Education

(1) 2008.9-2013.6; Ph.D, College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology

(2) 2004.9-2008.6; Bachelor, College of Chemical Technology, Qingdao University of Science and Technology

Professional Experience

(1) 2017.11-2018.10; Visiting Scholar, Technical University of Denmark

(2) 2013.11-2017.6; Postdoc, Jiangsu University

(3) 2025.8 - current; Professor, Jiangsu University

(4) 2017.5 - 2025.7; Associated professor, Jiangsu University

(5) 2013.10 - current; Assistant professor, Jiangsu University

Scientific Research Field

(1) 2021 – current; Biofilm, electro-fermentation and biosynthesis of medium chain carboxylic acids

Biofilm is an advanced technology to improve the cell density and efficiency of fermentation. How to form stable biofilm on the cell carrier and what is the model of biofilm remain to be developed. Meanwhile, investigation of electroactive biofilm is a target to improve the performance of electro-fermentation, where cells could obtain extra electrons from the cathode. The biosynthesis of medium chain carboxylic acids could be promoted by the above two technologies.

(2) 2018 – current; Valuable biochemical production from low cost wasted biomass

Recent research was focused on the production of valuable biochemical from waste biomass through chain elongation. The main products are medium chain carboxylic acids including caproic and caprylic acids. The biofilm technique was employed to improve the tolerance ability of microbial cells to inhibitors.

(3) 2013.10 - 2018; Conversion of cellulosic substrates to biohydrogen

A huge amount of residue sludge could be produced during dark fermentation of food waste with the inoculum of anaerobic sludge. To enhance the fermentation efficiency and avoid the residue sludge, screening of hydrogenogen was investigated. Currently, two kinds of hydrogenogen were separated from anaerobic sludge and had been applied to converting food waste into biohydrogen.

(4) 2008 - 2022; Anaerobic digestion of food waste for bio-methane production

Food waste is one of the most important municipal solid wastes worldwide. Due to the lack of trace elements, anaerobic digestion of food waste is hardly to be maintained at a stable condition. The anaerobic co-digestion of food waste and cattle manure was investigated and a dual solid-liquid system was developed to overcome the drawbacks of single digestion of food waste.

Social academic post and honor

[1] Member of the Chinese Institute of Food Science and Technology;

[2] Permanent member of the Chinese Society of Biotechnology;

[3] Member of the Chinese Chemical Society;

[4] Assessment expert of National Natural Science Foundation of China, and China Undergraduate Life Sciences Contest (Innovation and Entrepreneurship Category)

[5] Reviewers of the following international journals:

Chemical Engineering Journal

Journal of Cleaner Production

Bioresource Technology

Frontiers in Nutrition

Food Research International

Energy

Energy Fuels

International Journal of Hydrogen Energy

Resources, Conservation & Recycling

Applied Energy

Innovative Food Science and Emerging Technologies

Food Microbiology

Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry

New Biotechnology

ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering

Journal of Environmental Management

Teaching Courses

Food Factory Design (undergraduate);

Principles of Food Engineering (undergraduate);

Postharvest Technology of Fruits and Vegetables (undergraduate);

Curriculum Design of Food Factory Design (undergraduate);

Curriculum Design of Principles of Food Engineering (undergraduate);

Modern instrumental analysis (Master)

International Cooperation

Cooperate with Prof. Qi Xianghui research group of Guangzhou Univeristy, Prof. Wang Qingyan research group of Guangxi Academy of Sciences, Prof. Tian Zhongjian research group of Qilu University of Technology, and Prof. Qi Qingsheng research group of Shandong University.

Cooperate with Prof. Irini Angelidaki and Zhang Yifeng research group of Technical University of Denmark, Prof. Jan Baeyens of KU Leuven, etc.

Published papers

To Sep. 2025, the published papers reached to 60. The H-index is 20.

The followings are part of the papers:

[22] Zhang Cunsheng^*, et al. Efficient caproate production from ethanol and acetate via chain elongation reinforced by Fe/Fe₃O₄ in mixed culture system. Journal of Environmental Management 2025, 389, 126249.

[21] Tang Xinrui, ···, Zhang Cunsheng^*, et al. Coexpression of D‑allulose 3‑epimerase and L‑rhamnose isomerase in Bacillus subtilis through a dual promoter enables high-level biosynthesis of D‑Allose from D‑Fructose in one pot. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 2025, 73, 2056-2067.

[20] Zhang Cunsheng^*, et al. Caproate production from the mixture of corn straw and food waste via chain elongation with reinforcement of biofilm. Process Biochemistry 2024, 147, 137-146.

[19] Sun Yuxuan, ···, Zhang Cunsheng^*, et al. Impact of particle size of cell carrier on caproate fermentation in a cell immobilized system: Focusing on the improvement of caproate production in batch and continuous operation modes. Chemical Engineering Journal 2023, 465, 142792.

[18] Ling Zhihui, ···, Zhang Cunsheng^*. Consolidate processing for improvement of ethanol production from food waste. Energy & Fuels 2023, 37, 14936−14945.

[17] Zhang Cunsheng, et al. Efficient caproate production from ethanol and acetate in open culture system through reinforcement of chain elongation process. Journal of Cleaner Production 2023, 383, 135394.

[16] Zhang Cunsheng^*, et al. Influence of organic load on biogas production and response of microbial community in anaerobic digestion of food waste. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy 2022, 47, 32849-32860.

[15] Li Xiaolan, ···, Zhang Cunsheng^*, et al. Improvement of betalains stability extracted from red dragon fruit peel by ultrasound-assisted microencapsulation with maltodextrin. Ultrasonics Sonochemistry 2022, 82, 105897.

[14] Zhao Ke-meng, ···, Zhang Cunsheng^*, et al. Activity measurement of arylsulfatase and β-glucuronidase in activated sludge: HPLC-based versus classical spectrophotometric method. Water Environment Research 2022, 94(4), e10704.

[13] Zhang Cunsheng^*, et al. Modification of wheat straw to improve the caproate production in a cell immobilized system. Bioresource Technology, 2021, 342, 125984.

[12] Zhang Cunsheng^*, et al. Sequential fermentation of food waste in an integrated system to improve n-caproate production. Journal of Cleaner Production, 2021, 313, 127771.

[11] Zhang Cunsheng, et al. Optimization of the cell immobilization-based chain elongation process for efficient n-caproate production. ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering, 2021, 9, 4014-4023.

[10] Zhang Cunsheng, et al. Anaerobic fermentation of pretreated food waste for butanol production by co-cultures assisted with in-situ extraction. Bioresource Technology Reports, 2021, 16, 100852.

[9] Zhang Cunsheng, et al. Valorization of food waste for cost-effective reducing sugar recovery in a two-stage enzymatic hydrolysis platform. Energy, 2020, 208, 118379.

[8] Zhang Cunsheng, et al. Immobilization of Clostridium kluyveri on wheat straw to alleviate ammonia inhibition during chain elongation for n-caproate production. Environment International, 2019, 127, 134-141.

[7] Zhang Cunsheng^*, et al. Improvement of biohydrogen production from dark fermentation by cocultures and activated carbon immobilization. Energy & Fuels, 2017, 31, 12217-12222.

[6] Wang Fengping, Zhang Cunsheng^*, et al. Influence of fluid dynamics on anaerobic digestion of food waste for biogas production. Environmental Technology, 2017, 38(9), 1160-1168.

[5] Zhang Cunsheng^*, et al. Biogas by semi-continuous anaerobic digestion of food waste. Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology, 2015, 175, 3901-3914.

[4] Wang Zhenbin, ···, Zhang Cunsheng^*, et al. Pretreatment of vinegar residue and anaerobic sludge for enhanced hydrogen and methane production in the two-stage anaerobic system. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 2015, 40, 4494-4501.

[3] Zhang Cunsheng, et al. Reviewing the anaerobic digestion of food waste for biogas production. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 2014, 38, 383-392.

[2] Zhang Cunsheng, et al. The anaerobic co-digestion of food waste and cattle manure. Bioresource Technology, 2013, 129, 170-176.

[1] Zhang Cunsheng, et al. Batch and semi-continuous anaerobic digestion of food waste in a dual solid-liquid system. Bioresource Technology, 2013, 145, 10-16.

Main Scientific Research Projects

2025.1-2028.12. National Natural Science Foundation of China

Conference Speech

[4] Nov. 2024, Mechanism of caproate biosynthesis by Clostridium kluyveri biofilm. The 11^th Jinshan Food Physical Processing Seminar (Enterprise Forum), Zhenjiang, China.

[3] May 2024, Mechanisms of biofilm technology boosting the performance of caproate fermentation. The 1^st International Symposium on “Greater Food” Approach · Future Food Science & Technology Innovation, Beijing, China.

[2] Aug. 2022, Mechanisms of biofilm reinforced the chain elongation for synthesis of medium chain carboxylic acids. The 23^th National Symposium on Environmental Micrology, Tianjin, China.

[1] Aug. 2017, Optimization design of rice bran protein extraction reactor based on COMSOL Multiphysics simulation. The 3^rd China Youth Forum of Food Science, Shanghai, China.

Scientific Research Achievements and Awards

[12] 2025, Undergraduate Outstanding Graduation Design (Thesis) Award of Jiangsu University Jingjiang College, Supervisor: Cunsheng Zhang.

[11] 2025, The 7^th National Competition in Science & Technology on Renewable Energy for College Students, the second prize. Supervisor: Cunsheng Zhang.

[10] 2025, The 5^th College Students Energy Saving & Emission Reduction of Jiangsu Province, the second prize. Supervisor: Cunsheng Zhang.

[9] 2025, The 10^th China Undergraduate Life Sciences Contest (Innovation and Entrepreneurship Category), the second (1) and third prizes (2). Supervisor: Cunsheng Zhang.

[8] 2024, The 4^th College Students Energy Saving & Emission Reduction of Jiangsu Province, the third prize. Supervisor: Cunsheng Zhang.

[7] 2024, The 6^th National Competition in Science & Technology on Renewable Energy for College Students, the third prize. Supervisor: Cunsheng Zhang.

[6] 2024, The 9^th China Undergraduate Life Sciences Contest (Innovation and Entrepreneurship Category), the first prize. Supervisor: Cunsheng Zhang.

[5] 2023, Undergraduate Outstanding Graduation Design (Thesis) Award of Jiangsu University, Supervisor: Cunsheng Zhang.

[4] 2023, The 5^th National Competition in Science & Technology on Renewable Energy for College Students, the first prize. The first supervisor: Cunsheng Zhang.

[3] 2023, The 8^th China Undergraduate Life Sciences Contest (Innovation and Entrepreneurship Category), the first prize. The first supervisor: Cunsheng Zhang.

[2] 2020, Deputy general manager of science and technology of Jiangsu Province.

[1] 2016, Industry-university-research award of Zhenjiang.

Number of postgraduates under supervision

4

Number of supervised masters and Ph.D.

8

Number of supervised undergraduates

17

The above information updated

2025.9