Prof. Kathy Qian LUO

• Cancer biology Identify driver proteins that can increase cancer cells’ survival in circulation, metastasis and during chemotherapy.
• Anti-cancer drug discovery: Discover new agents against metastatic and drug resistant cancer cells.
• Metabolic diseases: Study diabetes-related endothelial cell dysfunction and discover new biomarkers for diagnosis and treatment of diabetes.
• Aging research and bio-detections: Generate transgenic zebrafish for aging and toxicity study.

1. Wang Q, Luo M, Wei N, Chang A, Luo KQ* (2019) Development of a liposomal formulation of acetyltanshinone IIA for breast cancer therapy. Molecular Pharmaceutics, 16:3873-3886. DOI: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.9b00493.
2. Ma S, Fu A, Lim S, Chiew GGY, Luo KQ* (2018) MnSOD mediates shear stress-promoted tumor cell migration and adhesion. Free Radical Biology and Medicine, 129:46-58. DOI: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2018.09.004.
3. Regmi S, Fung TS, Lim S, Luo KQ* (2018) Fluidic shear stress increases the anti-cancer effects of ROS-generating drugs in circulating tumor cells. Breast Cancer Research and Treatment, 172(2):297-312. DOI: 10.1007/s10549-018-4922-8.
4. Fu A, Peh YM, Ngan W, Wei N, Luo KQ* (2018) Rapid identification of anti-micrometastases drugs using integrated model systems with 2D monolayer, 3D spheroids and zebrafish xenotransplantation tumors. Biotechnology and Bioengineering, 115(11):2828-2843. DOI: 10.1002/bit.26816.
5. Chiew GGY, Wei N, Sultania S, Lim S, Luo KQ* (2017) Bioengineered three-dimensional co-culture of cancer cells and endothelial cells: a model system for dual analysis of tumor growth and angiogenesis. Biotechnology and Bioengineering, 114(8):1865–1877, DOI: 10.1002/bit.26297.
6. Ma S, Fu A, Chiew GGY, Luo KQ* (2017) Hemodynamic shear stress stimulates migration and extravasation of tumor cells by elevating cellular oxidative level. Cancer Letters, 388: 239-248. DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2016.12.001.
7. Wang Q, Wei N, Liu X, Luo KQ* (2017) Enhancement of the bioavailability of a novel anticancer compound (acetyltanshinone IIA) by encapsulation within mPEG-PLGA nanoparticles: a study of formulation optimization, toxicity, and pharmacokinetics. Oncotarget, 8(7):12013-12030. DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.14481.
8. Regmi S, Fu A, Luo KQ* (2017) High shear stresses under exercise condition destroy circulating tumor cells in a microfluidic system. Scientific Reports, 7:39975. DOI: 10.1038/srep39975.
9. Fu A, Ma SJ, Wei N, Tan BXX, Tan EY, Luo KQ* (2016) High expression of MnSOD promotes survival of circulating breast cancer cells and increases their resistance to doxorubicin. Oncotarget, 7(31):50239-50257. DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.10360.
10. Anand P, Fu A, Teoh SH, Luo KQ* (2015) Application of a fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET)-based biosensor for detection of drug-induced apoptosis in a 3D breast tumor model. Biotechnology and Bioengineering, 112(8):1673-1682. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25728592.
11. Geraldine Giap Ying Chiew, Afu Fu, Luo KQ* (2015) Physical supports from liver cancer cells are essential for differentiation and remodeling of endothelial cells in a HepG2-HUVEC co-culture model. Scientific Reports, 5:10801. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26053957.
12. Zheng XT, Ananthanarayanan A, Luo KQ, Chen P (2015) Glowing graphene quantum dots and carbon dots: properties, syntheses, and biological applications. Small, 11(14):1620-1636. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25521301.
13. Feng C, Huang SX, Gao XM, Xu HX*, Luo KQ* (2014) Characterization of proapoptotic compounds from the bark of Garcinia oblongifolia. Journal of Natural Products, 77(5):1111-1116. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24754786.
14. Yu T, Zhou Z, Mu Y, Lopes G, Luo KQ* (2014) A novel anti-cancer agent, acetyltanshinone IIA, inhibits oestrogen receptor positive breast cancer cell growth by down-regulating the oestrogen receptor. Cancer Letters, 346(1):94-103. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24374015.
15. Liu XF, Yu JQ, Dalan R, Liu AQ, Luo KQ* (2014) Biological factors in plasma from diabetes mellitus patients enhance hyperglycaemia and pulsatile shear stress-induced endothelial cell apoptosis. Integrative Biology, 6(5):511-522. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24643402.
16. Yu JQ, Liu XF, Chin LK, Liu AQ, Luo KQ* (2013) Study of endothelial cell apoptosis using fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) biosensor cell line with hemodynamic microfluidic chip system. Lab on a Chip, 13(14):2693-2700. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23620256.
17. Feng C, Zhou LY, Yu T, Xu G, Tian HL, Xu JJ, Xu HX*, Luo KQ* (2012) A new anticancer compound, Oblongifolin C, inhibits tumor growth and promotes apoptosis in HeLa cells through Bax activation. International Journal of Cancer, 131(6):1445-1454. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22116711.
18. Zhu XM, Fu AF, Luo KQ* (2012) A high-throughput fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET)-based endothelial cell apoptosis assay and its application for screening vascular disrupting agents. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, 418(4):641-646. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22290227.
19. Yu Y, Liu J, Zhao Z, Ng KM, Luo KQ*, Tang BZ* (2012) Facile preparation of non-self-quenching fluorescent DNA strands with the degree of labeling up to the theoretic limit. Chemical Communications, 48(51):6360-6362. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22618018.
20. Yu Y, Feng C, Hong Y, Liu J, Chen S, Ng KM, Luo KQ*, Tang BZ* (2011). Cytophilic fluorescent bioprobes for long-term cell tracking. Advanced Materials, 23(29):3298-3302. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21671445.
21. Chin LK, Yu JQ, Fu Y, Yu T, Liu AQ, Luo KQ* (2011) Production of reactive oxygen species in endothelial cells under different pulsatile shear stresses and glucose concentrations. Lab on a Chip, 11(11):1856-1863. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21373653.
22. Tian HL, Yu T, Xu NN, Feng C, Zhou LY, Luo HW, Chang DC, Le XF, Luo KQ* (2010) A novel compound modified from tanshinone inhibits tumor growth in vivo via activation of the intrinsic apoptotic pathway. Cancer Letters, 297(1):18-30. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20494511.
23. Wei B, Cheng I, Luo KQ, Mi YL (2008) Capture and release of protein by a reversible DNA-induced sol-gel transition system. Angewandte Chemie-International Edition, 47(2):331-333. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18033711.
24. Zhang EJ, Ng KM, Luo KQ* (2007) Extraction and purification of isoflavones from soybeans and characterization of their estrogenic activities. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 55(17):6940-6950, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17658826.
25. Tian H, Ip L, Luo H, Chang DC, Luo KQ* (2007) A high throughput drug screen based on fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) for anticancer activity of compounds from herbal medicine. British Journal of Pharmacology, 150(3):321-334. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17179946.
26. Luo KQ*, Chang DC (2004) The gene-silencing efficiency of siRNA is strongly dependent on the local structure of mRNA at the targeted region. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, 318(1):303-310. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15110788.
27. Chang DC, Xu NH, Luo KQ (2003) Degradation of cyclin B is required for the onset of anaphase in mammalian cells. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 278(39):37865-37873. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12865421.
28. Luo KQ*, Yu VC, Pu YM, Chang DC (2003) Measuring dynamics of caspase-8 activation in a single living HeLa cell during TNF alpha-induced apoptosis. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, 304(2):217-222. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12711301.
29. Luo KQ*, Yu VC, Pu YM, Chang DC (2001) Application of the fluorescence resonance energy transfer method for studying the dynamics of caspase-3 activation during UV-induced apoptosis in living HeLa cells. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, 283(5):1054-1060. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11355879.
30. Luo KQ*, Michaelis C, Weeks G (1994) Overexpression of a truncated cyclin B gene arrests Dictyostelium cell-division during mitosis. Journal of Cell Science, 107:3105-3114. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7699009.

1. PI, MOP1,089,960 (SGD186,000) (EF014/FHS-LQ/2018/JHS) Johns Hopkins Singapore Research Fund. Safety of Liposomal ATA in Large Animal and Efficacy against Breast Cancer Cells Resistant to Tamoxifen, Aromatase Inhibitors, and Fulvestrant. 01/03/2019 to 331/12/2021.
2. PI, MOP900,000, MYRG (2018-00092-FHS) Discovery and Mechanistic Study of Shear Stress-activated Mechanosensors in Increasing Survival and Metastasis of Circulating Tumor Cells. 01/01/2019-31/12/2021.
3. PI, MOP800,000, FHS Internal Project, Generation of a Sensor Zebrafish for Studying Aging and Parkinson’s Disease. 25/04/2018-31/12/2020.
4. PI, MOP1,500,000, MYRG (2017-00019-FHS). Using 3D Co/tri-culture Systems to Study Liver Cancer/stromal Interactions and Discover New Anticancer Agents. 01/01/2018 to 31/12/2020.
5. PI, MOP1,631,300. FDCT (068/2017/A2). Elucidating the Mechanisms of Acetyltanshinone IIA (ATA) in Down-regulating HER2 Protein in Breast Cancer Cells. 28/12/2017 to 27/12/2020.
6. PI, MOP1,665,300, FDCT (083/2016/A2). Exploring the Therapeutic Potentials of Targeting Antioxidant Proteins for Treating Metastatic and Doxorubicin Resistant Breast Cancer Cells. 27/03/2017 to 26/03/2020.
7. PI, MOP250,000, University of Macau, Start-Up Research Grant (SRG2016-00068-FHS). Generating Transgenic Zebrafish Sensors for Detecting Toxic Agents.
   01/05/2016 to 30/04/2019.

1. PI, S$683,842, Ministry of Education, Singapore, Academic Research Fund Tier 2 (MOE2014-T2-1-025). Common mechanisms promoting circulating tumour cell survival and chemoresistance. 01/02/2015 to 31/12/2015.
2. PI, S$657,700, National Research Foundation Competitive Research Programme (NRF-CRP8-2011-05). Pharmacological fingerprinting of selected herbal products. 01/09/2012 to 31/12/2015.
3. PI, S$200,000, Ministry of Education, Singapore, Academic Research Fund Tier 1 (2014-T1-001-053). Investigating the roles of stromal and endothelial cells on tumorigenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma in 3D co/tri-culture systems. 01/11/2014 to 31/12/2015.
4. PI, S$192,000, Johns Hopkins Singapore Research Fund, RCA-13-243-JHS. Generating an intravenous dosage form of a new anti-breast cancer agent and determining its pharmacokinetic profile and in vivo toxicity. 01/07/2014 to 31/12/2015.
5. PI, S$151,000, National Research Foundation-Environment and Water Industry Development Council-Incentive for Research and Innovation Scheme (NRF-EWI-IRIS) (1102-IRIS-05-02). Optofluidic system for bacterial detection and identification. 01/12/2012 to 30/11/2015.
6. PI, S$200,000, Ministry of Education, Singapore, Academic Research Fund Tier 1 (RG45/09). Discovering new anticancer drug candidates from Chinese medicinal herbs by a novel FRET-based high-throughput apoptosis assay. 01/02/2010 to 28/02/2014.
7. PI, S$64,000, Nanyang Technological University-National Health Group (NTU-NHG) Innovation Collaboration Grant (ICG/13008). A pilot study evaluating caspase-3 activation as a novel marker of systemic toxicity in breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy. 01/04/2013 to 30/09/2015.
8. PI, S$48,000, Nanyang Technological University-National Health Group (NTU-NHG) Innovation Seed Grant (ISG/11023). Evaluating the growth inhibition effect of a new anticancer agent in animal with xenografted tumor derived from breast cancer patients. 01/12/2011 to 31/12/2013.
9. PI, S$70,000, Seed Funding from Nanyang Institute of Technology in Health and Medicine (RG47/07). Pharmacokinetic and toxicity studies of a new anti-breast cancer agent (ATA) in animal models. 01/05/2011 to 30/04/2012.
10. PI, S$200,000, Start-up grant from SCBE of NTU. 04/05/2009 to 30/09/2012.

1. PI, HK$3,800,000, Innovation and Technology, Commission of Hong Kong (ITF/006/08NP). Developing and manufacturing nano-structured oral dosage forms of isoflavone and insulin with improved bioavailability. 07/04/2009 to 06/06/2011.
2. PI, HK$450,000, Research Project Competition of Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (RPC-07/08.EG19). Bioassay-guided systematic fractionation of TCM for rapid discovery of new anticancer compounds. 02/06/2008 to 31/05/2009.
3. PI, HK$77,000, Research Grants Council of Hong Kong-Direct Allocation Grants (DAG04/05.EG37), Purification and application of isoflavones from soybeans as a substitute for treating women with postmenopausal symptoms. 30/06/2005 to 31/05/2009.
4. PI, HK$149,000, University Grants Committee of Hong Kong-Continuous Learning & Improvement through Teaching Innovation (00386E). Bring a molecular cell biology laboratory into the classroom of HKUST. 1/11/2005 to 29/02/2008.
5. PI, HK$50,000, University Grants Committee of Hong Kong-Continuous Learning & Improvement through Teaching Innovation (00407E), Hong Kong Bioinformatics in Bioengineering: Direct Experience with Interactive Learning. 06/12/2006 to 31/05/2008.

1. Luo KQ, Yu T, Luo HW, Acetyltanshinone IIA (ATA) as anticancer agent, China Patent No.: 201280028087.2, granted on Feb 3, 2016.
2. Luo KQ, Yu T, Luo HW, Acetyltanshinone IIA (ATA) as anticancer agent. US Patent No.: US 9,226,912 B2, granted on Jan. 5, 2016.
3. Luo KQ, Yu T, Luo HW, Acetyltanshinone IIA (ATA) as anticancer agent. Singapore Patent No. 193492, granted on August 15, 2014.
4. Ng KM, Luo Q, Zhang EJ, Harjo B, A health care product containing isoflavone aglycones and method of preparing the same. US Patent No. US 7,553,505 B2, granted on June 30, 2009.
5. Chang DC, Luo KQ, Nucleic Acid encoding fluorescent protein constructs and methods for detecting apoptosis. US Patent No. US 7,354,735, granted on April 8, 2008.
6. Chang DC, Luo Q, Intra-molecular modification of GFP (green fluorescent protein) for detecting apoptosis and specific enzyme activity in living cells. US Patent No. US 7,049,400, granted on May 23, 2006.
7. Chang DC, Luo KQ, GFP-based methods for detecting apoptosis. PRC Patent No. ZL 02 1 20427.6, granted on May 3, 2006.

Pending (2)

1. Luo KQ, Wang Q, Chang A. Development of a clinical formulation of liposomal acetyltanshinone IIA (ATA) for breast cancer therapy. US Provisional Patent Application No. 62/577,564. File in 26 October 2017, pending.
2. Teoh SH, Bhave MS, Hassanbhai AM, Anand P, Luo KQ, Non-viable derivatives of clostridium sporogenes as anti-cancer therapeutic agents. Singapore “Provisional” Patent Application No. 10201508832Q filed on 26 October 2015. PCT Patent Application No.: PCT/SG2016/050508, International filing date: 18 October 2016, pending.

1. 1. Best Teacher (Excellence in Service) (2018/2019) from Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau.
2. The best poster award received during the International Symposium on Advances in Molecular Sensory Engineering (SAMSE), July 27-28, 2017, Singapore.
3. The best poster award received during the 16th Biennial Metastasis Research Congress, Sep 16-20, 2016, Chengdu, China.
4. The best poster award received during the International Conference of Optofluidics, July 26-29, 2015, Taipei, Taiwan.
5. Travel Award received from the American Society for Cell Biology in Dec. 1993, San Francisco, USA.

1. Chair of Animal Research Ethics of UM (2016-present)
2. Member of the UM Senate (2016-present)
3. Research Committee of UM (2016-present)
4. President of the Presidium of the General Assembly of the Academic Staff Association of UM (2017-2019)
5. Ad Hoc Selection Committee for Emeritus Professor of UM (2017-present)
6. UM-Selection Committee for Macao Fellow (2018-present)
7. UM-Selection Committee for Macao Science and Technology Awards 2018 (Postgraduates)
8. Chairing PhD Oral Defences for various faculty and academic units of UM (2018-present)
9. Investigation Panel for Student Affairs (2019-present)
10. Faculty-level Academic Staff Promotion Advisory Panel of AMSV (2017)
11. Faculty-level Academic Staff Promotion Advisory Panel of ICMS (2019)

Faculty Level:

12. Faculty Executive Committee (FEC) (2016-present)
13. Faculty Academic Personnel Committee (2017-present)
14. Faculty Mentor Committee (2018-present)
15. Faculty Contract Renewal Committee (2016-present)
16. Selection Committee for Academic Faculty Recruitment (2019-present)
17. Selection Committee for Macao Science and Technology Awards 2018 (Postgraduates)
18. Selection Committee for UM Macao Talent Program (UMMTP) (2018-present)
19. Selection Committee for Macau Fellow (2016-present)
20. Chair of the Recruitment Committee for Administrative Staff (2018-present)
21. Graduate Studies Committee (2016-present)
22. Equipment Committee of FHS and ICMS (2016-present)
23. Coordinator of Final Year Project (2016-present)
24. Postgraduate Academic Committee (2016-present)

1. Editorial Board of Advances in Modern Oncology Research
2. Editorial Board of AIMS Bioengineering
3. Review Editor of Frontiers in Ethnopharmacology
4. Editorial Board of Austin Chemical Engineering

Conference Committees

1. Session Chair, Precision Medicine Symposium. June 26-27, 2019, Macau, China
2. Session Chair, 6^th Macau Symposium on Biomedical Sciences. June 12-13, 2019, Macau, China
3. Session Chair for the 5^th Macau Symposium on Biomedical Sciences. June 8-9, 2018, Macau, China
4. Organizing Committee, 3^rd World Conference on the Pharmacology of Natural and Traditional Medicine 2015, July 22-24, Singapore
5. Technical Program Committee (TPC) for MicroTAS 2014, October 26-30, 2014, San Antonio, Texas, USA
6. Session Chair, The 15th International Conference on Biomedical Engineering (ICBME 2013), December 4-7, 2013, Singapore
7. Coordinator of the NTU-SCBE Symposium on Drug Discovery, Drug Delivery and Regenerative Medicine at the 6^th Annual BioPharma Asia Convention, March 19, 2013, Singapore
8. Session Chair, The HKUST International Conference on Biomedical Engineering, Jan 10-12, 2013, Hong Kong
9. Organizing Committee, 2^nd International Conference on Cellular and Molecular Bioengineering (ICCMB2), August 2010, Singapore
10. Session Chair, International Conference on Recent Development in Chinese Herbal Medicine, January 2010, Singapore
11. Organizing Committee, 7^th International Conference of Modernization of Chinese Medicine & Health Products, August 2008, Hong Kong
12. Organizing Committee, 6^th International Conference of Modernization of Chinese Medicine & Health Products, August 2007, Hong Kong

Reviewer for Grant Applications

1. European Research Council Consolidator Grant
2. Medical Research Council of UK
3. Research Grants Council (RGC) of Hong Kong, Funding Scheme: GRF / ECS
4. National Research Foundation of Singapore Competitive Research Programme
5. Ministry of Education, Singapore, Academic Research Fund Tier 2
6. Ministry of Education, Singapore, Academic Research Fund Tier 1
7. Ministry of Education, Singapore, Translation and Innovation Fund
8. Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Nanyang Technological University, and National Health Group Skin Research Grant
9. Nanyang Technological University iFood Research Grant

Reviewer for International Journals (20)

Biotechnology Progress, Cancer Letters, Cancer Chemotherapy and Pharmacology, Chemical Engineering Research and Design, Current Medicinal Chemistry, Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Food and Bioprocess Technology, Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, Integrative Biology, International Journal of Pharmaceutics, Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, Journal of the American Chemical Society, Journal of Food Biochemistry, Journal of Materials Chemistry, Phytotherapy Research, PLoS One, Separation and Purification Technology, Oncotarget, Soft Matters, International Journal of Biological Sciences.

1. Courses taught: Translational Medicine, Molecular Cell Biology, Advanced Cell Biology, Biochemistry for Bioengineering, Biomolecular Engineering, Biomedical Nanotechnology, Synthetic Biology and Bioinformatics, and Applications of Engineering in Life Sciences.
2. Average teaching evaluation from 36 classes of 12 courses taught from 2004 to 2015: 90%.
3. Supervised students and staff: 9 Postdocs, 26 Ph.D. students, 19 M.S. students, 8 research staffs, and 56 undergraduate students.