Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica

Research

Natural products (NPs) have been an important source of molecules in drug discovery and development. Their diversity scaffolds and semisynthetic derivatives provide new chemical entities (NCEs) and exhibit variety of biological activities with pharmacological potentials. Recent advances in molecular biology, bioinformatics and whole-genome sequencing provided great advances in understanding the genetic and enzymatic basis of natural product biosynthesis.

Our research consists of the following topics. Each of these topics can be standalone but is at the same time interconnected with each other.

1. Discovery of bioactive natural products based on activity-guided screening.
2. Targeted gene cluster discovery and biosynthetic study of bioactive NPs.
3. Discovery of new NPs by genome mining in microorganisms.
4. Combinatorial biosynthesis in heterologous expression systems.

For more information about Dr. Lin's lab: https://sites.google.com/site/hsiaochinglab/home

Degrees and Positions Held

• 2006 – 2011   Ph.D., School of Pharmacy, National Taiwan University
• 2004 – 2006   M.S., School of Pharmacy, National Taiwan University
• 2000 – 2004   B.S., School of Pharmacy, Taipei Medical University

• 2020 – present   Associate Research Fellow, Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica
• 2015 – 2020   Assistant Research Fellow, Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica
• 2012 – 2015   Postdoctoral researcher, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles
• 2011 – 2012   Postdoctoral researcher, School of Pharmacy, National Taiwan University

Selected Publications

The Biosynthetic Gene Cluster of Mushroom-Derived Antrocin Encodes Two Dual-Functional Haloacid Dehalogenase-like Terpene Cyclases.  
Chen TH, Chen CT, Lee CF, Huang RJ, Chen KL, Lu YC, Liang SY, Pham MT, Rao YK, Wu SH, Chein RJ, , Lin HC*  
Angewandte Chemie-International Edition (2023)

Biosynthesis of Piperazine-Derived Diazabicyclic Alkaloids Involves a Nonribosomal Peptide Synthetase and Subsequent Tailoring by a Multifunctional Cytochrome P450 Enzyme.     
Pham MT, Chen SR, Liang SY, Cheng YB, Lin HC*   
Organic letters (2022)

An Enzyme-Mediated Aza-Michael Addition Is Involved in the Biosynthesis of an Imidazoyl Hybrid Product of Conidiogenone B.     
Hewage RT, Huang RJ, Lai SJ, Lien YC, Weng SH, Li D, Chen YJ, Wu SH, Chein RJ*, Lin HC*   
Organic letters (2021)

Discovery of a Dual Function Cytochrome P450 that Catalyzes Enyne Formation in Cyclohexanoid Terpenoid Biosynthesis.     
Chen YR, Naresh A, Liang SY, Lin CH, Chein RJ, Lin HC*   
Angewandte Chemie-International Edition (2020)

Enzyme-Catalyzed Azepinoindole Formation in Clavine Alkaloid Biosynthesis.     
Chen KL, Lai CY, Pham MT, Chein RJ, Tang Y, Lin HC*   
Organic letters (2020)

The Biosynthesis of Norsesquiterpene Aculenes Requires Three Cytochrome P450 Enzymes to Catalyze a Stepwise Demethylation Process.     
Lee CF, Chen LX, Chiang CY, Lai CY, Lin HC*   
Angewandte Chemie-International Edition (2019)

Biosynthesis of Complex Indole Alkaloids: Elucidation of the Concise Pathway of Okaramines.     
Lai CY, Lo IW, Hewage RT, Chen YC, Chen CT, Lee CF, Lin S, Tang MC, Lin HC*     
Angewandte Chemie-International Edition (2017)

Publication List