Luoxiaochun

The research group has long focused on the high-value utilization of low-value nitrogen-containing biomass, achieving breakthrough and internationally leading technological advancements—particularly in the green conversion and high-value applications of resources such as poultry feathers, plant oil meals, and marine polysaccharides. The main research activities include:

(1) Employing genomics, transcriptomics, and bioinformatics approaches to systematically elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying microbial degradation of inexpensive nitrogen-rich biomass (e.g., feathers and marine polysaccharides);

(2) Utilizing synthetic biology to develop high-efficiency expression elements and engineer microbes for enhanced production performance;

(3) Applying rational enzyme engineering to develop highly efficient recombinant proteases, chitinases, thiol-reducing enzymes, and innovative artificial multi-enzyme complexes.

Building upon these theoretical investigations and technological innovations, the team has successfully achieved efficient degradation and conversion of various biomass feedstocks, yielding high-value products such as amino acids, small peptides, and bioactive oligosaccharides. These products are applicable in premium animal and plant nutritional supplements based on amino acids/peptides, as well as immunostimulants and adjuvants. Pilot-scale production of degraded feather meal and processed plant oil meals has already been completed. These products can effectively replace expensive fishmeal in animal feed and serve as high-quality organic fertilizers rich in amino acids and peptides, demonstrating outstanding performance in enhancing crop yield and quality for both vegetables and staple grains.

The research team has established deep collaborative partnerships with several listed companies and high-tech enterprises, highlighting broad industrialization prospects.

The team has received the Guangdong Provincial Science and Technology Progress Award (Second Class) and the Guangzhou Municipal Science and Technology Progress Award (Second Class). Over 90 SCI-indexed papers have been published, including more than 60 in Q1 journals such as Chemical Engineering Journal, Green Chemistry, Communications Biology, Journal of Cleaner Production, and International Journal of Biological Macromolecules. In the past five years, these publications have garnered 1,087 citations, with an h-index of 19 and an i10-index of 31. The team has also contributed to edited textbooks including Fish Pathology and Biochemistry.