Kaohsiung Medical University

Molecular biology lab

HUI-CHUN WANG
https://reurl.cc/QRXdOo

Research Field

Medicine
Introduction

Aug 2018 to present                Profesor/Director (Graduate Institute of Natural Products, Kaohsiung Medical University)

Aug. 2017 to present               Professor (Graduate Institute of Natural Products, Kaohsiung Medical University)

Aug. 2013 to Jul.2017               Associate Professor (Graduate Institute of Natural Products, Kaohsiung Medical University)

Aug. 2008  to Jul.2013             Assistant Professor (Graduate Institute of Natural Products, Kaohsiung Medical University)

Aug. 2006 to Aug. 2008          Adjunct Assistant Professor (School of Public Health, National Defense Medical Center)

Jun. 2006  to Aug.2008           Postdoctoral Fellow (Institute of Biomedical Science, Academia Sinica)

  • Areas of expertise: molecular biology, pharmacology, biochemistry, natural products to improve cancer treatment resistance and tumor microenvironment, natural products to be used in diseases with anti-inflammatory or antioxidant activities.
  • We have conducted, The 37th Symposium on Natural Products & the Ceremony in Honor of Late Academician Professor Kuo-Hsiung Lee - Nature is the Best Guide! In 2022, we enthusiastically organise international seminars in Taiwan and cheer our students & staff to attend international seminars to explore and share knowledge. We also provide short-term study opportunities for international students, and the academic results have been excellent. Our institute is dedicated to cultivating many talents enhancing their knowledge and making them shine throughout all countries like Taiwan, India, Malaysia, Indonesia, Pakistan, Vietnam, Philippines, France and around every part of the world in natural medicine research.

Teaching Courses 

  1. Special Topics in Development of Natural Products.
  2. Special Topics on Target-based Research of Natural Products.
  3. Special Topics on Natural Product Biochemistry.
  4. Advanced Topics on Biotechnology and Botanical New Drug Research.
  5. Advanced Topics on Cancer Biology.

We aim to seek potential lead-like compounds from natural products to support chemoprevention and chemotherapy against cancers, metabolic diseases, and inflammatory diseases. Using molecular biological approaches, we hope to establish cell-based models to identify small molecules in targeting genes that are important to diseases and apply them to the established animal model for proof of concept for candidate natural compounds. 

TECHNICAL SPECIALITY
1.    Molecular techniques: DNA cloning, genotyping by sequencing, RFLP, and TaqMan probe assays
2.    Cell culture-based techniques: DNA transfection by liposome and electroporation methods, RNA interference, flow cytometry, immunofluorescence staining, laser confocal microscopy, and survival assays.
3.    Gene expressions: RT-PCR, northern blot, western blot, luciferase reporter assay
4.    Expression and isolation of recombinant proteins in bacterial and inset systems
5.    Protein-protein interaction assays: immunoprecipitation, pull-down assay
6.    Protein-DNA interaction assays: chromatin immunoprecipitation assay, gel mobility shift assay
7.    Others: HPLC analysis, SAS program for statistics analysis, DNA repair assays, DNA methylation assay, Protein kinase assay, apoptosis staining
 

Research Topics

Selective publications:
1.    Chen PW, Huang SK, Chang FR, Cheng YB, Wang HC*. Severinia buxifolia-isolated acridones inhibit lung cancer invasion and decrease HIFα protein synthesis involves 5’UTR-mediated translation inhibition. Phytomedicine. 2023;109:154570.
2.    Tai CJ, El-Shazly M, Yang YH, Tsai YH, Csupor D, Hohmann J, Wu YC, Tseng TG, Chang FR*, Wang HC*. The effectiveness of Fuzi in combination with routine heart failure treatment on chronic heart failure patients. J Ethnopharmacol. 2022;289:115040.
3.    Tai CJ, Wu CC, Lee KT, Tseng TG, Wang HC, Chang FR*, Yang YH*. The Impact of Urate-Lowering Therapy in Post-Myocardial Infarction Patients: Insights from a Population-Based, Propensity Score-Matched Analysis. Clin Pharmacol Ther. 2022;111:655-663.
4.    Teng WL, Huang PH, Wang HC*, Tseng CH, Yen FL*. Pterostilbene Attenuates Particulate Matter-Induced Oxidative Stress, Inflammation and Aging in Keratinocytes. Antioxidants. 2021;10:1552.
5.    Wang HC, Ke TY, Ko YC, Lin JJ, Chang JS, Cheng YB*. Anti-Inflammatory Azaphilones from the Edible Alga-Derived Fungus Penicillium sclerotiorum. Mar Drugs. 2021;19:529.
6.    Tai CJ, Yang YH, Tseng TG, Chang FR*, Wang HC*. Association Between Digoxin Use and Cancer Incidence: A Propensity Score-Matched Cohort Study with Competing Risk Analysis. Front. Pharmacol. 2021; 12:564097.
7.    Tai CY, El-Shazly M, Tsai YH, Csupor D, Hohmann J, Wu YC, Tseng TG, Chang FR*, Wang HC*. Uncovering Modern Clinical Applications of Fuzi and Fuzi-based Formulas: A Nationwide Descriptive Study with Market Basket Analysis. Front. Pharmacol., 2021; 12:641530.
8.    Kuo CY, Weng TS, Kumar KJS, Tseng YH, Tung TW, Wang SY, Wang HC*. Ethanol Extracts of Dietary Herb, Alpinia nantoensis, Exhibit Anticancer Potential in Human Breast Cancer Cells. Integr Cancer Ther. 2019; 18:1534735419866924.
9.    Kuo CY, Schelz Z, Tóth B, Vasas A, Ocsovszki I, Chang FR, Hohmann J, Zupkó I, Wang HC*. Investigation of natural phenanthrenes and the antiproliferative potential of juncusol in cervical cancer cell lines. Phytomedicine. 2019; 58:152770.
10.    Wang HC, Hua HH, Chang FR, Tsaia JY, Kuoa CY, Wu YC, Wu CC. Different effects of 4β-hydroxywithanolide E and withaferin A, two withanolides from Solanaceae plants, on the Akt signaling pathway in human breast cancer cells. Phytomedicine. 2019; 53:213-222.
11.    Ötvös SB, Vágvölgyi M, Girst G, Kuo CY, Wang HC, Fülöp F, Hunyadi A*. Synthesis of Nontoxic Protoflavone Derivatives through Selective Continuous-Flow Hydrogenation of the Flavonoid B-Ring. Chempluschem. 2018;83:71. (cover page).
12.    Kuo CY, Zupkó I, Chang FR, Hunyadi A, Wu CC, Weng TS, Wang HC*. Dietary flavonoid derivatives enhance chemotherapeutic effect by inhibiting the DNA damage response pathway. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. 2016; 311:99-105.
13.    Kuo CY, Chou WC, Wu CC, Wong TS, Kakadiya R, Lee TC, Su TS*, Wang HC*. Repairing of N-mustard derivative BO-1055 induced DNA damage requires NER, HR, and MGMT-dependent DNA repair mechanisms. Oncotarget 2015; 6: 25770–25783. 
14.    Wang HC*, Chang FR, Huang TJ, Kuo CY, Tsai YC, Wu CC*. (-)-Liriopein B Suppresses Breast Cancer Progression via Inhibition of Multiple Kinases. Chem Res Toxicol. 2015; 28:897-906.
15.    Wang HC, Tseng YH, Wu HR, Chu FH, Kuo YH* and Wang SY*. Anti-proliferation Effect on Human Breast Cancer Cells via Inhibition of pRb Phosphorylation by Taiwanin E Isolated from Eleutherococcustrifoliatus. Nat Prod Commun. 2014; 9: 1303-1306.
16.    Ting YC, Ko HH, Wang HC, Peng CF, Chang HS, Hsieh PC, Chen IS*.Biological evaluation of secondary metabolites from the roots of Myrica adenophora. Phytochemistry. 2014;103:89-98. 
17.    Chang HW, Wang HC, Chen CY, Hung TW, Hou MF, Yuan SS, Huang CJ, Tseng CN*. 5-azacytidine induces anoikis, inhibits mammosphere formation and reduces metalloproteinase 9 activity in MCF-7 human breast cancer cells. (co-first author) Molecules. 2014;19:3149-59.
18.    Kuo CY, Wang HC, Kung PH, Lu CY, Liao CY, Wu MT, Wu CC*. Identification of CalDAG-GEFI as an intracellular target for the vicinal dithiol binding agent phenylarsine oxide in human platelets. Thromb Haemost. 2014; 111:892-901. 
19.    Wang HC, Chu FH, Chien SC, Liao JW, Hsieh HW, Li WH, Lin CC, Shaw JF, Kuo YH*, Wang SY*. Establishment of metabolite profile for an Antrodia cinnamomea health food product and investigation of its chemoprevention activity. J Agric Food Chem. 2013; 61: 8556–8564
20.    Wang HC*, Wu CC, Cheng TS, Kuo CY, Tsai YC, Chiang SY, Wong TS, Wu YC, Chang FR*. Active constituents from Liriope platyphylla root against cancer growth in vitro. Evid-Based Compl Alt. 2013; 2013: 857929.
21.    Chen WC, Wang SY, Chiu CC, Tseng CK, Wang HC*, and Lee JC*. Lucidone suppresses hepatitis C virus replication by Nrf2-mediated heme oxygenase-1 induction. Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy 2013; 57(3):1180-91.
22.    Wang HC, Tsai YL, Wu YC, Chang FR, Liu MH, Chen WY, Wu CC*. Withanolides-induced breast cancer cell death is correlated with their ability to inhibit heat protein 90. PLoS One. 2012;7(5):e37764.
23.    Wang HC*, Lee AY, Chou WC, Wu CC, Tseng CN, Liu KY, Lin WL, Chang FR, Chuang DW, Hunyadi A, Wu YC*. Inhibition of ATR-dependent signaling by protoapigenone and its derivative sensitizes cancer cells to interstrand cross-link-generating agents in vitro and in vivo. Mol Cancer Ther. 2012;11 (7):1443-1453.
24.    Lai WC, Wang HC, Chen GY, Yang JC, Korinek M, Hsieh CJ, Nozaki H, Hayashi KI, Wu CC*, Wu YC, Chang FR*. Using the pER8:GUS Reporter System to Screen for Phytoestrogens from Caesalpinia sappan. J Nat Prod. 2011;74:1698-1706. 
25.    Chung YM, Wang HC, El-Shazly M, Leu YL, Cheng MC, Lee CL, Chang FR*, Wu YC*. Antioxidant and Tyrosinase Inhibitory Constituents from the Desugared Sugarcane Extract, a By-Product of Sugar Production. J Agric Food Chem. 2011; 59:9219-9225.
26.    Milne R. et al. (Wang HC is listed as the 86th among 95 authors).Risk of estrogen receptor-positive and -negative breast cancer and single-nucleotide polymorphism 2q35-rs13387042. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2009; 101:1012-1018.
27.    Chou WC, Wang HC, Wong FH, Ding SL, Wu PE, Shieh SY*, Shen CY*. Chk2-dependent phosphorylation of XRCC1 in the DNA damage response promotes base excision repair. EMBO J. 2008; 27:3140-1450. (the 5th. TienTe Lee Biomedical Foundation Best Thesis Award, 2009.)
28.    Easton DF et al. (Wang HC is listed as the 27th among 105 authors). Genome-wide association study identifies novel breast cancer susceptibility loci. Nature 2007;447:1087-93.
29.    Wang HC, Chou WC, Shieh SY, Shen CY*. Ataxia telangiectasia mutated and checkpoint kinase 2 regulate BRCA1 to promote the fidelity of DNA end-joining. Cancer Res. 2006;66:1391-400.

Honor
  1. AACR-ITO EN, Ltd. Scholar-in-Training Award, USA.
  2. Merit Mentors Award, KMU.
  3. Outstanding Research Award, KMU.
  4. The Faculty Teaching Award, KMU.
  5. Award of Patent Approval, KMU.
  6. Member of the Chinese Natural Medicine Society of Taiwan since 2008.
  7. Active member of the American Association for Cancer Research since 2008.
Educational Background
  • Ph. D., Graduate Institute of Life Sciences, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan.
  • Master of Science, Graduate Institute of Physiology, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan.
  • Bachelor of Science, School of Public Health, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.

2 Vacancies

Job Description

Training and learning 

  1. Handling the cell lines 
  2. Performing the cell line-based reporter assays  (Cytotoxicity and Activity).
  3. Identifying the bioactive compounds.
  4. Extraction and Isolation of natural products (Plant materials).

 

Preferred Intern Education Level

PhD student or Master student (Life science, Molecular biology, Biotechnology, Pharmacy)

 

Skill sets or Qualities

  1. Molecular techniques: DNA cloning, genotyping by sequencing, RFLP and TaqMan probe assays, RNAi, NGS, CRISPR.
  2. Cell culture-based techniques: DNA transfection by methods of liposome and electroporation, RNA interference, flow cytometry, immunofluorescence staining and laser confocal microscopy, and survival assays.
  3. Gene expressions: RT-PCR, Northern blot, Western blot, reporter assay.
  4. Good computer skills include MS Office and other statistical software.