiscipline Organic Chemistry cover some important areas, including the synthesis of organic functional molecules, discovery of novel synthetic methodologies, and the optimization of previous organic synthetic routes. Based on our established preparation methodologies of organic functional molecules, we further advance green synthetic chemistry, asymmetric synthesis, and total synthesis of natural products. One of our outstanding achievements is the preparation of plant hormone strigolactone (rac-GR-24), which was synthesized on a large scale using a new and low-cost pathway. Relevant work has been patented, and has been published in the well-known international journals, such as ACS catalysis, Organic Letter, Advanced Synthesis and Catalysis, and Chemistry-A European Journal, etc. Among them, several papers have been selected as ESI Highly Cited Papers. We also conduct collaborative and interdisciplinary research with other disciplines at Nanjing Agricultural University, such as Plant protection, Life Science, and Environmental Science. Thus, our research in organic synthesis at NAU has gradually formed its own unique and remarkable features.
Inorganic Chemistry
The major research directions of inorganic chemistry, predominantly revolving around the subjects of inorganic synthesis and fabrication chemistry, nanomaterial and functional material chemistry and coordination chemistry, include the syntheses, preparations, structures, properties and applications of materials and focus on the integration and intersection of the materials chemistry, catalytic chemistry and environmental science. Through the studies and overlaps among inorganic fabrication and nanometer science, functional materials science and coordination chemistry, the aim is to explore the internal relationship between the composition, structure and performance of the materials, to obtain new functional materials with excellent properties, to promote the research and development of inorganic chemistry and to tackle importantly basic and pivotally technical issues involving materials, power sources and environmental sciences. Currently, some results have been published on Journal of the American Chemical Society, Environmental Science and Technology, Journal of Hazardous Materials, Chemical Communications, ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, Chemistry-A European Journal, Dalton Transactions, Chemosphere and Journal of Power Sources. Moreover, four authorized invention patents have been obtained.
Environmental Pollution Control Chemistry
Centering on the in-situ immobilization and leaching remediation technologies for soils contaminated by heavy metals, the advanced oxidation process applied to treatment of organic contaminated soil, the removal and degradation of heavy metals and organic contaminants in polluted water, and the microbial degradation of pollutants, researches mainly contain the following work: Screening and preparing microbial degradation bacteria on pesticides with high toxicity and refractory pesticides, and revealing its metabolic and degradation mechanism. New functional materials modified by inserting and grafting synthesis methods are adopted to investigate their adsorption performance and selective recognition ability of heavy metal ion. According to the national demands for environment pollution remediation, to explore and apply novel technologies of economic, high performance, feasibility and environmental benefit to the removal of contaminants. The study of remediation mechanism and reaction mechanism are also carried out to reveal the metabolic and degradation mechanism of pesticide residue. We have undertaken National Key Research and Development Projects, Public Welfare Industry Special Projects and National Natural Science Foundation of China, etc. The research result has won one Science and Technology Progress First Award of provincial level. Three patents have been granted, and more than 60 SCI papers have been published.