Date: Wednesday, 16 November 2022

Time: 5:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Venue: Lecture Theatre 3, G/F, William M.W. Mong Block, 21 Sassoon Road

5:00 p.m.

Speaker: Dr. Hojeong PARK (Post-doctoral Fellow)
Primary Supervisor: Dr. Jeff TI
Presentation Title: Tubulin isotypes regulate the behaviors of kinesin motors
Abstract: MTs act as tracks for MT-dependent motor proteins, kinesins and dyneins which play a crucial role in intracellular transport. Especially in neurons, the importance of motor proteins is emphasized as their highly polarized morphology depends on the selective transportation of cargoes to either axons or dendrites. Until now, it is widely accepted that the certain members of kinesin subfamily exhibit preferential interaction with MT modified with specific chemical modifications. For instance, Kinesin-1 selectively interacts with detyosinated and acetylated MT. This directs motors to move out from dendrite and into axon. Whereas Kinesin-3 favors tyrosinated microtubules and can enter both axons and dendrites. Unfortunately, many of the previous studies were carried out on native vertebrate microtubules which consisted of a mixture of tubulin isotypes. This negates the possibility that the preference is due the presence of different isotypes as it was impossible to purify biochemically pure recombinant tubulin isotypes at the time. To address the research gap, we generated a series of isotypically pure recombinant tubulins and studied the motility of a truncated versions of Kinesin-1 and Kinesin-3.

5:30 p.m. 

Speaker: Dr. Hang SU (Post-doctoral Fellow)
Primary Supervisor: Dr. Rio SUGIMURA
Presentation Title: Immunotherapy of hepatocellular carcinoma using chimeric antigen receptor macrophages
Abstract: Immunotherapy activates the body’s immune system to recognize and kill tumor cells. Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T cell (CAR-T) is basically ineffective for solid tumors due to the immunosuppressive microenvironment. Due to the high infiltration of macrophages in the tumor, macrophages are the most distributed immune cells in tumors. Tumor-Associated Macrophages (TAMs) play an important role in the development of tumors, modulation of neo-angiogenesis, immune suppression, and metastasis. In particular, the high expression of the PD-1 protein of TAM inhibits the tumor-killing effect of T cells. We envisage that by designing a CAR structure that targets liver cancer and secretes PD-1 blocking protein. First, we introduced the CAR structure into EPSC stem cells through Piggy Bac and differentiated them into macrophages. Then perform in vitro experiments: a. Testing the tumor-killing effect of CAR-M; b. Testing the immunosuppressive effect on T cells. Finally, we will carry out in vivo experiments: Testing the tumor-killing effect of CAR-M in vivo by analyzing tumor size, cell type, transcriptomics, and single-cell sequencing. We hope to obtain CAR-M cells with strong tumor-killing effects, better targeting of liver cancer, and less toxic side effects.

ALL ARE WELCOME

Should you have any enquiries, please feel free to contact Miss Angela Wong at 3917 9216.