Renowned Biochemist Hening Lin to join the University of Chicago Department of Chemistry
The University of Chicago Department of Chemistry has hired renowned chemical biologist Hening Lin as a Professor in the Department of Chemistry. He will serve a primary, tenured appointment with the Biological Sciences Division in the Department of Medicine, with a secondary appointment in the Department of Chemistry as a Professor of Chemistry.
Lin currently serves as a Professor of Chemistry and Chemical Biology at Cornell University, where he is recognized as a pioneer in chemistry, biology, and the therapeutic targeting of enzymes with important physiological functions. His work interfaces with organic synthesis, biochemistry, biophysics, molecular biology, and cell biology to study enzymes in order to develop small molecule inhibitors that target enzymes and investigate their potential in treating diseases such as cancer and inflammation.
Jiwoong Park, chair of the Chemistry Department, praised Lin’s research and distinction, saying, “It is a rare honor that we get to welcome someone of his caliber. The Department of Chemistry at UChicago is renewing its celebrated history of excellence and opening an exciting new chapter.”
“I'm very, very excited,” said Lin. “I like the fact that the medical school and the chemistry department are in close proximity to each other, and I am excited to collaborate with great people like Chuan He. I think I will learn a lot from him. There are a lot of people in PSD that I look forward to learning from.”
Many in the department are just as eager to work with Lin, including Professor Chuan He. “I am absolutely thrilled to have a world-leading chemical biologist joining our faculty,” said He.
“Professor Jack Szostak's move from Harvard to UChicago a couple of years ago made us one of the world's best chemical biology programs. Now Hening adds the depth and breadth to an unprecedented level.”
At UChicago, Lin will serve additionally as a Howard Hughes Medical Investigator (HHMI), a unique and highly esteemed research position whose modus operandi is to invest in “people, not projects.” Currently, University Professor Jack Szostak and Professor Chuan He also serve as HHMI investigators.
Lin’s addition to the faculty signals the ascendency of the Department of Chemistry at the University of Chicago.
“We will now have three HHMI chemical biologists in the same department. The only three in the city of Chicago,” said He. “I think there are a total of eight or nine HHMI chemical biologists in the country, and now we will have three.”
Contributions and Collaborations
Lin has pioneered the use of innovative chemical tools and chemical insights to study and manipulate protein function with a high degree of precision. His research has led to a deeper understanding of enzyme mechanisms, protein modifications, and cellular signaling pathways. Much of his work has focused on unraveling the complex world of protein post-translational modifications (PTMs), with his groundbreaking studies shedding light on the molecular mechanisms underlying PTMs and their impact on cellular processes.
“I would say his mechanistic and biological insights to protein PTM, but also protein regulation, are peerless,” said He, adding, “I cannot think of anyone else.”
Studying the regulation process of enzymes has helped researchers like Lin develop treatment for various kinds of human diseases.
“A lot of people, especially chemists, when we learned about the enzymes, we learned that enzymes are very efficient,” said Lin. “But in biology, you want to be able to control when the enzyme is active. And if you can figure out how the enzymes are regulated, it can help you to understand the function of the enzyme to then develop treatment.”
Many praise Lin’s advancements in enzymology and see the unique opportunity for further development and collaboration.
“Hening's group has reshaped how we think about chemical modifications to proteins,” says Professor Bryan Dickinson. “At UChicago, Hening will be able to work with our clinical research faculty in BSD, where I am excited to see how he can leverage his program to continue to move his impactful basic science toward the clinic.”
Notably, Lin has been instrumental in fostering interdisciplinary collaborations between chemists, biologists, and clinicians. These collaborations have resulted in synergistic efforts to tackle complex scientific challenges and translate fundamental discoveries into practical applications for improving human health.
Overall, Lin believes that his impact at UChicago will be collaborative team research, stating that his primary goal is to get key players together to discover common problems and translational research.
“I think that way we can do better. I think clinical people and biologists could help the chemical biologists to better utilize their chemical tools and help the biologists and the clinicians to produce innovative solutions to problems,” said Lin.
Hening Lin obtained his BS degree in chemistry from Tsinghua University in 1998 and his PhD in bio-organic chemistry from Columbia University in 2003. After his postdoctoral studies at Harvard Medical School, he became a faculty member of the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology of Cornell University in 2006. At Cornell, he was promoted to associate professor in 2012, and then to full professor in 2013. His awards include the Jane Coffin Childs Fellowship, the Camille and Henry Dreyfus New Faculty Award, and the ACS Pfizer Award in Enzyme Chemistry. In addition to his research, Lin is an active member of the science community, serving as a reviews editor for eLIFE, an associate editor of ACS Chemical Biology, and a founder and consultant for Sedac Therapeutics. He has been an HHMI investigator since 2015.