一、光电功能配合物
 
研究特定结构分子聚集体的组装；制备和研究新型光电分子材料。探讨配合物体系电子传递、能量转移和自旋交换等作用，以及“分子设计—结构调节—性质优化”的规律。
 
二、生物配位化学
 
着重研究生物分子的结构、模拟与识别，药物分子的设计与生物传感器的研制和金属离子与生物分子相互作用机制。
 
三、金属有机分子的设计及应用
 
研究金属有机功能分子的合成和高纯金属有机化合物的研制；开展小分子活化与配位催化研究；探索与环境相关的绿色和高效物质转化过程，发展新型温和、无毒、高选择性的催化剂。
 
四、金属复合材料表界面化学及应用
 
着重研究表界面配位的微观结构、表界面的设计制备和复合材料表界面结构的调控及应用。
 
五、有序纳米材料的控制合成与组装
 
利用配位化学的原理和方法研究有序纳米材料的控制合成与组装；研究纳米材料的结构、性能，及其在生命分子检测、催化、光电转换、显示等方面的应用。
Metal-based Antitumor Agents and Artificial Nucleases 

Platinum-based anticancer drugs play critical role in the treatment of many different malignancies. However, there is a huge scope in further rational design of these complexes to overcome the side effects, resistance and toxicities which often accompanying the chemotherapy. Metal-based artificial nucleases provide much diverse DNA cleavage abilities and activities, and can be applied in modern biotechnology and medicine. In this context, our research work focuses on the design of metal complexes with novel structural features and reactivities. Transitional metals such as platinum, palladium, nickel, copper and zinc are employed in these studies. 

Targeting and delivery (DTD) strategies can be used to prevent the above mentioned shortcomings of platinum-based chemotherapy. Our approaches include conjugation of platinum drugs with selective targeting moieties or encapsulation of platinum drugs in host molecules or particles to achieve enhanced permeability and retention effect in tumour tissues. For example, bis-phosphonates, peptides, proteins and nanoparticles are commonly used in targeting and delivery studies.

Metal-Biomolecule Interactions 

Metal complexes excert their biological effects and activities by interacting biomolecules such as DNA and proteins. For example, the anticancer efficacy of platinum anticancer drugs was achieved by their interaction with DNA without being deactivated by cellular proteins. Metal induced b-amyloid aggregations are potentially associated with Alzheimer’s disease, and this why metal chelators can have a role in the therapy of the disease by eliminate excessive causative metals. In these aspects, we have been investigating the role of metals and metal complexes in their DNA and protein interactions and recognitions. These studies are important for the understanding of the mechanism of action of metal-based biological and medicinal agents. 

Fluorescent Imaging of Biological Inorganic Species

Coordination chemistry plays an essential role in the design of photoluminescent probes for biological inorganic species. Metal coordination-induced alteration or nucleophilic addition of small molecule is essential for the development of fluorescent sensors for these species. related applications in photoluminescent sensing and detection. We have been recently developed a variety of fluorescent sensors which can be used for the detection of biologically essential metal ions, environmentally toxic heavy metals, inorganic drug species, DNA nucleases, and small signaling inorganic molecules.