2022-09-02T15:07:36+08:002019-11-29|
Contact Information
Title
Professor
Office
(Office) E12-3007 / (Lab) N22-4037/4039/4040
Phone
(Office) +853 8822 4233 / (Lab) +853 8822 4283/4267
Fax
+853 8822 2314
Email
kluo@um.edu.mo
Consultation Hours

Wed 15:00 – 17:00

Teaching

Course Outlines

HSCI4007 Translational Medicine

HSCI7002 Biomedical Sciences

 

Research Team
Name Position Office Phone Email
Hao JIAResearch Assistant (Lab Representative)N22-4039+853 8822 4283haojia@um.edu.mo
Hongmei YANGPhD StudentN22-4037+853 8822 4267
Meng HAOPhD StudentN22-4037+853 8822 4267
Haibo TONGPhD StudentN22-4039+853 8822 4283
Muya ZHOUPhD StudentN22-4040+853 8822 4283
Tianhong LIPhD StudentN22-4040+853 8822 4283
Xiaoying ZHANGPhD StudentN22-4037+853 8822 4267
Mingheng YUANPhD StudentN22-4040+853 8822 4283
Huaxing XIONGPhD StudentN22-4039+853 8822 4283
Jialing WANGPhD Student
Yue HUPhD Student
Education
Postdoctoral Fellow Division of Biology, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA (1995-1998)
PhD Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada (1990-1995)
MSc Peking University, Department of Biology, Beijing, China (1982-1985)
BSc Peking University, Department of Biology, Beijing, China (1978-1982)
Position
01/2016 – Present Professor, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau
05/2009 – 12/2015 Associate Professor, School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
12/2003 – 05/2009 Visiting Assistant Professor, Bioengineering Graduate Program, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong
08/1998 – 12/2003 Research Associate, Department of Biology, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong
09/1989 – 08/1990 Research Assistant, Department of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
09/1987 – 08/1989 Research Assistant, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado, Denver, Colorado, USA
Awards
2019 Best Teacher (Excellence in Service) (2018/2019) from Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau.
07/2017 The best poster award received during the International Symposium on Advances in Molecular Sensory Engineering (SAMSE), Singapore.
09/2016 The best poster award received during the 16th Biennial Metastasis Research Congress, Chengdu, China.
07/2015 The best poster award received during the International Conference of Optofluidics, Taipei, Taiwan.
12/1993 Travel Award received from the American Society for Cell Biology, San Francisco, USA.
Representative Publications
Selected from 81 publications (*: as first, corresponding & co-corresponding authors; Citations: 5,030, h-index: 36, i10-index: 60 from Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com.sg/citations?user=VyK5XakAAAAJ&hl=en)

  1. Wu R, Li K, Yuan M, Luo KQ* (2021) Nerve growth factor receptor increases the tumor growth and metastatic potential of triple-negative breast cancer cells. Oncogene. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41388-021-01691-y.
  2. Jia H, Luo KQ* (2021) Fluorescence resonance energy transfer-based sensor zebrafish for detecting toxic agents with single-cell sensitivity. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 408:124826. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2020.124826.
  3. Huang B, Yip WK, Wei, N, Luo KQ* (2020) Acetyltanshinone IIA is more potent than lapatinib in inhibiting cell growth and degrading HER2 protein in drug-resistant HER2-positive breast cancer cells. Cancer Letters, 490:1-11. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32585412/.
  4. Jia H, Song YL, Huang B, Wei G, Luo KQ* (2020) Engineered Sensor Zebrafish for Fast Detection and Real-Time Tracking of Apoptosis at Single-Cell Resolution in Live Animals. ACS Sensors, 5:823-830. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32090557/.
  5. 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. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31389706/.
  6. 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. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30193891/.
  7. 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. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30117065/.
  8. 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. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30102771/.
  9. 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. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28369747/.
  10. 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. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27965040/.
  11. 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. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28061455/.
  12. 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. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28054593/.
  13. 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. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27384484/.
  14. 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.
  15. 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.
  16. 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.
  17. 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.
  18. 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.
  19. 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.
  20. 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.
  21. 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.
  22. 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.
  23. 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.
  24. 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.
  25. 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.
  26. 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.
  27. 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.
  28. 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.
  29. 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.
  30. 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
Full publications list
Research Grants

01/2022 – 12/2023 PI, MOP200,000, MYRG (2020-00121-FHS). Establish a Sensor Zebrafish Model and Use It to Study the Roles of Genetic Factors in Promoting Parkinson’s Disease-related Neuronal Cell Death.
03/2019 – 12/2021 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.
01/2019 – 12/2021 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.
04/2018 – 12/2020 PI, MOP800,000, FHS Internal Project, Generation of a Sensor Zebrafish for Studying Aging and Parkinson’s Disease.
01/2018 – 12/2020 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.
12/2017 – 12/2020 PI, MOP1,631,300. FDCT (068/2017/A2). Elucidating the Mechanisms of Acetyltanshinone IIA (ATA) in Down-regulating HER2 Protein in Breast Cancer Cells.
05/2016 – 04/2019 PI, MOP250,000, University of Macau, Start-Up Research Grant (SRG2016-00068-FHS). Generating Transgenic Zebrafish Sensors for Detecting Toxic Agents.

02/2015 – 12/2015 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.
11/2014 – 12/2015 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.
07/2014 – 12/2015 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.
09/2012 – 12/2015 PI, S$657,700, National Research Foundation Competitive Research Programme (NRF-CRP8-2011-05). Pharmacological fingerprinting of selected herbal products.
12/2012 – 11/2015 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.
04/2013 – 09/2015 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.
02/2010 – 02/2014 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.
12/2011 – 12/2013 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.
05/2011 – 04/2012 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.
05/2009 – 09/2012 PI, S$200,000, Start-up grant from SCBE of NTU.

04/2009 – 06/2011 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.
06/2008 – 05/2009 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.
06/2005 – 05/2009 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.
11/2005 – 02/2008 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.
12/2006 – 05/2008 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.

Patents
Granted (7)

  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.
Research Interests
  • Cancer biology: Identify driver genes that can increase cancer cells survival in circulation, metastasis and tumor growth.
  • Anti-cancer drug discovery: Discover new agents against metastatic and drug resistant cancer cells.
  • Aging research and bio-detections: Generate transgenic zebrafish for aging and toxicity study.
Professional Activities

American Society for Cell Biology since 1993

University Level:

  1. Chair of Animal Research Ethics of UM (2016-present)
  2. University-level Academic Staff Promotion Advisory Committee 2019/2020
  3. UM Senate (2016-2018)
  4. Research Committee of UM (2016-2018)
  5. President of the Presidium of the General Assembly of the Academic Staff Association of UM (2017-2019)
  6. Ad Hoc Selection Committee for Emeritus Professor of UM (2017-2018)
  7. UM-Selection Committee for Macao Fellow (2018-present)
  8. UM-Selection Committee for Macao Science and Technology Awards 2018 (Postgraduates)
  9. Chairing PhD Oral Defenses for various faculty and academic units of UM (2018-present)
  10. Investigation Panel for Student Affairs (2019-present)
  11. Faculty-level Academic Staff Promotion Advisory Panel of AMSV (2017)
  12. Faculty-level Academic Staff Promotion Advisory Panel of ICMS (2019-present)
  13. Equipment Committee for UM Henequin Research Center (2019-2020)

Faculty Level:

  1. Coordinator of the UG programme (2019-present)
  2. Faculty Executive Committee (FEC) (2016-present)
  3. Chair of the Programme Management Committee (PMC) (2019-present)
  4. Faculty Academic Staff Promotion Advisory Committee 2019/2020
  5. Faculty Academic Personnel Committee (2017-present)
  6. Faculty Contract Renewal Committee (2016-present)
  7. Faculty Mentor Committee (2018-present)
  8. Selection Committee for Academic Faculty Recruitment (2019-present)
  9. Selection Committee for Macao Science and Technology Awards 2018 (Postgraduates)
  10. Selection Committee for UM Macao Talent Program (UMMTP) (2018-present)
  11. Selection Committee for Macau Fellow (2016-present)
  12. Chair of the Recruitment Committee for Administrative Staff (2018-present)
  13. Graduate Studies Committee (2016-present)
  14. Equipment Committee of FHS and ICMS (2016-present)
  15. Coordinator of Final Year Project (2016-present)
  16. Postgraduate Academic Committee (2016-present)
  17. Member of the Academic Council (AC) of FHS (2016-present)
  18. Committee of Five-year Programme Review of FHS (2019-2020)

  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

  1. Session Chair, Precision Medicine Symposium. June 26-27, 2019, Macau, China
  2. Session Chair, 6th Macau Symposium on Biomedical Sciences. June 12-13, 2019, Macau, China
  3. Session Chair for the 5th Macau Symposium on Biomedical Sciences. June 8-9, 2018, Macau, China
  4. Organizing Committee, 3rd 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 6th 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, 2nd 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, 7th International Conference of Modernization of Chinese Medicine & Health Products, August 2008, Hong Kong
  12. Organizing Committee, 6th International Conference of Modernization of Chinese Medicine & Health Products, August 2007, Hong Kong

  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

Biomaterials, 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 Biological Sciences, International Journal of Pharmaceutics, Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, Journal of the American Chemical Society, Journal of Food Biochemistry, Journal of Materials Chemistry, Molecular Cancer, Oncotarget, Phytotherapy Research, PLoS One, Separation and Purification Technology, Soft Matters.