Nanyang Technology University

Academic Profile
Assoc Prof Luo Qian Kathy

Associate Professor 
Division of Bioengineering 
School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering 
College of Engineering 



Email: KLUO@ntu.edu.sg
Phone: (+65)6790 4257 
Office: N1.3-B3-09 
Education
  • PhD (Microbiol & Immunology) University of British Columbia 1995
  • MS (Biology) Peking University 1985
  • BS (Biology) Peking University 1982
Biography
Prof. Kathy Qian Luo received both Bachelor and Master degree in Biology from Peking University and Ph.D. degree in Molecular Biology from University of British Columbia in Canada. She then worked as a Postdoctoral Fellow at California Institute of Technology in USA for three years before joined Hong Kong University of Science and Technology in 1998. Prof. Luo joined NTU on May 2009 and she is now an Associate Professor in the School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering. Prof. Luo has done significant research works in the areas of cell cycle regulation, apoptosis, anti-cancer drug discovery and nano-medicine. She has published over 60 high quality international conference and journal papers. She has obtained one PRC and three US patents. Prof. Luo has been a member of the American Society for Cell Biology since 1993.
Research Interests
Prof. Luo's areas of expertise include genetic and protein engineering, design and application of fluorescent-based biosensor in living cell analysis, apoptosis, cancer cell metastasis, microfluidics systems and nanomization using supercritical CO2 method.

Her current research works focus on four areas:

1. Drug discovery: Using a biosensor-based high throughput assay to discover novel anti-cancer drugs from Chinese herbal medicines and study the mechanisms of drug action.
2. Cancer Research: Applying the FRET-based caspase sensor to study apoptosis, metastasis and angiogenesis in co-culture system, zebrafish and nude mice models.
3. Nanomedicine and pharmaceutical engineering: Using nanotechnology to enhance the solubility and bioavailability of drug candidates and determine their pharmacokinetic profiles using the Caco-2 cell monolayer model and in animals.
4. Microfluidic research: Using MEMS technology to study the mechanisms of endothelial cell dysfunction in the vascular complications of diabetes in microfluidic systems.
Research Grant
  • Academic Research Fund Tier 1 (2010-2013) [by MOE]
  • Environment & Water Industry Development Council (2012-) [by Environment & Water Industry Development Council (EWI)]
  • NRF Competitive Research Program (2012-)
  • NTU Internal Funding – Nanyang Institute of Technology in Health & Medicine (NITHM) (2011-) [by Nanyang Institute of Technology in Health and Medicine (NITHM)]
  • NTU-NHG Innovation Seed Grant (2011-) [by Nanyang Technological University, Ministry of Health (MOH)]
  • NTU-NHG Innovation Seed Grant (2013-) [by National Health Group (NHG)]
  • Start Up Grant (2009-) [by College of Engineering]
Current Projects
  • A pilot study evaluating caspase-3 activation as a novel marker of systemic toxicity in breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy
  • Discovering new anticancer drug candidates from Chinese medicinal herbs by a novel FRET-based high-throughput apoptosis assay
  • Evaluating the growth inhibition effect of a new anticancer agent in animal with xenografted tumor derived from breast cancer patients
  • No title (Start-up Grant - Kathy Luo)
  • Optofluidic system for bacterial detection and identification
  • Pharmacokinetic and toxicity studies of a new anti-breast cancer agent (ATA) in animal models
  • Pharmacologic Fingerprints of Selected Herbal Products
Selected Publications
  • Yu JQ, Liu XF, Chin LK, Liu AQ, Luo KQ*. (2013). Study of endothelial cell apoptosis using fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) biosensor cell line with hemodynamic microfluidic chip system. Lab on a Chip, , DOI:10.1039/C3L.
  • Lin CS, Xu J, Ng KM, Wibowo C, Luo KQ. (2013). Encapsulation of a low aqueous solubility substance in a biodegradable polymer using supercritical fluid extraction of emulsion. Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, 52(1), 134-141.
  • Feng C, Zhou LY, Yu T, Xu G, Tian HL, Xu JJ, Xu HX, Luo KQ*. (2012). A new anticancer compound, Oblongifolin C, inhibits tumor growth and promotes apoptosis in HeLa cells through Bax activation. International Journal of Cancer, 131(6), 1445-1454.
  • Wu ZM, Ling L, Zhou LY, Guo XD, Jiang W, Qian Y, Luo KQ, Zhang LJ. (2012). Novel preparation of PLGA/HP55 nanoparticles for oral insulin delivery. Nanoscale Research Letters, 7, Article: 299.
  • Wu ZM, Zhou L, Guo XD, Jiang W, Ling L, Qian Y, Luo KQ, Zhang LJ. (2012). HP55-coated capsule containing PLGA/RS nanoparticles for oral delivery of insulin. International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 425(1-2), 1-8.
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