Ruhong Zhou, PhD
Distinguished Professor, School for Radiological＆Interdisciplinary sciences, Soochow University，
Suzhou，Jiangsu，215123，China
Tel: 86-512-65882582
E-mail: rhzhou@suda.edu.cn
Education Background:
PhD in Chemistry, Columbia University, USA, 1997
MSc in Physics, Zhejiang University, China, 1990
BSc in Physics, Zhejiang University, China, 1988
Professional Experience:
2014---: Distinguished Professor, School for Radiological＆Interdisciplinary sciences, Soochow University, China
2009---: Adjunct Professor, Department of Chemistry, Columbia University, America.
2011---2014: Distinguished Research Staff Scientist (DRSM) and Manager, Soft Matter Science Group, IBM Thomas Watson Research Center, USA.
2009---2011: Research Manager, Protein Science Group, IBM Thomas Watson Research Center, USA.
2004---: Sr. Principal Investigator, PI, IBM Thomas Watson Research Center, USA.
2002---2007: Adjunct Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry, Columbia University, America.
2000---2004: Principal Investigator, IBM Thomas Watson Research Center, USA.
1997---2000: Scientist, Schrodinger, Limited Liability Company, USA.
1990---1993: lecturer, Department of Physics, Zhejiang University, China.
Research Interests:
The main research theme of my group is to understand the relationship between protein sequence, structure, and function, which is of fundamental importance in life science and the health care industry. We address important questions and problems in biophysics, structural biology, and biomolecular dynamics, using computational biology, bioinformatics, as well as quantitative experiment approaches. In particular, we develop methodologies and techniques for molecular dynamics simulations with massively parallel supercomputers such as the IBM Blue Gene, and other high performance computing (HPC) platforms such as grid computing and cloud computing. The group pursues a broad but well grounded approach to leverage and expand upon our existing techniques for scientific and technological advancement.
The current research projects in my group include: (1). Development of novel methods for molecular dynamics and multi-scale modeling of complex biological systems. (2). Free energy perturbation (FEP) methods for large scale protein-protein, protein-ligand binding affinity predictions. (3) Infectious disease modeling with both statistical models using bioinformatics tools and physics-based models using molecular dynamics simulations. (4) Protein folding, misfolding, and aggregation with massively parallel molecular dynamics simulations. (5) Interactions of nanoparticles with proteins and related molecular mechanisms of nanotoxicity and nanomedicine. (6) Development of radioactive nanomedicine for cancer.
Research Experience and Accomplishments:
Dr. Zhou is currently a Distinguished Professor of School for Radiological＆Interdisciplinary sciences at Soochow University and a distinguished Research Staff Scientist (DRSM) and Manager of Soft Matter Science Group, at IBM Research, as well as an Adjunct Professor at Department of Chemistry, Columbia University. . He received his Ph.D. in Chemistry from Columbia University (with Prof. Bruce Berne) in 1997. His current research interests include development of novel algorithms for computational biology and bioinformatics, protein folding dynamics, protein-protein interaction, confined water and hydrophobicity, as well as protein-nanoparticle interactions (nanotoxicity/nanomedicine). He has published 160+ peer-reviewed papers and 22 patents, and delivered 150+ invited talks worldwide. He was part of the IBM Blue Gene team which won the 2009 National Medal on Technology. He also won the IBM Outstanding Technical Achievement Award (OTAA), the highest IBM technical award, in 2005, 2008 and 2014, and IBM Outstanding Innovation Award (OIA) in 2012, and the DEC Award from American Chemical Society (ACS). He serves as Editor-in-Chief of Current Physical Chemistry, Editor of (Nature) Scientific Reports, Guest Editor for Nanoscale (2011), and Editorial Board Member of 5 other international journals. He sits on the Board of Directors of Telluride Science and Research Center (TSRC), and the Scientific Advisory Board of Center for Multiscale Theory and Simulation, University of Chicago. He was elected to AAAS Fellow and APS Fellow in 2011.
Recent Publications:
1. P. Liu, X. Huang, R. H. Zhou* and B. J. Berne*, Nature, 437, 159-162, 2005
2. R. H. Zhou*, X. Huang, C. Margulius and B. J. Berne*, Science, 305, 1605-1609, 2004
3. Y. Tu, M. Lv, P. Xiu, T. Huynh, M. Zhang, M. Castelli, Z. R. Liu, Q. Huang*, C. H. Fan, H. P. Fang, and R. H. Zhou*, Nature Nanotech. 8, 594-601, 2013
4. Guillaume Stirnemann, Seung-Gu Kang, R. H. Zhou*, and B. J. Berne*, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 111, 3413-3418, 2014
5. B. Dai, S. G. Kang, T. Huynh, H. Z. Lei, M. Castelli, J. Hu, Y. Zhang and R. H. Zhou*, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 110, 8543-8548, 2013
6. S. G. Kang, G. Q. Zhou, P. Yang, Y. Liu, B. Y. Sun, T. Huynh, H. Meng, L. Zhao, G. M. Xing, C. Y. Chen*, Y. L. Zhao*, R. H. Zhou*, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., 109, 15431-15436, 2012 (featured article)
7. L. Cong, R. H. Zhou, Y. C. Kuo, M. Cunniff, and F. Zhang, Nature Commun. 3, 968, 2012
8. P. Das, J. A. King, and R. H. Zhou*, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 108, 10514-10519, 2011 (featured article)
9. C. Ge, J. F. Du, L. Zhao, L. Wang, Y. Liu, D. H. Li, Y. Yang, R. H. Zhou*, Y. L. Zhao*, Z. F. Chai, C. Y. Chen*, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., 108, 16968-16973, 2011 (featured article)
10. Y. Tu, P. Xiu, R. Wan, J. Hu, R. H. Zhou* and H. P. Fang*, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., 106, 18120-18124, 2009
11. L. Hua, R. H. Zhou, D. Thirumalai, B. J. Berne*, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., 105, 16928-16933, 2008
12. J. Li, X. Gong, H. Lu, D. Li, H. Fang* and R. H. Zhou*, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., 104, 3687-3692, 2007
13. R. H. Zhou*, M. Eleftheriou, A. K. Royyuru, B. J. Berne*, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., 104, 5824-5829, 2007
14. R. H. Zhou*, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci.,100, 13280-13285, 2003
15. R. H. Zhou* and B. J. Berne, , Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., 99, 12777-12782, 2002
16. R. H. Zhou, B. J. Berne* and R. Germain, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., 98, 14931-14936, 2001
Honors and Awards:
1. Elected to AAAS Fellow (American Association of Advancement of Science), 2011
2. Elected to APS Fellow (American Physical Society), 2011
3. “One of Five Scientists Who are Likely to Make Most Contributions to IBM and to the World”, IBM Research, 2012
4. IBM Outstanding Technical Achievement Award (OTAA, the highest technical award of IBM), IBM Corp. (2014)
5. Advisory Board Member , University of Chicago, Center for Multiscale Theory and Simulation, 2012
6. IBM Outstanding Innovation Award (OIA), IBM Corporation, 2012
7. William E. Schiesser Lecture, Lehigh University, 2012
8. IBM Research Division Award, IBM Research, 2010
9. Part of the IBM BlueGene Team who won 2009 National Medal on Technology and Innovation (Awarded by President Obama), 2009
10. IBM Invention Plateau Achievement Award, IBM Corporation (2009)
11. IBM Outstanding Technical Achievement Award (OTAA, the highest technical award of IBM), IBM Corp. (2008)
12. IBM Outstanding Technical Achievement Award (OTAA, the highest technical award of IBM), IBM Corp. (2005)
13. IBM Research Division Award, IBM Research (2005)
14. IBM Invention Plateau Achievement Award, IBM Corporation (2004)
15. IBM Invention Achievement Award, IBM Corporation (2002)
16. The Hammett Award for Best Ph.D. Graduates, Columbia University (1997)
17. ACS Award on Computational Chemistry (DEC Award), American Chemical Society (1995)
18. Faculty Fellowship, Columbia University (1994-1997)
19. Second Prize, Research in Science & Technology, China Ministry of Education (1994)
20. Best Paper Award for Outstanding Research, Zhejiang University (1993)
21. Award for Outstanding Research, Zhejiang University (1992)