People

Dr. Wang (ORCID,0000-0001-8592-0970) is an Associate Researcher at Shenzhen University of Advanced Technology, therecipient of the NSFC Young Scientists Fund (Category C).

His current research focuseson plant metabolism and nutritional biofortification, with an emphasis on establishing strawberry as a “chassis plant” for synthetic biology–based breeding.During his postdoc period, he has demonstrated that overexpression of an endosperm-specific thiamine-binding protein can significantly enhance vitamin B1 content in rice edible tissues, providing a representative case for vitamin metabolic reprogramming.

Dr. Wang has authored over 15 SCI-indexed papers, including 7 as first or co-first author and/or corresponding author in prestigious journals such as PNAS, Plant Biotechnology Journal, and Journal of Integrative Plant Biology. He frequently serves as a reviewer for leading journals (e.g., The Plant Journal) and has been invited to present his findings at international academic conferences, including as keynote speaker at the IAEA–Government of Pakistan Regional Training Course.

His research focuses on the biosynthesis and precise regulation of vitamin B1 and other plant metabolites, and establishing strawberry as a“chassis plant”for synthetic biology. By integrating synthetic biology with metabolomics, proteomics, and other multi-omics approaches, he is dedicated to advancing the precise improvement and nutritional biofortification of specialty horticultural crops.

Education Background

Bachelor’s Degree (September 2008–June 2013): Sun Yat-sen University, Biotechnology (Supervisor: Assoc. Prof. Qiuyun Liu)

Ph.D. (January 2014–November 2019): The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Life Science (Supervisor: Prof. Ning Li)

Professional Experience

2024.11–Present: Associate Researcher, Shenzhen University of Advanced Technology (Prof. Zhongchi Liu’s group)

2020.07–2024.10: Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Geneva, Department of Plant Sciences (Prof. Teresa B. Fitzpatrick’s group)

2019.08–2020.02: Assistant Researcher, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Division of Life Science (Prof. Ning Li’s group)

2017.12–2018.02: Visiting Scholar, Rice University, USA

1.(First authorandco-corresponding, IF9.3) Wang, K.¹*& Liu, Z.*(2025). Plant synthetic biology-based biofortification, strategies and recent progresses.Journal of Integrative Plant Biology(DOI:10.1111/jipb.13934).

2.(First author, IF6.9)Wang, K.¹, Alric, J., and Fitzpatrick, T.*(2025). Thiamine triphosphate tunes the activation state of plastid ATP synthase.Plant Physiology. Accepted.

3.(Co-first author, IF10.5)Fitzpatrick, T.¹, Dalvit, I.¹, Chang, F.¹,Wang, K.¹, Fudge, J., Chang, S., Maillot, B., Gruissem, W.* (2024). Vitamin B1 enhancement in the endosperm of rice through thiamine sequestration.Plant Biotechnology Journal, 22 (8), 2330.

4.(Co-first author，IF5.7)Liu, Z.¹, Farkas, P.¹,Wang, K.¹,Kohli, M. O., & Fitzpatrick, T. B.*(2022). B‐vitamin supply in plants and humans: the importance of vitamer homeostasis.The Plant Journal,111(3), 662-682.

5.(Co-first author，IF11.1)Wang, K.¹,Yang, Z.¹, Qing, D.¹, Ren, F.¹, Liu, S., Zheng, Q., ... & Li, N.* (2018). Quantitative and functional posttranslational modification proteomics reveals that TREPH1 plays a role in plant touch-delayed bolting.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 115(43), E10265-E10274.

6.(First author)Wang, K.¹,Law, K., Leung, M., Wong, W., & Li, N.*(2019). A Labor-saving and Repeatable Touch-force Signaling Mutant Screen Protocol for the Study of Thigmomorphogenesis of a Model Plant Arabidopsis thaliana.JoVE (Journal of Visualized Experiments), (150), e59392.

7.Wu, K., Yang, N., Ren, J., Liu, S.,Wang, K.,Dai, S., Lu, Y., An, Y., Tian, F., Gao, Z., Yang, Z., Zhang, Y., Yu, W., Li, N. * (2025). Cytosolic WPRa4 and Plastoskeletal PMI4 Proteins Mediate Touch Response in a Model Organism Arabidopsis.Molecular & Cellular Proteomics, 101015.

8.Yang, N., Ren, J., Dai, S.,Wang, K., Leung, M., ... & Li, N.*(2024). The Quantitative Biotinylproteomics Studies Reveal a WInd-Related Kinase 1 (WIRK1) Functioning as An Early Signaling Component in Wind-induced Thigmomorphogenesis and Gravitropism.Molecular & Cellular Proteomics, 100738.

9.Noordally, Z., Land, L., Trichtinger, C., Dalvit, I., de Meyer, M.,Wang, K., & Fitzpatrick, T. B.*(2023). Clock and riboswitch control of THIC in tandem are essential for appropriate gauging of TDP levels under light/dark cycles in Arabidopsis.iScience, 26(3).

10.Pesquera, M., Martinez, J., Maillot, B.,Wang, K.,... & Fitzpatrick, T. B.*(2022). Structural and functional studies of Arabidopsis thaliana triphosphate tunnel metalloenzymes reveal roles for additional domains.Journal of Biological Chemistry,298(11).

11.Xing, M., Li, X., An, S., Lan, C.,...Wang, K.,Ye, Z., Wen, S., Liu, Q., He, J., & Zhou, W. (2021). Anticancer nanometre-biomissiles carrying a leucine insulator and an antibody complementarity-determining region.Current Science, 120(1), 177.

1.2025.10: Regional Training Course on Advanced Mutation Breeding Techniques for Improvement of Nutritional Quality,organized by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the Government of Pakistan, Keynote Speaker

2.2024.11: Sun Yat-sen University Centennial Celebration Alumni Forum — Agriculture and Ecology Forum, Invited Speaker

3.2019: Hong Kong Inter-University Postgraduate Symposium in Biochemical Sciences, Speaker

4.2019:2018/19School of Science Postgraduate ResearchExcellence Award,Hong Kong University of Science and Technology(HKD 20,000)