CBM-CSCI Joint Seminar – Remodeling Cellular Membranes with Unnatural Peptide Assemblies

The College of Biomedicine (CBM) and the College of Science (CSCI) were pleased to jointly host Professor Bing XU, Charles A. Breskin Professor in the Department of Chemistry at Brandeis University, as the speaker for the Joint College Seminar held on 26 October 2026. Professor Xu is internationally recognized for his pioneering contributions to supramolecular chemistry, enzyme-instructed self-assembly (EISA), biomaterials, and nanomedicine.

In his seminar entitled "Remodeling Cellular Membranes with Unnatural Peptide Assemblies", Professor XU discussed how peptide self-assembly can be utilized to investigate and reshape the organization of cellular membranes. Drawing upon concepts of enzyme-instructed self-assembly (EISA), he presented several strategies involving unnatural peptide assemblies containing noncanonical amino acids and endogenous lipidation pathways. Through illustrative examples, he demonstrated how these assemblies can remodel membrane architecture, influence intracellular processes, create novel membrane compartments, and ultimately alter cell fate. He also highlighted the potential applications of these approaches in membrane biology research and the development of innovative therapeutic strategies.

The seminar attracted considerable interest from faculty members, researchers, and students from both colleges, generating engaging discussions on supramolecular chemistry, chemical biology, biomaterials, and translational biomedical research. Participants gained valuable insights into how advances in peptide chemistry and molecular self-assembly can provide new tools for understanding cellular functions and developing next-generation biomedical applications.

(*Disclaimer: For details of the academic content described in this write-up, please refer to the original abstract provided in the event poster.)