Principal Investigators
phliang@gate.sinica.edu.tw 02-2366-5539
Po-Huang Liang RESEARCH FELLOW
Room309, IBS, NTU

Research

Our laboratory has been focusing on (i) mechanistic and structural studies of prenyltransferases catalyzing chain elongation, such as undecaprenyl diphosphate synthase, octaprenyl diphosphate synthase, and geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthase; (ii) antivirus and anti-cancer drug discovery targeting 3C protease from Enterovirus 71, 3C-like proteases from SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV, neuraminidase from avian flu virus, and protein-protein interactions; (iii) multi-functional cellulose/hemicellulose degrading enzymes for biofuel production.

Degrees and Positions Held

  • 1989 – 1994   Ph.D., Biochemistry, University of Maryland.
  • 1982 – 1986   B. S., Chemistry, National Taiwan University.
  • 2009 – present   Council Member, The Taiwan society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
  • 2007 – present   Joint Professor, Insti. of Biochemical Sciences, National Taiwan University
  • 2007 – present   Editorial Board, Bioorganic Chemistry (Elsevier) and JCCS
  • 2006 – present   Research fellow, Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica
  • 2017 – 2019   Acting Deputy Director, Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica
  • 2017 – 2017   Deputy Director, Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica
  • 2010 – 2015   Council Member, Asia Pacific Protein Association (APPA)
  • 2007 – 2016   Council Member, Biophysics society of ROC
  • 2006 – 2011   Deputy Director, Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica
  • 2005 – 2008   PI, Core Facility of Recombinant Protein Production
  • 2004 – 2011   Chem Biology & Mol Biophys Coordinator, TIGP
  • 2002 – 2006   Associate Research Fellow, Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica
  • 1999 – 2002   Assistant Research Fellow, Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica.
  • 1996 – 1999   Investigator, SmithKline Beecham Pharmaceuticals.
  • 1995 – 1996   Associate Research Scientist, Yale Medical School.
  • 1994 – 1995   Postdoc. Pharmacology, Yale Medical School.

Selected Publications

Complexation and evolution of cis-prenyltransferase homologues in Cinnamomum kanehirae deduced from kinetic and functional characterizations. 
Liu JJ, Liang PH 
Protein Science (2023)

Synthesis, evaluation, and mechanism of 1-(4-(arylethylenylcarbonyl)phenyl)-4-carboxy-2-pyrrolidinones as potent reversible SARS-CoV-2 entry inhibitors. 
Palla SR, Li CW, Chao TL, Lo HV, Jia-Jin L, Pan MY, Chiu YT, Lin WC, Hu CW, Yang CM, Chen YY, Fang JT, Lin SW, Lin YT, Lin HC, Kuo CJ, Wang LH, Chang SY, Liang PH 
Antiviral Research (2023)

SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro displays faster self-maturation in vitro than SARS-CoV 3CLpro due to faster C-terminal cleavage. 
Kuo CJ, Liang PH 
FEBS Letters (2022)

Kinetic Characterization and Inhibitor Screening for the Proteases Leading to Identification of Drugs against SARS-CoV-2. 
Kuo CJ, Chao TL, Kao HC, Tsai YM, Liu YK, Wang LH, Hsieh MC, Chang SY, Liang PH 
Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy (2021)

Targeting β-tubulin/CCT-β complex induces apoptosis and suppresses migration and invasion of highly metastatic lung adenocarcinoma. 
Liu YJ, Chang YJ, Kuo YT, Liang PH 
Carcinogenesis (2020)

A flexible loop for mannan recognition and activity enhancement in a bifunctional glycoside hydrolase family 5. 
Liang PH, Lin WL, Hsieh HY, Lin TY, Chen CH, Tewary SK, Lee HL, Yuan SF, Yang B, Yao JY, Ho MC 
Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - General Subjects (2018)

Disrupting CCT-β : β-tubulin selectively kills CCT-β overexpressed cancer cells through MAPKs activation. 
Liu YJ, Kumar V, Lin YF, Liang PH 
Cell Death & Disease (2017)

Identification and evaluation of potent Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) 3CLpro inhibitors. 
Kumar V, Shin JS, Shie JJ, Ku KB, Kim C, Go YY, Huang KF, Kim M, Liang PH 
Antiviral Research (2017)

Fluorescent farnesyl diphosphate analogue: A probe to validate trans-prenyltransferase inhibitors. 
Teng KH, Hsu ET, Chang YH, Lin SW, Liang PH 
Biochemistry (2016)

Biochemical characterization and structural analysis of a bifunctional cellulase/xylanase from Clostridium thermocellum. 
Yuan SF, Wu TH, Lee HL, Hsieh HY, Lin WL, Yang B, Chang CK, Li Q, Gao J, Huang CH, Ho MC, Guo RT, Liang PH 
Journal of Biological Chemistry (2015)

Publication List