The Biophysics and Bioanalytical Technology Group consists of 8 Research Fellows and 3 Adjunct Research Fellows. The research aims of this group are: (1) understanding the physical principles governing biological processes with both theoretical and experimental approaches; (2) exploiting and developing new methods and tools based on optics, microscopy, and nanotechnology to interrogate complex biological systems at the molecular, cellular, and organismal levels. This research group is specialized in development and application of fluorescent nanodiamonds, design of fluorescent probes for cancer diagnosis, molecular dynamics simulations of protein interactions, disease-related protein biomarker searching, ultrahigh-speed optical microscope imaging, superresolution fluorescence microscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, bioluminescence and nano-genetic engineering technologies.
Huan-Cheng Chang's research effort is focused on the development of diamond nanoparticles as protein extraction, isolation, purification, and crystallization devices, as well as the production of fluorescent nanodiamonds (FNDs) for superresolution imaging, long-term cell tracking, and nanoscale temperature sensing applications.
Ta-Chau Chang has put attention on “small molecules in cancer research”, specifically BMVC derivatives in G-quadruplex, cellular difference, cancer diagnosis, and cancer treatment. In addition, a CARS/TPE-F microscope has been constructed for studying lipid metabolism of Drosophila at larval and pupal stages.
Dah-Yen Yang is interested in studying disease-related proteins, allosteric interaction, and the quantum conductance of topological insulator. Amyloid self-aggregation of A-beta, prion malfunction, molecular mechanism of hemoglobin dimer cooperativity, and ion channel conductivity have been investigated by molecular dynamics.
Chau-Chung Han is constructing a meter-long imaging capillary isoelectric focusing device as part of his thematic research direction in disease-related protein biomarker searching with top-down proteomics approaches.
Chia-Lung Hsieh studies rapid dynamics in biological systems at nanometer spatial precision and microsecond temporal resolution. His ultrahigh-speed optical imaging system provides the opportunity to study membrane dynamics, intracellular transport, and viral entry with unprecedented clarity.
Jung-Chi Liao's research is on developing and applying superresolution microscopy techniques to reveal molecular architecture in cells. He focuses on understanding the structure and functions of proteins at the base of primary cilia in order to understand the signaling and sensing functions of primary cilia.
Tsyr-Yan Yu is interested in three major research fields, including membrane protein research in a near-native environment, amyloid fibril formation and NMR methodology development.
Charles P. Lai focuses on developing molecular imaging and genetic engineering technologies with extracellular vesicles (EVs). EVs including exosomes and microvesicles are nanometer-sized particles released by cells to communicate with one another both locally and distally without immediate cell-to-cell contacts.
The research activities of three adjunct members include (1) fabrication of novel nanodevices and application of field-effect transistors, scanning probe microscopy, and optical microscopy to study biochemical processes in cells by Yit-Tsong Chen, (2) novel mass spectrometry development, applying mass spectrometry for cancer biomarker search, and laser trapping Raman spectroscopy for single cell reaction dynamics by Chung-Hsuan Chen, and (3) studies of programmed cell death and cell migration in Caenorhabditis elegans using nanomaterials by Yi-Chun Wu.
