Menu Autophagy and Cancer Cell Biology Lab

Research Interests

Our lab is interested in the following topics related to autophagy and cancer cell biology:

  1. Autophagy: Regulatory Mechanisms and Biological Functions in Cancer

    Autophagy is an evolutionally conserved cellular catabolic process whereby cellular proteins and organelles are engulfed to autophagosomes and eventually delivered to lysosomes for degradation. Our lab is interested to understand the basic mechanisms of autophagy, its involvement in cell death and cancer development, as well as to development novel cancer preventive and therapeutic strategies via modulation of autophagy.

      2. The ongoing research programs related to autophagy study include the following:

    • Role of the AMPK–mTOR signaling pathway in control of autophagy and cell death
    • Molecular mechanism underlying selective autophagy: mitophagy
    • Regulation of lysosomal function in the course of autophagy
    • Modulation of autophagy as a novel cancer therapeutic approach

  2. Involvement of ROS and Oxidative Stress in Cell Death (Apoptotic and Non Apoptotic Cell Death)

  3. Antioxidants and Natural Products as Anti-Cancer Agents



  • Illustration of the novel function of PTEN-L as a protein phosphatase in suppression of mitophagy

    Wang LM et al., Cell Research, 2018


    Illustration of the novel function of PTEN-L as a protein phosphatase in suppression of mitophagy Illustration of the novel function of PTEN-L as a protein phosphatase in suppression of mitophagy

  • TSC-mTOR pathway in modulation of autophagy and cell death in response to starvation

    Ng SK et al., Autophagy, 2011


    TSC-mTOR pathway in modulation of autophagy and cell death in response to starvation

  • PARP-1-AMPK-mTOR in autophagy and necrotic cell death under oxidative stress and DNA damage

    Huang Q-Shen HM. Autophagy 2009


    PARP-1-AMPK‐mTOR in autophagy and necrotic cell death under oxidative stress and DNA damage

  • Dual role of 3-methyladenine on modulation of autophagy via different temporal patterns on Class I and III PI3K.

    Wu YT et al., J Biol Chem 2010

    (this article was featured in Faulty of 1000 Biology)


    Dual role of 3-methyladenine on modulation of autophagy via different temporal patterns on Class I and III PI3K

  • Autophagy is pro-survival mechanism to suppress zVAD-induced necroptosis

    Wu et al., Autophagy, 2008

    Wu et al., Autophagy, 2009

    Wu YT et al., Cell Death Differ 2011


    Autophagy is pro-survival mechanism to suppress zVAD-induced necroptosis

  • Signaling pathways in ROS/RNS-mediated JNK activation and non-apoptotic cell death

    Shen HM et al., Mol Cell Biol, 2004

    Zhang SY et al., Cell Death Differ, 2007

    Wu YT et al., Cell Death Differ, 2008


    Signaling pathways in ROS/RNS-mediated JNK activation and non-apoptotic cell death