Overview
Prof. Yang, the Philip Handler Professor of Chemistry, is developing methods for quantum mechanical calculations of large systems and carrying out quantum mechanical simulations of biological systems and nanostructures. His group has developed the linear scaling methods for electronic structure calculations and more recently the QM/MM methods for simulations of chemical
reactions in enzymes.
Current Appointments & Affiliations
Philip Handler Distinguished Professor of Chemistry
·
2003 - Present
Chemistry,
Trinity College of Arts & Sciences
Professor of Chemistry
·
1999 - Present
Chemistry,
Trinity College of Arts & Sciences
Professor of Physics
·
2024 - Present
Physics,
Trinity College of Arts & Sciences
Recent Publications
Evidence from computational infrared spectroscopy against vibrational detection of propionate by human olfactory receptor OR51E2.
Journal Article European biophysics journal : EBJ · March 2026 Despite its ubiquity in nature, some details of the animal olfactory system remain unclear. One such mystery is the mechanism by which olfactory receptors (ORs) recognize the olfactant molecules they bind to. Some evidence indicates that ORs can distinguis ... Full text CiteCorrection to "Electronic Excitation Energy Calculations with Configuration Interaction Based on Nonorthogonal Localized Molecular Orbitals".
Journal Article Journal of chemical theory and computation · February 2026 Full text CiteCorrection to "Regularized Localized Molecular Orbitals in a Divide-and-Conquer Approach for Linear Scaling Calculations".
Journal Article Journal of chemical theory and computation · February 2026 Full text CiteRecent Grants
Computer Simulations of Enzymes
ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Institute of General Medical Sciences · 2025 - 2030Simulating Chemical Reactions in Etching Process
ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Lam Research Corporation · 2023 - 2026Computer Simulations of Enzymes
ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2000 - 2025View All Grants
Education
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill ·
1986
Ph.D.
Peking University (China) ·
1982
B.S.