Huimin Zhao’s research develops and applies synthetic biology, machine learning, and laboratory automation tools to engineer functionally improved or novel proteins, pathways, and genomes for biotechnological and biomedical applications. Zhao investigates the protein structure-function relationship, cell metabolism, and mechanisms of gene expression and regulation.
Zhao is the Steven L. Miller Chair in the Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, a professor of chemistry, biochemistry, biophysics, and bioengineering, and the Director of the NSF AI Research Institute for Molecule Synthesis at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
Zhao received his B.S. degree in Biology from the University of Science and Technology of China in 1992 and his Ph.D. degree in Chemistry from the California Institute of Technology in 1998 under the guidance of Nobel Laureate Dr. Frances Arnold. Prior to joining Illinois in 2000, he was a project leader at the Industrial Biotechnology Laboratory of the Dow Chemical Company. He was promoted to full professor in 2008. Zhao has authored and co-authored over 340 research articles and over 30 issued and pending patent applications with several being licensed by industry. In addition, he has given plenary, keynote or invited lectures in over 390 international meetings, universities, industries, and research institutes. Twenty-five (25) of his former graduate students and postdocs became professors or principal investigators in the United States (9), China (Mainland 10, Taiwan 1), Korea (2), Singapore (2), and Egypt (1).