Huimin Zhao to lead ACS Synthetic Biology as editor in chief

7/1/2022 ACS Newsroom

Professor Huimin Zhao has been appointed editor in chief of ACS Synthetic Biology, which publishes content across the broad scope of synthetic biology, including design, synthesis, and engineering of genetic systems. 

Written by ACS Newsroom

Huimin Zhao
Huimin Zhao
The Publications Division of the American Chemical Society (ACS) has appointed University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign chemical and biomolecular engineering professor Huimin Zhao as editor in chief of ACS Synthetic BiologyZhao previously served as a founding associate editor of ACS Catalysisa position he held from 2011–2022.
 

“Advances in synthetic biology are needed more than ever, as the world seeks solutions to improve human health, mitigate climate change and reduce environmental waste,” Zhao said. “I am excited to lead the world-renowned journal ACS Synthetic Biology, particularly as the field enters an exponential growth phase that has attracted numerous researchers, government funding, and private sector interest.”

At UIUC, Zhao is the Steven L. Miller Chair with additional affiliations with the Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, and Biotechnology Center. He also holds appointments as the Qiushi visiting chair professor at Zhejiang University and is the director of the Molecule Maker Lab Institute, a National Science Foundation AI Institute for Molecular Discovery, Synthetic Strategy, and Manufacturing. Zhao’s research focuses on developing and applying synthetic biology approaches, with particular attention paid to directed evolution to engineer functionally improved or novel proteins, pathways, and genomes. Currently, his work is centered around drug discovery and development, mammalian synthetic biology, industrial biotechnology, and foundational tool development.

“Professor Zhao is a forward-looking scientist who has helped advance the field of synthetic biology globally,” says James Milne, president of the ACS Publications Division. “He brings a wealth of editorial experience to the role of editor in chief of ACS Synthetic Biology, a commitment to diversity, and a true passion to support synthetic biologists.”

ACS Synthetic Biology publishes content across the broad scope of synthetic biology, including design, synthesis, and engineering of genetic systems; protein and metabolic engineering; computation; and automation. The journal publishes research on cell-free systems, microbes, plants, mammals, and more. 

The American Chemical Society (ACS) is a nonprofit organization chartered by the U.S. Congress. The mission of ACS is to advance the broader chemistry enterprise and its practitioners for the benefit of Earth and all its people. The Society is a global leader in promoting excellence in science education and providing access to chemistry-related information and research through its multiple research solutions, peer-reviewed journals, scientific conferences, eBooks, and weekly news periodical Chemical & Engineering News. ACS journals are among the most cited, most trusted, and most read within the scientific literature. As a leader in scientific information solutions, its CAS division partners with global innovators to accelerate breakthroughs by curating, connecting, and analyzing the world’s scientific knowledge. The main offices of ACS are in Washington, D.C., and Columbus, Ohio.


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This story was published July 1, 2022.