- Invertebrate Immune Response Mechanisms
- Cellular Mechanics and Interactions
- Insect symbiosis and bacterial influences
- Advanced Fluorescence Microscopy Techniques
- Aquaculture disease management and microbiota
- CRISPR and Genetic Engineering
- Genetics, Aging, and Longevity in Model Organisms
- Axon Guidance and Neuronal Signaling
- Zebrafish Biomedical Research Applications
- Cellular transport and secretion
- Neurobiology and Insect Physiology Research
- Cardiomyopathy and Myosin Studies
- Renal and related cancers
- Physiological and biochemical adaptations
- Angiogenesis and VEGF in Cancer
- Insect behavior and control techniques
- Wnt/β-catenin signaling in development and cancer
- Marine Biology and Environmental Chemistry
- Enzyme Structure and Function
- Cancer, Hypoxia, and Metabolism
- Redox biology and oxidative stress
- Hippo pathway signaling and YAP/TAZ
- Microfluidic and Capillary Electrophoresis Applications
- Mosquito-borne diseases and control
- Glycosylation and Glycoproteins Research
Harvard University
2016-2022
Boston VA Research Institute
2019-2022
The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
2010-2021
Southwestern Medical Center
2016
National Tsing Hua University
2007-2010
Georgetown University Medical Center
2004
Georgetown University
2004
For more than 100 years, the fruit fly
A protein involved in redox signaling disassembles actin filaments and alters their reassembly.
Studies of the adult Drosophila midgut have led to many insights in our understanding cell-type diversity, stem cell regeneration, tissue homeostasis, and fate decision. Advances single-cell RNA sequencing provide opportunities identify new types molecular features. We used characterize transcriptome epithelial cells identified 22 distinct clusters representing intestinal cells, enteroblasts, enteroendocrine (EEs), enterocytes. This unbiased approach recovered most known cells/enteroblast EE...
blood cells, called hemocytes, are classified into plasmatocytes, crystal and lamellocytes based on the expression of a few marker genes cell morphologies, which inadequate to classify complete hemocyte repertoire. Here, we used single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) map hemocytes across different inflammatory conditions in larvae. We resolved plasmatocytes states involved cycle, antimicrobial response, metabolism together with identification intermediate states. Further, discovered rare...
Recent advances in single-cell sequencing provide a unique opportunity to gain novel insights into the diversity, lineage, and functions of cell types constituting tissue/organ. Here, we performed single-nucleus study adult Drosophila renal system, consisting Malpighian tubules nephrocytes, which shares similarities with mammalian kidney. We identified 11 distinct clusters representing stem cells, stellate regionally specific principal garland nephrocyte pericardial nephrocytes....
Hippo signaling and the activity of its transcriptional coactivator, Yorkie (Yki), are conserved crucial regulators tissue homeostasis. In Drosophila midgut, after damage, Yki increases to stimulate stem cell proliferation, but how is turned off once repaired unknown. From an RNAi screen, we identified septate junction (SJ) protein tetraspanin 2A (Tsp2A) as a tumor suppressor. Tsp2A undergoes internalization facilitate endocytic degradation atypical kinase C (aPKC), negative regulator...
Sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P), a bioactive phospholipid, simultaneously induces actin cytoskeletal rearrangements and activation of matriptase, membrane-associated serine protease in human mammary epithelial cells. In this study, we used monoclonal antibody selective for activated, two-chain matriptase to examine the functional relationship between these two S1P-induced events. Ten minutes after exposure 184 A1N4 cells S1P, was observed accumulate at cell-cell contacts. Activated first began...
UDP-glucose dehydrogenase (UGDH) catalyzes a two-step NAD(+)-dependent oxidation of to produce UDP-glucuronic acid, which is common substrate for the biosynthesis exopolysaccharide. Searching Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 genome data base UGDH has helped identify two open reading frames, PA2022 and PA3559, may encode UGDH. To elucidate their enzymatic identity, genes were cloned overexpressed in Escherichia coli, recombinant proteins purified. Both gene products are active as dimers capable...
Many tumor cells are capable of migrating through endothelial cell (EC) junctions and disintegrating sub-endothelial extracellular matrix to achieve extravasation. We demonstrate in this study that certain solid can induce EC apoptosis facilitate their escape from the circulation. The is triggered by elevated intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels direct contacts with required. Treating ECs antioxidants, such as ascorbate N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC), a glutathione precursor rescue...
Summary Drosophila blood cells, called hemocytes, are classified into plasmatocytes, crystal and lamellocytes based on the expression of a few marker genes cell morphologies, which inadequate to classify complete hemocyte repertoire. Here, we used single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) map hemocytes across different inflammatory conditions in larvae. We resolved plasmatocytes states involved cycle, antimicrobial response, metabolism together with identification intermediate states. Further,...
Studies on the adult Drosophila midgut have led many insights our understanding of cell type diversity, stem regeneration, tissue homeostasis and fate decision. Advances in scRNA-seq provide opportunities to identify new types molecular features. We used inDrop characterize transcriptome epithelial cells identified 12 distinct clusters representing intestinal (ISCs), enteroblasts (EBs), enteroendocrine (EEs), enterocytes (ECs). This unbiased approach recovered 90% known ISCs/EBs markers...
Abstract Studies of the adult Drosophila midgut have provided a number insights on cell type diversity, stem regeneration, tissue homeostasis and fate decision. Advances in single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) provide opportunities to identify new types molecular features. We used inDrop characterize transcriptome epithelial cells identified 12 distinct clusters representing intestinal (ISCs), enteroblasts (EBs), enteroendocrine (EEs), enterocytes (ECs) from different regions, cardia. This...
SUMMARY Like humans, insects rely on precise regulation of their internal environments to survive. The insect renal system consists Malpighian tubules and nephrocytes that share similarities the mammalian kidney. Studies Drosophila have provided many insights into our understanding excretion waste products, stem cell regeneration, protein reabsorption, as human kidney disease models. Here, we analyzed single-nucleus RNA sequencing (snRNA-seq) data sets characterize types adult fly We...
To change their behaviors, cells require actin proteins to assemble together into long polymers/filaments-and so a critical goal is understand the factors that control this filament (F-actin) assembly and stability. We have identified family of unusual regulators, MICALs, which are flavoprotein monooxygenase/hydroxylase enzymes associate with flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) use co-enzyme nicotinamide phosphate (NADPH) in Redox reactions. F-actin specific substrate for these MICAL enzymes,...
Like humans, insects rely on precise regulation of their internal environments to survive. The insect renal system consists Malpighian tubules and nephrocytes that share similarities the mammalian kidney. Studies Drosophila have provided many insights into our understanding excretion waste products, stem cell regeneration, protein reabsorption, as human kidney disease models. Here, we analyzed single-nucleus RNA sequencing (snRNA-seq) data sets characterize types adult fly We identified 11...