John Yu, M.D.,Ph.D.
Division: Institute of Stem Cell and Translational Cancer Research
Position: Director
Office Address:
No.5, Fu-Shin St., Kuei Shang, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan
Tel: (886-3)328-1200 ext. 5217 Fax: (886-3)328-1200 ext. 5214
E-mail: johnyu@cgmh.org.tw
Focus of Interest:- Stem cell biology
- Regulation of hematopoiesis
- Tumorigenesis cell
Employment Records: 2002 – 2005 Distinguished Research Fellow & Director, Institute of Zoology, Academia Sinica.
2002 – 2013 Chief, Stem Cell Program, and Distinguished Research Fellow, The Genomics Research Center, Academia Sinica.
2005 – 2009 President, Taiwan Society for Stem Cell Research
2005 – 2009 Distinguished Research Fellow & Director, Institute of Cellular & Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica
2009 – 2013 Distinguished Research Fellow, Institute of Cellular & Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica
2013 – Present Distinguished Visiting Fellow, Institute of Cellular & Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica
Education: M.D., 1968, National Taiwan University
Ph.D. in Biophysics, 1974, University of Chicago
Fellow in Biology, 1974-77, The Biological Laboratories, Harvard University
Honor and Awards: - Established Investigatorship Award, American Heart Association, 1978-1983
- 柳川研究講座, China Medical Univ. 2006; 台大內科經典講座, National Taiwan Univ Hospital, 2005; 姆山研究講座, Taipei Medical University, 2005
- Advisor Committee, Department of Stem Cell Biology, Kumamoto University, Japan, 2010-2012
- Honorary President, Taiwan Society for Stem Cell Research, Taiwan, 2010- present
- International hESC Guidelines Task Force, Intl Society for Stem Cell Research, 2006-2007
Selected Publications:1.Wu, T.J., Tzeng, Y.K., Chang, W.W., Cheng, C.A., Kuo, Y., Chien, C.H., Chang, H.C. and Yu, J. (2013) Tracking the engraftment and regenerative capabilities of transplanted lung stem cells using fluorescent nanodiamonds. Nature Nanotech. 8:682-689.
2. Wang, S.H., Wu, Y.T., Kuo, S.C., and Yu, J. (2013) HotLig: a molecular surface-directed approach to scoring protein-ligand interactions Journal of Chem Information and Modeling. 53:2181–2195.
3. Liang, Y.J., Yang, B.C., Chen, J.M., Lin, Y.H., Huang, C.L., Cheng, Y.Y., Hsu, C.Y., Khoo, K.H., Shen, C.N., Yu, J. (2011) Changes in glycosphingolipid composition during differentiation of human embryonic stem cells to ectodermal or endodermal lineages. Stem Cells, 29: 1995-2004.
4. Cho, H.C., Lai, C.Y., Shao, L.E., and Yu, J. (2011) Identification of tumorigenic cells in KrasG12D-induced lung adenocarcinoma, Cancer Research, 71:7250-7258.
5. Liang, Y. J.; Kuo, H. H.; Lin, C. H.; Chen, Y. Y.; Yang, B. C.; Cheng, Y. Y.; Yu, A. L.; Khoo, K. H.; Yu, J. (2010) Switching of the core structures of glycosphingolipids from globo- and lacto- to ganglio-series upon human embryonic stem cell differentiation. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 107: 22564-22569.
Current Research:1.Harnessing novel ES surface biomarkers for cancer therapeutics and detection:
Aims to use innovative technology platforms for identification of unique markers and regulators for stem cells and cancer stem cells. The technology platforms developed will not only promote our understanding of the relationship between stem cells and cancers, but also help to develop new methods for cancer detection and therapeutics.
2.New cancer immunotherapy:
Based on molecular modeling of Protein X, molecular docking in silico, and in vivo anti-cancer activities and tumor imaging, we had developed a series of novel and optimized cancer-targeting peptides. We are also developping a new strategy for cancer therapy to exploit the naturally occurring antibodies against the gal(α-1,3)gal and Neu5Gc-epitopes.
3.Puf-A for treatment of retinopathies and sight-threatening ophthalmologic disorders :
This Project aims to develop innovative technology for new strategies for the prevention of blindness in retinopathies using Puf-A and its derivatives (PCT/US2009 /004373; US Patent Application # 13/056,975).
4.Control of germ cell development by novel genes predicted from evolutionary genomics :
These studies present a unique platform to uncover unknown function(s) of human genes and their roles in development regulation.