Awards and Grants

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2025 ScholarGPS highly ranked scholar

Top Scientist Rank - 2024

Professor John P.A. Ioannidis at Standford University publishes annual reports of top 100,000 scientists worldwide by a composite indicator called c-score (with and without self-citations) or a percentile rank of 2% or above in the subfield. Scientists are classified into 22 scientific fields and 174 sub-fields based on the standard Science-Metrix classification. In their recent 2025 database, the following data were reported. 

Table 1 Author rank in overall category and in the subfield

Category

Total top authors chosen

Hua Zhao’s rank*

Total top authors chosen in Biotechnology subfield

Hua Zhao’s rank in the subfield*

Career-long

230,333

21,644

66,225

52

2024 single year

236,313

21,045

66,225

76

* Rank based on composite score c (self-citations excluded).

Awards

Research and Training Grants

  • MN LCCMR (2025-136, 2025-2028, PI): Terminating PFAS-Type Pesticides via Enzyme Cocktails.
  • NIH R15 grant (1R15GM143682-01, 2021-2025): Enzymatic Synthesis of Sugar-Derived Biosurfactants Using Multifunctional Ionic Liquids. (PI for the first year, then the change of PI because R15 is not allowed to move to my new institution, but receiving a sub-award.)
  • NSF grant (CHE 1954120, 2020-2025, PI)"Water-Like" Ionic Liquids for Enzymatic Carbon-Carbon Bond Formation.
  • ACS-PRF grant (60077-ND4, 2019-2024, PI)Liquefying Coal via Enzymatic Depolymerization Using Non-Aqueous Task-Specific Ionic Solvents.
  • ACS-PRF grant (54875-UR9, 2015-2018, PI): Tailoring Ionic Liquids for Deep Desulfurization of Liquid Fuels by Oxidative Extraction.
  • Henry Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Award (2012-2018, PI): Accelerating enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulosic biomass by ionic liquid pretreatment.
  • NIH MBRS-RISE (R25GM096956, 2012-2017, PI)
  • NIH NIBIB contract award (HHSN268201200011C, 2011-2016, co-PI)
  • NIH RIMI sub-award (5P20MD003941, 2010-2012, sub-project PI): Developing Novel Derivatives of Betulinic Acid for Fighting HIV.
  • Royal Society of Chemistry: Research Fund Award (2009, PI): Enzymatic Esterification of Amino Acids in Ionic Liquids without Derivatization.
  • ACS-PRF grant and supplement (46776-GB1, 2007-2009, PI): Effect of Ionic Liquid Properties on the Enzyme Stabilization under Microwave Radiation.
  • Department of Education (DOE) Title III Grant, CASTME Program, Undergraduate Research Training Project (2006, faculty investigator)
  • NSF HBCU-UP and NSF PSLSAMP Research Programs (2005-2010 Summers, faculty investigator)
  • NIH EARDA grant (2004-2005, faculty investigator) [No. 5 G11 HD 32861-07, and No. 5 G11 HD 32861-08]