Graduated from University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1998, He obtained his Ph. D. in plant cell wall chemistry. He had worked as a senior scientist in the biochemistry department at UW-Madison for over 8 years before he took a position as a professor/director of State Key Laboratory of pulp and paper engineering at South China University of Technology (SCUT) in 2015. his research interests include analytical methodology on plants from various origins, biosynthesis of plant cell wall components, organic synthesis of plant cell wall model compounds, and plant derived bioactive molecules for various applications, etc. He has published over 100 papers in peer-reviewed journals, and co-authored in several book chapters. His current research projects are focusing on structural elucidation of lignin from genetic modified plants, finding potential transgenic as feedstock for biofuel/biochemical productions.

Analytical methodology on plants from various origins, biosynthesis of plant cell wall components, organic synthesis of plant cell wall model compounds, and plant derived bioactive molecules for various applications.