Research Focus

Anti-inflammatory medicinal plants and phytocompounds for cancer prevention and metabolomics study

Chemoprevention is now recognized as an essential approach to controlling cancer, the most life threatening human disease. We have designed and established various in vitro and in vivo cell- and genebased bioassays, a mouse skin inflammatory system, and acute liver hepatitis, orthotopic and metastatic cancer models (mammary tumor and B16 melanoma) to identify novel phytocompounds from medicinal plants. These studies attempt to explore novel natural plant resources in Taiwan for future application as botanical supplements, medicinal foods, or botanical drugs for cancer prevention or therapy. Comparative proteomics and metabolomics technologies using liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC-MS) and/or gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) coupled with multivariate statistical analyses are employed to elucidate the pharmacological effects and modes of action of anti-cancer phytocompounds and their synergy with therapeutic drugs, or their effect on attenuating drug sideeffects in animals. A number of novel chemopreventive phytocompounds, such as galactolipids, sesquiterpene lactons, polyacetylenes, and alkamides have been identified, and their further development into nutraceuticals or pharmaceuticals is being undertaken.

Protein engineering of enzymes for agricultural biotech applications

The objective of this research is to create novel enzymes with suitable properties for applications in the biotech industries, such as bioenergy, bio-pulping and bioremediation, or in the food/feed industry.

We have established a combinational protein engineering strategy by integrating rational design and directed evolution (DNA shuffling) approaches to improve enzyme properties and performance. Increase in thermostability, catalytic efficiency, pH-tolerance, and/or broadening of substrate specificity in the target enzymes are the main purposes of this research. Protein domain fusion/deletion, mutagenesis, enzyme kinetics, protein folding, and structural modeling and elucidation are routinely practiced in our laboratory, aiming to shed light on structure-function relationships and improve the catalytic and physio-chemical functions of the target enzymes. Laccase is a green oxidase widely applied in biotech industries. We identify novel laccases from indigenous whiterot fungi and investigate their biochemical properties and potential to degrade plant lignocellulosics and toxic compounds generated during bioenergy transformation and detoxify synthetic dyes or environmental toxic chemicals. These studies aim to increase economic benefit in various industrial processes involving laccase reactions.