Synthetic Biology and Disease Therapy Laboratory
Haifeng Ye, Ph.D
Professor of Synthetic Biology
Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology
School of Life Sciences
East China Normal University
Dongchuan Road 500, Minhang District, 200241 Shanghai, China
Tel: +86-21-54341058
Email: hfye@bio.ecnu.edu.cn
Dr. Haifeng Ye received his Ph.D degree from Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH Zurich) in 2012. He completed his Postdoctoral Research in the group of Prof. Dr. Martin Fussenegger at ETH Zurich from 2012.08-2013.12. Dr. Ye has been awarded the “ETH Silver Medal” at ETH Zurich. Since 2014.02 Haifeng Ye was appointed as a professor of synthetic biology in School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University.
Research Interests:
Our research interest has been focused on mammalian cell engineering and biotechnology, with the goal to achieve generic and prototypic advances in human therapy by capitalizing on an interdisciplinary systems approach and exploiting progress in basic research. Our research goal is to design and construct synthetic gene circuits/networks/systems for therapeutic purpose. Our major research areas:
① The design and construction of biological parts and motifs in mammalian cells.
② The design and construction of biomolecular sensor device and self-sensing circuits in mammalian cells.
③Design of novel trigger-inducible transgene expression devices for pharmacological dosing of in-situ-produced protein therapeutics.
④ Engineering of synthetic mammalian genetic circuits for gene- and cell-based therapy.
For example: We have successfully designed a light-inducible transgene expression system (optogenetic transcription device), which holds great promise for pharmacological dosing of in-situ-produced protein therapeutics as well as therapeutic reprogramming of endogenous gene networks, as exemplified by a revolutionized approach for diabetic treatment. This work was published in the top scientific journal Science and raised a broad interest in the scientific community.
The engineering principles of designed gene circuits for
disease treatment in mammalian cells.
Key publications:
1. Xie M, Ye H, Hamri GC, Fussenegger M., Antagonistic control of a dual-input mammalian gene switch by food additives.Nucleic Acids Res.42:e166 (2014)
2. Ye H, Fussenegger M. Synthetic therapeutic gene circuits in mammalian cells.FEBS Lett.588:2537 (2014) Invited review
3. Ye, H., Aubel, D., Fussenegger, M., Synthetic mammalian gene circuits for biomedical applications. Curr OpinChem Biol.17:910-917 (2013) Invited review
4. Ye, H., Charpin-El Hamri, G., Zwicky, K., Christen, M., Folcher, M., Fussenegger, M., Pharmaceutically controlled designer circuit for the treatment of the metabolic syndrome. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA110:141-146 (2013)
5. Ye, H., Daoud-El Baba, M., Peng, R.W. &Fussenegger, M. A synthetic optogenetic transcription device enhances blood-glucose homeostasis in mice. Science332: 1565-68 (2011)
6. Ye, H. Jin, L., Hu, R., Yi, Z., Li, J., Wu, Y., Xi, X., Wu, Z., Poly(gamma,L-glutamic acid)-cisplatin conjugate effectively inhibits human breast tumor xenografted in nude mice. Biomaterials35: 5958-65 (2006)