Prof. Dr. Lianguo CHEN

Toxicology and Health
School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China

E-mail: lchenam@cug.edu.cn

Education and Working Experiences

2026-now, Professor, PI, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan)

2018-2025, Professor, PI, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences

2024.11-12, Senior Visiting Fellow, State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong

2016-2018, Postdoc, State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong

2012-2016, PhD, Marine Environmental Science, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

2008-2012, MSc, Environmental Toxicology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences

2004-2008, BSc, Aquaculture, Ocean University of China

Research Interests

1. Environmental behavior, toxicology, and molecular mechanisms of emerging pollutants (e.g., PFAS, preservatives, and flame retardants).

2. Testing novel toxicological approaches to directly identify the molecular targets of environmental pollutants to facilitate the establishment of adverse outcome pathway (AOP).

3. Development of toxicity-ameliorative measures based on gut microbiota manipulation to protect the health of animals and humans.

4. Elucidation of structure-activity and structure-toxicity relationship to favor a mechanism-driven design of green chemicals.

Awards and Honors

2026, CUG Scholar, Discipline Leading Talent (Class A)

2021-2025, World's Top 2% Scientists, Stanford University

2024, Outstanding Individual in Annual Performance Evaluation, Institute of Hydrobiology

2021, Distinguished Young Scholar Foundation, Hubei Province

2021/2023/2025, Excellent Postgraduate Supervisor, Wuhan Division, Chinese Academy of Sciences

2021, 1000-Talent Program, China

2020, Yellow Crane Talent, Wuhan City

2020, Rising Sun Project, Wuhan City

2019, Natural Science Award from the Ministry of Education, China

2019, 100-Talent Program, Hubei Province

2019, Morning Light Project, Hubei Province

2018, 100-Talent Program, Chinese Academy of Sciences

2013, Research Excellence Award, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

Appointment and Services

1. Editorial Board Member, Aquatic Toxicology (IF: 4.1): 2022-now

2. Editorial Board Member, Water Biology & Security (IF: 5.1): 2021-now

3. Editorial Board Member, Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology (IF: 8.2): 2025-2026

4. Editorial Board Member and Guest Editor, Toxics (IF: 3.9): 2022-now

5. Editorial Board Member and Guest Editor, Journal of Henan Normal University: 2024-2027

6. Young Editorial Board Member, Reviews of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology (IF: 6.1): 2023-2024

7. Young Editorial Board Member, New Contaminants: 2025-2029

8. Member of the Professional Committee for New Pollutant Control, Chinese Society for Environmental Sciences (CSES): 2025-2028

9. Executive Member of the Professional Committee for Developmental Toxicology, Toxicology Society of China: 2025-now

10. Member of the National Pesticide Registration Review Committee: 2023-2028

11. Youth Member of the Professional Committee for Analytic Toxicology, Toxicology Society of China: 2018-now

Projects as PI/co-PI

1. National Natural Science Foundation of China: Regulatory potency and mechanism of probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus on lipid metabolic disorders of perfluorobutanesulfonate pollutant in zebrafish, 2021–2023

2. National Natural Science Foundation of China: Endocrine disrupting and reproduction impairing mechanisms of legacy antifouling pollutant DCOIT, 2020–2023

3. National Natural Science Foundation of China: The disrupted effects and mechanisms of glycolipid metabolism and developing neurotoxicity of emerging flame retardants, 2025-2029

4. Distinguished Young Scholar Foundation, Natural Science Foundation of Hubei Province, China: Reproductive toxicity and molecular mechanism of new perfluoroalkyl pollutants, 2021–2024

5. Collaborative Project with City University of Hong Kong: Influences of hypoxia on the behavior and toxicology of environmental pollutants: using PFBS as a representative, 2019–2021

6. CUG Scholar Fund, 2026-2030

7. Knowledge Innovation Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences: Ameliorative efficacy of Lactobacillus rhamnosus probiotic additive on the health hazard of perfluorobutanesulfonate, 2020–2021

8. Yellow Crane Talent Fund, Wuhan City Government: 2020

9. 100-Talent Program Fund, Chinese Academy of Sciences: 2018-2023,

10. 1000-Talent Program Fund, China: 2021-2023

11. Taiwan Young Talent Program, Chinese Academy of Sciences: Environmental Toxicology, 2024.7-2024.12

12. Future Partnership Network Program, Chinese Academy of Sciences: Bone developmental toxicity and mechanism of emerging poly and perfluoroalkyl pollutants, 2025-2027

13. Open Research Fund of State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research: The exposure risk and coastal ecological effects of new per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) around Yangtze Estuary, 2025-2027

Representative Publications

1. Sun, B.,^# Hu, C.,^# Wang, Q.,^# Zhou, X.,^# Ruan, Y., Xie, N., Zhang, W., Zhou, B., Chen, L.,* Shi, J.* Probiotic administration reshapes the sex differentiation trajectory of zebrafish under perfluorobutanesulfonate challenge. Environmental Science & Technology 2026, 60, 3080–3092.

2. Hu, C., Tang, L., Sun, B., Wang, J., Zhou, B., Chen, L.* Mechanism-driven design of isothiazolinone alternatives. Environmental Science & Technology 2025, 59, 6983–6992.

3. Shu, Y., Wang, Q.,^# He, J., Zhang, H., Hong, P., Leung, K.M.Y.,* Chen, L.,* Wu, H.* Perfluorobutane sulfonate interfering with the intestinal remodeling during Lithobates catesbeiana metamorphosis via the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis. Environmental Science & Technology 2025, 59, 5463–5473.

4. Li, J., Wang, Q., Hu, C., Sun, B., Yang, Z., Zhou, B., Leung, K.M.Y., Chen, L.* Effects of chemical speciation on chronic thyroid toxicity of representative perfluoroalkyl acids. Environmental Science & Technology 2025, 59, 6959–6970. (Supplementary Cover)

5. Liu, M., Hu, C., Li, J., Zhou, B., Lam, P.K.S., Chen, L.* Thyroid endocrine disruption and mechanism of the marine antifouling pollutant 4,5-dichloro-2-n-octyl-4-isothiazolin-3-one. Environmental Science & Technology 2024, 58, 19189–19198. (Supplementary Cover)

6. Tang, L., Liu, M.,^# Li, J., Zhou, B., Lam, P.K.S., Hu, C., Chen, L.* Isothiazolinone disrupts reproductive endocrinology by targeting the G protein-coupled receptor signaling. Environmental Science & Technology 2024, 58, 1076–1087.

7. Bai, Y., Wang, Q., Li, J., Zhou, B., Lam, P.K.S., Hu, C., Chen, L.* Significant variability in the developmental toxicity of representative perfluoroalkyl acids as a function of chemical speciation. Environmental Science & Technology 2023, 57, 14904–14916.

8. Shu, Y., Wang, Q.,^# Hong, P., Ruan, Y., Lin, H., Xu, J., Zhang, H., Deng, S., Wu, H.,* Chen, L.,* Leung, K.M.Y.* Legacy and emerging per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) surveillance in Bufo gargarizans from inlet watersheds of Chaohu Lake, China: Tissue distribution and bioaccumulation potential. Environmental Science & Technology 2023, 57, 13148–13160.

9. Hu, C., Liu, M., Wan, T., Tang, L., Sun, B., Zhou, B., Lam, J.C.W., Lam, P.K.S., Chen, L.* Disturbances in microbial and metabolic communication across the gut-liver axis induced by a dioxin-like pollutant: An integrated metagenomics and metabolomics analysis. Environmental Science & Technology 2021, 55, 529−537.

10. Chen, L.,* Lam, J.C.W., Tang, L., Hu, C., Liu, M., Lam, P.K.S., Zhou, B.* Probiotic modulation of lipid metabolism disorders caused by perfluorobutanesulfonate pollution in zebrafish. Environmental Science & Technology 2020, 54, 7494−7503.

11. Chen, L.,* Tsui, M.M.P., Hu, C., Wan, T., Au, D.W.T., Lam, J.C.W., Lam, P.K.S., Zhou, B. Parental exposure to perfluorobutanesulfonate impairs offspring development through inheritance of paternal methylome. Environmental Science & Technology 2019, 53, 12018−12025.

12. Chen, L.,* Lam, J.C.W., Hu, C., Tsui, M.M.P., Lam, P.K.S., Zhou, B. Perfluorobutanesulfonate exposure skews sex ratio in fish and transgenerationally impairs reproduction. Environmental Science & Technology 2019, 53, 8389−8397.

13. Chen, L., Hu, C., Tsui, M.M.P., Wan, T., Peterson, D.R., Shi, Q., Lam, P.K.S., Au, D.W.T., Lam, J.C.W.,* Zhou, B.* Multigenerational disruption of the thyroid endocrine system in marine medaka after a life-cycle exposure to perfluorobutanesulfonate. Environmental Science & Technology 2018, 52, 4432–4439.

14. Chen, L., Zhang, W.,^# Hua, J., Hu, C., Lai, N.L.S., Qian, P.Y., Lam, P.K.S., Lam, J.C.W.,* Zhou, B.* Dysregulation of intestinal health by environmental pollutants: Involvement of the estrogen receptor and aryl hydrocarbon receptor. Environmental Science & Technology 2018, 52, 2323–2330.

15. Chen, L., Au, D.W.T., Hu, C., Peterson, D.R., Zhou, B.,* Qian, P.Y.* Identification of molecular targets for 4,5-dichloro-2-n-octyl-4-isothiazolin-3-one (DCOIT) in teleosts: New insight into mechanism of toxicity. Environmental Science & Technology 2017, 51, 1840–1847.

16. Chen, L., Zhang, W., Ye, R., Hu, C., Wang, Q., Seemann, F., Au, D.W.T., Zhou, B., Giesy, J.P., Qian, P.Y.* Chronic exposure of marine medaka (Oryzias melastigma) to 4,5-dichloro-2-n-octyl-4-isothiazolin-3-one (DCOIT) reveals its mechanism of action in endocrine disruption via the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal-liver (HPGL) axis. Environmental Science & Technology 2016, 50, 4492–4501.

17. Chen, L., Sun, J.,^# Zhang, H., Au, D.W.T., Lam, P.K.S., Zhang, W., Bajic, V.B., Qiu, J.W., Qian, P.Y.* Hepatic proteomic responses in marine medaka (Oryzias melastigma) chronically exposed to antifouling compound butenolide [5-octylfuran-2(5H)-one] or 4,5-dichloro-2-n-octyl-4-isothiazolin-3-one (DCOIT). Environmental Science & Technology 2015, 49, 1851–1859.

18. Chen, L., Yu, K.,^# Huang, C., Yu, L., Zhu, B., Lam, P.K.S., Lam, J.C.W.,* Zhou, B.* Prenatal transfer of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) results in developmental neurotoxicity in zebrafish larvae. Environmental Science & Technology 2012, 46, 9727–9734.