Contact Information
University of Illinois
A322 CLSL, Box 8-6
600 South Mathews Avenue
Urbana, IL 61801
Biography
Professor Yi Lu received his B.S. from Peking University, P. R. China in 1986 and his Ph.D. from University of California, Los Angeles in 1992. After two years of postdoctoral research at California Institute of Technology, he joined the faculty at Illinois in 1994. Professor Yi Lu's research interests are in bioinorganic, bioanalytical and biomaterials chemistries.
Research Interests
Biosynthetic Inorganic Chemistry, DNAzyme and Aptamer-Based Sensing and Imaging Agents, and Functional DNA Nanotechnology
Research Description
The Lu group's research interests lie at the interface between chemistry and biology. We are developing new chemical approaches to provide deeper insight into biological structures and functions. We are taking advantage of recently developed biological tools to advance many areas in chemistry, including bioinorganic, bioanalytical, and biomaterials chemistry. Bioorganic and biophysical methods and tools are also being used. Our main areas of research include:
Biosynthetic inorganic chemistry and its application in environmentally benign catalysis in renewable energy generation and pharmaceuticals. Fundamental understanding of DNAzymes and aptamers, and their applications in environmental monitoring, medical diagnostics, and targeted drug delivery.Employing principles from biology for directed assembly of nanomaterials, and its applications in photonics and sensing.
For more and latest information about the Lu group research, please visit Lu group.
Awards and Honors
Royal Society of Chemistry Applied Inorganic Chemistry Award, 2015
Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry, 2015
Ranked among the world's most influential researchers, as part of the Thompson/Reuters mostly highly cited list in 2015, 2016 and 2017
Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science, 2007
Society of Biological Inorganic Chemistry (SBIC) Early Career Award, 2007
Howard Hughes Medical Institute Professors Award, 2002
Camille Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Award, 1999
Additional Campus Affiliations
Jay and Ann Schenck Professor Emeritus, Chemistry
External Links
Honors & Awards
Royal Society of Chemistry Applied Inorganic Chemistry Award, 2015
Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry, 2015
Ranked among the world's most influential researchers, as part of the Thompson/Reuters mostly highly cited list in 2015, 2016 and 2017
Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science, 2007
Society of Biological Inorganic Chemistry (SBIC) Early Career Award, 2007
Howard Hughes Medical Institute Professors Award, 2002
Camille Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Award, 1999
Highlighted Publications
Yu, Y., Cui, C., Liu, X., Petrik, I. D., Wang, J., & Lu, Y. (2015). A Designed Metalloenzyme Achieving the Catalytic Rate of a Native Enzyme. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 137(36), 11570-11573. https://doi.org/10.1021/jacs.5b07119
Torabi, S. F., Wu, P., McGhee, C. E., Chen, L., Hwang, K., Zheng, N., Cheng, J., & Lu, Y. (2015). In vitro selection of a sodium-specific DNAzyme and its application in intracellular sensing. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 112(19), 5903-5908. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1420361112
Xiang, Y., & Lu, Y. (2011). Using personal glucose meters and functional DNA sensors to quantify a variety of analytical targets. Nature Chemistry, 3(9), 697-703. https://doi.org/10.1038/nchem.1092
Tan, L. H., Xing, H., & Lu, Y. (2014). DNA as a powerful tool for morphology control, spatial positioning, and dynamic assembly of nanoparticles. Accounts of chemical research, 47(6), 1881-1890. https://doi.org/10.1021/ar500081k
Bhagi-Damodaran, A., Michael, M. A., Zhu, Q., Reed, J., Sandoval, B. A., Mirts, E. N., Chakraborty, S., Moënne-Loccoz, P., Zhang, Y., & Lu, Y. (2017). Why copper is preferred over iron for oxygen activation and reduction in haem-copper oxidases. Nature Chemistry, 9(3), 257-263. https://doi.org/10.1038/nchem.2643
Recent Publications
Guo, W., Ma, Y., Mou, Q., Shao, X., Lyu, M., Garcia, V., Kong, L., Lewis, W., Yang, Z., Lu, S., & Lu, Y. (2025). Sialic acid aptamer and RNA in situ hybridization-mediated proximity ligation assay for spatial imaging of glycoRNAs in single cells. Nature Protocols, Article eabh2848. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41596-024-01103-x
Lewis, W., Farrell, A., Pradhan, S., & Lu, Y. (2025). Signal Transduction Strategies for DNAzyme-Based Sensing and Imaging of Metal Ions in Cells and in Vivo. Chemical and Biomedical Imaging. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1021/cbmi.4c00090
Ma, Y., Lewis, W., Yan, P., Shao, X., Mou, Q., Kong, L., Guo, W., & Lu, Y. (2025). Highly selective DNA aptamer sensor for intracellular detection of coenzyme A. Chemical Science. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1039/d5sc00332f
Wu, Y., Kong, W., Van Stappen, J., Kong, L., Huang, Z., Yang, Z., Kuo, Y. A., Chen, Y. I., He, Y., Yeh, H. C., Lu, T., & Lu, Y. (2025). Genetically Encoded Fluorogenic DNA Aptamers for Imaging Metabolite in Living Cells. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 147(2), 1529-1541. https://doi.org/10.1021/jacs.4c09855
Yang, Z., Farrell, A., Pradhan, S., Zhang, K. H., Guo, W., Wu, Y., Shao, X., Roy, A., Garcia, E. S., & Lu, Y. (2025). On-Site Portable Lithium Detection in Mining and Recycling Industries Based on a DNAzyme Fluorescent Sensor. Angewandte Chemie - International Edition, 64(2), Article e202413118. https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.202413118