• 2012-2016  Ph.D in Chemical Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore
• 2010-2012  M.S. in Analytical Chemistry, Wuhan University, China
• 2006-20120  B.S. in Applied Chemistry, Wuhan University, China

• 2018-present  Assistant professor at Shanghai Jiaotong University, China
• 2016-2017    Research Fellow at National University of Singapore, Singapore

  Teaching Experience                                                                         

• 2012-2015   Grader for “Food Technology & Engineering” & “Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics” at NUS
• 2014-2016   Lab demonstrator of “Chemical Engineering Laboratory I & II” at NUS

  Honors

• 2017    Nominee for the Wang Gung Wu Medal and Prize (1 nominee per Faculty)
• 2016    Award for Honorable Mention (Graduate Student Researcher) AIChE SLS
• 2015    “Young Scientist” to attend the 65th Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting
• 2015    Best Poster Award Gold Prize, Southeast Asia Catalysis Conference 2015

• Waste resource utilization
• Biomass conversion
• Chitin biorefinery
• Green catalysis
• Renewable chemicals

1. A. Sadiq, X. Chen, N. Yan*, J. Sperry*, Towards the Shell Biorefinery: Sustainable Synthesis of the Anticancer Alkaloid Proximicin A from Chitin, ChemSusChem, 2018, 11, 532-535
2. X. Chen, H. Yang, M. J. Hulsey, N. Yan*, One-step Synthesis of N-heterocyclic Compounds from Carbohydrates over Tungsten-based Catalysts, ACS Sustainable Chem. & Eng., 2017, 5, 11096-11104 (Front Cover)
3. X. Chen, H. Yang, Z. Zhong, N. Yan*, Base-catalysed, One-step Mechanochemical Conversion of Chitin and Shrimp Shells into Low Molecular Weight Chitosan, Green Chem., 2017, 19, 2783-2792 (Inside Front Cover)
4. X. Gao, X. Chen (co-first author), J. Zhang, W. Guo, F. Jin*, N. Yan*, Transformation of Chitin and Waste Shrimp Shells into Acetic Acid and Pyrrole, ACS Sustainable Chem. & Eng., 2016, 4, 3912-3920 (ACS Editors’ Choice & Front Cover) 
5. X. Chen, H. Yang, N. Yan*, Shell Biorefinery: Dream or Reality? Chem. Eur. J., 2016, 22, 13402-13421
6. X. Chen, Y. Gao, L. Wang, H. Chen, N. Yan*, Effect of Treatment Methods on Chitin Structure and Its Transformation into N-containing Chemicals, ChemPlusChem, 2015, 80, 1565-1572
7. X. Chen, Y. Liu, F. M. Kerton*, N. Yan*, Conversion of Chitin and N-Acetyl-D-Glucosamine into a N-containing Furan Derivative in Ionic Liquids, RSC Adv., 2015, 5, 20073-20080
8. N. Yan*, X. Chen, Don't Waste Seafood Waste, Nature, 2015, 524, 155-157
9. Y. Gao, X. Chen, J. Zhang, H. Asakura, T. Tanaka, K. Teramura, D. Ma*, N. Yan*, Popping of Graphite Oxide: Application in Preparing Metal Nanoparticle Catalysts, Adv. Mater., 2015, 27, 4688-4694
10. X. Chen, B. Zhang, Y. Wang, N. Yan*, Valorization of Renewable Carbon Resources for Chemicals, Chimia, 2015, 69, 120-124
11. F. D. Bobbink, J. Zhang, Y. Pierson, X. Chen, N. Yan*, Conversion of Chitin Derived N-acetyl-D-glucosamine (NAG) into Polyols over Transition Metal Catalysts and Hydrogen in Water, Green Chem., 2015, 17, 1024-1031
12. Y. Gao, X. Chen, J. Zhang, N. Yan*, Chitin Derived Mesoporous, N-containing Carbon for Heavy Metal Removal and Styrene Epoxidation, ChemPlusChem, 2015, 80, 1556-1564
13. X. Chen, N. Yan*, Novel Catalytic Systems to Convert Chitin and Lignin into Valuable Chemicals, Catal. Surv. Asia, 2014, 18, 164-176
14. Y. Pierson, X. Chen (co-first author), F. D. Bobbink, J. Zhang, N. Yan*, Acid-Catalyzed Chitin Liquefaction in Ethylene Glycol, ACS Sustainable Chem. & Eng., 2014, 2, 2081-2089 (Front Cover)
15. X. Chen, S. Chew, F. M. Kerton, N. Yan*, Direct Conversion of Chitin into a N-containing Furan Derivative, Green Chem., 2014, 16, 2204-2212 (Highlighted by International Innovations)
16. E. Lau, Y. Gao, X. Chen, T. Lee, Z. Hu, D. Zhao, N. Yan*, Sulfated, Mesoporous Niobium Oxide Catalyzed 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural Formation from Sugars, Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., 2014, 53, 14225-14233
17. J. Zhang, J. Teo, X. Chen, H. Asakura, T. Tanaka, K. Teramura, N. Yan*, A Series of NiM (M = Ru, Rh, and Pd) Bimetallic Catalysts for Effective Lignin Hydrogenolysis in Water, ACS Catal., 2014, 4, 1574-1583
18. Y. Gao, J. Zhang, X. Chen, D. Ma, N. Yan*, A Metal-free, Carbon Based Catalytic System for the Oxidation of Lignin Model Compounds and Lignin, ChemPlusChem, 2014, 79, 825-834
19. J. Zhang, H. Asakura, J. Rijn, J. Yang, P. Duchesne, B. Zhang, X. Chen, P. Zhang, M. Saeys*, N. Yan*, Highly Efficient, NiAu-catalyzed Hydrogenolysis of Lignin into Phenolic Chemicals, Green Chem., 2014, 16, 2432-2437
20. Y. Yu, X. Chen, Q. Yao, Y. Yu, N. Yan,* J. Xie*, Scalable and Precise Synthesis of Thiolated Au10-12, Au15, Au18, and Au25 Nanoclusters via pH Controlled CO Reduction, Chem. Mater., 2013, 25, 946-952
21. X. Yuan, G. Sun, H. Asakura, T. Tanaka, X. Chen, Y. Yuan, G. Laurenczy, Y. Kou, P. J. Dyson, N. Yan*, Development of Palladium Surface-Enriched Heteronuclear Au–Pd Nanoparticle Dehalogenation Catalysts in an Ionic Liquid, Chem. Eur. J., 2013, 19, 1227-1234
22. X. Chen, J. Chen, F. Wang, X. Xiang, M. Luo, X. Ji, Z. He*, Determination of glucose and uric acid with bienzyme colorimetry on microfluidic paper-based analysis devices, Biosens. Bioelectron., 2012, 35, 363-368 
23. M. Luo, X. Chen, G. Zhou, X. Xiang, L. Chen, X. Ji, Z. He*, Chemiluminescence biosensors for DNA detection using graphene oxide and a horseradish peroxidase-mimicking DNAzyme, Chem. Commun., 2012, 48, 1126-1128 

Book chapters

1. X. Chen, N. Yan*, “Nanoparticle Design for the Catalytic Valorization of Lignocellulosic Biomass”, 2018, submitted
2. X. Chen, N. Yan*, “Conversion of Chitin to Nitrogenous Chemicals”, 2018, in preparation