Research Interests
A. Genetic Study of type 2 diabetes mellitus
Utilizing genome-wide association study (GWAS) approach, we identified two
susceptibility genes; PTPRD and SRR; of type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2D) in Han Chinese. (PLoS Genet. 2010 Feb 19;6) We are now investigating if SRR is essential for proper function in pancreatic beta cells.
B. Genomic and proteomic study of Kawasaki disease (KD)
i. Utilizing GWAS approach, we identified BLK and CD40 as the susceptibility genes of Kawasaki disease. (Nat. Genet. 2012) We are now expanding our Kawasaki disease cohort and also collaborating with Asia Kawasaki Disease Consortium hoping to find susceptibility genes associated with Kawasaki disease associated sub-phenotypes, such as IVIG resistant and severe coronary artery aneurysm (CAA).
ii. Biomarker discovery for early diagnosis of Kawasaki disease
KD diagnosis is difficult, especially at the early stage. Overlapping clinical features and laboratory parameters between KD and other conditions make definitive diagnosis difficult, and no specific laboratory tests are available. To identify KD-specific effector molecules, we globally analyzed the profiles of cytokines, chemokines, and cell adhesion molecules (CAMs) in KD patients. We identified IP-10 as KD’s biomarker which can be used to facilitate the early diagnosis of KD (Circ Res. 2015 Feb 27;116(5):876-83). We will conduct a multi-center prospective study to see if IP-10 could be used for early diagnosis for Kawasaki disease.