1.      基因组导向的活性天然产物研究：针对特殊生境微生物（植物内生真菌、海洋来源真菌），在基因组生物信息学分析的基础上，利用多种现代分子生物学技术激活其中的沉默基因，发现其特殊生境下的活性化合物。

2.      活性天然产物的合成生物学研究：针对新颖结构或稀有的的活性分子，阐明其独特的生物合成途径与机制，发现并累积特殊功能的基因元件，利用合成生物学或组合生物合成技术对其进行高效绿色地异源生物合成与结构优化，为新药创制提供先导化合物。

代表性论文：

1.       Lihua Zhang,Yanan Wang, Le Zhang, Bingyu Liu, Chen Zhang, Daojiang Yan, Jian Bai*, Youcai Hu*. Phomoidrides E–G, three dimeric anhydrides from the fungus Pleosporales sp. give new insight to the biosynthesis of phomoidrides, Organic Chemistry Frontiers, 2021, 8(21):5926-5933. (cover paper, IF: 5.546)

2.       Qian Wei#, Jian Bai#, Daojiang Yan, Xiuqi Bao, Wenting Li, Bingyu Liu, Dan Zhang, Xiangbing Qi, Dequan Yu, Youcai Hu*. Genome mining combined metabolic shunting and OSMAC strategy of an endophytic fungus leads to the production of diverse natural products, Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B, 2021, 11(2): 572-587. (cover paper, IF: 14.911)

3.       Jian Bai, Rong Mu, Man Dou, Daojiang Yan, Bingyu Liu, Qian Wei, Jun Wan, Yi Tang, Youcai Hu*. Epigenetic modification in histone deacetylase deletion strain of Calcarisporium arbuscula leads to diverse diterpenoids. Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B, 2018, 8, 687-697. (IF: 5.808)

4.       Jian Bai#, Daojiang Yan#, Tao Zhang, Yongzhi Guo, Yunbao Liu, Yi Zou, Mancheng Tang, Bingyu Liu, Qiong Wu, Shishan Yu*, Yi Tang*, Youcai Hu*. A Cascade of Redox Reactions Generates Complexity in the Biosynthesis of the Protein Phosphatase-2 Inhibitor Rubratoxin A. Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 2017, 56, 4782-4786. (IF: 12.102)

5.        Jian Bai, Dong Liu, Siwang Yu, Peter Proksch, Wenhan Lin*. Amicoumacins from the marine-derived bacterium Bacillus sp. with the inhibition of NO production. Tetrahedron Letters, 2014, 55, 6286-6291. (IF: 2.391)

6.        Jian Bai, Hui Chen, Zhen-Feng Fang, Shi-Shan Yu*, Wen-Jie Wang, Yang Liu, Shuang-Gang Ma, Yong Li, Jing Qu, Song Xu, Jun-Hong Liu, Fen Zhao, Nan Zhao. Sesquiterpenes from the roots of Illicium dunnianum. Phytochemistry, 2012, 80, 137-147. (IF: 3.05)

7.        Jian Bai, Zhen-Feng Fang, Hui Chen, Shi-Shan Yu*, Dan Zhang, Huai-Ling Wei, Shuang-Gang Ma, Yong Li, Jing Qu, Song Xu, Jing-Hong Ren, Fen Zhao, Nan Zhao, Jun-Hong Liu. Antioxidant phenolic glycosides from the roots of Illicium dunnianum. Carbohydrate Research, 2012, 361, 206-211. (IF 2.044)

8.        Jian Bai, Hui Chen, Zhen-Feng Fang, Shi-Shan Yu*, Shuang-Gang Ma, Yong Li, Jing Qu, Song Xu, Jing-Hong Ren, Hai-Ning Lv, Xia Chen. Sesquiterpenes and neolignans from the roots of Illicium dunnianum. Journal of Asian Natural Products Research, 2012, 14, 940-949. (IF 0.948)

9.        Yalong Zhang, Jian Bai, Le Zhang, Chen Zhang, Bingyu Liu, Youcai Hu*. Self-resistance in the biosynthesis of fungal macrolides involving cycles of extracellular oxidative activation and intracellular reductive inactivation. Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 2021, 60, 6639-6645. (IF: 12.959)

10.        Qibin Chen#, Jie Gao#, Cooper Jamieson, Jiawang Liu, Masao Ohashi, Jian Bai, Daojian Yan, Bingyu Liu, Yongsheng Che, Yanan Wang, K. N. Houk*, and Youcai Hu*. Enzymatic Intermolecular Hetero-Diels−Alder Reaction in the Biosynthesis of Tropolonic Sesquiterpenes. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 2019, 141(36), 14052-14056. (IF 14.357)

11.        Daojiang Yan#, Qibin Chen#, Jie Gao#, Jian Bai, Bingyu Liu, Yalong Zhang, Le Zhang, Chen Zhang, Yi Zou, Youcai Hu*, Complexity and Diversity Generation in the Biosynthesis of Fumiquinazoline-Related Peptidyl Alkaloids. Organic Letters, 2019, 21 (5), 1475-1479. (IF: 6.492)

12.        Tao Zhang#, Jun Wan#, Zhajun Zhan, Jian Bai, Bingyu Liu, Youcai Hu*. Activation of an Unconventional Meroterpenoid Gene Cluster in Neosartorya glabra Leads to the Production of New Berkeleyacetals. Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B, 2018, 8(3), 478-487. (IF: 5.808)

 Youcai Hu*. Highly oxygenated caryophyllene-type sesquiterpenes from a plant-associated fungus, Pestalotiopsis hainanensis, and their biosynthetic gene cluster. Journal of Natural Products, 2020, 83(11), 3262–3269. (IF: 3.779)

14.      Ya-Nan Wang#, Yan-Hua Mou#, Yu Dong#, Yan Wu, Bing-Yu Liu, Jian Bai, Dao-Jiang Yan, Le Zhang, Dan-Qing Feng, Yue-Hu Pei*, and You-Cai Hu*. Diphenyl Ethers from a Marine-Derived Aspergillus sydowii. Marine Drugs, 2018, 16, 451-461. (IF: 3.772)

#co-first author; *Corresponding author.