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Chemistry & Biochemistry

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Juan Hu

Asst. Professor, Analytical

office: CSL 408
email: jhu8@sdsu.edu
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Hu Group Page

Curriculum Vitae

  • Ph.D.: Auburn University, 2018
  • Postdoctoral Fellow: Scripps research Institute, 2019
  • Postdoctoral Fellow: U.C. Irvine, 2024
  • Assistant Professor, San Diego State University, 2024-present

Research Interests

Membrane bilayers surround every living cell, controlling the passage of nutrients and wastes. Certain molecules, especially well-designed drugs, can permeate the membrane to affect cellular functions. The Hu Lab is developing analytical methods and models to study cell membrane permeability and identify molecular properties that facilitate this process. These studies enhance our understanding of membrane characteristics like chirality and guide the design of molecules that can effectively enter cells and function in vivo eventually, particularly beyond Rule-of-Five molecules for next-generation therapeutics and diagnostics.

We are seeking motivated researchers with interests in membrane permeability, assay development, and instrumentation. Applications are welcome from prospective graduate students, lab technicians, and undergraduate lab assistants. Interested candidates should send their CV and cover letter to jhu8@sdsu.edu.

Publications

  1. "Liposomal Permeation Assay for High-throughput Permeation Screening,,"
    Hu, J.; Chan, A. I; Adaligil, E.; Kekessie, I.; Takahashi, M.; Song, A.; Cunningham, C. N.; Paegel B. M.,
    J. Med. Chem. 66, 6288-6296 (2023). (doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c00138.)
  2. "Chiral Lipid Bilayers are Enantioselectively Permeable,"
    Hu, J.; Cochrane, W.G.; Jones, A.; Blackmond D. G.; Paegel B. M.,
    Nat. Chem. 13, 786-791 (2021). (doi: 10.1038/s41557-021-00708-z.)
  3. "Rapid lipolytic oscillations in ex vivo adipose tissue explants revealed through microfluidic droplet sampling at high temporal resolution,"
    Hu, J.; Li X.; Judd, R.L.; Easley, C.J.,
    Lab Chip 20, 1503-1512 (2020). (doi: 10.1039/D0LC00103A.)
  4. "Automated microfluidic droplet sampling with integrated, mix-and-read immunoassays to resolve endocrine tissue secretion dynamics,"
    Li, X.; Hu, J.; Easley, C.J.,
    Lab Chip 18, 2926-2935 (Inside cover article) (2018). (doi: 10.1039/C8LC00616.)
  5. "Advancement of analytical modes in a multichannel, microfluidic droplet-based sample chopper employing phase-locked detection,"
    Negou, J. T.; Hu, J.; Li X.; Easley, C.J.,
    Anal. Methods 10, 3436-3443 (Cover article) (2018). (doi: 0.1039/C8AY00947C.)
  6. "Homogeneous Assays of Second Messenger Signaling and Hormone Secretion using Thermofluorimetric Methods that Minimize Calibration Burden,"
    Hu, J.; Easley, C.J.,
    Anal. Chem. 89, 8517-8523 (2017). (doi: 10.1021/acs.analchem.7b02229.)
  7. "3D-templated, fully automated microfluidic input/output multiplexer for endocrine tissue culture and secretion sampling,"
    Li X.; Brooks J.C.; Hu, J.; Ford K.I.; Easley, C.J.,
    Lab Chip 17, 341-349 (2017). (doi: 10.1039/C6LC01201A.)
  8. "Quantifying Aptamer-Protein Binding via Thermofluorimetric Analysis,"
    Hu, J.; Kim, J.; Easley, C.J.,
    Anal. Methods 7, 7358-7362 (2015). (doi: 10.1039/C5AY00837A.)
  9. "Protein Quantification using Controlled DNA Melting Transitions in Bivalent Probe Assemblies,"
    Kim, J.; Hu, J.; Bezerra A.; Holtan M.K.; Brooks J.C.; Easley, C.J.,
    Anal. Chem. 87, 9576-9579 (2015). (doi: 10.1021/acs.analchem.5b03432.)