2015年09月～至今： 山东大学药学院，教授。 2011年09月～2012年09月：美国布鲁克海文国家实验室，访问学者； 2006年09月～2015年08月：山东大学药学院，副教授； 2004年08月～2006年08月：中科院上海生命科学研究院，博士后； 1999年09月～2004年06月：山东大学生命科学学院，获理学博士学位； 1995年09月～1999年07月：鲁东大学生物系，获理学学士学位；

1. 植物天然产物生物合成研究 利用分子生物学，生物化学及植物化学等手段研究植物天然产物生物合成规律，系统解析关键酶功能，并通过代谢工程和合成生物学方法获取天然产物活性成分。 2. 植物组织培养研究 进行药用植物组织培养及遗传转化研究，通过生物工程手段增加植物天然产物含量和种类。

1. Du NH, Xiong RL, Zhu TT,Liu XY, Zhang JZ, Fu J, WangHL, Lou HX*,Cheng AX*(2024). Efficient production of flavonoid glucuronides inEscherichia coliusing flavonoidO-Glucuronosyltransferases characterized fromMarchantia polymorpha. Journal of Natural Products 87: 228-237. 2. Zhu TT, Sun CJ, Liu XY, Zhang JZ, Hou XB, Ni R, Zhang J,Cheng AX*, Lou HX* (2023). Interaction of PKR with STCS1: an indispensable step in the biosynthesis of lunularic acid inMarchantia polymorpha. New Phytologist 237: 515-531. 3. Hao Y, Fu J, Zhang J, Du N, Ta H, Zhu TT, Wang H, Lou HX,Cheng AX* (2023). Identification and functional characterization of UDP-Glycosyltransferases involved in isoflavone biosynthesis inAstragalus membranaceus. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 71: 12775-12784. 4. Ni R, Niu M, Fu J, Tan H, Zhu TT, Zhang J, Lou HX, Zhang P, Li JX*,Cheng AX* (2022). Molecular and structural characterization of a promiscuous chalcone synthase from the fern speciesStenoloma chusanum. Journal of Integrative Plant Biology 64: 1935-1951. 5. Ni R, Liu XY, Zhang JZ, Fu J, Tan H, Zhu TT, Zhang J, Wang HL, Lou HX*,Cheng AX* (2022). Identification of a flavonoid C-glycosyltransferase from fern speciesStenoloma chusanumand the application in synthesizing flavonoid C-glycosides inEscherichia coli. Microbial Cell Factories 21: 210. 6. Xiong RL, Zhang JZ, Liu XY, Deng JQ, Zhu TT, Ni R, Tan H, Sheng JZ, Lou HX*,Cheng AX* (2022). Identification and characterization of two bibenzyl glycosyltransferases from the liverwortMarchantia polymorpha. Antioxidants (Basel) 11: 735. 7. Niu M, Fu J, Ni R, Xiong RL, Zhu TT, Lou HX, Zhang P, Li J*,Cheng AX* (2021). Functional and structural investigation of chalcone synthases based on integrated metabolomics and transcriptome analysis on flavonoids and anthocyanins biosynthesis of the fernCyclosorus parasiticus. Frontiers in Plant Science 12:757516. 8. Li DD, Ni R, Wang PP, Zhang XS, Wang PY, Zhu TT, Sun CJ, Liu CJ, Lou HX,Cheng AX*(2020) Molecular basis for chemical evolution of flavones to flavonols and anthocyanins in land plants. Plant Physiology2020, 184, 1731–1743 9. Ni R, Zhu TT, Zhang XS, Wang PY, Sun CJ, Qiao YN, Lou HX, Cheng AX*(2020).Identification and evolutionary analysis of chalcone isomerase-fold proteins in ferns.Journal of Experimental Botany71: 290-304. 10.Cheng AX, Zhang X, Han XJ, Zhang YY, Gao S, Liu CJ*, Lou HX*(2018) Identification of chalcone isomerase in the basal land plants reveals an ancient evolution of enzymatic cyclization activity for synthesis of flavonoids.New Phytologist 217: 909–924.