1. Molecular basis of pesticide action and resistance mechanism;

2. Protein-protein (acetohydroxyacid synthase subunits) interaction.

1994.9~1998.7: Department of Chemistry, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China

1998.9~2001.7: College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Central South University,Changsha, Hunan, China, Master Degree Study 

2001.9~2005.7: Institute of Elemento Organic Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin, China,PhD Degree Study;

2005.7~2007.6, Postdoctoral Fellow, College of Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin.

2007.7~2009.12, Lecturer, College of Chemistry and Department of Chemical Biology, Nankai University, Tianjin.

2010.1~present, Associate professor, College of Chemistry and Department of Chemical Biology, Nankai University, Tianjin. 

There are more than 20 papers published on these Journals, such as ChemBioChem，Molecular Informatics，ChemMedChem J Comput Chem. 

Selected publications:

1.He Yinwu, Niu Congwei, Li Hank ,Wen Xin and Xi Zhen. Experimental and computational correlation and prediction on herbicide resistance for acetohydroxyacid synthase mutants to Bispyribac. Sci China Series B: Chem, 2013,56, 286-295. 

2.He Yinwu, Niu Congwei, Wen Xin and Xi Zhen. Biomacromolecular 3D-QSAR to decipher molecular herbicide resistance in acetohydroxyacid synthases. Molecular Informatics, 2013,32, 139 -144.

3.Zhao Yuefang, Niu Congwei, Wen Xin, and Xi Zhen. The minimum activation peptide from ilvH can activate the catalytic subunit of AHAS from different species. ChemBioChem, 2013,14, 746-752.

4.He Yinwu, Niu Congwei, Wen Xin, and Xi Zhen. Molecular drug resistance prediction for acetohydroxyacid synthase mutants against Chlorsulfuron using MB-QSAR . Chin J Chem, 2013, 31, 1171-1180.

5.Li Zaishun, Wang Weimin, Lu Wei, Niu Congwei, Li Yong-hong, Li Zhengming, Wang Jianguo. Synthesis and biological evaluation of nonsymmetrical aromatic disul?des as novel inhibitors of acetohydroxyacid synthase. Bioorg Med Chem Lett, 2013,23, 3723–3727.

6.Zhao Yuefang, Wen Xin, Niu Congwei, and Xi Zhen. Arginine 26 and aspartic acid 69 of the regulatory subunit are key residues of subunits interaction of acetohydroxyacid synthase isozyme III from E. coli. ChemBioChem, 2012,13, 2445-2454. 

7.Niu Congwei, Feng Wei, Zhou Yuefang, Wen Xin, and Xi Zhen. Homologous and heterologous interactions between catalytic and regulatory subunits of Escherichia coli acetohydroxyacid synthase I and III. Sci China Ser B-Chem, 2009, 52, 1362-1371.

8.Ji Fengqin, Niu Congwei, Chen Chaonan, Chen Qiong, Yang Guangfu, Xi Zhen, Zhan Changguo. Computational design and discovery of conformationally flexible inhibitors of acetohydroxyacid synthase to overcome drug resistance associated with the W586L mutation. ChemMedChem, 2008, 3(8):1203-1206.

9.Yu Zhihong, Niu Congwei, Ban Shurong, Wen Xin, Xi Zhen. Studies on structure-activity relationship of mutation-dependent herbicide resistance acetohydroxyacid synthase through 3D-QSAR and mutation. Chinese Sci Bull, 2007, 52: 1929-1941.

10.Xi Zhen, Yu Zhihong, Niu Congwei, Ban Shurong, Yang Guangfu. Development of a general quantum-chemical descriptor for steric effects: density functional theory based QSAR study of herbicidal sulfonylurea analogues. J Comput Chem, 2006, 27: 1571-1576.