Professor Pei-yuan Qian earned his Ph.D. from the University of Alberta, Canada. He serves as the Deputy Director of the Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou) and the Director of its Hong Kong Branch. He is a tenured professor at HKUST and a Jessie and David von Hansemann Professor of Science. Since joining HKUST in 1993, Professor Qian has been engaged in research on marine larval biology, ecology, and natural product chemistry. He established the Department of Ocean Science in 2018. Over the years, he has held various positions, including Head of Environmental Science, Founding Director of the Marine Laboratory, Founding Head of the Department of Ocean Science, and member of the university council.

He was the founding chair of the Gordon Research Conference on Marine Molecular Ecology and has served on editorial boards for over ten international marine science journals. With over 30 years of experience in marine science research, Professor Qian pioneered an interdisciplinary platform in China, integrating marine biology, ecology, microbiology, and natural product chemistry.

Professor Qian has published over 500 SCI papers in leading journals such as Nature Reviews Microbiology, Nature Chemistry, Nature Chemical Biology, Nature Ecology & Evolution, and Nature Communications. His papers have been cited more than 31,000 times, achieving an H-index of 88. He has received numerous honors, including being named among the top 2% of global scientists, and has earned awards such as the National Natural Science Award (Second Prize) and the First Prize of the State Oceanic Administration’s Science and Technology Progress Award. He was also awarded a medal commemorating the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China.

（1）Omics of deep-sea marine invertebrates  

（2）Marine molecular ecology  

（3）Marine nature products (genome-based discovery techniques)

1.Novel antibiotics from genome mining and diversity-oriented synthesis. UGC Collaborative Research Fund Cold Seep Ecogenomics, Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou) 

3.Hong Kong Branch, Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), (PI, Director) 

4.Analytical and heterologous expression of synthetic pathways of active nature proucts such as anti-tumor an anti-infection (MOST Key Research & Development Program). Subtask: multi-directional discovery and activation of anti-tumor, anti-infection and other active natural products 

5.Cold Seep Ecosystem and Resource, Major Basic and Applied Basic Research Project of Guangdong Province 

6.A small indoor mesocosm facility for investigating the impact of the environmental stressors on marine organisms (UGC, PI) 

7.u-loop mid-ocean ridge hydrothermal vent ecosystems monitoring and conservation. COMAR (Chinese Ocean Mineral Research and Development Assocation) 

8.Anti-biofilm compounds from marine microbes, COMAR (Chinese Ocean Mineral Research and Development Assocation)

1.Wang H, Xiao H, Feng B, Lan Y, Fung CW, Zhang H, Gan G, Lian C, Zhong ZS, Li J, Wang MX, Wu ARH*, Li CL*, Qian PY*. 2024. Single-cell RNA-seq reveals distinct metabolic “microniches” and close host-symbiont interaction in deep-sea chemosynthetic tubeworm.  Sci Adv 10 (30), eadn3053. doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.adn3053.

2.Lan Y, Sun J, Chen C, Wang H, Xiao Y, Perez M, Yang Y, Kwan YH, Sun YN, Zhou YD, Han XQ， Miyazaki J, Watsuji T, Bissessur D, Qian JW, Takai, Qian PY*. 2022. Endosymbiont population genomics sheds light on transmission mode, partner specificity, and stability of the scaly-foot snail holobiont.  ISME J 16, 2132-2143.Doi.org/10.1038/s41396-022-01261-4.

3.Xu T, Wang Y, Sun J, Chen C, Watanabe HK, Chen J, Qian PY*, Qiu JW*. 2021.  Hidden historical habitat-linked population divergence and contemporary gene flow of a deep-sea patellogastropod limpet.  Mol Biol Evol 38 (12), 5640-5654. https://doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msab278

4.Qian PY*, Cheng AF, Wang RJ, Zhang R. 2022. Marine biofilms:diversity, interactions and biofouling. Nat Rev Microbiol. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41579-022-00744-7.

5.Tang JW, Liu X, Ye W, Li ZR, Qian PY*, 2022. Biosynthesis and bioactivities of microbial genotoxin colibactins. Nat Prod Rept 39: 991-1014. DOI: 10.1039/d1np00050k rsc.li/npr

6.Xu T, Wang Y, Sun J, Chen C, Watanabe HK, Chen J, Qian PY*, Qiu JW*. 2021. Hidden historical habitat-linked population divergence and contemporary gene flow of a deep-sea patellogastropod limpet.  Mol Biol Evol 38 (12): 5640-5654.

7.Zhou K, Xu Y, Zhang R, Qian PY*. 2021. Arm race in a cell: genomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic insights into intracellular phage-bacteria interplay in deep-sea snail holobionts.  Microbiome 9(1): 1-13.

8.Sun YN, Sun J, Yang Y, Lan Y, Ip JCH, WC Wong, Kwan YK, YJ Zhang, Han Z, Qiu JW*, Qian PY*. 2021. Genomic signatures supporting the symbiosis and formation of chitinous tube in the deep-sea tubeworm Paraescarpia echinospica. Mol Biol Evol 38 (10): 4116-4134.

9.Geng Y, Liu C, Cai Q, Luo Z, Miao H, Shi X, Xu N, Fung CP, Choy TT,Yan B, Li N, Qian PY*, Zhou B*, Zhu G.* Crystal structure of parallel G-quadruplex formed by the two-repeat ALS- and FTD-related GGGGCC sequence, Nuc Aci Res 49 (10): 5881-5890. https://doi.org/10.1093/nar/gkab302.

10.Li, ZR, Sun J, Du YL, Pan AF, Zeng L, Maboundian R, Burne RA, Qian PY*, Zhang WJ*. Mutanofactin promotes bacterial adhesion and biofilm formation of cariogenic Streptococcus mutans. Nature Chemical Biology https://doi.org/10.1038/s41589-021-00745-2

11.Lan Y, Sun J, Chen C, Sun YN, Zhou YD, Yang Y, Zhang WP, Li RS, Zhou K, Wong WC, Kwan YH, Cheng AF, Bougouffa S, van Dover CL, Qiu JW, Qian PY*. 2021. Dual symbiosis in the deep-sea hydrothermal vent snail Gigantopelta aegis revealed by its hologenome. Nature Communication 12: 1165. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-21450-7

12.Malit JJL, Liu WC, Cheng AF, Saha S, Liu LL, Qian PY*. Global genome minining reveals a cytochrome P450-catalyzed cyclization of crownlike cyclodipeptides with neuroprotective activity. Organic Letter 23: 6601-6605.  https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.orglett.1c01022

11.Yang Y, Sun J, Sun YN, Kwan YH, Wong WC, Zhang YJ, Xu T, Feng D, Zhang Y, Qiu JW, Qian PY*. 2020. Genomic, transcriptomic and proteomic insights into the symbiosis of deep-sea tubeworm holobionts. ISME J 14: 135-150. org/10.1038/s41396-019-0520-y

12.Nong WY, Cao JQ, Li YQ, Qu Z, Sun J, Swale T, Yip HY, Qian PY, Qiu JW, Kwan HS, Bendena W, Tobe S, Chan TF, Yip KYL, Chu KH, Ngai SM, Tsim KYK, Holland PWH, Hui JHL. Jellyfish genomes reveal distinct homeobox gene clusters and conservation of small RNA processing. Nature Communication 11: 3051 doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-16801-9

13.Zhang WJ*, Qian PY*. Reply to: Macrocyclic colibactins. Nature Chemistry. 12(11): 1007-1007. doi.org/10.1038/x41557-020-00552-7.

14.Sun J, Chen C, Miyamoto N, Li RS, Sigwart JD, Xu T, Sun YN, Wong WC, Ip JCH, Zhang WP, Lan Y, Bissessur D, Watsuji T, Watanabe HK, Takaki Y, Qiu JW, Takai K*, Qian PY*. The Scaly-foot Snail genome and the ancient origins of biomineralised armour. Nature Communication 11: 1657. doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-15522-3.

15.Li ZR, Li J, Cai WL, Lai JYH, Zhang WP, McKinnie SMK, Moore BS, Zhang WJ*, Qian PY*. Colibactin induces DNA double-strand breaks through copper-dependent oxidative cleavage.  Nature Chemistry 11(10): 880-889.

16.Zhang WP, Ding W, Li YX, Tam CK, Bougouffa S, Wang RJ, Pei B, Chiang HY, Leung PM , Lu YH, Sun J, Fu H, Bajic VB, Liu HB, Webster NS, Qian PY*. 2019. Biofilms constitute a bank of hidden microbial diversity and functional potential in the oceans, Nature Communication 10: 517  https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-019-08463

17.Sun J, Mu HW, Ip JCH, Li RS, Zhang YJ, Xu T, Kumagai N, Yusa Y, Accorsi A, Castro-Vasquez A, Vega IA, Heras H, Ituarte S, Bocxlaer BV, Hayes K, Cowie R, Zhao ZY, Zhang Y*, Qian PY*, Qiu JW*. Signatures of divergence, invasiveness, and terrestrialization revealed by four apple snail genomes.    Mol Biol Evol 36: 1507-1520.  Doi:10.1093/molbev/msz084.

18.Li YX, Zhong Z, Zhang WP, Qian PY*. 2018. Discovery of cationic nonribosomal peptides as gram-negative antibiotics through global genome mining. Nat Communi 9: 3273, 1038/s41467-018-05781-6.

19.Li YX, Zhong Z, Hou P, Zhang WP, Qian PY*. A widespread D-stereospecific resistance of nonribosomal peptide antibiotics. Nat Chem Biol 14: 381-388, doi.org/10.1038/s41589-018-0009-4

20.Sun J, Zhang Y, Xu T, Zhang Y, Mu HW, Zhang YJ, Lan Y, Fields CJ, Hui JHL, Zhang WP, Li RS, Nong WY, Cheung FKM, Qiu JW*, Qian P-Y*. 2017. Adaptation to deep-sea chemosynthetic environments as revealed by mussel genomes.  Nat Ecol Evol 1: 0121 .

1.Discovery of cationic nonribosomal peptides as gram-negative antibiotics through global genome mining US Patent US 10,738,093 B2 1/4

2.Didemnin biosynthetic gene cluster in Tistrella mobilis US Patent US 9,644,005 B2  1/3 

3.Diindol-3-ylmethanes as potent non-toxic antifouling compounds US Patent US 9,591,855 B2  1/4 

4.Use of amide compounds for preventing marine biofouling US Patent US 9,131,691 B2  1/5 

5.Antifouling method and composition using Chromen-4-one derivative US Patent US 8,557,331 B2  1/4 

6.Use of marine fungus originated compounds as antifouling agents US Patent US 8,257,478 B2  1/5 

7.Antifouling Furan-2-One Derivatives US Patent US 8,177,896 B2  1/6 

8.Anti-fouling exopolysaccharides isolated from cultures of Vibrio alginolyticus and Vibrio proteolyticus US Patent US 7,090,856 B2  1/4 

9.Didemnin biosynthetic gene cluster in tistrella mobilis EU patent EP 2 758 519 B1  1/3 

10.海洋微生物发酵产生的化合物在抗生物污损中的应用 China Patent ZL 2005 1 0137017.2  1/5

Key AWARDS 

1.Research on the Diversity of Marine Organism Populations and Their Production Mechanisms in the South China Sea Region. In 2009, awarded the First Prize of the Guangdong Provincial Science and Technology Award by the People's Government of Guangdong Province. The second completer. 

2.Systematic Research on the Polychaete Capitella capitata, an Indicator Species for Marine Pollution. In 1991, awarded the First Prize of the Science and Technology Award of the State Oceanic Administration by the State Oceanic Administration. The second completer. 

3.Impact of Biofilms on Marine Benthic Ecosystems under Changing Environments. In 2016, awarded the Second Prize of the National Natural Science Award by the State Council. The first completer. 

4.Investigation of Deep-sea Genetic Resources and Evaluation of Their Application Potential. In 2020, awarded the First Prize of the Marine Engineering Science and Technology Award by the China Association for Marine Engineering Consultancy. The second completer.