Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences

Research interests:

Reprogramming Neural Plasticity: Mechanistic Links Between Regeneration, Degeneration, and Malignancy

Our lab investigates how neural cells alter their fate and function under physiological and pathological conditions. We focus on neural plasticity—the intrinsic capacity of neurons, glia, and stem-like progenitors to remodel their behavior and identity in response to environmental cues. This plasticity is essential for neural regeneration, enabling the restoration of cellular populations after injury; yet when dysregulated, it contributes to neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s, or drives malignant transformation in brain tumors like glioblastoma.

We aim to dissect the molecular and cellular mechanisms that govern these divergent outcomes. By combining gene expression and metabolic profiling with live imaging and in vivo models, we study how neural cells reorganize their interactions and architecture during regeneration, degeneration, and tumor progression. In parallel, we apply AI-assisted imaging and data analytics to uncover hidden patterns within complex biological datasets, linking cellular plasticity to regenerative or pathological trajectories.

We invite students interested in interdisciplinary neuroscience to join our team. Through training that integrates molecular neurobiology, in vivo analysis, and computational tools, members will explore how neural plasticity shapes both recovery and disease—advancing strategies to enhance regeneration and mitigate neural pathology.

Publications:

1.          Shen YJ, Huang YC, Cheng YC*. (2024 Dec). Advancements in Antioxidant-Based Therapeutics for Spinal Cord Injury: A Critical Review of Strategies and Combination Approaches. Antioxidants. 14(1), 17.

2.          Shen YJ, Chen HY, Chang CW, Huang YC, Cheng YC*. (online 2024 Sep; to be published 2025 Jan). Chemical modulation of Akt signaling enhances spinal cord regeneration in zebrafish. Brain Research. 1846, 149248.

3.          Chen YC, Hsieh FY, Chang CW, Sun MQ, Cheng YC*. (2024 Aug 23). Temporal and Spatial Variations in Zebrafish Hairy/E(spl) Gene Expression in Response to Mib1-Mediated Notch Signaling During Neurodevelopment. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 25(17):9174.

4.          Chen HY, Huang YC, Yeh TH, Chang CW, Shen YJ, Chen YC, Sun MQ, Cheng YC*. (2024 Oct , online: 2024 Aug 9). Dtx2 deficiency induces ependymo-radial glial cell proliferation and improves spinal cord motor function recovery. Stem Cells and Development. 33(19-20):540-550.

5.          Shih HY, Chen HY, Huang YC, Yeh TH, Chen YC, Cheng YC*. (2023 Sep [online 2023 Jun]). Etv5a suppresses neural progenitor cell proliferation by inhibiting sox2 transcription. Stem Cells Dev, 32(17-18):524-538.

6.          Wang HL, Cheng YC, Yeh TH, Liu HF, Weng YH, Chen RS, Chen YC, Lu JC, Hwang TL, Wei KC, Liu YC, Wang YT, Hsu CC, Chiu TJ, Chiu CC. (2023 Jun, Epub 2023 Mar 30). HCH6-1, an antagonist of formyl peptide receptor-1, exerts anti-neuroinflammatory and neuroprotective effects in cellular and animal models of Parkinson's disease. Biochemical Pharmacology. 212:115524.

7.          Shih HY, Chang CW, Chen YC, Cheng YC*. (2023 Jan). Identification of the Time Period during Which BMP Signaling Regulates Proliferation of Neural Progenitor Cells in Zebrafish. Int J Mol Sci. 24(2):1733.

8.          Wu YM, Huang PY, Cheng YC, Lee CH, Hsu MC, Lu JJ, Wang SH. (2021 Dec). Enhanced Virulence of Candida albicans by Staphylococcus aureus: Evidence in Clinical Bloodstream Infections and Infected Zebrafish Embryos. J Fungi (Basel). 7(12):1099.

9.          Lin SJ, Huang YC, Chen HY, Fang JY, Hsu SY, Shih HY, Liu YC, Cheng YC*. (2021 Dec). RGS2 Suppresses Melanoma Growth via Inhibiting MAPK and AKT Signaling Pathways. Anticancer Res. 41(12):6135-6145.

10.      Yeh TH, Liu HF, Chiu CC, Cheng ML, Huang GJ, Huang YC, Liu YC, Huang YZ, Lu CS, Chen YC, Chen HY, Cheng YC*. (2021 Sep). PLA2G6 mutations cause motor dysfunction phenotypes of young-onset dystonia-parkinsonism type 14 and can be relieved by DHA treatment in animal models. Exp Neurol. 11;346:113863.

11.      Wu YM, Lee CH, Cheng YC, Lu JJ, Wang SH. (2021 May [Epub 2020 Oct]). Association between CAI microsatellite, multilocus sequence typing, and clinical significance within Candida albicans isolates. Medical Mycology. 59(5):498-504..

12.      Chiang MC, Nicol CJB, Cheng YC, Yen C, Lin CH, Chen SJ, Huang RN. (2020 May). Nanogold Neuroprotection in Human Neural Stem Cells Against Amyloid-beta-induced Mitochondrial Dysfunction. Neuroscience. 21;435:44-57.

13.      Wang SH, Chen CC, Lee CH, Chen XA, Chang TY, Cheng YC, Young JJ, Lu JJ. (2020 Jan [Epub 2019 Nov 15]). Fungicidal and anti-biofilm activities of trimethylchitosan-stabilized silver nanoparticles against Candida species in zebrafish embryos. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 143:724-731.

14.      Lin CH, Nicol CJB, Cheng YC, Yen C, Wang YS, Chiang MC. (2020 Jan (Epub 2019 Oct 3)). Neuroprotective effects of resveratrol against oxygen glucose deprivation induced mitochondrial dysfunction by activation of AMPK in SH-SY5Y cells with 3D gelatin scaffold. Brain Res. 1726:146492.

15.      Wang HL, Lu CS, Yeh TH, Shen YM, Weng YH, Huang YZ, Chen RS, Liu YC, Cheng YC, Chang HC, Chen YL, Chen YJ, Lin YW, Hsu CC, Lin HL, Chiu CH, Chiu CC. (2019 Oct) Combined Assessment of Serum Alpha-Synuclein and Rab35 is a Better Biomarker for Parkinson's Disease. J Clin Neurol. 15(4):488-495.

16.      Chiu CC, Yeh TH, Chen RS, Chen HC, Huang YZ, Weng YH, Cheng YC, Liu YC, Cheng AJ, Lu YC, Chen YJ, Lin YW, Hsu CC, Chen YL, Lu CS, Wang HL. (2019 Sep). Upregulated Expression of MicroRNA-204-5p Leads to the Death of Dopaminergic Cells by Targeting DYRK1A-Mediated Apoptotic Signaling Cascade. Front Cell Neurosci. 13:399.

17.      Chiu CC, Lu CS, Weng YH, Chen YL, Huang YZ, Chen RS, Cheng YC, Huang YC, Liu YC, Lai SC, Lin KJ, Lin YW, Chen YJ, Chen CL, Yeh TH, Wang HL. (2019 June). PARK14 (D331Y) PLA2G6 Causes Early-Onset Degeneration of Substantia Nigra Dopaminergic Neurons by Inducing Mitochondrial Dysfunction, ER Stress, Mitophagy Impairment and Transcriptional Dysregulation in a Knockin Mouse Model. Mol Neurobiol. 56(6), 3835-3853.

18.      Chang MC, Cheng YC. (2019). ‘Zebrafish Model for Leptospirosis Kidney Disease’, in Yang CW, Pan MJ, Yang HY (eds.), Leptospirosis and the Kidney, Translational Research in Biomedicine, KARGER AG, Basel, Vol. 7, 76-81 - 2019

19.      Ku YC, Lai MH, Lo CC, Cheng YC, Qiu JT, Tarn WY, Lai MC. (2018 Dec). DDX3 Participates in Translational Control of Inflammation Induced by Infections and Injuries. Mol Cell Biol. 11;39(1). pii: e00285-18.

20.      Hsieh YC, Chiang MC, Huang TC, Yeh TH, Shih HY, Liu HF, Chen HY, Wang CP, Cheng YC* (2018 Dec). Pparα deficiency inhibits the proliferation of neuronal and glial precursors in the zebrafish central nervous system. Developmental Dynamics, 247(12):1264-1275.

21.      Lin CH, Nicol CJB, Cheng YC, Chen SJ, Yen CH, Huang RN, Chiang MC. (2018 Sep [Epub 2018 Jun]). Rosiglitazone rescues human neural stem cells from amyloid-beta induced ER stress via PPARγ dependent signaling. Exp Cell Res. 370(2):312-321.

22.      Yeh TH, Liu HF, Li YW, Lu CS, Shih HY, Chiu CC, Lin SJ, Huang YC, Cheng YC*. (2018, Jun [Epub 2019 Mar]). C9orf72 is Essential for Neurodevelopment and Motility Mediated by Cyclin G1. Experimental Neurology, 304:114-124.

23.      Wu YH, Lee YH, Shih HY, Chen SH, Cheng YC*, Chiu D. (2018, Jan). Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase is indispensable in embryonic development by modulation of epithelial-mesenchymal transition via the NOX/Smad3/miR-200b axis. Cell Death and Disease, 9(1):10.

24.      Chiang MC, Nicol CJ, Cheng YC. (2018, May (online 2017, Oct)). Resveratrol activation of AMPK-dependent pathways is neuroprotective in human neural stem cells against amyloid-beta-induced inflammation and oxidative stress. Neurochemistry International, Volume 115, Pages 1-10

25.      Lin CH, Cheng YC, Nicol CJ, Lin KH, Yen CH, Chiang MC. (2017, Oct (online 2017, Aug)). Activation of AMPK is neuroprotective in the oxidative stress by advanced glycosylation end products in human neural stem cells. Experimental Cell Research, 15;359(2):367-373.

26.      Chiang MC, Cheng YC, Nicol CJ, Lin CH. (2017, Nov (online 2017, Sep)). The neuroprotective role of rosiglitazone in advanced glycation end product treated human neural stem cells is PPARgamma-dependent. International Journal of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, 92:121-133.

27.      Chiu CC, Yeh TH, Lu CS, Huang YC, Cheng YC, Huang YZ, Weng YH, Liu YC, Lai SC, Chen YL, Chen YJ, Chen CL, Chen HY, Lin YW, Wang HL. (2017 Sep). PARK14 PLA2G6 mutants are defective in preventing rotenone-induced mitochondrial dysfunction, ROS generation and activation of mitochondrial apoptotic pathway. Oncotarget. 8(45):79046-79060.

28.      Huang YC, Lin SJ, Shih HY, Chou CH, Chu HH, Chiu CC, Yuh CH, Yeh TH, Cheng YC*. (2017, Jun (2017, Sep). Epigenetic regulation of NOTCH1 and NOTCH3 by KMT2A inhibits glioma proliferation. Oncotarget. 8(38): 63110–63120.

29.      Chang MY, Ma TL, Hung CC, Tian YC, Chen YC, Yang CW, Cheng YC*. (2017, Aug). Metformin Inhibits Cyst Formation in a Zebrafish Model of Polycystin-2 Deficiency. Scientific Reports, 7(1):7161.

30.      Chung MM, Nicol CJ, Cheng YC, Lin KH, Chen YL, Pei D, Lin CH, Shih YN, Yen CH, Chen SJ, Huang RN, Chiang MC. (2017, Mar (online 2017, Feb)). Metformin activation of AMPK suppresses AGE-induced inflammatory response in hNSCs. Experimental Cell Research, 352(1):75-83.

31.      Lin SJ, Chiang MC, Shih HY, Chiang KC, Cheng YC* (2017, Jun (online 2017, Feb)). Spatiotemporal expression of foxo4, foxo6a, and foxo6b in the developing brain and retina are transcriptionally regulated by PI3K signaling in zebrafish. Development Genes and Evolution, doi: 10.1007/s00427-017-0575-6.

32.      Lin SJ, Chiang MC, Shih HY, Hsu LS, Yeh TH, Huang YC, Lin CY, Cheng YC*. (2017, Mar (online 2016, Dec)). Regulator of G protein signaling 2 (Rgs2) regulates neural crest development through Pparδ-Sox10 cascade. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta Molecular Cell Research, 1864 (3): 463–474.

33.      Shih HY, Hsu SY, Ouyang P, Lin SJ, Chou TY, Chiang MC, Cheng YC*. (2017, Apr (online 2016, Oct)). Bmp5 Regulates Neural Crest Cell Survival and Proliferation Via Two Different Signaling Pathways. Stem Cells, 35(4):1003-1014.

34.      Chiang MC, Cheng YC, Chen SJ, Yen CH, Huang RN. (2016, Oct). Metformin activation of AMPK-dependent pathways is neuroprotective in human neural stem cells against Amyloid-beta-induced mitochondrial dysfunction. Experimental Cell Research, 347(2):322-31.

35.      Chiang KC, Hsu SY, Lin SJ, Yeh CN, Pang JH, Wang SY, Hsu JT, Yeh TS, Chen LW, Kuo SF, Cheng YC*, Juang HH. (2016, Aug). PTEN Insufficiency Increases Breast Cancer Cell Metastasis In Vitro and In Vivo in a Xenograft Zebrafish Model. Anticancer Research, 36(8):3997-4005.

36.      Chiu CC, Yeh TH, Lai SC, Weng YH, Huang YC, Cheng YC, Chen RS, Huang YZ, Hung J, Chen CC, Lin WY, Chang HC, Chen YJ, Chen CL, Chen HY, Lin YW, Wu-Chou YH, Wang HL, Lu CS. (2016, Aug). Increased Rab35 expression is a potential biomarker and implicated in the pathogenesis of Parkinson’s disease. Oncotarget, 7(34):54215-54227.

37.      Chang MY, Cheng YC, Hsu SH, Ma TL, Chou LF, Hsu HH, Tian YC, Chen YC, Sun YJ, Hung CC, Pan RL, Yang CW. (2016, Jun). Leptospiral outer membrane protein LipL32 induces inflammation and kidney injury in zebrafish larvae. Scientific Reports, 6:27838.

38.      Chiang MC, Nicol CJ, Cheng YC, Lin KH, Yen CH, Lin CH. (2016, Apr). Rosiglitazone activation of PPARγ-dependent pathways is neuroprotective in human neural stem cells against amyloid-beta-induced mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress. Neurobiology of Aging, 40:181-90.

39.      Hung FC, Shih HY, Cheng YC, Chao CC. (2015, Dec). Growth-Arrest-Specific 7 Gene Regulates Neural Crest Formation and Craniofacial Development in Zebrafish. Stem Cells and Development, 15;24(24):2943-51.

40.      Cheng YC*, Huang YC, Yeh TH, Shih HY, Lin CY, Lin SJ, Chiu CC, Huang CW, Jiang YJ. (2015, Dec). Deltex1 is inhibited by the Notch-Hairy/E(Spl) signaling pathway and induces neuronal and glialdifferentiation. Neural Development, 30;10:28.

41.      Chung MM, Chen YL, Pei D, Cheng YC, Sun B, Nicol CJ, Yen CH, Chen HM, Liang YJ, Chiang MC. (2015, May). The neuroprotective role of metformin in advanced glycation end product treated human neural stem cells is AMPK-dependent. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta Molecular Basis of Disease, 1852(5):720-31.

42.      Huang YC, Shih HY, Lin SJ, Chiu CC, Ma TL, Yeh TH, Cheng YC*. (2015, May). The Epigenetic Factor Kmt2a/Mll1 Regulates Neural Progenitor Proliferation and Neuronal and Glial Differentiation. Developmental neurobiology, 75(5):452-62.

43.      Chiang MC, Cheng YC, Nicol CJ, Lin KH, Yen CH, Chen SJ, Huang RN. Rosiglitazone activation of PPARγ-dependent signaling is neuroprotective in mutant huntingtin expressing cells. Experimental Cell Research, 2015 Nov 1;338(2):183-93.

44.      Cheng YC*, Chiang MC, Shih HY, Ma TL, Yeh TH, Huang YC, Lin CY, Lin SJ. (2015, Jan). The transcription factor hairy/E(spl)-related 2 induces proliferation of neural progenitors and regulatesneurogenesis and gliogenesis. Developmental Biology, 397(1):116-28.