Research Overview
Our group is interested in developing stimuli-responsive smart materials and providing chemistry solutions to global challenges in materials innovation and health. We harness the power of molecular design and synthetic organic chemistry to construct advanced material systems for sensing and drug delivery applications. Of particular interest are materials with properties that can be dynamically regulated through the application of external stimuli such as mechanical force and ultrasound. Through our highly interdisciplinary research projects, students in our group will gain expertise in synthetic and physical organic chemistry, materials science, biomaterials, and chemical biology, equipping students with the skills necessary for advanced scientific endeavors.
Research Areas
Area 1: Stimuli-Responsive Chemistry: We develop smart, adaptable materials that alter their properties in response to physical stimuli such as mechanical force, ultrasound, or light. A key area is the development of high-sensitivity mechanochemistry through a novel mechanism pioneered by our group called "atropisomer mechanochemistry." These mechanoresponsive systems can show visible signs, such as color changes, when mechanically deformed or damaged. These features allow materials to self-report damage, provide new insights into force transduction through complex materials ranging from synthetic plastics to biological systems, and offer new ways to manipulate material properties using mechanical stimuli like ultrasound mechanical waves.
Keywords: Mechanochemistry, ultrasound-mediated chemistry, photoswitches.
Selected Publications (Area 1):
(1) Cijun Zhang, Tatiana B. Kouznetsova, Boyu Zhu, Liam Sweeney, Max Lancer, Ivan Gitsov, Stephen L. Craig, Xiaoran Hu* Journal of the American Chemical Society 2025, 147, 2502.
(2) Xuancheng Fu, Boyu Zhu, Xiaoran Hu* Journal of the American Chemical Society 2023, 145, 15668.
(3) Xiaoran Hu, Molly E. McFadden, Ross W. Baber, Maxwell J. Robb* Journal of the American Chemical Society 2018, 140, 14073.
Area 2: Prodrug Chemistry and Controlled-Release Systems: We develop new chemistry strategies to control bond cleavage reactions in biological settings, enabling preprogrammed material transformations that release therapeutic agents in response to specific triggers. These materials serve as next-generation drug delivery systems that only release cytotoxic drugs under selective, spatially localized triggering conditions, such as tumor-specific microenvironment or tissues exposed to ultrasound mechanical waves. Such a controlled-release approach minimizes off-target drug exposure while enhancing therapeutic precision.
Keywords: Biomedical sonochemistry, photo-/sono-dyanamic therapy (PDT/SDT), bioorthogonal cleavage.
Selected Publications (Area 2):
(1) Xuancheng Fu, Xiaoran Hu* ACS Applied Bio Materials 2024, 7, 8040. (Invited Review)
(2) Xiaoran Hu, Tian Zeng, Corey C. Husic, Maxwell J. Robb* ACS Central Science 2021, 7, 1216.
(3) Xiaoran Hu, Tian Zeng, Corey C. Husic, Maxwell J. Robb* Journal of the American Chemical Society 2019, 141, 15018.
(4) Xiaoran Hu, Ethan Macintosh, Marc G. Simon, Cristian Staii, Samuel W. Thomas III* Advanced Materials 2016, 28, 715.
We appreciate the generous support from our funding agencies:
