Education:

Ph.D. Condensed Matter Physics, Shandong University, China, 2007.

B.Sc, Physics, Shandong University, China, 2002;　

Research interests:

We are interested in computational biophysics. We aim at revealing the function mechanisms of membrane proteins by using multi-scale computer simulations and machine learning, in collaboration with experimental studies. Our main interests currently involve the permeation mechanism of ion channels, signaling through membrane-associated proteins, and interaction between antimicrobial peptides and lipid bilayers. Our ultimate goal is to contribute to membrane protein- or membrane-targeted drug design or optimization, and thereby to improve people’s health at large.

Academic experiences:

Aug 2023-Now: Associate Professor with Tenure, Center for Quantitative Biology & Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, China.

2016-Jul 2023: Tenure Track Assistant Professor, Center for Quantitative Biology & Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, China.

2013-2015: Research Fellow (Newton fellowship and Marie Curie fellowship), University of Oxford, UK

2010-2012: Postdoc (Humboldt fellowship and Max-Planck fellowship), Max-Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Germany

2007-2009: Postdoc, University of Western Australia, Australia

Selected publications:

1. Xue, L.; Yan, N.; Song, C.* Deciphering Ca²⁺ Permeation and Valence Selectivity in Ca_V1: Molecular Dynamics Simulations Reveal the Three-Ion Knock-On Mechanism. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 2025, 122, e2424694122.

2. Yang, S.; Song, C.* Multiple-Basin Gō-Martini for Investigating Conformational Transitions and Environmental Interactions of Proteins. J. Chem. Theory Comput. 2025, 21, 5304–5321.

3. Yang, S.; Song, C.* Switching Gō-Martini for Investigating Protein Conformational Transitions and Associated Protein–Lipid Interactions. J. Chem. Theory Comput. 2024, 20, 2618–2629.

4. Wang, L.; Zhang, J.; Wang, D.; Song, C.* Membrane Contact Probability: An Essential and Predictive Character for the Structural and Functional Studies of Membrane Proteins. PLoS Comput. Biol. 2022, 18, e1009972.

5. Wang, Y.^†; Guo, Y.^†; Li, G.; Liu, C.; Wang, L.; Zhang, A.; Yan, Z.*; Song, C.* The Push-to-Open Mechanism of the Tethered Mechanosensitive Ion Channel NompC. eLife 2021, 10, e58388.

6. Zhang, A.; Yu, H.; Liu, C.; Song, C.* The Ca²⁺ Permeation Mechanism of the Ryanodine Receptor Revealed by a Multi-Site Ion Model. Nat. Commun. 2020, 11, 922.

7. Köpfer, D. A.^†; Song, C.^†*; Gruene, T.; Sheldrick, G. M.; Zachariae, U.*; de Groot, B. L.* Ion Permeation in K⁺ Channels Occurs by Direct Coulomb Knock-On. Science 2014, 346, 352–355.