UPIKE

Organic Chemistry
Biochemistry

Ph.D. Organic Synthesis and Biochemistry, Duke University, USA.
Ph.D. Natural Product Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China.
M.S. Natural Product Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Medical University, China.
B.S. Pharmaceutical Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, China.

UPIKE Publications

· Xu, Z. Anticancer natural products and analogs. In Novel Aspects on Chemistry and Biochemistry; B P International: India and UK, in preparation.

· Xu, Z. Solanum and asparagus oil are good sources of omega fatty acids. In Edible Wild Plants; Agarwal, V., Singh, S., Datta, R., Eds.; CRC Press: USA, submitted.

· Shall, A.; Dadey, E.; Wu, Q.; Qian, Z.; Xu, Z.* Evaluation of therapeutic potential of methanolic extracts from Cantharellus cibarius in acute myeloid leukemia. International Journal of Medicinal Mushrooms, submitted.

Selected Previous Publications

· Xu, Z.;* Eichler, B.; Klausner, E.A.; Duffy-Matzner, J.; Zheng, W. Lead/Drug Discovery from Natural Resources. Molecules 2022, 27, 8280. (IF 4.927)

· Xu, Z. Spring Festival. Yangjiang Literature and Arts 2019, 82, 48.

· Xu, Z.;* Zhao, L. Chess and music, book and painting, poetry and wine, flower and tea. Yangjiang Literature and Arts 2018, 80, 55.

· Xu, Z. Spring flowers, summer sunlight, fall moon, and winter snow. Yangjiang Literature and Arts 2017, 78, 53.

· Xu, Z.;* Shaw, B.R. Synthesis, hydrolysis, and protonation-promoted intramolecular reductive breakdown of potential NRTIs: d4T α-P-borano-γ-P-N-L-tryptophanyltriphosphates. Molecules 2015, 20, 18808–18826. (IF 4.927)

· Xu, Z. A review on the chemical synthesis of pyrophosphate bonds in bioactive nucleoside diphosphate analogs. Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters 2015, 25, 3777–3783. (IF 2.94)

· Xu, Z.;* Shaw, B.R.* Phosphorus deprotonation by a non-nucleophilic base is critical for the synthesis of nucleoside α-P-boranodiphosphates via a phosphoramidite approach. Tetrahedron Letters 2014, 55, 5605–5608. (IF 2.032)

· Xu, Z.;* Sergueeva, Z.A.; Shaw, B.R.* Synthesis and hydrolytic properties of thymidine boranomonophosphate. Tetrahedron Letters 2013, 54, 2882–2885. (IF 2.032)

· Xu, Z. Chemistry of fungus products. In Introduction of Natural Products Chemistry; Xu, R., Ye, Y., Zhao, W., Eds.; CRC Press: USA, 2012; pp. 27-53.

· Xu, Z. High-performance flash chromatography. In Extraction and Isolation of Compounds from Natural Resources; Xu, R., Ye, Y., Zhao, W., Eds.; Science Press: China, 2012; pp. 111-118.

· Xu, Z. Nucleosides. In Extraction and Isolation of Compounds from Natural Resources; Xu, R., Ye, Y., Zhao, W., Eds.; Science Press: China, 2012; pp. 456-477.

· Xu, Z. Peptides, proteins, and enzymes. In Extraction and Isolation of Compounds from Natural Resources; Xu, R., Ye, Y., Zhao, W., Eds.; Science Press: China, 2012; pp. 497–516.

· Wennefors, C.K.; Dobrikov, M.I.; Xu, Z.; Li, P.; Shaw, B.R.* Stereospecificity, substrate and inhibitory properties of nucleoside diphosphate analogs for creatine and pyruvate kinases. Bioorganic Chemistry 2008, 36, 169–177. (IF 5.29)

· Li, P.; Xu, Z.; Liu, H.; Wennefors, C.K.; Dobrikov, M.I.; Ludwig, J.; Shaw, B.R.* Synthesis of α-P-modified nucleoside diphosphates with ethylenediamine. Journal of the American Chemical Society 2005, 127, 16782–16783. (IF 13.858)

· Oyama, M.; Xu, Z.; Lee, K.-H.; Spitzer, T.D.; Kitrinos, P.; McDonald, O.B.; Jones, R.R.J.; Garvey, E.P.* Fungal metabolites as potent protein kinase inhibitors: identification of a novel metabolite and novel activities of known metabolites. Letters in Drug Design & Discovery 2004, 1, 24–29. (IF 1.099)

· Cheng, H.-H.; Wang, H.-K.; Bastow, K.F.; Tachibana, Y.; Xu, Z.; Luo, T.-Y.; Lee, K.-H.* Antitumor agents 209. Clerocalabide, a new cytotoxic pheophorbide-related compound from Clerodendrum calamitosum Linn. Journal of Natural Products 2001, 64, 915–919. (IF 4.803)

· Xu, Z.H.; Qin, G.; Xu, R.* A new bicoumarin from Stellera Chamaejasme L. Journal of Asian Natural Products Research 2001, 3, 335–340. (IF 1.61)

· Xu, Z.H.; Qin, G.W.; Li, X.Y.; Xu, R.S.* New biflavanones and bioactive compounds from Stellera Chamaejasme L. Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica 2001, 36, 668–671. (IF 14.903)

· Xu, Z.; Chang, F.-R.; Wang, H.K.; Kashiwada, Y.; Mcphail, A.T.; Bastow, K.F.; Tachibana, Y.; Cosentino, M.; Lee, K.-H.* Anti-HIV agents 45 and antitumor agents 205. Two new sesquiterpenes and the cytotoxic and anti-HIV principles from Leitneria floridana. Journal of Natural Products 2000, 63, 1712–1715. (IF 4.803)

· Xu, Z.H.; Qin, G.W.; Xu, R.S.* An isopimarane diterpene from Euphorbia ebracteolata Hayata. Journal of Asian Natural Products Research 2000, 2, 257–261. (IF 1.61)

· Xu, Z.-H.; Sun, J.; Xu, R.; Qin, G.* Casbane diterpenoids from Euphorbia ebracteolata. Phytochemistry 1998, 49, 149–151. (IF 4.004)

Dr. Xu’s research is centered on medicinal chemistry at the interface of biochemistry, natural product chemistry and organic chemistry. Her focus on research is the isolation and synthesis of bioactive compounds, and investigation of small molecule interaction with targets.

The ongoing projects involve four folds.
1) Bioassay-directed isolation and structural identification of anti-cancer, anti-viral, and anti-inflammatory agents, such as terpenes, flavonoids, alkaloids, nucleosides, etc., from natural sources.
2) Development of novel and efficient synthetic approaches to obtain bioactive analogs.
3) Investigation of the interactions between small molecules and biological targets.
4) Delivery of bioactive leading compounds to target cells through chemical strategies.