Academic Staff
Dr TANNER, Julian Alexander
- BSc (Bristol); PhD (Imperial College London)
- Associate Professor
- Assistant Dean (Biomedical Sciences Curriculum), Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine
- Associate Director (Teaching & Learning), School of Biomedical Sciences
- Chemical Biology
- Directed Nucleic Acid Evolution for Biomedical Application
- Inorganic Polyphosphate Function
Dr. Julian A. Tanner is Associate Professor, Associate Director (T&L) of the School, and Assistant Dean T&L (Biomedical Sciences Curriculum) of the Faculty.
Robotic APTamer-enabled electrochemical reader (RAPTER) for luteinising hormone sensing to diagnose reproductive disorders as published in Nature Communications in Feb 2019 as a collaboration between the University of Hong Kong and Imperial College London.
Julian's research field is chemical biology, with a particular focus on directed nucleic acid evolution for translational biomedical application. The Tanner lab brings together interdisciplinary experimental approaches at the interface of biomedical science, chemistry and engineering to tackle major medical challenges. His highly collaborative research team is developing new technologies for biosensing, diagnostics and therapeutics in a variety of contexts, including point-of-care malaria diagnostics and continuous hormone sensing for reproductive disorders. The team is also investigating the interface of aptamers and DNA nanotechnology through design of triggers of conformational change at the nanoscale. In more basic research, his team is exploring the biological functions of the fundamental yet enigmatic long-chain inorganic polyphosphates. Julian also has experience in educational research, with particular interest in how to build the best environment for research excellence and student achievement at the nexus between research, teaching and innovation.
The team has published widely in leading journals including Nature Communications, PNAS, Angewandte Chemie, Biosensors & Bioelectronics, Advanced Biosystems and Analytical Chemistry. Julian also co-authored a leading textbook of Chemical Biology published by Wiley.
Lab Photo: (from left to right): Andrew Kinghorn, Simon Shiu, Julian Tanner, Vanessa Choi, Soubhagya Bhuyan, Mengping Liu, Xiaotian Zhang, Yash Shukla, Young Lo, Mei Li Khong
- Liang, S., Kinghorn, A.B., Voliotis, M., Prague, J.K., Veldhuis, J.D., Tsaneva-Atanasova, K., McArdle, C.A., Li, R.H.W., Cass, A.E.G.*, Dhillo, W.S.* & Tanner, J.A.* Measuring luteinising hormone pulsatility with a robotic aptamer-enabled electrochemical reader. Nature Commun, 10, 852 (2019)
- Fraser, L.A., Cheung, Y.W., Kinghorn, A.B., Guo, W., Shiu, S.C.C., Jinata, C., Liu, M., Bhuyan, S., Nan, L., Shum, H.C. & Tanner, J.A. Microfluidic Technology for Nucleic Acid Aptamer Evolution and Application. Adv Biosys doi.org/10.1002/adbi.201900012 (2019)
- Li, L., Khong, M.L., Lui, E.L.H., Mebarek, S., Magne, D., Buchet, R. & Tanner, J.A. Long-chain polyphosphate in osteoblast matrix vesicles: enrichment and inhibition of mineralization. Biochim Biophys Acta Gen Subj, 1863(1), 199-209 (2019)
- Sakai, Y., Islam, M.S., Adamiak, M., Shiu, S.C.C., Tanner, J.A. & Heddle, J.G. DNA aptamers for functionalisation of DNA origami nanostructures. Genes, 9(12), 571 (2018)
- Shiu, S.C.C., Kinghorn, A.B., Sakai, Y., Cheung, Y.W., Heddle, J.G. & Tanner, J.A. Three S’s for aptamer-mediated control of DNA nanostructure dynamics: shape, self-complementarity and spatial flexibility. Chembiochem, 19(18), 1900-1906 (2018)
- Shiu, S.C.C.*, Fraser, L.A.*, Ding, Y. & Tanner, J.A. Aptamer display on diverse DNA polyhedron supports. Molecules, 23(7), 1695 (2018)
- Tucker, W.O., Kinghorn, A.B., Fraser, L.A., Cheung, Y.W. & Tanner, J.A. Selection and characterization of a DNA aptamer specifically targeting human HECT ubiquitin ligase WWP1. Int J Mol Sci, 19(3), 763 (2018)
- Tang, M.S.L., Shiu, S.C.C., Godonoga, M., Cheung, Y.W., Liang, S., Dirkzwager, R.M., Kinghorn, A.B., Fraser, L.A., Heddle, J.G.* & Tanner, J.A.* An aptamer-enabled DNA nanobox for protein sensing. Nanomed. Nanotechnol Biol Med, 14, 1161-1168 (2018)
- Cheung, Y.W., Dirkzwager, R.M., Wong, W.C, Cardoso, J., Costa, J.D.N. & Tanner, J.A. Aptamer-mediated Plasmodium-specific diagnosis of malaria. Biochimie, 145, 131-136 (2018)
- Fraser, L.A., Kinghorn, A.B., Dirkzwager, R.M., Liang, S., Cheung, Y.W., Lim, B., Shiu, S.C.C., Tang, M.S.L., Andrew, D., Manitta, J., Richards, J.S. & Tanner, J.A. A portable microfluidic Aptamer-Tethered Enzyme Capture (APTEC) biosensor for malaria diagnosis. Biosens Bioelectron, 100, 591-596 (2018)
- Kinghorn, A.B., Fraser, L.A., Liang, S., Shiu, S.C.C. & Tanner, J.A. Aptamer Bioinformatics. Int J Mol Sci, 18, 2516 (2017)
- Kinghorn, A.B. & Tanner, J.A. Selective Phenome Growth adapted NK model: a novel landscape to represent aptamer ligand binding. Complexity, 6760852 (2017)
- Shiu, S.C.C., Cheung, Y.W., Dirkzwager, R.M., Liang, S., Kinghorn, A.B., Fraser, L.A., Tang, M.S.L. & Tanner, J.A. Aptamer-mediated protein molecular recognition driving a DNA tweezer nanomachine. Adv Biosys, 1, 1600006 (2017)
- Kinghorn, A.B., Dirkzwager, R.M., Liang, S., Cheung, Y.W., Fraser, L.A., Shiu, S.C.C., Tang, M.S.L. & Tanner, J.A. Aptamer affinity maturation by resampling and microarray selection. Anal Chem, 88(14), 6981-6985 (2016)
- Dirkzwager, R.M., Liang, S. & Tanner, J.A. Development of aptamer-based point-of-care diagnostic device for malaria using 3D printing rapid prototyping. ACS Sensors, 1(4), 420-426 (2016)
- Dirkzwager, R.M., Kinghorn, A.B., Richards, J.S. & Tanner, J.A. APTEC: Aptamer-Tethered Enzyme Capture as a novel rapid diagnostic test for malaria. Chem Commun, 51, 4697-4700 (2015)
- Cheung, Y.W., Kwok, J., Law, A.W.L., Watt, R.M., Kotaka, M. & Tanner, J.A. Structural basis for discriminatory recognition of Plasmodium lactate dehydrogenase by a DNA aptamer. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA, 110(40), 15967-15972 (2013)
- Tanner, J.A., Kinghorn, A.B. & Cheung, Y.W. Aptamers. MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. 289 pages (2018). (edited book)
- Bevan, S.J., Chan, C.W.L. & Tanner, J.A. Diverse assessment and active student engagement sustain deep learning: a comparative study of outcomes in two parallel introductory biochemistry courses. Biochem Mol Biol Edu, 42(6), 474-479 (2014).
- Miller, A.D. & Tanner, J.A. Essentials of Chemical Biology: Structure and Dynamics of Biological Macromolecules. John Wiley & Sons, Ltd, Chichester, UK. 573 pages (2008).
- ScienceDaily: New robotic sensor technology can diagnose reproductive health problems in real-time
- Phys.org: New robotic sensor technology can diagnose reproductive health problems in real-time
- 蘋果新聞: 港英研發 20元測女性不孕 微極電線檢測黃體生成素 免重複抽血
- 星島日報: 港大與英研發 快速診斷不孕症
- 東方日報: 新「單鏈DNA序列」 助快速診斷不孕症
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- 經濟日報：生殖障礙難診斷 港大與倫敦帝國學院開發自動檢測平台
- 東網: 港大研不孕症快速檢測 費用僅20元
- HK01: 港大與倫敦帝國學院研傳感檢測技術快速診斷不孕不育 成本減九成
- 巴士的報: 港大與英學府開發檢測平台 查女性不孕費用僅傳統方法0.2%
- Advanced Science News: Proteins feel the pinch with DNA nanotweezers
- Burnet Institute: Burnet Institute and University of Hong Kong in new collaboration
- South China Morning Post: HKU team discovers DNA technique to detect malaria
- Medical Tribune: DNA aptamer to transform malaria diagnosis
- Nucleic acid aptamer decorated peptide amphiphile nanofibers for regenerative medicine applications (CERG GRF 2018)
- Next generation aptamer-mediated rapid diagnostic tests for the point-of-care diagnosis of malaria (Shirley Boyde Trust 2017)
- Expanding the functional repertoire of nucleic acid aptamers by fluorescence-activated droplet sorting (CERG GRF 2016)
- Development of an aptamer-based sensor for monitoring luteinizing hormone pulsatility (HMRF 2016)
- DNA display SELEX – a new approach to evolve fluorescent tools to image RNA in living cells (CERG GRF 2015)
- DNA origami interfaced with aptamer-mediated molecular recognition for integrated modular diagnostics (CERG GRF 2014)
- 3-D Printed Aptamer-Enabled Diagnostic Dominoes for Malaria (CERG GRF 2013)
- Defining the Roles of the Fundamental Macromolecule Inorganic Polyphosphate in Osteoblasts (CERG GRF 2012)
- Tanner, J.A. & Cheung, Y.W. Sandwich and species-specific nucleic acid aptamers against Plasmodium lactate dehydrogenase for malaria diagnosis. PCT/CN2017/115895 (2017)
- Kinghorn, A.D. & Tanner, J.A. DNA display and methods thereof. PCT/CN2015/073350, CN201580079273.2A, US15/553885, EP15882959.8A (2015)
- Tanner, J.A., Cheung, Y.W. & Kotaka, M., Nucleic acid aptamers against Plasmodium lactate dehydrogenase and histidine-rich protein II and uses thereof for malaria diagnosis. US9000137B2, CN104245957B, WO2013117162A1, EP2812453B1 (2013)
- Tanner, J. A., Shum, K.T. & Chan, C.S.L., High-affinity nucleic acid aptamers against sclerostin protein. US8552166B2, CN102971424B, WO2011147193A1, EP2576786B1 (2013)
- Hong Kong UGC Teaching Award (Team) (2019)
- HKU Outstanding Teacher Award (Team) (2018)
- HKU Outstanding Research Student Supervisor Award (2017)
- HKU Outstanding Young Researcher Award (2016)
- HKU Outstanding Teacher Award (Individual) (2015)
- Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (FRSC) (2014)
- Dr Mei Li Khong
- Dr Andrew Kinghorn
- Dr Simon Shiu
- Soubhagya Bhuyan – PhD student
- Chandra Jinata – PhD student
- Mengping Liu – PhD student
- Young Lo – PhD student
- Dr Wai Kit Ming - PhD student
- Lin Wang - PhD student
- Vanessa Choi – Technician
* I am open to enquiries from prospective PhD students, please contact me. Financially supported positions may be available for excellent applicants, either local or international. Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme applicants are particularly welcome.
- Dr Cecilia Chan – PhD
- Dr Celine Chan – PhD
- Dr Yee-Wai Cheung – PhD
- Dr Mei Choi – PhD
- Dr Roderick Dirkzwager – PhD
- Dr Lewis Fraser – PhD
- Dr Mei Li Khong –PhD
- Dr Andrew Kinghorn – PhD
- Dr Shaolin Liang – PhD (joint HKU-Imperial)
- Dr Eric Lui – PhD
- Dr Simon Shiu - PhD
- Dr Kato Shum – PhD
- Dr Wesley Tucker – PhD
- Dr Yuanyuan Yu – PhD
- Carl Ao – MPhil
- Mari Kimura – MPhil
- Bob Lee – MPhil
- Marco Tang – MPhil
- Alvin Wai Chung Wong –MMedSc
Last update: 2019-10-11