Dr. Jinjin Diao is an Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering at Guangdong Technion – Israel Institute of Technology. He obtained his Ph.D. in Biochemical Engineering from Tianjin University and subsequently conducted postdoctoral research at Washington University in St. Louis for three years. Following this, he served as a Senior Scientist in the Department of Energy, Environment, and Chemical Engineering at WashU. Dr. Diao’s primary research focuses on microbial synthetic biology and metabolic engineering, with a particular interest in developing non-model microbial chassis for green biomanufacturing. His work explores the use of alternative feedstocks – such as CO₂, lignin, and waste plastics – to drive sustainable biomanufacturing processes. He is also dedicated to developing probiotic chassis, aiming to broaden their applications in biomedical science. Dr. Diao has published 28 peer-reviewed papers in prestigious journals, including Nature Communications, Trends in Biotechnology (research article), Cell Reports, and Metabolic Engineering, as either the first author or corresponding author. He has led scientific research projects funded by prominent U.S. agencies such as the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the National Science Foundation (NSF), and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). In recognition of his expertise, he currently serves as an Early Career Editorial Board Member for journals such as BMC Biotechnology, BioDesign Research, and Critical Insights in Biotechnology.

Google scholar profile: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=U-6oFwMAAAAJ&hl=en

• Microbial Synthetic Biology
• Metabolic Engineering
• Sustainable biomanufacturing

1. Lee H, Diao J*, Tian Y, Guleria R, Lee E, Smith A, Savage M, Yeh D, Roberson L, Blenner M, Tang Y*, Moon T*, Developing an alternative medium for in- space biomanufacturing. Nature Communications, 2025, 16 (1), 728.

2. Diao J*, Tian Y, Hu Y, Moon T*, Producing multiple chemicals through biological upcycling of waste poly(ethylene terephthalate). Trends in Biotechnology, (Research Article), 2024, Article in press.

3. Diao J, Hu Y, Tian Y, Carr R, Moon T*, Upcycling of poly(ethylene terephthalate) to produce high-value bio-bioproducts. Cell Reports, 2023, 42 (1), 111908.

4. Diao J, Song X, Zhang L, Cui J, Chen L, Zhang W*, Tailoring cyanobacteria as a platform for highly efficient synthesis of astaxanthin. Metabolic Engineering, 2020, 61, 275-287.

5. Diao J, Song X, Cui J, Shi M, Liu L, Wang F, Chen L, Zhang W*, Rewiring metabolic network by chemical modulator based laboratory evolution doubles lipid production in Crypthecodinium cohnii. Metabolic Engineering, 2019, 51, 88-98.