PNNL

Shuai Zhang is currently a research scientist at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL). He is also affiliate faculty in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Washington. His research delves into the design of biomolecular materials through assembly mechanisms, with a particular focus on elucidating the principles governing assembly dynamics, structures, and hierarchies, employing cutting-edge in situ/operando scanning probe microscopies. Additionally, he spearheads investigations in mineralization and surface sciences, with applications in clean energy technologies. He received his PhD, with a PhD prize awarded by the Danish Academy of Natural Sciences, from Aarhus University in Denmark. His doctoral research focused on understanding amyloid assembly with atomic force microscopy-based nanomechanical mapping. Throughout his career, Zhang has gained extensive experience in materials science, biophysics, and nanotechnology, developing a highly interdisciplinary approach to achieving rational design and assembly of biomimetic materials. Zhang has published more than 70 papers.

• Scanning probe micriscopy
• Atomic force microscopy
• Biomolecular materials
• Self-assembly
• 2D VdW materials
• Surface science
• Crystalization
• Automated synthesis
• Biocatalysis

• PhD in nanoscience, Aarhus University, Denmark
• BS in materials chemistry, Jilin University, China

• Affiliate Faculty, Materials Science and Engineering, University of Washington
• Affiliate Faculty, Molecular Engineering & Sciences Institute, University of Washington
• Affiliate Faculty, Clean Energy Institute, University of Washington
• Materials Research Society
• American Chemical Society

• Outstanding Performance Award, PNNL, 2017, 2019
• Best Poster Award, 26th American Association for Crystal Growth's Western Section Conference on Crystal Growth & Epitaxy, 2018
• PhD prize, Danish Academy of Natural Sciences (one winner per year), 2014
• The International Travel Award, 58th Biophysical Society Annual Meeting, 2014
• Chinese Government Award for Outstanding Self-financed Students Abroad, 2013
• Scholarship, the 21st International Materials Research Congress, 2012
• Poster award, Bruker Nordic Scanning Probe Microscopy Conference and User Meeting, 2012
• State Educational Support Grant (Statens Uddannelsesstøtte) scholarship, Aarhus University, Denmark, 2010–2012
• Graduate fellowship, Aarhus University, Denmark, 2009–2010

2024

• Yadav Schmid S., X. Ma, J.A. Hammons, S.T. Mergelsberg, B.S. Harris, T.J. Ferron, and W. Yang, et al. 2024. "Influence of Peptoid Sequence on the Mechanisms and Kinetics of 2D Assembly." ACS Nano. PNNL-SA-192033. doi:10.1021/acsnano.3c10810

2023

• Yadav S.B., K. Lachowski, H.T. Chiang, L.D. Pozzo, J.J. De Yoreo, and S. Zhang. 2023. "Mechanisms of biomolecular self-assembly investigated through in situ observations of structures and dynamics." Angewandte Chemie International Edition 62, no. 48:Art. No. e202309725. PNNL-SA-181358. doi:10.1002/ange.202309725
• Zhao M., S. Zhang, R. Zheng, S. Alamdari, C.J. Mundy, J. Pfaendtner, and L.D. Pozzo, et al. 2023. "Computational and Experimental Determination of the Properties, Structure, and Stability of Peptoid Nanosheets and Nanotubes." Biomacromolecules. PNNL-SA-183646. doi:10.1021/acs.biomac.3c00107
• Davila Hernandez F.A., B. Jin, H. Pyles, S. Zhang, Z. Wang, T. Huddy, and A.K. Bera, et al. 2023. "Directing polymorph specific calcium carbonate formation with de novo protein templates." Nature Communications 14. PNNL-SA-186141. doi:10.1038/s41467-023-43608-1
• Akkineni S., G. Doerk, C. Shi, B. Jin, S. Zhang, S. Habelitz, and J.J. De Yoreo. 2023. "Biomimetic mineral synthesis by nanopatterned supramolecular-block copolymer templates." Nano Letters 23, no. 10:4290-4297. PNNL-SA-184702. doi:10.1021/acs.nanolett.3c00480
• Alberstein R.G., J.L. Prelesnik, E. Nakouzi, S. Zhang, J.J. De Yoreo, W.J. Pfaendtner, and F.A. Tezcan, et al. 2023. "Discrete orientations of interfacial waters direct crystallization of mica-binding proteins." The Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters 14, no. 1:80-87. PNNL-SA-178070. doi:10.1021/acs.jpclett.2c02948
• Lachowski K., H.T. Chiang, W. Zhou, K. Torkelson, S. Zhang, J. Pfaendtner, and L.D. Pozzo. 2023. "Anisotropic Gold Nanomaterial Synthesis Using Peptide Facet Specificity and Timed Intervention." Langmuir. PNNL-SA-186539. doi:10.1021/acs.langmuir.3c01577
• Balistreri G., I.R. Campbell, X. Li, J. Amorim, S. Zhang, E. Nance, and E. Roumeli. 2023. "Bacterial cellulose nanoparticles as a sustainable drug delivery platform for protein-based therapeuticsery platform for protein-based therapeutics." RSC Applied Polymers. PNNL-SA-191106. doi:10.1039/D3LP00184A

2022

• Felsted R.G., A. Pant, A. Bard, X. Xia, D. Luntz-Martin, S. Dadras, and S. Zhang, et al. 2022. "Chemically Tunable Aspect Ratio Control and Laser Refrigeration of Hexagonal Sodium Yttrium Fluoride Upconverting Materials." Crystal Growth & Design 22, no. 6:3605-3612. PNNL-SA-172021. doi:10.1021/acs.cgd.1c01174
• Zhang S., R. Sadre, B.A. Legg, H. Pyles, T. Perciano, E.W. Bethel, and D. Baker, et al. 2022. "Rotational Dynamics and Transition Mechanisms of Surface-Adsorbed Proteins." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 119, no. 16:Art. No. e2020242119. PNNL-SA-171180. doi:10.1073/pnas.2020242119
• Monahan M.C., M. Homer, S. Zhang, R. Zheng, C. Chen, J.J. De Yoreo, and B.M. Cossairt. 2022. "Impact of nanoparticle size and surface chemistry on peptoid self-assembly." ACS Nano 16, no. 5:8095–8106. PNNL-SA-172561. doi:10.1021/acsnano.2c01203

2021

• Kalinin S.V., S. Zhang, M. Valleti, H. Pyles, D. Baker, J.J. De Yoreo, and M. Ziatdinov. 2021. "Disentangling Rotational Dynamics and Ordering Transitions in a System of Self-Organizing Protein Nanorods via Rotationally Invariant Latent Representations." ACS Nano 15, no. 4:6471-6480. PNNL-SA-161461. doi:10.1021/acsnano.0c08914
• Ma J., B. Cai, S. Zhang, T. Jian, J.J. De Yoreo, C. Chen, and F. Baneyx. 2021. "Nanoparticle-Mediated Assembly of Peptoid Nanosheets Functionalized with Solid-Binding Proteins: Designing Heterostructures for Hierarchy." Nano Letters 21, no. 4:1636-1642. PNNL-SA-159754. doi:10.1021/acs.nanolett.0c04285
• Monahan M.C., B. Cai, T. Jian, S. Zhang, G. Zhu, C. Chen, and J.J. De Yoreo, et al. 2021. "Peptoid-Directed Assembly of CdSe Nanoparticles." Nanoscale 13, no. 2:1273-1282. PNNL-SA-158881. doi:10.1039/D0NR07509D
• Wang M., Y. Song, S. Zhang, X. Zhang, X. Cai, Y. Lin, and J.J. De Yoreo, et al. 2021. "Programmable two-dimensional nanocrystals assembled from POSS-containing peptoids as efficient artificial light-harvesting systems." Science Advances 7, no. 20:eabg1448. PNNL-SA-154183. doi:10.1126/sciadv.abg1448
• Zhang S., J. Chen, J. Liu, H. Pyles, D. Baker, C. Chen, and J.J. De Yoreo. 2021. "Engineering Biomolecular Self-Assembly at Solid-Liquid Interfaces." Advanced Materials 33, no. 23:Article No. 1905784. PNNL-SA-153256. doi:10.1002/adma.201905784
• Ziatdinov M., S. Zhang, O. Dollar, J. Pfaendtner, C.J. Mundy, X. Li, and H. Pyles, et al. 2021. "Quantifying the Dynamics of Protein Self-Organization Using Deep Learning Analysis of Atomic Force Microscopy Data." Nano Letters 21, no. 1:158-165. PNNL-SA-158524. doi:10.1021/acs.nanolett.0c03447

2019

• Cui W., X. Zhang, C.I. Pearce, Y. Chen, S. Zhang, W. Liu, and M.H. Engelhard, et al. 2019. "Cr(III) adsorption by cluster formation on boehmite nanoplates in highly alkaline solution." Environmental Science & Technology 53, no. 18:11043-11055. PNNL-SA-143650. doi:10.1021/acs.est.9b02693
• Jiao F., X. Wu, T. Jian, S. Zhang, H. Jin, P. He, and C. Chen, et al. 2019. "Hierarchical Assembly of Peptoid-Based Cylindrical Micelles Exhibiting Efficient Resonance Energy Transfer in Aqueous Solution." Angewandte Chemie International Edition 58, no. 5:12223-12230. PNNL-SA-148211. doi:10.1002/anie.201904598
• Pyles H., S. Zhang, J.J. De Yoreo, and D. Baker. 2019. "Controlling protein assembly on inorganic crystals through designed protein interfaces." Nature 571, no. 7764:251-256. PNNL-SA-142804. doi:10.1038/s41586-019-1361-6
• Tuladhar A., Z.A. Jessamy-Chase, M.D. Baer, B.A. Legg, J. Tao, S. Zhang, and A.D. Winkelman, et al. 2019. "Direct Observation of the Orientational Anisotropy of Buried Hydroxyl Groups Inside Muscovite Mica." Journal of the American Chemical Society 141, no. 5:2135-2142. PNNL-SA-140259. doi:10.1021/jacs.8b12483

2018

• Chen J., E. Zhu, J. Liu, S. Zhang, Z. Lin, X. Duan, and H. Heinz, et al. 2018. "Building Two-Dimensional Materials One Row at a Time: Avoiding the Nucleation Barrier." Science 362, no. 6419:1135-1139. PNNL-SA-139351. doi:10.1126/science.aau4146
• Jiang Z., S. Zhang, L. Hyldgaard Klausen, J. Song, Q. Li, Z. Wang, and B. Torger Stokke, et al. 2018. "In vitro single-cell dissection revealing the interior structure of cable bacteria." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) 115, no. 34:8517-8522. PNNL-SA-136014. doi:10.1073/pnas.1807562115
• Liu L., S. Zhang, M.E. Bowden, J. Chaudhuri, and J.J. De Yoreo. 2018. "In Situ TEM and AFM Investigation of Morphological Controls during the Growth of Single Crystal BaWO4." Crystal Growth & Design 18, no. 3:1367-1375. PNNL-SA-132351. doi:10.1021/acs.cgd.7b01216

2017

• Ma X., S. Zhang, F. Jiao, C.J. Newcomb, Y. Zhang, A. Prakash, and Z. Liao, et al. 2017. "Tuning crystallization pathways through sequence-engineering of biomimetic polymers." Nature Materials 16, no. 7:767-774. PNNL-SA-123850. doi:10.1038/nmat4891