News
2025
JACS paper using sequence to predict individual steps in enzymatic reaction
We showed evolutionary sequence data can predict individual steps in enzymatic reaction. This is crucial for us to understand how nature evolves efficient enzymes and could inform us strategies for rational enzyme design. Congrats to Dr. Wenqiang Cui and all authors!
2024
Yunlu joins the team as a graduate student
Yunlu Liu from Jilin University joined us as a graduate student!
Jon Golan, a Phd student in the Genetics and Genomics program, started his rotation in our lab!
Mengting Li from Northeastern University joined us as the first graduate student. She is the wet-lab expert in our lab!
Dr. Wenqiang Xu joined EvoCatalysis@UF! He graduated from Peking University.
Awards for two undergraduate students
Two undergraduate students (Leif and Audrey) co-supervised by Dr. Jing Pan’s lab were accepted to University Scholar Program. Congrats!
2023
Dr. Wenqiang Cui joined EvoCatalysis@UF! He graduated from Chinese Academy of Sciences (Shenzhen).
Our paper on luciferase has been accepted by PNAS. Our review paper on ‘evolutionary catalysis’ has been accepted in National Science Review.
Dr. Xie gave talks at UF Department of Chemistry and Genetics Institute.
Leif Holmstrom (Microbiology and Cell Science) and Kevin Fernandez (Chemical Engineering) joined the group as undergraduate researchers. Dr. Heba Agha joined the group as research assistant.
Dr. Xie is now officially affiliated with the Genetics Institute and the UF Health Cancer Center.
The EvoCatalysis lab is now officially open! We express our gratitude for the support from the College of Pharmacy and the Genetics Institute at UF.
Welcome to the Xie Lab! We delve into the methods nature employs to create effective catalysts, using these insights to advance biocatalysis engineering and pave the way for innovative therapeutic solutions. The lab will open in the Department of Medicinal Chemistry at University of Florida in July 2023.