Dr. Bowen Li
Distinguished Professor
E-mail: bwli@suda.edu.cn
Address: Room 801-2, International College of Pharmaceutical Innovation, Soochow University
Biography
Dr. Bowen Li is a Distinguished Professor and doctoral supervisor jointly appointed by the International College of Pharmaceutical Innovation and the Suzhou Institute of Pharmaceutical Innovation, Soochow University. Dr. Li obtained his bachelor’s degree from Qingdao University of Science and Technology and his Ph.D. degree from the Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, under the supervision of Prof. Wenjun Tang. From 2021 to 2025, he conducted postdoctoral research at Rice University under the supervision of Prof. James M. Tour, a member of the U.S. National Academy of Engineering. He joined Soochow University in June 2026. Dr. Li has published 28 SCI-indexed papers, including 10 papers as first/co-first author or corresponding author in leading journals such as J. Am. Chem. Soc., Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., Adv. Mater., ACS Nano, Adv. Sci. He also serves as a reviewer for international journals including Sci. Adv., ACS Nano, Appl. Energy.
Research Interests
1. Design and Synthesis of Light-Driven Molecular Machines
2. Nanomedicine Enabled by Molecular Mechanical
3. ActionsDevelopment of Smart Biomaterials and Drug Delivery Systems
4. Green and Efficient Synthesis of Innovative Drug Molecules
Publications (# represents co-first author, * represents corresponding author)
1) Li, B.; Luo, B.; Yang, H.;* Tang, W.* Heck Reaction of N-Heteroaryl Halides for Concise Synthesis of Chiral α-Heteroaryl-substituted Heterocycles. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2022, 61, e202209087.
2) Li, B.; Li, T.; Aliyu. A. M.; Li, Z. H.; Tang, W.* Enantioselective Palladium-Catalyzed Cross-Coupling between α-Bromo Carboxamides and Arylboronic Acids. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2019, 58, 11355–11359.
3) Li, B.#,*; Arnold, D.;# Rui, Y.;# Santos, A. L.; Beckham, J.; Xu, S.; Cheng, Y.; Si, T.; Liu, Q.; Tour, J. M.* Precise and Mechanical Control of Calcium Signaling in Muscle Cells by Near-Infrared-Activated Molecular Jackhammers. ACS Nano 2026, 20, 442–458.
4) Li, B.; Ayala-Orozco, C.;* Si, T.; Zhou, L.; Wang, Z.; Martí, A. A.; Tour, J. M.* Divergent Syntheses of Near-Infrared Light-Activated Molecular Jackhammers for Cancer Cell Eradication. Adv. Sci. 2024, 11, 2405965.
5) Li, B.; Luo, B.; Blakemore, C. A.;* Smith, A. C.; Widlicka, D. W.; Berritt, S.; Tang, W.* Synthesis of α-Heteroaryl Propionic Esters by Palladium-Catalyzed α-Heteroarylation of Silyl Ketene Acetals. Org. Lett. 2021, 23, 6439–6443.
6) Li, B.; Aliyu, A. M.; Gao, Z.; Li, T.; Dong, W.; Shi, E.*; Tang, W.* General Synthesis of Chiral α, α-Diaryl Carboxamides by Enantioselective Palladium-Catalyzed Cross-Coupling. Org. Lett. 2020, 22, 4974–4978.
7) Arnold, D.;# Li, B.;# Beckham, J.; Lopez-Jaime, K.; Ayala-Orozco, C.; Rui, Y.; Chaudhry, G.; Seminario, J.; Tour, J. M.* Rotation Kinetics of Molecular Motors Influence their Ability to Kill Cancer Cells and Induce Cellular Calcium Signaling. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2025, 147, 22387–22401.
8) Ayala-Orozco, C.;*,# Li, G.;# Li, B.;# Vardanyan, V.; Kolomeisky, A. B.;* Tour, J. M.* How to Build Plasmon-Driven Molecular Jackhammers that Disassemble Cell Membranes and Cytoskeletons in Cancer. Adv. Mater. 2024, 36, 2309910.
9) Rui, Y.;# Li, B.;#,* Vardanyan, V.; Kim, S.; Arnold, D.; Beckham, J.; Ayala-Orozco, C.; Santos, A. L.; Chaudhry, G.; Zhou, L.; Xu, S.; Si, T.; Wang, Z.; Marti, A.; Kolomeisky, A.; Robinson, J.; Tour, J. M.* Molecular Jackhammers Induce Intracellular Calcium Release and Skeletal Muscle Contraction by Vibronic-Driven Action. Chem. Sci. 2026, 17, 9938–9951.
10) Ayala-Orozco, C.;*,# Li, B.; # Li, G.; Tour, J. M.* Plasmon Hybridization Model in Molecules: Molecular Jackhammers. Chem. Sci. 2025, 16, 2718–2729.
11) Beckham, J. L.; van Venrooy, A. R.; Kim, S.; Li, G.; Li, B.; Duret, G.; Arnold, D.; Zhao, X.; Li, J. T.; Santos, A. L.; Chaudhry, G.; Liu, D.; Robinson, J. T.;* Tour, J. M.* Molecular machines stimulate intercellular calcium waves and cause muscle contraction. Nat. Nanotechnol. 2023, 18, 1051–1059.
