Zhi Yuan Kok

Contact

• workRoom BB74 Block B
  Malaysia Campus
  Jalan Broga
  43500 Semenyih
  Selangor Darul Ehsan
  Malaysia
• Kok.ZhiYuan@nottingham.edu.my

Biography

Zhi Yuan obtained his Masters of Pharmacy (MPharm) and Ph.D. degree in the field of medicinal chemistry at the University of Nottingham (UoN), the latter of which funded by the prestigious UoN Vice Chancellor's Scholarship for Research Excellence. After spending just under 3 years as a medicinal/organic chemist collectively at Sygnature Discovery in Nottingham and Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, Zhi Yuan rejoins the University of Nottingham Malaysia as an assistant professor. Apart from being a keen chemist, Zhi Yuan has a strong interest in G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) and novel antimicrobial discovery, as well as exploring the development and wider use of fluorescent compounds for the understanding of biological processes and drug development purposes.

Expertise Summary

- Medicinal Chemistry

- Synthetic Organic Chemistry

Teaching Summary

Subject areas of competence: Medicinal chemistry, organic chemistry, molecular pharmacology

Module convener/contributor for the modules:

Bachelor of Pharmacy: PHAR1046 (Bacterial and Fungal Infections), PHAR2040 (Cardiovascular), PHAR3035 (Viral and Parasitic Infections)

Master of Pharmacy: PHAR1034 (Human Life Cycle), PHAR2044 (Infections 1), PHAR2045 (Infections 2), PHAR2051 (Cardiovascular)

Bachelor of Science in Pharmaceutical and Health Sciences: PHAR1026 (Pharmaceutical and Biological Chemistry), PHAR2055 (Pharmaceutical Analysis and Spectroscopy), PHAR2014 (Concepts in Medicinal Chemistry and Drug Discovery), PHAR3014 (Medicinal Chemistry and Drug Design)

Recent Publications

• CHRISTOPHER ZI QIAN CHOO, JOEY YUN XUAN CHING, MYRA MAZHAR UD DEEN and ZHI YUAN KOK, 2026. Small-molecule fluorescent probes for the aminergic GPCRs – What new tool compounds do we have post-2014 and what can they do? European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry. 305, 118579
• KOH, CHONG HUI, LAMBU, MALLIKHARJUNA RAO, TAN, CHONGYUN, WEI, GUANGMIN, KOK, ZHI YUAN, ZHANG, KAIXI, VU, QUANG HUY, PANNEERSELVAM, MUTHUVEL, OOI, YING JIE, TAN, SHIOW HAN and ET AL., 2025. Carbene formation as a mechanism for efficient intracellular uptake of cationic antimicrobial carbon acid polymers Nature Communications. 16(1),
• HISHAM, SHAIRYZAH AHMAD, KOK, ZHI YUAN, LEE, MEI KEE, NASIRUDDIN, AINA YAZRIN ALI and WAN ROSLI, WAN ROSALINA, 2025. Presenting and Publishing Research
• ZHANG, BO, LU, DERONG, WANG, DENNIS BAO RONG, KOK, ZHI YUAN, CHAN-PARK, MARY B. and DUAN, HONGWEI, 2024. Enzyme-Responsive Polyion Complex Nanoparticles of Cationic Antimicrobials for Activatable Antibacterial Therapy Advanced Functional Materials. n/a(n/a), 2407869. IF (2022): 19.0; T10

• View all publications

• CHRISTOPHER ZI QIAN CHOO, JOEY YUN XUAN CHING, MYRA MAZHAR UD DEEN and ZHI YUAN KOK, 2026. Small-molecule fluorescent probes for the aminergic GPCRs – What new tool compounds do we have post-2014 and what can they do? European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry. 305, 118579
• KOH, CHONG HUI, LAMBU, MALLIKHARJUNA RAO, TAN, CHONGYUN, WEI, GUANGMIN, KOK, ZHI YUAN, ZHANG, KAIXI, VU, QUANG HUY, PANNEERSELVAM, MUTHUVEL, OOI, YING JIE, TAN, SHIOW HAN and ET AL., 2025. Carbene formation as a mechanism for efficient intracellular uptake of cationic antimicrobial carbon acid polymers Nature Communications. 16(1),
• HISHAM, SHAIRYZAH AHMAD, KOK, ZHI YUAN, LEE, MEI KEE, NASIRUDDIN, AINA YAZRIN ALI and WAN ROSLI, WAN ROSALINA, 2025. Presenting and Publishing Research
• ZHANG, BO, LU, DERONG, WANG, DENNIS BAO RONG, KOK, ZHI YUAN, CHAN-PARK, MARY B. and DUAN, HONGWEI, 2024. Enzyme-Responsive Polyion Complex Nanoparticles of Cationic Antimicrobials for Activatable Antibacterial Therapy Advanced Functional Materials. n/a(n/a), 2407869. IF (2022): 19.0; T10
• 2024. MAIN CHAIN CATIONIC OLIGO(IMIDAZOLIUM) FORMS N-HETEROCYCLIC CARBENE FOR EFFECTIVE BACTERIAL KILLING IN COMPLEX ENVIRONMENT WO2024248739 12/05/2025 00:00:00
• MELVIN YONG, ZHI Y. KOK, CHONG H. KOH, WENBIN ZHONG, JUSTIN TY. NG, YUGUANG MU, MARY B. CHAN-PARK and YUNN-HWEN GAN, 2023. Membrane Potential-Dependent Uptake of Cationic Oligoimidazolium Mediates Bacterial DNA Damage and Death Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy. 0(0), e00355-23. IF (2022): 4.9; Q1
• KOK, ZHI YUAN, STODDART, LEIGH A., MISTRY, SARAH J., MOCKING, TAMARA A. M., VISCHER, HENRY F., LEURS, ROB, HILL, STEPHEN J., MISTRY, SHAILESH N. and KELLAM, BARRIE, 2022. Optimization of Peptide Linker-Based Fluorescent Ligands for the Histamine H1 Receptor Journal of Medicinal Chemistry. 65(12), 8258-8288. IF (2022): 7.3; T10
• KOK, ZHI YUAN, STODDART, LEIGH A., MISTRY, SARAH J., MISTRY, SHAILESH N. and KELLAM, BARRIE, 2019. Optimization of Peptide Linker-Based Fluorescent Ligands for the Histamine H1 Receptor In: 27th Annual GP2A Medicinal Chemistry Conference, August 2019, Nottingham, United Kingdom.
• KOK, ZHI YUAN, STODDART, LEIGH A., MISTRY, SARAH J., MISTRY, SHAILESH N. and KELLAM, BARRIE, 2019. Optimization of Peptide Linker-Based Fluorescent Ligands for the Histamine H1 Receptor In: G Protein-Coupled Receptors: New Techniques, Tools and Concepts, November 2019, Copenhagen, Denmark.
• HOSSAN, MD SHAHADAT, AHMED, NAJNEEN, LEE, JONG BONG, KOK, ZHI YUAN, GERSHKOVICH, PAVEL, COLLINS, HILARY M., RAHMATULLAH, MOHAMMED, WIART, CHRISTOPHE and BRADSHAW, TRACEY D., 2018. In vitro anticancer effect and biological evaluation of Trichosanthes bracteata (Lam.) Voigt. In: 18th International Congress of International Society for Ethnopharmacology and 5th International Congress of the Society for Ethnopharmacology, India, Jan 2018, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
• KOK, ZHI YUAN, MISTRY, SARAH J., HILL, STEPHEN J., MISTRY, SHAILESH N. and KELLAM, BARRIE, 2018. Optimization of Peptide Linker-Based Fluorescent Ligands for the Histamine H1 Receptor In: 7th RSC/SCI Symposium on GPCRs in Medicinal Chemistry, September 2018, Verona, Italy.