Prof. Marie Chia-Mi Lin　  林李家宓教授

B.S. National Cheng-Kung;
Ph.D., Vanderbilt University

Office:

Room 8N-11
Kadoorie Biological Science Building
The University of Hong Kong
Pokfulam Road
Hong Kong

Professor since 2007

Associate Professor since 2005

Investigator, Institute of Molecular Biology (1998-2005)

Honorary Associate Professor, Dept. of Medicine since 2001

Honorary Associate Professor, Faculty of Dentistry since 2005

Teaching Subjects: Principles of Chemical Biology, Medicinal Chemistry,

                                  Applied Medicinal Chemistry in Drug Discovery and Development

Research Interests

Chemical Biology, Biotechnology and Drug Discovery targeting human diseases such as Cancer, Diabetes, and Birth Defects.

Chemical Biology

(a)  Development of novel nanopolymers for nucleic acid delivery for gene therapy.

(b) siRNAs and miRNAs are small RNA molecules involved in regulating gene expression post-transcriptionally. We are exploring their potentials in developing new therapeutics against a wide variety of diseases.

Genomics of Embryonic Development and Birth Defects

My research team has established the Xenopus model system to study the key regulatory factors and genes for embryonic development. We have developed world’s first Xenopus embryo model to study the molecular basis and prevention of alcohol-induced birth defects. This research project has contributed significantly to our understanding and prevention of fetal alcohol syndrome. Our works were presented in the 2005 CIFASD Consortium at Indianapolis, Indiana, USA.

Cancer Research and Cancer Therapy

We have a long term interest in the study of novel oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes in various cancers including but not limited to Nasopharnegeal carcinoma, Glioblastoma (Brain tumor), Hepatocellular carcinoma (liver cancer), Colon cancer and NPC. We are one of the leading laboratories in cancer gene therapy in Hong Kong. Our team has been awarded six US Regular and US Provisional patents.  My laboratory is the only laboratory in Hong Kong that received two “Innovation and Technology Funds” for the development of Cancer Gene Therapy in the past 5 years.  In collaboration with other members of the Department of Chemistry, we also participate in the development of small synthetic chemicals and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) as novel cancer therapy agents.

[ Top ]

1.    Shen Z, Yang Z, Gao Y, Li JC, Chen HX, Liu CC, Poon RTP, Fan ST, Luk JMC, Sze KH, Li TP, Gan RB, He ML, Kung HF and Lin MC*. The Kringle 1 Domain of Hepatocyte Growth Factor Has Antiangiogenic and Antitumor Cell Effects on Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Cancer Research. 2008, 68: 404-414.

2.     Li M, Wang J, Ng SM, Chan CY, Chen AC, Xia H, Yew DT, Wong BCY, Chen Z, Kung HF and Lin MC*. The Four-and-a-half-LIM Protein 2 (FHL2) is Overexpressed in Gliomas and Associated with Oncogenic Activities, Glia. 2008, 56(12): 1328-1338.

3.     Yang PH, Cheung KC, Peng Y, He ML, Wu G, Xie D, Jiang B, Huang Q, Chen Z, Lin MC* and Kung HF. Makorin-2 is a Neurogenesis Inhibitor Downstream of PI3k/AKT Signal, Journal of Biological Chemistry. 2008, 283: 8486-8495.

4.    Ng SS, Cheung YT, An XM, Chen YC, Li M, Li G, Cheung W, Sze J, Lai L, Peng Y, Xia H, Wong, BCY, Leung SY, Xie D, He ML, Kung HF*, and Lin MC*. Cell Cycle Related Kinase (CCRK) is a Novel Candidate Oncogene in Human Glioblastoma, Journal of the National Cancer Institute. 2007, 99(12), 936-948. This paper is being selected by Nature Clinical Practice Oncology, as one of the Research Highlights in the October 2007 issue.

5.    Lum CT, Yang ZF, Li HY, Wai-Yin Sun R, Fan ST, Poon RT, Lin MC*, Che CM*, and Kung HF*. Gold (III) Compound is a Novel Chemocytotoxic Agent for Hepatocellular Carcinoma. International Journal of Cancer. 2006; 118(6):1527-38

6.    Li M, Ng SS, Wang J, Lai L, Leung SY, Franco M, Peng Y, He ML, Kung HF, Lin MC*. EFA6A Enhances Glioma Cell Invasion Through ADP Ribosylation Factor 6/Extracellular Signal-regulated Kinase Signaling. Cancer Research. 2006; 66(3):1583-90.

7.     Peng Y, Kwok KH, Yang PH, Ng SS, Liu J, Wong OG, He ML, Kung HF, Lin MC*. Ascorbic Acid Inhibits ROS Production, NF-kappaB Activation and Prevents Ethanol-induced Growth Retardation and Microencephaly. Neuropharmacology. 2005; 48(3):426-434.

8.    Yiu SM, Wong PW, Lam TW, Mui YC, Kung HF, Lin MC, Cheung YT. Filtering of Ineffective siRNAs and Improved siRNA Design Tool. Bioinformatics. 2005; 21(2):144-51. This paper has been awarded the Research Output Prize 2005-06 in Faculty of Engineering.

9.     He ML, Zheng B, Peng Y, Peiris JS, Poon LL, Yuen KY, Lin MC, Kung HF, Guan Y. Inhibition of SARS-associated Coronavirus Infection and Replication by RNA Interference. JAMA. 2003; 290(20):2665-6.

10.   Au WS, Kung HF, Lin MC*. Regulation of Microsomal Triglyceride Transfer Protein Gene by Insulin in HepG2 Cells: Roles of MAPK^erk and MAPK^p38. Diabetes. 2003; 52(5):1073-80.