Research Bio
Wenjun Zhang is a chemical and biological engineer whose research investigates natural product biosynthesis, metabolic engineering, and synthetic biology. She is best known for studies of polyketides and nonribosomal peptides, engineering microbial systems to produce bioactive compounds with pharmaceutical and agricultural applications. Zhang’s lab integrates biochemistry, genetics, and bioengineering to uncover new natural products and reprogram biosynthetic pathways. Her research advances the development of novel antibiotics, anticancer agents, and sustainable chemicals.
She is Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and Professor of Chemistry at UC Berkeley. Her research has been published in Nature Chemistry, Nature Chemical Biology, Nature Microbiology, Nature Communications, PNAS, and Journal of the American Chemical Society. Zhang has received the Pew Scholar Award, the NIH Director’s New Innovator Award, the Sloan Research Fellowship, and the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers. At Berkeley, she teaches biochemical engineering, mentoring students in natural product discovery and engineering.
Research Expertise and Interest
chemical biology, microbiology, natural product biosynthesis, enzyme discovery and characterization, drug discovery, human microbiome, specialized metabolism
In the News
Can the ‘Good’ Bacteria in Your Mouth Act As Probiotic Cavity Fighters?
Bakar Fellows Program Names Seven New Spark Award Recipients
Nine young professors receive Presidential Early Career Awards
Nine young professors receive Presidential Early Career Awards
CZ Biohub awards nearly $14.5 million to Berkeley researchers
Sloan Foundation honors eight young faculty members
Eight UC Berkeley assistant professors are among 126 new fellows announced today by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. The Sloan Research Fellowships, awarded annually since 1955, honor early-career scientists and scholars.
Teaching
Special Laboratory Study [CHEM 196]
Special Laboratory Study [CHEM 196]
Seminars for Graduate Students [CHEM 298]
Research for Graduate Students [CHEM 299]
Professional Preparation: Supervised Teaching of Chemistry [CHEM 300]
Senior Honors Thesis [CHEM H193]
Research for Advanced Undergraduates [CHEM H194]
Special Laboratory Study [CHMENG 196]
Seminar in Chemical Engineering [CHMENG 298]
Research in Chemical Engineering [CHMENG 299]
Professional Preparation: Supervised Teaching of Chemical Engineering [CHMENG 300]
Individual Studies for Graduate Students [CHMENG 602]
Senior Honors Thesis [CHMENG H193]
Research for Advanced Undergraduates [CHMENG H194]
Graduate Research [PLANTBI 299]
Individual Study for Graduate Students [PLANTBI 602]
Seminars for Graduate Students [CHEM 298]
Research for Graduate Students [CHEM 299]
Professional Preparation: Supervised Teaching of Chemistry [CHEM 300]
Research for Advanced Undergraduates [CHEM H194]
Special Laboratory Study [CHMENG 196]
Seminar in Chemical Engineering [CHMENG 298]
Research in Chemical Engineering [CHMENG 299]
Professional Preparation: Supervised Teaching of Chemical Engineering [CHMENG 300]
Individual Studies for Graduate Students [CHMENG 602]
Senior Honors Thesis [CHMENG H193]
Research for Advanced Undergraduates [CHMENG H194]
Graduate Research [PLANTBI 299]
Special Laboratory Study [CHMENG 196]
Special Laboratory Study [CHMENG 196]
Seminars for Graduate Students [CHEM 298]
Research for Graduate Students [CHEM 299]
Professional Preparation: Supervised Teaching of Chemistry [CHEM 300]
Biochemical Engineering [CHMENG 170B]
Special Laboratory Study [CHMENG 196]
Seminar in Chemical Engineering [CHMENG 298]
Research in Chemical Engineering [CHMENG 299]
Professional Preparation: Supervised Teaching of Chemical Engineering [CHMENG 300]
Individual Studies for Graduate Students [CHMENG 602]
Senior Honors Thesis [CHMENG H193]
Research for Advanced Undergraduates [CHMENG H194]
Graduate Research [PLANTBI 299]
Individual Study for Graduate Students [PLANTBI 602]