Academic Profile : Faculty
Prof Liu Chuan Fa
Professor, School of Biological Sciences
Assistant Chair (Innovation), School of Biological Sciences (SBS)
Email
Controlled Keywords
ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
2003 – present
Associate Professor, School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
2002 – 2003 Research Scientist IV, Amgen Research, Amgen Inc., USA
2000 – 2002 Research Scientist III, Amgen Research, Amgen Inc., USA
1999 – 2000 Research Scientist II, Amgen Research, Amgen Inc., USA
1996 – 1999 Research Scientist I, Amgen Research, Amgen Inc., USA
1992 – 1996 Research Instructor, Vanderbilt University Medical Centre, USA
Postdoctoral Research Associate, Vanderbilt University Medical Centre, USA
1990 – 1992 Postdoctoral Associate, The Rockefeller University, USA
1989 – 1990 Research Associate, CNRS, Centre CNRS-INSERM de Pharmacologie-Endocrinologie, Montpellier, France
POSITIONS HELD
Current
Member, NTU Teaching Council (appointed by the Provost)
Past
(1) Member, Committee on Developing TCM in Singapore -The Subcommittee on Research (2004-05)
(2) Acting director, BMS/TCM Double Degree Program in SBS (2006 – 2008)
(3) Chairman, School Safety Committee (appointed by the Chair of the School) (12/2012-12/2014)
(4) Supervisor, Chemical Biology/Peptide Synthesis Core facility, SBS
2003 – present
Associate Professor, School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
2002 – 2003 Research Scientist IV, Amgen Research, Amgen Inc., USA
2000 – 2002 Research Scientist III, Amgen Research, Amgen Inc., USA
1999 – 2000 Research Scientist II, Amgen Research, Amgen Inc., USA
1996 – 1999 Research Scientist I, Amgen Research, Amgen Inc., USA
1992 – 1996 Research Instructor, Vanderbilt University Medical Centre, USA
Postdoctoral Research Associate, Vanderbilt University Medical Centre, USA
1990 – 1992 Postdoctoral Associate, The Rockefeller University, USA
1989 – 1990 Research Associate, CNRS, Centre CNRS-INSERM de Pharmacologie-Endocrinologie, Montpellier, France
POSITIONS HELD
Current
Member, NTU Teaching Council (appointed by the Provost)
Past
(1) Member, Committee on Developing TCM in Singapore -The Subcommittee on Research (2004-05)
(2) Acting director, BMS/TCM Double Degree Program in SBS (2006 – 2008)
(3) Chairman, School Safety Committee (appointed by the Chair of the School) (12/2012-12/2014)
(4) Supervisor, Chemical Biology/Peptide Synthesis Core facility, SBS
Drug discovery:
New strategies for peptide and protein drug development; peptide drug delivery; peptide and protein bioconjugates and antibody-drug conjugates as drug modalities; new peptide leads from phage display and natural sources.
Medicinal chemistry and structure-based drug design; peptidomimetics; combinatorial chemistry for drug lead discovery.
Development and use of peptide nucleic acid analogs as antisense and antigene agents.
Pharmacokinetic (PK) studies using LC-MS.
Peptide/protein chemistry and chemical biology:
Development of chemical/enzymatic peptide ligation methods and site-specific protein modification methods; use of protein chemical synthesis for the study of protein structure and functions; study of ubiquitin biology and structural biology using homogeneous chemically ubiquitinated proteins; study of chromatin structure and biology using semisynthetic histones carrying various PTMs.
New strategies for peptide and protein drug development; peptide drug delivery; peptide and protein bioconjugates and antibody-drug conjugates as drug modalities; new peptide leads from phage display and natural sources.
Medicinal chemistry and structure-based drug design; peptidomimetics; combinatorial chemistry for drug lead discovery.
Development and use of peptide nucleic acid analogs as antisense and antigene agents.
Pharmacokinetic (PK) studies using LC-MS.
Peptide/protein chemistry and chemical biology:
Development of chemical/enzymatic peptide ligation methods and site-specific protein modification methods; use of protein chemical synthesis for the study of protein structure and functions; study of ubiquitin biology and structural biology using homogeneous chemically ubiquitinated proteins; study of chromatin structure and biology using semisynthetic histones carrying various PTMs.
- Synzyme And Natural Products (SYNC)
- Discovering New Target Space for the Development of Drugs Against Malaria Parasites (Liu Chuan Fa)
- A Clean and Efficient Bioconjugation Technology for Protein PEGylation
- A Mirror-Image Form of Peptidyl Asparaginyl Ligase for D-Protein Engineering
- Rational design of broad-spectrum fusion inhibitors
- Synthesis of cyclic peptides through PAL-mediated cyclization at non-Asx residues
- Structural basis of filamin A mediated regulation of b2 integrins
- Discovering New Target Space for the Development of Drugs Against Malaria Parasites
- College of Science Research Award 2024
- Mechanism-based design of programmable nanoparticle delivery vehicles for RNA therapeutics: controlling endosomal escape - Project 3
- Mechanism-based design of programmable nanoparticle delivery vehicles for RNA therapeutics: controlling endosomal escape
US 2018/0274003 A1: Butelase-Mediated Peptide Ligation (2021)
Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of forming a peptide of Formula (I) (P1-Xaa1-Xaa2-P2) by ligating a first peptide of Formula (II) (P1-Xaa1-X—R, wherein X is O or S) to a second peptide of Formula (II I) (Xaa1-Xaa2-P2) by enzymatically cleaving the bond between “Asx” and “X” in the first peptide of Formula (II) and ligating the fragment P1-Asx of the first peptide to the second peptide of Formula (III), wherein the enzymatic cleavage and ligation reaction is catalyzed by butelase 1 (SEQ ID NO: 1) and the peptide of Formula (I) is a depsipeptide, preferably a thiodepsipeptide. Further encompassed are peptides and dendrimeric peptide assemblies prepared using the presently disclosed method, as well as use of the dendrimeric peptide assemblies as a vaccine, medicament, or diagnostic agent, particularly as an antimicrobial agent.
US 2015/0344519 A1: Method Of Synthesizing Peptides, Proteins And Bioconjugates (2016)
Abstract: The invention relates to the synthesis of peptides, proteins and related bioconjugates, and in particular, to such synthesis using a peptide ligation method whereby a C-terminal salicylaldehyde ester peptide is reacted with an aminoacyl-N-hydroxl peptide. The invention also relates to the synthesis of cyclic peptides, including serinyl- or threonyl-containing cyclic peptides. The invention further relates to a solid phase synthesis of C-terminal salicylaldehyde ester peptides.
US 2014/0316105 A1: Method For Modification Of Organic Molecules (2016)
Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method of alkylating a thiol group (R—S—H) or seleno group (R—Se—H) in a target molecule wherein the method comprises: reacting a target molecule comprising at least one thiol group with a compound of formula (I) or (II): wherein R is an acetyl group or any other acyl group or is a group comprising any one of: or wherein R in formula (II) can also be an alkyl group; and wherein R′ is selected from a group consisting of a hydrogen, a methyl group and an ethyl group.
US 2011/0245458 A1: Peptide Nucleic Acid Monomers and Oligomers (2014)
Abstract: Disclosed is a peptide nucleic acid monomer as well as a corresponding peptide nucleic acid molecule. The monomer comprises a terminal amino group and a terminal group A. The terminal amino group and the terminal group A are connected by an aliphatic moiety. The main chain of this aliphatic moiety is free of groups that are charged under physiological conditions.
US 2019/0218586 A1: Methods For Enzymatic Peptide Ligation (2023)
Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of ligating a first peptide via its C-terminus to the N-terminus of a second peptide, wherein the reaction is catalyzed by an asparagine/aspartate (Asx) peptide ligase OaAEPI Cys247Ala having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1. Further encompassed are a method of preparing a dimer, oligomer, or multimer of one or more peptides of interest and a method of modifying or tagging the surface of a target cell by one or more peptides of interest. Also encompassed in the invention are the ligated peptides and/or tagged target cells obtainable according to any of the methods, the peptide ligase OaAEPI Cys247Ala having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, as well as kits comprising said peptide ligase.
Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of forming a peptide of Formula (I) (P1-Xaa1-Xaa2-P2) by ligating a first peptide of Formula (II) (P1-Xaa1-X—R, wherein X is O or S) to a second peptide of Formula (II I) (Xaa1-Xaa2-P2) by enzymatically cleaving the bond between “Asx” and “X” in the first peptide of Formula (II) and ligating the fragment P1-Asx of the first peptide to the second peptide of Formula (III), wherein the enzymatic cleavage and ligation reaction is catalyzed by butelase 1 (SEQ ID NO: 1) and the peptide of Formula (I) is a depsipeptide, preferably a thiodepsipeptide. Further encompassed are peptides and dendrimeric peptide assemblies prepared using the presently disclosed method, as well as use of the dendrimeric peptide assemblies as a vaccine, medicament, or diagnostic agent, particularly as an antimicrobial agent.
US 2015/0344519 A1: Method Of Synthesizing Peptides, Proteins And Bioconjugates (2016)
Abstract: The invention relates to the synthesis of peptides, proteins and related bioconjugates, and in particular, to such synthesis using a peptide ligation method whereby a C-terminal salicylaldehyde ester peptide is reacted with an aminoacyl-N-hydroxl peptide. The invention also relates to the synthesis of cyclic peptides, including serinyl- or threonyl-containing cyclic peptides. The invention further relates to a solid phase synthesis of C-terminal salicylaldehyde ester peptides.
US 2014/0316105 A1: Method For Modification Of Organic Molecules (2016)
Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method of alkylating a thiol group (R—S—H) or seleno group (R—Se—H) in a target molecule wherein the method comprises: reacting a target molecule comprising at least one thiol group with a compound of formula (I) or (II): wherein R is an acetyl group or any other acyl group or is a group comprising any one of: or wherein R in formula (II) can also be an alkyl group; and wherein R′ is selected from a group consisting of a hydrogen, a methyl group and an ethyl group.
US 2011/0245458 A1: Peptide Nucleic Acid Monomers and Oligomers (2014)
Abstract: Disclosed is a peptide nucleic acid monomer as well as a corresponding peptide nucleic acid molecule. The monomer comprises a terminal amino group and a terminal group A. The terminal amino group and the terminal group A are connected by an aliphatic moiety. The main chain of this aliphatic moiety is free of groups that are charged under physiological conditions.
US 2019/0218586 A1: Methods For Enzymatic Peptide Ligation (2023)
Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of ligating a first peptide via its C-terminus to the N-terminus of a second peptide, wherein the reaction is catalyzed by an asparagine/aspartate (Asx) peptide ligase OaAEPI Cys247Ala having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1. Further encompassed are a method of preparing a dimer, oligomer, or multimer of one or more peptides of interest and a method of modifying or tagging the surface of a target cell by one or more peptides of interest. Also encompassed in the invention are the ligated peptides and/or tagged target cells obtainable according to any of the methods, the peptide ligase OaAEPI Cys247Ala having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, as well as kits comprising said peptide ligase.