Research Projects
Research Projects
Our Current Focus
Our Current Focus
Introduction to Epigenetics
Introduction to Epigenetics
Advances in healthcare and technology have significantly increased human life expectancy over the past decades. However, many human diseases, particularly cancer, remain major challenges that require a deeper understanding of their underlying molecular mechanisms.
Advances in healthcare and technology have significantly increased human life expectancy over the past decades. However, many human diseases, particularly cancer, remain major challenges that require a deeper understanding of their underlying molecular mechanisms.
Clinical samples are often precious and available only in limited quantities, making comprehensive molecular profiling difficult using conventional approaches. Our laboratory aims to develop low-input and high-throughput technologies integrated with microfluidic platforms to analyze limited clinical samples and investigate the molecular and epigenetic regulatory mechanisms underlying cancer and other human diseases.
Clinical samples are often precious and available only in limited quantities, making comprehensive molecular profiling difficult using conventional approaches. Our laboratory aims to develop low-input and high-throughput technologies integrated with microfluidic platforms to analyze limited clinical samples and investigate the molecular and epigenetic regulatory mechanisms underlying cancer and other human diseases.
In parallel, liquid biopsy provides a minimally invasive approach for obtaining clinically relevant biomarkers from blood and other body fluids and has shown great potential for disease detection and monitoring. We develop microfluidic technologies for efficient isolation, enrichment, and molecular characterization of circulating biomarkers, with the long-term goal of advancing early disease detection and precision medicine.
In parallel, liquid biopsy provides a minimally invasive approach for obtaining clinically relevant biomarkers from blood and other body fluids and has shown great potential for disease detection and monitoring. We develop microfluidic technologies for efficient isolation, enrichment, and molecular characterization of circulating biomarkers, with the long-term goal of advancing early disease detection and precision medicine.
Histone Modifications
Histone Modifications
Histone modification is one of the major mechanisms of epigenetic regulation. Histone modifications can alter chromatin structure and accessibility, thereby regulating gene expression without changing the underlying DNA sequence. However, conventional methods for profiling histone modifications often require large numbers of cells, which limits their application to precious clinical samples.
Our laboratory develops low-input microfluidic technologies that reduce the required number of cells from millions to only a few thousand. Using these technologies, we investigate epigenetic alterations associated with cancer development, therapeutic response, and drug resistance. These studies provide insights into disease-associated regulatory mechanisms and may facilitate the development of precision medicine.
Histone modification is one of the major mechanisms of epigenetic regulation. Histone modifications can alter chromatin structure and accessibility, thereby regulating gene expression without changing the underlying DNA sequence. However, conventional methods for profiling histone modifications often require large numbers of cells, which limits their application to precious clinical samples.
Our laboratory develops low-input microfluidic technologies that reduce the required number of cells from millions to only a few thousand. Using these technologies, we investigate epigenetic alterations associated with cancer development, therapeutic response, and drug resistance. These studies provide insights into disease-associated regulatory mechanisms and may facilitate the development of precision medicine.
Long Noncoding RNA (lncRNA) Interactions
Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are important regulators of gene expression and are involved in diverse biological processes and human diseases. Understanding their regulatory functions often requires identification of their interactions with DNA, RNA, and proteins. However, the relatively low abundance of many lncRNAs and the large sample requirements of conventional assays make these interactions difficult to investigate in limited clinical samples.
We develop low-input microfluidic platforms for profiling lncRNA-associated molecular interactions using only a few thousand cells. Our goal is to enable the investigation of endogenous lncRNA regulatory networks in clinical samples without relying on artificial overexpression and to better understand their roles in cancer and other human diseases.
Long Noncoding RNA (lncRNA) Interactions
Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are important regulators of gene expression and are involved in diverse biological processes and human diseases. Understanding their regulatory functions often requires identification of their interactions with DNA, RNA, and proteins. However, the relatively low abundance of many lncRNAs and the large sample requirements of conventional assays make these interactions difficult to investigate in limited clinical samples.
We develop low-input microfluidic platforms for profiling lncRNA-associated molecular interactions using only a few thousand cells. Our goal is to enable the investigation of endogenous lncRNA regulatory networks in clinical samples without relying on artificial overexpression and to better understand their roles in cancer and other human diseases.
RNA methylation
RNA methylation is an important layer of post-transcriptional regulation that can influence RNA stability, processing, translation, and degradation. Compared with DNA, RNA is relatively unstable and susceptible to degradation during multiple experimental procedures, making RNA modification analysis particularly challenging for low-input samples.
Our laboratory integrates multiple experimental procedures into a single microfluidic platform (lab-on-a-chip) to minimize sample loss and contamination while reducing hands-on labor and processing time. We use these technologies to investigate RNA methylation and its regulatory roles in cancer and other human diseases.
Exosomes and Extracellular Vesicles (EVs)
Exosomes and other extracellular vesicles (EVs) play important roles in intercellular communication by carrying proteins, nucleic acids, and other molecular information derived from their cells of origin. These properties make EVs promising sources of biomarkers for disease detection and monitoring. However, efficient isolation and characterization of disease-associated EV populations from clinical samples remain challenging.
We develop microfluidic technologies for the isolation and enrichment of exosomes and extracellular vesicles from clinical samples. These platforms are used to investigate EV-associated biomarkers and their potential applications in neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease.
Circulating Tumor DNA (ctDNA) and Circulating Tumor Cells (CTCs))
Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) and circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are important components of liquid biopsy and provide molecular information about tumors through minimally invasive blood sampling. However, their low abundance in circulation presents significant challenges for efficient isolation and sensitive molecular analysis.
Our laboratory develops microfluidic technologies for the enrichment, isolation, and molecular profiling of ctDNA and CTCs from clinical samples. By integrating microfluidic isolation with downstream molecular analysis, we aim to explore their applications in cancer detection, disease monitoring, therapeutic response assessment, and precision medicine.
RNA methylation
RNA methylation is an important layer of post-transcriptional regulation that can influence RNA stability, processing, translation, and degradation. Compared with DNA, RNA is relatively unstable and susceptible to degradation during multiple experimental procedures, making RNA modification analysis particularly challenging for low-input samples.
Our laboratory integrates multiple experimental procedures into a single microfluidic platform (lab-on-a-chip) to minimize sample loss and contamination while reducing hands-on labor and processing time. We use these technologies to investigate RNA methylation and its regulatory roles in cancer and other human diseases.
Exosomes and Extracellular Vesicles (EVs)
Exosomes and other extracellular vesicles (EVs) play important roles in intercellular communication by carrying proteins, nucleic acids, and other molecular information derived from their cells of origin. These properties make EVs promising sources of biomarkers for disease detection and monitoring. However, efficient isolation and characterization of disease-associated EV populations from clinical samples remain challenging.
We develop microfluidic technologies for the isolation and enrichment of exosomes and extracellular vesicles from clinical samples. These platforms are used to investigate EV-associated biomarkers and their potential applications in neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease.
Circulating Tumor DNA (ctDNA) and Circulating Tumor Cells (CTCs)
Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) and circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are important components of liquid biopsy and provide molecular information about tumors through minimally invasive blood sampling. However, their low abundance in circulation presents significant challenges for efficient isolation and sensitive molecular analysis.
Our laboratory develops microfluidic technologies for the enrichment, isolation, and molecular profiling of ctDNA and CTCs from clinical samples. By integrating microfluidic isolation with downstream molecular analysis, we aim to explore their applications in cancer detection, disease monitoring, therapeutic response assessment, and precision medicine.
Learn More from Less
Microfluidics × Epigenetics × Liquid Biopsy × Precision Medicine
Learn More from Less
Microfluidics × Epigenetics × Liquid Biopsy × Precision Medicine
yphsieh@mail.ntust.edu.tw
No. 43, Sec. 4, Rd. Keelung, Taipei, Taiwan
Department of Chemical Engineering, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology (NTUST)
+886-2-2737-6630