Profile

Education

Ph.D. (2013-2019)

Molecular and Cell Biology, Taiwan International Graduate Program (TIGP-MCB), Academia Sinica and Graduate Institute of Life Science , National Defense Medical Center, Taiwan

M.S. (2011-2013)

Agricultural Chemistry, National Taiwan University, Taiwan

B.S. (2007-2011)

Agricultural Chemistry, National Taiwan University, Taiwan

Professional experience

Postdoc Research Fellow, Department of Entomology, National Taiwan University, Taiwan (Feb 2022-Jul 2022)

Postdoc Research Fellow, Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taiwan (Jun 2021-Jan 2022)

Postdoc Research Fellow, Biomedical Translation Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taiwan (Jan 2021-May 2021)

Postdoc Research Fellow, Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taiwan (Oct 2019-Dec 2020)

Specialties

Virology, Protein Engineering, Molecular Biology, Immunology

Research interest

Baculovirus expression vector system is a commonly used eukaryotic protein expression system. It accommodates extensive eukaryotic post-translational modifications and enables appropriate oligomerization of complex proteins. Currently, the system has been used to produce subunit vaccines for influenza and COVID-19. Our laboratory intends to apply the baculovirus expression system to the following research:

1. Development of serology analysis systems and vaccine antigens for emerging infectious diseases. Recombinant baculoviruses and their insect host cells can be engineered into protein surface-display platforms for use as vaccines and serological analysis systems for infectious diseases.

2. Engineering of antigenic proteins or enzymes. We will focus on improving protein expression, immunogenicity, or enzymatic activity of antigens in serum detection systems or vaccines, as well as specialty enzymes for medical and food safety inspections.

3. Viral vector engineering. Baculoviruses allow the insertion of a sizeable foreign gene fragment and can easily enter various cells. We will take advantage of these properties and modify viruses into efficient vectors for gene expression and gene therapy.

Publication

Selected papers

1. Tsai, C.H.*, Ho, Y.H., Sung, T.C., Wu, W.F.^#, and Chen, C.S.^# (2017) E. coli proteome microarrays identified the substrates of ClpYQ protease. Molecular & Cellular Proteomics 16(1): 113-120.
2. Tsai, C.H.*, Wei, S.C., Jan, J.T., Liao, L.L., Chang, C.J., and Chao, Y.C.^# (2019) Generation of stable influenza virus hemagglutinin through structure-guided recombination. ACS Synthetic Biology 8(11): 2472-2482.
3. Tsai, C.H.*, Wei, S.C., Lo, H.R., and Chao, Y.C.^# (2020) Baculovirus as versatile vectors for protein display and biotechnological applications. Current Issues in Molecular Biology 34: 231-256.
4. Liao, C.C., Tsai, C.H.* (first two authors contributed equally), Lo, H.R., Lin, P.R., Lin, C.C., and Chao, Y.C.^# (2021) Development of a scrub typhus diagnostic platform incorporating cell-surface display technology. Frontiers in Immunology 12: 4230.
5. Wei, S.C., Hsu, W.T., Chiu, C.H., Chang, F.Y., Lo, H.R., Liao, C.Y., Yang, H.I., Chou, Y.C., Tsai, C.H.*^# (co-corresponding) and Chao, Y.C.^# (2021) An integrated platform for serological detection and vaccination of COVID-19. Frontiers in Immunology 12: 771011.
6. Tsai, C.H.*, Chuang, Y.C., Tang, C.K., Lin, Y.H., Lin, C.Y., and Wu, Y.L.^# (2021) Carbohydrate metabolism is a determinant for the host specificity of baculovirus infections. iScience 25(1): 103648.