Zhihui (Jay) Zhang, Ph.D.
Home address: Working address:
The HallStar Company
New Berlin, WI 53151
Bedford Park, IL 60637
Tel: 404-***-**** (cell)
Email: ******@********.***
Email: ******@*****.***
SUMMARY
Accomplished chemist with strong knowledge and experience in chemical synthesis, formulation, process development
and technology transfer; Proven track record of innovations in new product development; Strong skills of project
management; Knowledge and experience in statistical experimental design and analysis (DoE) and continuous
improvement (Kaizen).
Process chemistry expertise in process development and optimization as well as technology transfers to manufacture
site or CMO/CRO.
Synthetic organic chemistry extensive experience in synthesizing small molecules, developing methodology and solving
challenging synthetic problems.
Polymer chemistry industrial experience in preparation and modification of polymer materials to address customers’
need for sustainable products.
Experience in modern analytical techniques (NMR, MS, LC, HPLC, GC, GC/MS, UV-Vis, IR, etc.).
Experience in working with manufacturing and marketing to commercialize new products; Experience of working with
sales and customers to qualify new or existing products.
Excellent communication skills (verbal & written), able to work and communicate with team members of other
disciplines and with different levels of expertise.
Authored 3 filed patent applications, 10+ journal papers and conference presentations
WORK ELIGIBILITY
U.S. Permanent Resident
WORK EXPERIENCE
Senior Research Chemist
The HallStar Company, Chicago, IL 01/2013-Present
Planned, performed and directed research projects for successful commercialization of products: idea generation, product
synthesis, purification, characterization, formulation testing, technology transfer to manufacturing and support of
manufacturing and sales. Coordinated research groups to meet project objectives and managed laboratory personnel
involved in product development.
Lead small molecule discovery project to identify novel chemical ingredients in next generation cosmetic products
(Patent).
Manage the project of design and synthesis of film forming polymers with novel photochemical property in support of
developing innovative materials.
Postdoctoral Scholar
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University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 01/2011-12/2012
Developed a general approach for the preparation of unprotected and N-protected organometallic amino acids
and directly incorporated them into peptides and proteins.
Established catalytic activities of several metalopeptides in organic reactions.
University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 11/2009-12/2010
Collaborated with Wistar Institute to design and synthesize two steroid-derived analogues as metabolically stable
inhibitors of hedgehog signaling. The lead compounds were more potent than original Cyclopamine in a few cancer cell
lines.
Collaborated with Department of Medicine to investigate the synthesis of heteroalkane-bridged bisquinoline analogues
and a structure-activity analysis using autophagy and cytotoxicity assays as the biological reporters of activity. This work
identified the lead compound, Lys01, as a 10-fold more potent autophagy inhibitor than previous analogues.
Graduate Research Assistant
Emory University, Atlanta, GA 08/2004-08/2009
Discovered a new synthetic approach to amide and peptide constructions through in situ carboxyl activation using a
silatropic switch strategy (Patent).
Developed the 2nd- generation of Liebeskind-Srogl cross coupling reaction involving Cu (I) catalyzed carbon carbon
bond forming process in the presence of strongly binding thiolate ligands.
Achieved the first metal catalyzed cyanation of boronic acids under cyanide-free and pH neutral conditions through
Pd(0)-catalyzed cross-coupling of boronic acids and thiocyanates.
Developed a mild protocol for amide formation through Cu(I)-mediated cross-coupling of organostannanes or boronic
acids and hydroxamic acid derivatives under non-basic and non-oxidizing conditions.
Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China 09/2001-06/2004
Invented a concise preparation of optically pure -hydroxy- -amino acids from chiral tricyclic iminolactone derived
from natural camphor (Patent).
Synthesized and characterized a variety of heterocyclic compounds containing cinchopheny for biological evaluations.
PATENTS
1. Zhang, Z.; Bonda, C. A, Hu, S. R. “Photostabilization of Aryl Substituted Propenoic Amides and Thioesters.”
Provisional patent filing (2013).
2. Liebeskind, L. S.; Wu, W.; Zhang, Z.; Li, H.; Angus A. Lamar. “Process for the Formation of Amide, Peptide Bonds,
and Glycopeptide Bonds.” Series Number 13/280,991 (2011).
3. Xu, P.-F.; Zhang, Z.; Li, S. “Method for Preparation of Template for the Synthesis of -Hydroxy- -Amino Acids and Its
Derivatives.” Chinese Patent, Series Number 03134969.2 (2004).
EDUCATION
08/2009
Ph.D. Organic Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, USA
06/2004
M.S., Organic Chemistry, Lanzhou University, China
06/2001
B.S., Chemistry, Lanzhou University, China
AWARDS AND HONORS
2009
Osborne R. Quayle Award for Excellence in Chemical Research, Emory University
2004
Hai Zheng Distinguished Graduate Fellowship, Lanzhou University
1998-2001
Annual Outstanding Undergraduate Scholarships, Lanzhou University
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PUBLICATIONS AND PRESENTATIONS
1. Zhang, Z.; Yang, H.; Zhang, C.; Lewis, J. C. “Synthesis and Catalytic Activity of Organometallic Amino Acids and
Metallopeptides.” Organometallics 2012, 31, 7328.
2. McAfee, Q.; Zhang, Z.; Samanta, A.; Levi, S. M.; Ma, X.-H.; Piao, S.; Lynch, J. P.; Uehara, T.; Sepulveda, A. R.; Davis,
L. E.; Winkler, J. D.; Amaravadi, R. K. “Autophagy inhibitor Lys05 has single-agent antitumor activity and reproduces
the phenotype of a genetic autophagy deficiency.” Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. USA 2012, 109, 8253.
3. Zhang, Z.; Lindale, M. G.; Liebeskind, L. S. “Mobilizing Cu(I) for Carbon-Carbon Bond Forming Catalysis in the
Presence of Thiolate. Chemical Mimicking of Metallothioneins.” J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2011, 133, 6403.
4. Wu, W.; Zhang, Z.; Liebeskind, L. S. “In Situ Carboxyl Activation Using a Silatropic Switch: A New Approach to Amide
and Peptide Constructions.” J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2011, 133, 14256.
5. Zhang, Z.; Baubet, V.; Ventocilla, C.; Xiang, C.; Dahmane, N.; Winkler, J. D. “Stereoselective Synthesis of F-ring
Saturated Estrone-Derived Inhibitors of Hedgehog Signaling Based on Cyclopamine.” Org. Lett., 2011, 13, 4786.
6. Li, Q.; Yang, S.-B.; Zhang, Z.; Li, L.; Xu, P.-F. “Diastereo- and Enantioselective Synthesis of β-Hydroxy-α-Amino Acids:
Application to the Synthesis of a Key Intermediate for Lactacystin.” J. Org. Chem. 2009, 74, 1627–1631.
7. Zhang, Z.; Yu, Y.; Liebeskind, L. S. “N-Amidation by Copper-Mediated Cross-Coupling of Organostannanes or Boronic
Acids with O-Acetyl Hydroxamic Acids.” Org. Lett. 2008, 10, 3005.
8. Zhang, Z.; Liebeskind, L. S. “Palladium-Catalyzed, Copper (I)-Mediated Coupling of Boronic Acids and
Benzylthiocyanate. A Cyanide-Free Cyanation of Boronic Acids.” Org. Lett. 2006, 8, 4331.
9. Xu, P.-F.; Zhang, Z.; Hui, X.-P.; Zhang, Z.-Y.; Zheng, R.-L. “Synthesis of Triazoles, Oxadiazoles and Condensed
Heterocyclic Compounds Containing Cinchophen and Studies on Biological Activity of Representative Compounds.”
J. Chin. Chem. Soc. 2004, 51, 315-319.
10. Zhang, Z.; Liebeskind, L. S. “New Metallothionein Mimic Copper-Catalyzed Cross-Coupling of Thioester and Boronic
acid.” 236th ACS National Meeting, Philadelphia, PA, August 17-21, 2008, ORGN-689.
11. Zhang, Z.; Liebeskind, L. S. “Copper(I)-Mediated Amination of Organostannanes with Hydroxylamine Derivatives.”
234th ACS National Meeting, Boston, MA, August 19-23, 2007, ORGN-732.
12. Zhang, Z.; Liebeskind, L. S. “New Cyanation Reaction of Boronic Acids.” 231st ACS National Meeting, Atlanta, GA,
March 26-30, 2006, ORGN-320.
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