A UAlbany PhD student conducts research in a chemistry lab A UAlbany PhD student conducts research in a chemistry lab

Zhang Research Group

The Zhang Research Group

The Zhang Research Group's primary interests include novel chemical methodology facilitated polypeptide, carbohydrate and glycoprotein synthesis. We are also focusing on the phenolic dearomatization strategy development towards important therapeutic and material evaluations.

Zhang Research Group Team members with Professor Zhang together in a courtyard on the uptown campus
Zhang Research Group Team members with Professor Zhang together in a courtyard on the uptown campus

Join the Group

  • Postdoctoral Associates
    Qualified and highly motivated candidates with extensive synthetic organic chemistry training are encouraged to apply. Please send a cover letter with updated CV to [email protected].
  • Graduate Students
    We are always looking for enthusiastic and motivated graduate students interested in joining our group. Please check the University at Albany website for admission details. If you're a graduate student at UAlbany, please contact Dr. Zhang to discuss research opportunities in our lab.
  • Undergraduate Students
    Students interested in conducting undergraduate research in the Zhang group should contact Dr. Zhang.  
  • Postdoctoral Fellows
    Individuals are welcomed to apply by submitting CV to [email protected].
Zhang Group Lab
Qiang Zhang
Department of Chemistry
Room 121

1400 Washington Avenue
Albany, NY 12222
United States

Principal Investigator

Qiang Zhang
Qiang Zhang
Associate Professor
Department of Chemistry
Chemistry 121

Sateeshkumar Kumbhakonam
Postdoctoral Fellow
[email protected]

Sateeshkumar Kumbhakonam

Anil Talakokkula 
Postdoctoral Fellow

Anil Talakokkula

Ryan Bartlett
Graduate Student

Ryan Bartlett

Baotong Tian
Graduate Student

Baotong Tian

Wayne Wen
Graduate Student

Wayne Wen

Santosh Kumari
Graduate student

Santosh Kumari

Godwin Ikpi
Graduate Student

Godwin Ikpi

Kelly Crisostomo 
Undergraduate

Kelly Crisostomo

Finn St. Pierre
Undergraduate

Finn St. Pierre

Group Publications

Bartlett, R.; Crisostomo, K.; Zhang, Q.* Org. Lett. ASAP. Reversible Conjugation of Polypeptides and Proteins Utilizing a [3.3.1] Scaffold under Mild Conditions. 

Fan, X.; Wen, Y.; Chen, H.; Tian, B.; Zhang, Q.* Org. Lett. 2024, 26, 5436–5440. Polypeptide Preparation by β-Lactone-Mediated Chemical Ligation.

Chen, H. Z., Y.; Wen, Y.; Fan, X.; Sciolino, N.; Lin, Y.; Breindel, L.; Dai, Y.; Shekhtman, A.; Xue, X.-S.; Zhang, Q.* Nat. Commun.,2024,15, 5372. Production of Constrained L-Cyclo-Tetrapeptides by Epimerization-Resistant Direct Aminolysis.

Chen, H.; Zhang, Q.* J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2023, 145, 27218-27224. Native Peptide Cyclization, Sequential Chemoselective Amidation in Water.

Wen, Y.; Zheng, J.; Evans A. H.; Zhang, Q. * Organics. 2023, 4, 289–296. Palladium Catalyzed Allylic C-H Oxidation Enabled by Bicyclic Sulfoxide Ligands.

Almehmadi, L.; Valsangkar, V.; Halvorsen, K.; Zhang, Q.; Sheng, J.; Lednev, I.* Anal Bioanal Chem. 2022 414, 6009-6016. Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy for drug discovery: peptide-RNA binding.

Kaur, S.; Luciano, D.; Fan, X.; Zhao, G.; Messier, S.; Walker, M.; Zhang, Q.; Wang, T. * Tetrahedron Lett. 2021, 86, 153499. Radical functionalization of thioglycosides in aqueous medium Author links open overlay panel.

Yang, J.; Dai, Y.; Bartlett, Ryan.; Zhang, Q.* Org. Lett., 2021, 23, 4008–4012. Convergent Palladium Catalyzed Stereospecific Arginine Glycosylation Using Glycals.

Yin, H.; Zheng, M.; Chen, H.; Wang, S.; Zhou, Q.; Zhang, Q.; Wang, P.* J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2020. 142, 14201–14209. Stereoselective and divergent construction of ꞵ-thiolated/selenolated amino acids via photoredox- catalyzed asymmetric Giese reaction.

Dai, Y.; Weng, J.; Lin, Q.; George, J.; Wang, J.; Royzen, M.; Zhang, Q.*, Org. Lett., 2019, 21, 3828-3833. Three-Component Protein Modification Using Mercaptobenzaldehyde Derivatives.

Dai, Y.; Tian, B.; Chen, H.; Zhang, Q.*, ACS Catalysis, 2019, 9, 2909-2915. Palladium- Catalyzed Stereospecific C-Glycosylation of Glycals with Vinylogous Acceptors. (Most Read Articles and ACS Editors' Choice)

Gao, P.; Chen, H.; Zhang, Q.* Tetrahedron, 2019, 75, 2004-2011. Oxidative phenol-arene and phenol-phenol cross-coupling using periodic acid.

Dai, Y.; Zheng, J.; Zhang, Q.* Org. Lett., 2018, 20, 3923-3927. General Strategy for Stereoselective Synthesis of β-N-Glycosyl Sulfonamides via Palladium-Catalyzed Glycosylation.

Wang, Y.; Han, L.; Yuan, N.; Wang, H.; Li, X.; Liu, J.; Chen, H.; Zhang, Q.* ; Dong, S.* Chem. Sci., 2018, 9, 1940-1946, Traceless β-Mercaptan-Assisted Activation of Valinyl benzimidazolinone in Peptide Ligations.

Chen, H.; Xiao, Y.; Yuan, N.; Weng, J.; Gao, G.; Breindel, L.; Shekhtman, A.; Zhang, Q.* Chem. Sci., 2018, 9, 1982-1988, Coupling of Sterically Demanding Peptides by β- Thiolactone-Mediated Native Chemical Ligation.

 

Prior to University at Albany

Fernández-Tejada, A, Brailsford, J, Zhang, Q, Shieh, J, Moore, M, Danishefsky, S. Top Curr Chem. 2015, 362, 1. Total synthesis of glycosylated proteins.

Zhu, L.; Qi, J.; Chiao, C.; Zhang, Q.; Porco, J. A.; Douglas, V. F.; Dai, Y. Int. J. Oncol. 2014, 45, 2128. Identification of a novel polyprenylated acylphloroglucinol‐derived SIRT1 inhibitor with cancer‐specific anti-proliferative and invasion-suppressing activities.

Zhang, Q.; Johnston, E. V., Shieh, J.; Moore, M.A.S.; Danishefsky, S. J., Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2014, 111, 2885. Synthesis of GM-CSF as Homogeneous Glycoforms and Early Comparisons with Yeast Cell-Derived Material.

Wang, P.; Dong, S.; Brailsford, J. A.; Iyer, K.; Townsend, S. D.; Zhang, Q.; Hendrickson, R. C.; Shieh, J.; Moore, M. A. S.; Danishefsky, S. J. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2012, 51, 11576. At Last: Erythropoietin as a Single Glycoform.

Zhang, Q; Porco, J. A., Jr. Org. Lett. 2012, 14, 1797. Total Synthesis of (±) 7-epi- nemorosone. Zhang, Q.; Mitasev, B.; Qi, J.; Porco, J. A., Jr. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2010, 132. 14212. Total Synthesis of Plukenetione A.

Qi, J.; Beeler, A. B.; Zhang, Q.; Porco, J. A., Jr. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2010, 132,13642. Catalytic Enantioselective Dearomatization-Annulation: Total Synthesis and Absolute Configuration Assignment of Hyperibone K.

Rowland, G. B.; Rowland, E. B.; Zhang, Q.; Antilla, J. C. Current Organic Chemistry, 2006, 10, 981. Stereoselective Aza-Diels-Alder Reactions.

Hu, H.; Liu, Y.; Xie, J.; Zhang, Q. Sichuan Daxue Xuebao, Ziran Kexueban 2002, 39, 88. Study on preparing polymeric aluminum ferric chloride by using calcium aluminate.