TinChung Leung
Dr. Leung's research focuses on gene networks for cardiovascular and blood development in the zebrafish model. His expertise in zebrafish biology and genetic pathways provides him with the know-how to carry out the research project. Dr. Leung's Ph.D. dissertation research studied the molecular mechanism of cell adhesion molecules in neuron development in chick embryos.
As a postdoctoral fellow at Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, and Freiburg University, Germany, Dr. Leung used forward genetics approaches to learn about genetic pathways controlling early development in zebrafish, under the supervision of his mentor, Dr. Wolfgang Driever. After his postdoctoral training, Dr. Leung expanded his research experience to a start-up biotech company, Mermaid Pharmaceuticals GmbH, in Hamburg, Germany. During this time, Dr. Leung piloted a large-scale reverse genetics screen based on high-throughput morpholino knockdown analysis of zebrafish genes.
As a research scientist at the Weis Center for Research in Geisinger Clinics, PA, Dr. Leung spearheaded a project aimed at studying the interaction between G protein and G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR) in zebrafish development. After coming back to academia, Dr. Leung established his first teaching and independent research position at North Carolina Central University. Located at the North Carolina Research Campus in Kannapolis, his lab used the zebrafish model to study cancer and the molecular mechanism of natural products in cardiovascular and blood development.
Dr. Leung discovered for the first time that the natural product ginger and its bioactive component 10-gingerol can stimulate red blood cell formation during both primitive and definitive hematopoiesis in zebrafish embryos. His team also discovered that 10-gingerol stimulates bone morphogenetic protein (Bmp) signaling, which interacts with the Tgfβ pathway. In addition, Dr. Leung used the zebrafish model as a tool to identify how bioactive compounds such as cinnamon compounds affect angiogenesis. Methylglyoxal, a precursor of advanced glycation end products, induced neovascular retinopathy.
Using atransgenic Tg(gstp1:GFP) zebrafish model, his team evaluated the metabolites and novel 6-shogaol derivatives as potent Nrf2 activators against oxidative and electrophilic stress. Dr. Leung's zebrafish lab collaborated with the NCCU team, including Drs. Onyenwoke and Sivaraman, leading to the development of the neutrophil transgenic Tg(lysC:dsRed) and Tg(mpo:GFP) zebrafish model to evaluate pro-inflammatory response and toxicity of different-flavored E-liquids. Dr. Leung's zebrafish lab also collaborated with Dr. Bang in the Department of Environmental, Earth and Geospatial Sciences at NCCU to assess micro- and nanoplastics on zebrafish developmental toxicity and potential inflammatory response using a neutrophil transgenic Tg(lysC:dsRed) and Tg(mpo:GFP) zebrafish model.