Dr Weiwei Dai currently serves as the Director of the Suzhou Key Laboratory for Metabolic Syndrome and New Drug Research, and as an Associate Research Fellow at the School of Science, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University. Over the past several decades, Dr. Dai has been engaged in research on liver nutrition and metabolism, with her current research focus on tumor metabolism and amino acid/nitrogen metabolism. In recent years, she has published 11 scientific articles as the first author in classic SCI journals such as J Clin Invest (IF=19.5), The FASEB Journal, JMCB, BBA Mol Basis Dis., etc.; co-authored 7 articles; obtained 2 invention patents as the first inventor; and led a project funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (2025-2028). Dr. Dai is a member of the Chinese Society for Cell Biology, the Chinese Society for Biophysics, the Chinese Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, the Chinese Nutrition Society, and the Suzhou Society for Biology. Additionally, she serves as a peer reviewer for journals such as the Journal of Molecular Cell Biology, Clinical Science, Frontiers in Nutrition, Bioscience Reports, and Aquaculture.
Director: Dr Weiwei Dai
Associated Director: Dr Jianrui Song
Associated Director: Dr Antony Kam
External Collaboration Director: Dr Yongtao Zhu
Team members/Experts/Consultants
Theme 1: Molecular mechanism of Metabolic Syndrome—Theme Leader Dr Jianrui Song
Dr Weiwei Dai: studies nitrogen metabolism in physiology and metabolic diseases including obesity and liver cancer, nutritional regulation of mTOR activation, and cancer metabolism.
Dr Jianrui Song (AoP): investigate how obesity drives cancer progression, exploring itaconate’s anti-inflammatory effects in cardiovascular disease.
Dr Ken Cheng: study regulatory mechanism investigation of bioactive compounds in metabolic diseases, and mass spectrometry-based analytical methods for comprehensive coverage of metabolome and lipidome.
Dr Lanlan Han: studies protein structures and engineers enhanced protein therapeutics.
Dr Zhihao Jia (Suda/AoP): investigate the role of protein arginine methyltransferases and their substrates in adipose and muscle development and metabolism.
Dr Mingming Xu (AoP): conduct drug discovery and mechanism studies for common neurodegenerative diseases, identifying exosomal biomarkers from biofluids for common cancers.
Dr Zhimin Gu (ISM): focus on hematopoietic system development and hematologic malignancies, using high-throughput techniques to explore tumor mechanisms and develop new therapies.
Dr Yu Feng (Suzhou University Second Affiliated Hospital (Sanxiang Rd Yuanqu)-Endocrinology Department): mass spectrometry and NMR-based metabolomics and lipidomics studies,make animal models,developing new strategies to treat metabolic disease.
Dr Caifeng Jiang (Suzhou Dushuhu Hospital): Study chronic liver diseases, focusing on liver fibrosis mechanisms and cirrhosis complications, alongside liver cancer pathogenesis and early diagnosis and treatment of colorectal tumors.
Theme 2: Therapeutic, diagnostic, and advanced material innovations for metabolic syndrome-related diseases—Theme Leader Dr Antony Kam
Dr Antony Kam (BIO): Specializes in the design of novel peptides and proteins, the development of gene and cell therapies, the creation of diagnostic tests, the enhancement of drug delivery methods, the discovery of new medicines, and the investigation of mechanisms of action utilizing multi-omics technology.
Dr Shining Loo (AoP): Concentrates on designing innovative peptides and proteins, creating gene and cell therapies, developing diagnostic tests, improving drug delivery methods, discovering new medicines, and studying mechanisms of action through multi-omics approaches.
Dr Jeong Hyeon Park (BIO): Conducts research on drug mechanisms, discovers new drugs through molecular biology research, and develops gene delivery systems for therapeutic applications.
Dr Kozo Hamada (BIO): Focuses on engineering biosensors for disease detection and designing therapeutic proteins for targeted interventions.
Dr Francesco Zonta (BIO): Employs artificial intelligence and computational techniques to design antibodies and discover novel drug candidates.
Dr Yong Shen (BIO): Specializes in constructing synthetic biological systems and employing genetic engineering for therapeutic applications in metabolic syndrome-related diseases.
Dr Qiuchen Dong (CHEM): Concentrates on the development of advanced sensors and materials for sensing and monitoring metabolic syndrome-related diseases, enabling early detection and personalized treatment.
Dr Xuan Xue (CHEM): Focuses on the development of cutting-edge biomaterials and polymers for targeted drug delivery and tissue engineering applications in metabolic syndrome-related diseases.
Dr Chun Chan (BIO): Utilizes artificial intelligence integrated with computational biology approaches to drive innovative drug discovery for metabolic syndrome-related diseases.
Dr Faez Khan (BIO): Conducts research on protein-protein interactions, engineers’ proteins for therapeutic purposes, designs drugs targeting specific protein targets, analyzes protein dynamics, and explores protein folding mechanisms in the context of MetS-related diseases.
Theme 3: Microbiota and Metabolic Diseases—Theme Leader Dr Yongtao Zhu
Dr Yongtao Zhu: pure culturing, biochemical/physiological studying and genetic manipulation of microorganisms.
Dr Min Tang: host-specificity of gut symbionts, gut microbiome, and biological adaption.
Dr Xinzhao Tong: host-microbe interaction, human and built environment microbiome, and microbial ecology.
Dr Lu Zhang: microbial interactions in natural and engineered communities, meta-omics and isotope labelling.
Director of the unit
Director: Weiwei Dai, Ph.D.
Dr Weiwei Dai currently serves as the Director of the Suzhou Key Laboratory for Metabolic Syndrome and New Drug Research, and as an Associate Research Fellow at the School of Science, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University. Over the past several decades, Dr. Dai has been engaged in research on liver nutrition and metabolism, with her current research focus on tumor metabolism and amino acid/nitrogen metabolism. In recent years, she has published 11 scientific articles as the first author in classic SCI journals such as J Clin Invest (IF=19.5), The FASEB Journal, JMCB, BBA Mol Basis Dis., etc.; co-authored 7 articles; obtained 2 invention patents as the first inventor; and led a project funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (2025-2028). Dr. Dai is a member of the Chinese Society for Cell Biology, the Chinese Society for Biophysics, the Chinese Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, the Chinese Nutrition Society, and the Suzhou Society for Biology. Additionally, she serves as a peer reviewer for journals such as the Journal of Molecular Cell Biology, Clinical Science, Frontiers in Nutrition, Bioscience Reports, and Aquaculture.
Director: Dr Weiwei Dai
Associated Director: Dr Jianrui Song
Associated Director: Dr Antony Kam
External Collaboration Director: Dr Yongtao Zhu
Team members/Experts/Consultants
Theme 1: Molecular mechanism of Metabolic Syndrome—Theme Leader Dr Jianrui Song
Theme 2: Therapeutic, diagnostic, and advanced material innovations for metabolic syndrome-related diseases—Theme Leader Dr Antony Kam
Theme 3: Microbiota and Metabolic Diseases—Theme Leader Dr Yongtao Zhu