Molucular Vriology
Research Field
My journey from Taiwan to the US has taught me how to bridge different academic cultures. I understand what you need to succeed in a new environment. In my lab, I will guide you to become an expert in molecular biology and train you in state-of-the-art live-cell imaging techniques.
Our lab welcomes students passionate about respiratory virus-host interactions. It is intended for students seeking to pursue a master’s or doctoral degree in these fields in Taiwan.
Our studies focus on the dynamic and biological interactions between host cells and pathogenic RNA viruses, leading to new therapeutic strategies and the potential to eliminate these infections. We have developed a live-imaging system to better understand the timing and role of host cell apoptosis in viral RNA (vRNA) replication, a crucial step in the spread of influenza A virus (IAV). Our results show that vRNA replication occurs in the early stages of host cell apoptosis, and similar patterns were observed in both transfection and infection systems tracked with live-cell imaging. Notably, vRNA replication was only seen in apoptotic cells, not in non-apoptotic cells, suggesting that IAV might exploit host cell apoptosis to gain a reproductive advantage. Previously, it was unclear whether apoptosis hindered or facilitated vRNA replication and viral spread, and our findings support the latter. Due to the time-sensitive nature of these processes, earlier biochemical studies might not have been able to assess viral activities within the correct timeframe consistently. Therefore, live-cell imaging is essential for observing and tracking these processes. Our results highlight the utility of our live-cell imaging system and its potential to elucidate time-sensitive steps in IAV replication and possibly in other viruses. We aim to further investigate how the virus manipulates nuclear organization within host cells during IAV replication.
Moreover, our studies clarify how ubiquitin E3 ligase and deubiquitinase oppose and regulate the levels of viral proteins to control IAV progeny production. The live-cell imaging system we established will explore how ubiquitination and deubiquitination regulate the levels of viral proteins and their roles in managing the transition between transcription and replication, as well as in the transport of viral genomes for assembly and maturation. Understanding this process will not only shed light on IAV biology but also aid in developing strategies to block viral production and curb IAV spread.
- Recruited Outstanding Researcher, The Ministry of Science and Technology. 2016-2018
- Scholarship, The 39th International Herpesvirus Workshop, 2014
- Certified Medical Technologist, Higher Examination, 2001
- Certified Medical Technologist, 2001
- Honorary Member, The Phi Tai Phi Scholastic Honor Society of the Republic of China, 2001
- College Student Research Award, National Science Council, 2000
- Ph.D. in Virology, at Chang-Gung University, Taiwan, 2004-2008
- Postdoctoral Researcher at the McArdle Laboratory, University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA, 2009-2014
- Researcher at the McArdle Laboratory, University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA, 2014
- Assistant Scientist at the Morgridge Institute for Research, USA, 2014-2016
Job Description
This project will examine the dynamic and biological interactions between host cells and pathogenic RNA viruses, leading to therapeutic strategies and the potential elimination of these infections. We establish a live-imaging system to understand better the timing and role of host cell apoptosis in viral RNA (vRNA) replication, a critical step in the propagation of influenza A virus (IAV). Our results show that vRNA replication occurs in the early stages of host cell apoptosis, and similar patterns were observed in both transfection and infection systems, tracked using live-cell imaging. Notably, vRNA replication was observed only in apoptotic cells, not in non-apoptotic cells, suggesting that IAV may harness host cell apoptosis to gain a reproductive advantage. Previously, it was unclear whether apoptosis hindered or facilitated vRNA replication and viral propagation, and the results in this study favor the latter view. Given the time-sensitive nature of these processes, previous studies using biochemical methods may not have been able to consistently assess them within the required timeframe, making live-cell imaging crucial for observing and tracking them. The results demonstrate the utility of our live-cell imaging system and its potential for elucidating time-sensitive processes in IAV replication and possibly other viruses. We would like to understand further how the virus manipulates nuclear organization in host cells during IAV replication.
Preferred Intern Educational Level
Master degree
Skill sets or Qualities
Cell culture and basic techniques of molecular biology, including PCR, Immunoblotting, Cloning.
Job Description
This study elucidates how ubiquitin E3 ligases and deubiquitinases antagonize and fine-tune the abundance of viral proteins, ultimately regulating IAV progeny propagation. A live-cell imaging system established herein will investigate the mechanisms by which ubiquitination and deubiquitination regulate the abundance and functions of viral proteins, thereby modulating the transition between transcription-replication and nuclear export of vRNP for viral assembly and maturation. Understanding the mechanism will not only illuminate the physiology of IAV but also inform strategies to inhibit virus production and reduce IAV transmission.
Preferred Intern Educational Level
Master Degree
Skill sets or Qualities
Cell culture and basic techniques of molecular biology, including PCR, Immunoblotting, Cloning