Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy - Seminar and Sharing
I. Chemical Reprogramming for Cell Fate Manipulation
| Speaker: |
Professor GUAN Jing-Yang
School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, China Seminar Highlights: Pluripotent stem cells have the ability to proliferate indefinitely and differentiate into all functional cell types of an organism, making them vital “seed cells” in regenerative medicine. Therefore, establishing and obtaining pluripotent stem cells is one of the most important scientific questions in the field of stem cells and regenerative medicine. Chemical reprogramming employs small molecules to induce cell state transitions, a method that bypasses the need for gene transfer, representing a safer and more controllable approach to manipulate cell identity. We have established a novel chemical reprogramming approach that enables the conversion of differentiated human somatic cells into pluripotent stem cells. Here, I will introduce the development of chemical reprogramming approach and the mechanisms of human cell plasticity regulation. Bio: Professor Guan obtained his Ph.D. degree in 2015 from School of Life Sciences at Peking University. He is currently an Assistant Professor at Peking University School of Pharmaceutical Sciences. Dr. Guan is dedicated to research in stem cells and regenerative medicine, particularly in the direction of cell fate reprogramming. He has pioneered a novel chemical reprogramming approach that enables the conversion of differentiated human somatic cells into pluripotent stem cells. Dr. Guan has published research papers as the first author, co-first author, or corresponding author in journals including Nature, Cell, Cell Stem Cell and Nature Chemical Biology. His work has been cited over 2,200 times. The research achievements have been recognized as “China’s Significant Medical Advancements of 2022”, “China’s Top Ten Advances in Life Sciences” (2015). Dr. Guan’s work has been supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China and the National Natural Science Foundation of Beijing. |
II. Insights into Bacterial Toxins: from Host Factors to Therapeutic Applications
| Speaker: |
Professor TIAN Song-Hai
School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, China; Principal Investigator, State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs Seminar Highlights: Upon production and release, bacterial toxins function as sophisticated "guided missiles" that specifically target host cells through receptor recognition, membrane translocation, and modulation of intracellular substrates. This targeted activity enables a straightforward genetic screening approach: toxin-sensitive cells are eliminated, while resistant populations survive and can be amplified for subsequent genetic analysis to identify critical host factors involved in toxin susceptibility. On the other hand, evolution has sculpted bacterial toxins into multi-domain proteins capable of executing coordinated, multi-step mechanisms of action. These modular architectures provide versatile platforms for bioengineering applications. This unique combination of properties positions bacterial toxins as powerful tools for both basic research and therapeutic development. Bio: Professor Tian obtained his B.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees from Peking University (2008) and the University of Hong Kong (2014), respectively. In 2015, he joined Harvard Medical School and Boston Children’s Hospital for postdoctoral training, and was promoted as instructor in 2020. In the summer of 2023, Dr. Tian joined Peking University School of Pharmaceutical Sciences and State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs as a principal investigator. Dr. Tian’s research focuses on bacterial toxins, includes identification and characterization cellular receptor of major toxins, discovery the intoxication mechanism of actions of toxins, and toxin bioengineering for medicinal applications. His works have been published in top journals, such as Cell, Cell Host & Microbe, Nature Microbiology, Nature Protocols, Nature Communications, Cell Reports, and PLoS Biology. |
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| When: |
08 July 2025 (Tuesday) at 2:00 pm - 3:30 pm |
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| Venue: |
Chen Yang Foo Oi Telemedicine Centre, All are welcome |
