Yutong specializes in synthetic biology and metabolic engineering, with a particular focus on yeast engineering.
Yutong is a PhD student with a keen interest in developing precision fermentation for efficient and sustainable bioproduction. The primary focus of Yutong’s PhD project is to engineer a platform yeast strain for the production and secretion of triterpenoids—plant-derived natural products with broad applications in pharmaceuticals, nutrition, and cosmetics. Yutong’s interest in yeast synthetic biology began during a Master’s degree at the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Recognizing that the application of many valuable plant-derived chemicals is often limited by insufficient and unstable material supply, Yutong became interested in addressing this challenge through microbial biosynthesis. Precision fermentation, using engineered microbes, presents an optimal platform for manufacturing plant natural products, as it eliminates the need for large-scale plant cultivation, harvesting, and extraction—thereby preventing the overharvesting of ecologically sensitive species. This motivation led to a deepened expertise in biosynthesis and the development of relevant laboratory skills. During the Master’s research, Yutong completed the project Functional identification of McOSC and McP450 from Momordica charantia L. and its preliminary application in triterpenoid biosynthesis, which was published as a first-author paper in the peer-reviewed journal International Journal of Molecular Sciences. This experience reinforced a strong commitment to sustainable biomanufacturing and inspired further exploration into yeast strain development, product secretion, and fermentation process optimization. Triterpenoid biosynthesis in yeast presents significant challenges, particularly in the secretion of lipophilic compounds. Their tendency to accumulate within lipid membranes can lead to intracellular buildup, membrane destabilization, and reduced volumetric productivity. To address these bottlenecks, Yutong’s PhD research focuses on developing synthetic export mechanisms and fermentation strategies with in situ product recovery. The ultimate goal is to engineer a yeast-based platform for the sustainable production and secretion of quillaic acid, a triterpenoid with high-value applications in nutrition, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals. QS-21 is particularly important as a vaccine adjuvant. A critical step toward recombinant QS-21 production is the establishment of an efficient system for quillaic acid biosynthesis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, a proven host for complex triterpenoid production. Key challenges include optimizing the expression of cytochrome P450 enzymes, which are essential for quillaic acid biosynthesis, and mitigating the toxic effects of triterpenoid accumulation in yeast cells. Through precision fermentation and synthetic biology approaches, Yutong aims to overcome these barriers and contribute to the advancement of sustainable biomanufacturing.
Key Publications
L Liu, K Huang, Y Han, et al. Tunable ion-release biodegradable nanoparticles enhanced pyroptosis for tumor immunotherapy, Biomaterials, 2025, 123111.
L Liu, J Shi, Y Han, et al. Biodegradable Persistent Luminescence Nanoparticles as Pyroptosis Inducer for High-Efficiency Tumor Immunotherapy, Advanced Science, 2024, 2406340.
Y Han, Y Yang, Y Li, et al. Genome-wide identification of OSC gene family and potential function in the synthesis of ursane- and oleanane-type triterpene in Momordica charantia. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2021, 23(1):196.
Y Han, X Li, C Yuan, et al. Chemical constituents from the bark of Garcinia oblongifolia, Natural Product Communications, 2020, 15(8):1-4.