- Molecular Bioimaging
- Extracellular Vesicles (EVs; e.g. exosomes, microvesicles)
- Pharmacokinetics
- DNA repairs & Gene Therapy
RESEARCH KEYWORDS
We create and apply new technologies to explore biological phenomena!
Always learning, always exploring.
Research Theme I
Molecular Bioimaging & Extracellular Vesicles
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are lipid bilayer encapsulated, ranging from 30 nm (e.g., exosomes) to 10 µm in diameter (e.g., microvesicles). By contrast, exomeres are nonmembranous and smaller (<50 nm). Both EVs and exomeres ferry molecular cargos including lipids, nucleic acids and proteins, thereby facilitating development, as well as propagation of various diseases including cancer. Lai Lab’s latest research focuses on surpassing existing EV imaging technologies to map EV networks while conferring molecular analysis functions.
Multi-resolution imaging and biodistribution analysis of EVs. PalmGRET, a bioluminescence resonance energy transfer-based reporter, was developed to allow pan-bionanoparticle labeling and multi-resolution imaging of EVs in vivo and in vitro. (Wu et al., Advanced Science, 2020)
Live-cell confocal microscopy of EV exchange between multiple cell populations. 293T cells stably expressing either PalmGRET (293T-PalmGRET) or PalmtdTomato (293T-PalmtdTomato) were co-cultured and imaged under confocal microscopy to visualized released EVs. (Wu et al., Advanced Science, 2020)
Super-resolution, live-cell imaging of 293T-PalmGRET ad EVs. 293T-PalmGRET cells and released EVs were imaged under epifluorescence microscope or super-resolution fluctuation radial fluctuation nanoscopy (SRRF). (Wu et al., Advanced Science, 2020)
In vivo imaging of intravenously administered EVs. EVs derived from liver cancer HCA1 cells stably expressing PalmGRET were administered via the tail vein, and visualized under in vivo imaging system (IVIS). (Wu et al., Advanced Science, 2020)
Biodistribution analysis of liver cancer-derived EVs. Liver cancer HCA1 released EVs showed a robust lung and liver tropism. (Wu et al., Advanced Science, 2020)
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Research Theme II
DNA Repairs & Gene Therapy
Lai Lab simultaneously centers on creating imaging systems to visualize and non-invasively track DNA repair dynamics. Trillions of new DNA mutations and damages are expected to be accumulated in a human body per day, and require DNA repairs to maintain genome integrity. Scientists are only beginning to discover how DNA repairs affect outcomes of DNA-break-inducing therapy and genome-editing such as chemoradiotherapy and CRISPR-Cas, respectively. Our latest work established a multiplexed bioluminescent DNA repair reporter, BLRR, to enable non-invasive detection and monitoring of DBR both in vitro and in vivo.
A multiplexed bioluminescent DNA repair reporter BLRR for sensitive and non-invasive tracking of DSB repair dynamics in vitro and in vivo. DSBs in BLRR cells can be repaired by two pathways (NHEJ or HDR). The BLRR can be used as a high-throughput screening platform for DSB repair-modulating compounds. The BLRR can also be applied to evaluate DSB repair dynamics in different cell types including cancer cells. Additionally, the BLRR can be employed to study and optimise genome editing tools, including new Cas proteins and gRNAs, or optimising delivery tools for genome editing. (Chien et al., Nucleic Acids Research, 2020; Nature Protocols, 2021)
Institute of Atomic and Molecular Sciences, Academia Sinica
No. 1, Roosevelt Rd., Sec. 4, Taipei, 10617, Taiwan