Associate Professor / Department of chemistry, National Taiwan Normal University

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EDUCATION AND POSITIONS HELD:

• 2020-Present Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry, National Taiwan Normal University, Taiwan
• 2014-2020 Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry, National Taiwan Normal University, Taiwan
• 2012-2014 Postdoctoral Scholar, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA
• 2011-2012 Postdoctoral Scholar, California Institute of Technology, USA
• 2011 Ph. D. Chemistry, California Institute of Technology, USA
• 2000 M.S. Chemistry, National Tsing Hua University, Taiwan
• 1998 B.S. Chemistry, National Tsing Hua University, Taiwan

HONORS:

• 2000 Phi Tau Phi Scholastic Honor Society

RESEARCH INTERESTS:

Structural dynamics of tandem repeats of DNA associated with neurodegenerative diseases

Overexpansion of tandem repeats of DNA often causes neurodegenerative diseases. These tandem repeats usually fold into non-canonical secondary structures such as hairpin, G-quadruplex, and others, which are believed to be one of the key factors to induce the gene expansion during the replication, repair, or recombination processes. Our team focuses on studying the structural dynamics of these tandem repeats using single-molecule fluorescence resonance energy transfer (smFRET) microscopy. With the unique capability of smFRET in resolving systems with heterogeneities, we aim to reveal the dynamic behavior of these secondary structures at nanometer spatial resolution. Through systematic size-dependent studies, the unique reconfiguration dynamics associated with the error-prone expansion can be resolved, hence, shed light on preventing or treating these diseases.