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Chitty
C. CHEN
Department for Molecular Biomedical Research,
Flanders Institute for Biotechnology (VIB) and Department
of Molecular Biology,
Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium |
Research
interests and relevant experience of responsible scientist
The research team of Chen is focused on cloning mammalian genes
involved in cell death and aging using yeast as a model system.
For this purpose, the bud scar selection system was developed.
A collection of genes has been further analysed for resistance
against oxidative stress, DNA damage and protein damage phenotype.
Some genes of unknown functions are under current studies in mammalian
systems and in mice.
In parallel, the laboratory has recently developed a method (DSA-FACE)
for measuring bio-fluid (for example, serum/plasma, urine and
sperm) N-glycans and generating N-glycosylation profiles of selected
proteins. The group has used the DSA-FACE technology to study
the glycomics and look for links between N-glycan structural changes
and aging phenotypes in serum of transgenic mice, caloric restricted
mice and rats, and in different human age groups (e.g. centenarians).
Chen’s
team has peculiar experience in high-throughput protein linked
N-glycan analysis for disease diagnosis and in development of
a biomarker for ageing.
Staff
Chitty Chen, project leader, ageing, glycobiology.
Claude Libert, group leader, Professor in Molecular Biology.
Roland Contreras, Professor in Glycobiology and Molecular Biology.
Xueen Liu, Postdoc fellow in molecular biology
Valerie Vanhooren, PhD student.
Sylviane De Waele, Technician.
Relevant
publications
Desmyter, L., Verstraelen, J., Dewaele, S., Contreras, R., and
Chen, C. (2007) Nonclassical export pathway: overexpression of
NCE102 reduces protein and DNA damage and prolongs lifespan in
an SGS1 deficient Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Biogerontology.
Desmyter, L, Fan, Y-D, Praet, M, Jaworski, T, Vervecken, W, de
Hemptinne, B, Contreras, R, Chen, C. Rating of CCl4-induced rat
liver fibrosis by blood serum glycomics. J Gastroenterol Hepatol
, 2007. (Epub 2006 Aug 10)
Reekmans R, De Smet K, Chen C, Van Hummelen P & Contreras
R. Old Yellow Enzyme interferes with Bax toxicity in Saccharomyces
cerevisiae. FEMS Yeast Research 2005; 5:711-25.
Desmyter L, Dewaele S, Reekmans R, Nystrom T, Contreras R &
Chen C. Expression of the human ferritin light chain in a frataxin
mutant yeast affects ageing and cell death. Exp Gerontol 2004;
39:707-15.
Callewaert
N, Van Vlierberghe H,Van Hecke A, Laroy W, Delanghe J & Contreras
R. Noninvasive diagnosis of liver cirrhosis using DNA-sequencer-based
total serum protein glycomics. Nature Medicine 2004; 10:429-34.
Chen C, Dewaele S, Braeckman B, Desmyter L, Verstraelen J, Borgonie
G, Vanfleteren J & Contreras R. A high-throughput screening
system for genes extending life-span. Experimental Gerontology
2003; 38:1037-40.
Wielockx, B., Lannoy, K., Shapiro, S.D., Itoh, T., Itohara, S.,
Vandekerckhove, J., and Libert, C., Inhibition of matrix metalloproteinases
blocks lethal hepatitis and apoptosis induced by tumor necrosis
factor and allows safe antitumor therapy, Nat. Med. 7, 1202-1208,
2001.
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