We create and apply new technologies to explore biological phenomena!
ABOUT OUR LAB
Welcome to the Lai Lab at Academia Sinica, Taiwan. Our research focuses on molecular bioimaging, cell-to-cell communication and gene therapy.
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) including exosomes and microvesicles are nanometer-sized particles released by cells to transfer proteins, nucleic acids and lipids to communicate locally and distally. By contrast, abnormal cells exploit EVs as a means to guide normal cells for disease propagation. While the (patho)physiological functions of EVs have been reported, it remains unclear as to how cells employ them as a communication network. Our lab combines expertise on imaging and genetic engineering to develop novel imaging technologies to further our understanding and application of EV-based cell-to-cell communications.
Investigating DNA repair dynamics is another main research arm of Lai Lab. Eukaryotic cells constantly repair DNA to maintain their genome integrity and cell viability. In fact, DNA repair dynamic plays a key role in the efficacy of cancer and gene therapies. However, studying DNA repair in vivo is challenging where conventional methods typically require disruption of cells/animals. Our research focuses on developing non-disruptive and highly sensitive methods to track DNA repair dynamics and enhance cancer and genome therapy developments.
EV-based Cell-to-Cell Communication
(Wu et al., 2020, Advanced Science)
Live-cell Imaging of EVs at Subcellular Resolution
(Wu et al., 2020, Advanced Science)
IVIS Imaging
In vivo Imaging of Intravenously Administered EVs
(Wu et al., 2020, Advanced Science)
Live-cell Super-resolution Imaging of EVs
(Chien et al., 2020, Nucleic Acids Research)
Multiplexed Bioluminescent DNA DSB Reporter
IAMS International Intern Experience
IAMS International Intern Experience
NEWS
2024 February
Congratulations to Lai Lab on receiving the NSTC Outstanding Research Award (國科會傑出研究獎) from National Science and Technologies Council, Taiwan!
2023 November
Congratulations to Bryan John Magoling (孟古寧) on receiving the Excellent Thesis Award（優秀論文獎）from Wang Ming-Ning Memorial Foundation （王民寧先生紀念基金會）!
2023 November
Congratulations to Steven Ting-Yu Chuo (卓庭煜) on receiving Best Poster Award from 2023 Multiomics and Precision Medicine Joint Conference!
2023 November
Congratulations to Steven Ting-Yu Chuo (卓庭煜) on receiving Short Talk Award from 2023 Mini-symposium Membrane Trafficking and Remodeling!
2023 July
Congratulations to Bryan John Magoling (孟古寧) on winning 1st Place at 2023 Falling Walls Lab Tokyo!
2023 April
Congratulations to Bryan John Magoling (孟古寧) on receiving Outstanding Oral Presentation Award from 2023 APSEV conference!
2023 March
Congratulations to Bryan John Magoling (孟古寧) on receiving Chien-Tien Hsu's Oral Presentation Award (徐千田優秀論文獎口頭報告競賽 佳作)!
2023 March
Congratulations to Steven Ting-Yu Chuo (卓庭煜) on receiving the Young Researcher Scholarship from the 2023 International Society for Extracellular Vesicle (ISEV) annual meeting!
2023 March
Congratulations to Bryan John Magoling (孟古寧) on winning the Excellent Poster Award in the 2023 Chemistry National Meeting!
2023 January
Bryan John Magoling's (孟古寧) latest research on big and small EVs is now published in Advanced Materials!
2022 December
Bryan John Magoling's (孟古寧) talk at EV Club is now available via YouTube!
2022 November
Congratulations to Bryan John Magoling (孟古寧) on receiving 2022 IAMS Young Fellow Outstanding Oral Presentation Award!
2022 November
Congratulations to Steven Ting-Yu Chuo (卓庭煜) on receiving 2022 IAMS Young Fellow Outstanding Oral Presentation Award!
2022 November
Congratulations to Anthony Yan-Tang Wu (吳晏瑭) on receiving 2022 IAMS Young Fellow Poster Award!
2022 November
Congratulations to Sophie Shin Lu (盧欣) on receiving 2022 IAMS Young Fellow Poster Award!
2022 November
Congratulations to Bryan John Magoling (孟古寧) on receiving 2022 TSBMB Autumn Camp Oral Presentation Award (台灣生物化學及分子生物學學會 口頭論文競賽 佳作)!
2022 September
Congratulations to Rachel Hei-Yu Lam (林熙如) on winning the 2022 IAMS Summer Research Internship Presentation Award!
2022 August
Congratulations to Bryan John Magoling (孟古寧) on receiving 2022 Joint IAMS-NTNU-YCU Workshop Most Outstanding Oral Presentation Award!
Institute of Atomic and Molecular Sciences, Academia Sinica
No. 1, Roosevelt Rd., Sec. 4, Taipei, 10617, Taiwan