Research Fellow

EDUCATION AND POSITIONS HELD:

• Ph.D. Univ. of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, USA (1978) NIH Fogarty visiting fellow through Staff Fellow, CBER, Food and Drug Administration, USA (1997-1983)
• Scientist, Dept. of Protein Chemistry, Biogen S.A., Switzerland (1983-1985)
• Research Chemist, CBER, Food and Drug Administration, USA (1986-1992)
• Manager through Director and Senior Scientist, Dept. of Protein Chemistry, North American Vaccine Inc., USA (1992-1997)
• Research Fellow, Institute of BioAgricultural Sciences, Academia Sinica (1997-2006)
• Deputy Director/ Research Fellow, Agricultural Biotechnology research Center, Academia Sinica (2006- present)
• Adjunct Professor Institute of Biotechnology, National Chen-Kung University, Taiwan (2002-present)

HONORS:

• Award of merit from FDA for the expeditious review and licensing of AIDS-related Cytokine products, 1989.

RESEARCH INTERESTS:

Using gene-base vaccine technology to target its application in FMD, SARS

Our laboratory has been engaged in the development of vaccines against human infectious diseases such as meningitis, otitis media, neonatal sepsis, SARS as well as animal viral diseases such as foot-and-mouth disease and porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome using different molecular approaches e.g., DNA vaccine, recombinant protein subunit vaccines and transgenic plants. In addition, we are actively involved in developing novel adjuvants such as oligodeoxynucleotides and proteins to increase the effectiveness of vaccines.

Exploring basic immunology and virology studies related to vaccine development

A.Study of viral protein-host interactions

We have studied the interaction of VP1 (and FMDV) with integrin receptors of host cells and elucidated the subsequent signal transduction mechanism. We have shown that VP1 is a novel phospho-Akt inhibitor that may be used selectively as a potent apoptotic agent for treating human cancers.

B.Study the activation mechanism of CpG ODN on immune system

We have focused our attention on the molecular mechanisms linking the initial binding of pathogens to immune cells and elicitation of adaptive immunity. We have used genomic and proteomic approaches to study the activation of immune system by CpG-ODN and its induction of signal transduction through Toll-like receptor 9. We have identified a number of gene/proteins regulated by CpG-ODN and studied their mechanism of actions in TLR9 signaling pathway. Examples of these genes/proteins are heat shock proteins, ADP ribosylation factor and some genes/proteins participated in neuro-degeneration and neuro-protection.