Guocan Yu
Department of Chemistry,
Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
Email：guocanyu@mail.tsinghua.edu.cn
Research Group Homepage http://www.supradrug.com/
Education
2010/09 – 2015/06 Zhejiang University Ph.D. (Supervisor: Prof. Feihe Huang)
2006/09 – 2010/06 Hefei University of Technology B.Sc.
Professional Experience
2023/12 – current Tsinghua University, Associate Professor
2020/12 – 2023/12 Tsinghua University, Assistant Professor
2015/09 – 2020/09 National Institutes of Health, Research Fellow
Research interests
1. Lipid nanoparticles
2. mRNA delivery and vaccines
3. New delivery systems for nucleic acids and drugs
Recent Publications
#Co-first authors. *Corresponding author.
1. L. Wang,# Q. Zhai,# C. Dong,# W. Zhang, X. Ma, K. Yang, S. Qi, Yarong Wu, G. Yu,* L.-Q. Wang,* G. F. Gao,* Z. Liu,* Split intron-exon system for circular RNA synthesis. Nat. Commun. 2026, 17, 9163.
2. Y. Feng, Y. Yu,* X. Yu, M. Li, J. Lei, Y. Li, Z. Liu,* S. Qi,* G. Yu,* Supramolecular lipid nanoparticle reprograms tumor microenvironment by cucurbit[7]uril-based host–guest recognition for STING-activating cancer immunotherapy. Mater Today 2026, 92, 101–114.
3. J. Lei,# K. Yang,# W. Cao,# S. Qi, X. Du, H. Li, Y. Wang, J. Gan, Y. Feng, Y. Li, W. Zhang, B. Bai, X. Lin, X. Su, Q. Zhang,* T. Liang,* G. Yu,* Pancreatic-targeted lipid nanoparticles based on organ capsule filtration. Nature 2026, 652, 220–229.
4. Y. Feng,# W. Tai,# P. Huang,# S. Qi, X. Yu, M. Li, M. Li, M. Zhang, F. Cao, X. Gao, K. Yang, B. Bai, J. Lei, M. Cheng, Y. Li, G. Cheng,* X. Chen,* G. Yu,* Albumin-recruiting lipid nanoparticle redefines the fate of mRNA vaccines to potentiate the efficacy and safety. Nat. Mater. 2025, 24, 1826–1839.
5. X. Yu#, S. Qi#, W. Cao#, M. Cheng, W. Zhang, Y. Wang, R. Zheng, G. Jin, X. Gao1, M. Lu, J. Lei, K. Peng, X. Su, Q. Zhang,* G. Yu,* Metabolism-programming mRNA-lipid nanoparticle remodels immune microenvironment to empower immunotherapy against MAFLD. Sci. Transl. Med. 2025, 17, eadv2293.
6. X. Yu,# S. Qi,# W. Zhang,# H. Li, F. Cao, Y. Wang, K. Peng, X. Lin,* X. Chen,* G. Yu,* Lipid Nanoparticle Chaperone with Redox-Adaptive Intracellular Microenvironment Modulation Potentiates the Potency of mRNA Vaccines. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2025, 147, 44072–44086.
7. M. Li, X. Zheng, X. Yu, S. Qi, S. Zhu,* G. Yu,* S. Zhang,* Potentiating the Efficacy of mRNA Vaccines through NIR‐II Imaging-Guided Precise Vaccination. Adv. Sci. 2025, 12, e13014.
8. Y. Li, J. Gan, J. Lei, S. Qi, X. Yu, W. Zhang, Y. Feng, Y. Zhang, M. Cheng, L. Ma,* Z. Mao,* Z. Liu,* G. Yu,* Catalytic Hybrid Lipid Nanoparticles Potentiate Circle RNA-Based Cytokine Immunotherapy. ACS Nano 2025, 19, 7864–7876.
9. W. Tai,*,# C. Tian,# H. Shi,# B. Chai,# X. Yu,# X. Zhuang, P. Dong, M. Li, Q. Yin, S. Feng, W. Wang, O. Zhang, S. Liang, Y. Liu, J. Liu, L. Zhu, G. Zhao,* M. Tian,* G. Yu,* G. Cheng,* An mRNA vaccine against monkeypox virus inhibits infection by co-activation of humoral and cellular immune responses. Nat. Commun. 2025, 16, 2971.
10. M. Cheng,# Z. Jiao,# J. Lei, M. Li, K. Yang, S. Qi, X. Yu, Y. Wang, L.-T. Yan,* G. Yu,* Topologically Engineered Supramolecular Cyclolipid Nanoparticles: A Custom-Tailored Delivery System for Inhaled Combination Therapy. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2025, 147, 15693–15706.
11. K. Yang,# B. Bai,# X. Li, W. Rou, C. Huang, M. Lu, X. Zhang, C. Dong, S. Qi, Z. Liu,* G. Yu,* Coordinating interleukin-2 encoding circRNA with immunomodulatory lipid nanoparticles to potentiate cancer immunotherapy. Sci. Adv. 2025, 11, eadn7256.
12. J. Gan, J. Lei, Y. Li, M. Lu, X. Yu, G. Yu,* Manganese Oxide-Incorporated Hybrid Lipid Nanoparticles Amplify the Potency of mRNA Vaccine via Oxygen Generation and STING Activation. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2024, 146, 32689–32700.
13. M. Cheng, X. Yu, S. Qi, K. Yang, M. Lu, F. Cao,* G. Yu,* Development of Organ Targeting Lipid Nanoparticles with Low Immunogenicity and Their Application in the Treatment of Pulmonary Fibrosis. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2024, 63, e202407398.
14. K. Yang,# B. Bai,# J. Lei, X. Yu, S. Qi, Y. Wang, F. Huang, Z. Tong, G. Yu,* Biodegradable Lipid-Modified Poly(Guanidine Thioctic Acid)s: A Fortifier of Lipid Nanoparticles to Promote the Efficacy and Safety of mRNA Cancer Vaccines. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2024, 146, 11679–11693.
15. J. Chen, W. Zhang, W. Yang, F. Xi, H. He, M. Liang, Q. Dong, J. Hou, M. Wang,* G. Yu,* J. Zhou,* Separation of benzene and toluene associated with vapochromic behaviors by hybrid [4] arene-based co-crystals. Nat. Commun. 2024, 15, 1260.
16. J. Lei,# S. Qi,# X. Yu, X. Gao, K. Yang, X. Zhang, M. Cheng, B. Bai, Y. Feng, M. Lu, Y. Wang, H. Li, G. Yu,* Development of Mannosylated Lipid Nanoparticles for mRNA Cancer Vaccine with High Antigen Presentation Efficiency and Immunomodulatory Capability. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2024, 63, e202318515.
17. M. Yan, S. Wu, Y. Wang, M. Liang, M. Wang, W. Hu, G. Yu,* Z. Mao,* F. Huang,* J. Zhou,* Recent Progress of Supramolecular Chemotherapy Based on Host–Guest Interactions. Adv. Mater. 2024, 36, 2304249.
18. W. Tai,# K. Yang,# Y. Liu,# R. Li,# S. Feng,# B. Chai,# X. Zhuang,# S. Qi, H. Shi, Z. Liu, J. Lei, E. Ma, W. Wang, C. Tian, T. Le, J. Wang, Y. Chen, M. Tian,* Y. Xiang,* G. Yu,* G. Cheng,* A lung-selective delivery of mRNA encoding broadly neutralizing antibody against SARS-CoV-2 infection. Nat. Commun. 2023, 14, 8042.
19. Y. Feng, S. Qi, X. Yu, X. Zhang, H. Zhu,* G. Yu,* Supramolecular Modulation of Tumor Microenvironment through Pillar[5]arene-Based Host−Guest Recognition to Synergize Cancer Immunotherapy. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2023, 145, 18789–18799.
20. D. Wu, J. Lei, Z. Zhang, F. Huang,* M. Buljane, G. Yu,* Polymerization in living organisms. Chem. Soc. Rev. 2023, 52, 2911–2945.
