Yuncong Chen, graduated from Nanjing University in 2008 with a BS degree, and got his PhD from NJU in 2014 under supervision of Prof. Zijian Guo. From August 2014 to July 2018, postdoctoral research in  Ben Zhong Tang's group at HKUST. Since September 2018, he joined School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering of Nanjing University as an associate professor, and was promoted to full Professor in 2023.01. He has published more than 100 peer-reviewed papers, including Chem. Soc. Rev .; Nat. Commun .; J. Am. Chem. Soc .; Angew. Chem. Int. Ed .; Adv. Mater .; Mater. Horiz .; ACS Nano; Adv. Funct. Mater .; Chem. Mater .; Chem. Sci .; Chem. Commun. etc. He has been cited over 6700 times with one paper cited > 670 times and a H-index of 41(Google Scholar). He has won the honors of outstanding doctoral dissertation of Jiangsu Province. He is currently associate editor of Frontiers in Chemistry, Frontiers in Chemical Biology and Luminescence.

Fluorescence probe and imaging; Development and applications of tumor diagnostic reagents

Selected Publications:

40. Shankun Yao,# Fengwu Xu,# Ying Wang, Jizhen Shang, Shumeng Li, Xinyu Xu, Zhipeng Liu, Weijiang He, Zijian Guo,* Yuncong Chen,* Photo-induced Synergism of Ferroptosis/Pyroptosis/Oncosis by An O2-Independent Photocatalyst for Enhanced Tumor Immunotherapy, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2025, 147, 10.1021/jacs.4c17268.

39. Yunhua Zhang, Chengyuan Qian, Chengyan Chu, Xiu-Zhi Yang, Yanping Wu, Linxiang Cai, Shankun Yao, Weijiang He,* Zijian Guo,* Yuncong Chen,*Self-assembly of short peptides activates specific ER-phagy and induces pyroptosis for enhanced tumor immunotherapy, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 2025, 64, 10.1002/202422874.

38. Shumeng Li,# Hao Yuan,# Xiu-Zhi Yang, Xinyu Xu, Wenhao Yu, Yanping Wu, Shankun Yao, Jin Xie, Weijiang He, Zijian Guo,* and Yuncong Chen*, Synergistic Antitumor Immunotherapy via Mitochondria Regulation in Macrophages and Tumor Cells by an Iridium Photosensitizer, ACS Cent. Sci., 2025, 11, 10.1021/acscentsci.4c02156.

37. Shankun Yao, Zelong Wu, Yuming Zhang, Tao Yang, Hao Yuan, Weizhong Ding, Weijiang He, Zijian Guo* and Yuncong Chen,*Dual mode reversible imaging of the hypoxia status of acute and chronic hepatic injury, CCS Chem., 2025, 7, 596. 

36. Xiu-Zhi Yang, Hongbao Fang,* Shumeng Li, Chengyan Chu, Yunhua Zhang, Ying Yang, Weijiang He,* Yuncong Chen,* Zijian Guo, Aggregation-based dual-target probe for dual-colour super-resolution monitoring mitophagy and evaluating drugs regulating mitochondria, Aggregate,2025, 6, e641.

35. Yunhua Zhang,# Chengyuan Qian,# Yuncong Chen,* Weijiang He,* Zijian Guo,* Phototherapy via Modulation of β-Amyloid in Combating Alzheimer's Disease, Aggregate,2025, 6, e70020.

34. Jing Wang, Xinyang Zhao, Yucheng Tao, Xiuxiu Wang, Li Yan, Kuang Yu, Yi Hsu, Yuncong Chen,* Jing Zhao,* Yong Huang,* Wei Wei,* Biocompatible aggregation-induced emission active polyphosphate-manganese nanosheets with glutamine synthetase-like activity in excitotoxic nerve cells, Nat. Commun., 2024, 15, 3534.

33. Xiu-Zhi Yang, Shankun Yao, Jisong Wu, Jiajie Diao, Weijiang He,* Zijian Guo, Yuncong Chen,* Recent advances in single fluorescent probes for monitoring dual organelles in two channels, Smart Mol., 2024, 2, e20240040.

32. Yanping Wu, Qingsong Liu, Shumeng Li, Wenhao Yu, Huanhuan Fan, Shankun Yao, Weijiang He, Zijian Guo*, Yuncong Chen*, Mitochondria targeting photoredox catalyst-induced pyroptosis for enhanced immunotherapy against hypoxic tumor cells, Chem. Eng. J., 2024, 490, 151599.

31. Hongbao Fang,* Mengmeng Wang, Pengfan Wei, Qian Liu, Yan Su, Hongke Liu, Yuncong Chen*, Zhi Su,* Weijiang He, Molecular probes for super-resolution imaging of drug dynamics, Adv. Drug Deliver. Rev., 2024, 210, 115330.

30. Dongping Deng#, Mengmeng Wang#, Yan Su,* Hongbao Fang,* Yuncong Chen,* and Zhi Su*, Iridium(III)-Based PD-L1 Agonist Regulates p62 and ATF3 for Enhanced Cancer Immunotherapy, J. Med. Chem., 2024, 67, 6810.

29. Mingfeng Li, Yuncong Chen,* Weijiang He,* and Zijian Guo*, Fluorescence and Lifetime Imaging of Endoplasmic Reticulum Polarity Change During Ferroptosis, Chem. Eur. J., 2024, 30, e202401285.

28.Fen Qi,# Xiaoxue Zheng,# Yanping Wu, Shumeng Li, Shankun Yao, Weijiang He,* Yuncong Chen,* and Zijian Guo, A Ru(II) complex-based COX-2 targeting type I photosensitizer evokes ferroptosis and apoptosis, Chem. Commun., 2024, 60, 13091.

27. Zhiyong Jiang, Zhaolun Liang, Yijing Cui, Changli Zhang, Jing Wang, Hong Wang, Tianzhu Wang, Yuncong Chen,* Weijiang He,* Zhipeng Liu,* and Zijian Guo, Blood−Brain Barrier Permeable Photoacoustic Probe for HighResolution Imaging of Nitric Oxide in the Living Mouse Brain, J. Am. Chem. Soc.,2023, 145, 7952.

26. Zhanghua Sun, Yuncong Chen*, Shankun Yao, Hao Yuan, Dongfan Song, Zijian Guo* Weijiang He*, Photoinduced Carbene for Effective Photodynamic Therapy Against Hypoxic Cancer Cells, CCS Chem.,2023, 5, 2078.

25. Fen Qi, Hao Yuan, Yuncong Chen*, Xin-Xin Peng, Yanping Wu, Weijiang He*, Zijian Guo*, Type I Photoreaction and Photoinduced Ferroptosis by a Ru(II) Complex to Overcome Tumor Hypoxia in Photodynamic Therapy, CCS Chem.,2023, 5, 1583. 

24. Shankun Yao, Yuncong Chen,* Weizhong Ding, Fengwu Xu, Zhipeng Liu, Yaheng Li, Yanping Wu, Shumeng Li, Weijiang He and Zijian Guo,* Single-atom engineering of hemicyanine and its amphiphilic derivative for optimized near infrared phototheranostics, Chem. Sci.,2023, 14, 1234.

23. Hongbao Fang, Yuncong Chen,*Zhiyong Jiang, Weijiang He,* Zijian Guo*, Fluorescent Probes for Biological Species and Microenvironments: from Rational Design to Bioimaging Applications, Acc. Chem. Res., 2023, 56, 258.

22. Hongbao Fang#, Lianting Hu#, Qixin Chen#, Shanshan Geng, Kangqiang Qiu, Chengjun Wang, Mingang Hao, Zhiqi Tian, Huimin Chen, Lei Liu, Jun-Lin Guan, Yuncong Chen*, Lei Dong, Zijian Guo*, Weijiang He*, Jiajie Diao*, An ER-targeted “reserve-release” fluorogen for topological quantification of reticulophagy, Biomaterials, 2023, 292, 121929.

21. Haoran Wang#, Qiyao Li#, Parvej Alam,* Haotian Bai,* Vandana Bhalla,* Martin R. Bryce,* Mingyue Cao, Chao Chen, Sijie Chen,* Xirui Chen, Yuncong Chen,*......and Ben Zhong Tang*, Aggregation-Induced Emission (AIE), Life and Health, ACS Nano, 2023, 17, 14347.

20. Hongbao Fang*, Yaheng Li, Xiuzhi Yang, Yuncong Chen*, Zijian Guo,Weijiang He*, Recent advances in Zn2+imaging: From organelles to in vivo applications, Curr. Opin. Chem. Biol., 2023, 76, 102378.

19. Shumeng Li, Hao Yuan, Yuncong Chen*, Zijian Guo*, Metal complexes induced ferroptosis for anticancer therapy,Fundam. Res.,2023, 3, 525.

18. Minglun Liu, Yuncong Chen,* Yan Guo, Hao Yuan, Tongxiao Cui, Shankun Yao, Suxing Jin, Huanhuan Fan, Chengjun Wang, Ran Xie, Weijiang He* and Zijian Guo*, Golgi apparatus-targeted aggregation-induced emission luminogens for effective cancer photodynamic therapy, Nat. Commun., 2022, 13, 2179.

17. Yanping Wu, Shumeng Li, Yuncong Chen,* Weijiang He * and Zijian Guo*, Recent advances in noble metal complex based photodynamic therapy, Chem. Sci.,2022, 13, 5085.

16. Hongbao Fang, Yuncong Chen,* Shanshan Geng, Shankun Yao, Zijian Guo,* and Weijiang He*, Super-Resolution Imaging of Mitochondrial HClO during Cell Ferroptosis Using a Near-Infrared Fluorescent Probe,Anal. Chem.,2022, 94, 17904.

15. Yuming Zhang, Wenxuan Zhao, Yuncong Chen,* Hao Yuan, Hongbao Fang, Shankun Yao, Changli Zhang, Hongxia Xu, Nan Li, Zhipeng Liu, Zijian Guo,* Qingshun Zhao,* Yong Liang,and Weijiang He*, Rational Construction of a Reversible Arylazo-based NIR Probe for Cycling Hypoxia Imaging in vivo，Nat. Commun., 2021, 12，2772.

14. Kang Li,^# Xingchen Duan,^# ZhiyongJiang, Dan Ding,Yuncong Chen,* Guo-Qiang Zhang,*and Zhipeng Liu*，J-Aggregates of meso-[2.2]Paracyclophanyl-BODIPY Dye for NIR-II Imaging，Nat. Commun., 2021, 12, 2376. 

13. Hongbao Fang,# Shanshan Geng,# Mingang Hao, Qixin Chen, Minglun Liu, Chunyan Liu, Zhiqi Tian, Chengjun Wang, Takanori Takebe, Jun-Lin Guan, Yuncong Chen,* Zijian Guo, Weijiang He,* Jiajie Diao,* Simultaneous Zn2+ tracking in multiple organelles using super-resolution morphology-correlated organelle identification in living cells, Nat. Commun.,2021, 12, 109.

12. Hao Yuan,# Zhong Han,# Yuncong Chen,* Fen Qi, Hongbao Fang, Zijian Guo,* Shuren Zhang, Weijiang He,* Ferroptosis Photoinduced by New Cyclometalated Iridium(III) Complexes and Its Synergism with Apoptosis in Tumor Cell Inhibition, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 2021, 60, 8174.(VIP)

11. Hao Yuan,# Ao Jiang,# Hongbao Fang, Yuncong Chen*, Zijian Guo*, Optical properties of natural small molecules and their applications in imaging and nanomedicine, Adv. Drug Deliver. Rev.,2021, 179, 113917.

10. Hongxia Xu,# Chengcheng Zhu,# Yuncong Chen,* Yang Bai, Zhong Han, Shankun Yao, Yang Jiao, Hao Yuan, Weijiang He* and Zijian Guo*, A FRET-based fluorescent Zn2+ sensor: 3D ratiometric imaging, flow cytometric tracking and cisplatin-induced Zn2+ fluctuation monitoring, Chem. Sci., 2020, 11, 11037. 

9. Hongbao Fang, Yuncong Chen*, Yanjun Wang, Shanshan Geng, Shankun Yao, Dongfan Song, Weijiang He* & Zijian Guo,A dual-modal probe for NIR fluorogenic and ratiometric photoacoustic imaging of Cys/Hcy in vivo, Sci. China Chem., 2020, 63, 699.

8. Hongbao Fang, Shankun Yao, Qixin Chen, Chunyan Liu, Yuqi Cai, Shanshan Geng, Yang Bai, Zhiqi Tian, Amanda L. Zacharias, Takanori Takebe, Yuncong Chen,* Zijian Guo, Weijiang He,* and Jiajie Diao*，De Novo-Designed Near-Infrared Nanoaggregates for Super-Resolution Monitoring of Lysosomes in Cells, in Whole Organoids and In Vivo, ACS Nano, 2019, 13, 14426.

7. Jungu Guo, Hao Yuan, Yuncong Chen*, Zhongyan Chen, Menglong Zhao, Liang Zou, Yi Liu, Zhipeng Liu, Qiang Zhao, Zijian Guo & Weijiang He*, A ratiometric fluorescent sensor for tracking Cu(I) fluctuation in endoplasmic reticulu, Sci. China Chem., 2019, 62, 465.

6. Yuncong Chen,# Jacky W. Y. Lam,# Ryan T. K. Kwok, Bin Liu * and Ben Zhong Tang*, Aggregation-induced emission: fundamental understanding and future developments, Mater. Horiz., 2019, 6, 428.

5. Yuncong Chen, Weijie Zhang, Zheng Zhao, Yuanjing Cai, Junyi Gong, Ryan T. K. Kwok, Jacky W. Y. Lam, Herman H. Y. Sung, Ian D. Williams and Ben Zhong Tang*, An Easily Accessible Ionic Aggregation-Induced Emission Luminogen with Hydrogen-Bonding-Switchable Emission and Wash-Free Imaging Ability, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 2018, 57, 5011.

4. Yuncong Chen,# Weijie Zhang,# Yuanjing Cai, Ryan T. K. Kwok, Yubing Hu, Jacky W. Y. Lam, Xinggui Gu, Zikai He, Zheng Zhao, Xiaoyan Zheng, Bin Chen, Chen Gui and Ben Zhong Tang* AIEgens for dark through-bond energy transfer: design, synthesis, theoretical study and application in ratiometric Hg2+ sensing, Chem. Sci., 2017, 8, 2047.

3. Yuncong Chen, Yang Bai, Zhong Han, Weijiang He*, and Zijian Guo* Photoluminescence imaging of Zn2+ in living systems, Chem. Soc. Rev.,2015, 44, 4517(Front Cover). 

2. Yuncong Chen, Chengcheng Zhu, Jiajie Cen, Yang Bai, Weijiang He* and Zijian Guo* Ratiometric detection of pH fluctuation in mitochondria with a new fluorescein/cyanine hybrid sensor, Chem. Sci., 2015, 6, 3187. 

1. Yuncong Chen, Chengcheng Zhu, Zhenghao Yang, Junjie Chen, Yafeng He, Yang Jiao, Weijiang He*, Lin Qiu, Jiajie Cen, and Zijian Guo*,A ratiometric fluorescent probe for rapid detection of hydrogen sulfide in mitochondria, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 2013, 52, 1688.