Menu
About
Academic Advisory Committee Research Faculty Principal Investigators Jointly Appointed Principal Investigators Adjunct Principal Investigators Emeriti Faculty Staff
Research Events
Language

Charles Pin-Kuang Lai

Research Fellow

Charles Pin-Kuang Lai
Email: laicharles[at]sinica.edu.tw
Office: R204
Tel: +886-2-23668204
Lab: L408
Lab Tel: +886-2-23668244
Bionanotechnology and Molecular Bioimaging Laboratory

Research Interest

  • Molecular Bioimaging
  • Cell-to-Cell Communication
  • Genetic Engineering
  • Nanobiotechnology

Research Overview

Dr. Charles Pin-Kuang Lai focuses on elucidating the roles and in vivo behaviors of extracellular vesicles (EVs) in tumor biology, with a dedicated focus on developing bioimaging technologies with high spatiotemporal resolution. He leads the team that pioneered the PalmGRET platform, the world's first multi-resolution EV tracking system to integrate bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET) technology. This platform enables the precise mapping of the distribution and dynamics of diverse EV populations within living organisms. Utilizing this technology, his team discovered that highly malignant breast cancer cells release significant quantities of large EVs (bEVs; >200 nm), which exhibit biodistribution patterns and oncogenic potentials distinct from those of small EVs (sEVs; <200 nm). This work moves the field beyond its long- standing emphasis on sEVs by systematically revealing the unique roles of bEVs in tumor progression, opening new avenues for EV-based cancer diagnostics and therapeutics. Additionally, Dr. Lai has made sustained contributions to the study of DNA damage and repair mechanisms. He developed a multi-scale DNA repair tracking system to investigate how interactive gene-repair dynamics drive carcinogenesis and treatment resistance, providing vital insights for maintaining genomic stability and designing more effective cancer therapies.

figure

Education

  • Ph.D., 2010, University of British Columbia, Canada
  • B.S., 2003, University of British Columbia, Canada

Professional History

  • 2025-present Research Fellow, Institute of Atomic and Molecular Sciences, Academia Sinica
  • 2022-present Adjunct Associate Professor, Genome and Systems Biology Degree Program, National Taiwan University
  • 2021-2025     Associate Research Fellow, Institute of Atomic and Molecular Sciences, Academia Sinica
  • 2017-2021     Assistant Research Fellow, Institute of Atomic and Molecular Sciences, Academia Sinica
  • 2018-2022     Adjunct Assistant Professor, Genome and Systems Biology Degree Program, National Taiwan University
  • 2015-2017     Assistant Professor, Institute of Biomedical Engineering, National Tsing Hua University
  • 2015-2015     Visiting Scholar, Institute of Atomic and Molecular Sciences, Academia Sinica
  • 2014-2015     Instructor, Neuroscience Program, Harvard Medical School
  • 2014-2015     Assistant in Neuroscience, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital
  • 2010-2014     Postdoctoral Fellow/Research Fellow, Neuroscience Program, Harvard Medical School 

Awards & Honors

  • 2026    Leap Fellowship, Foundation for the Advancement of Outstanding Scholarship, Taiwan
  • 2025-29  International Outstanding Young Scholars Research Grant, National Science and Technology Council, Taiwan
  • 2024     Outstanding Research Award, National Science and Technology Council, Taiwan
  • 2022-25  International Outstanding Young Scholars Research Grant, National Science and Technology Council, Taiwan
  • 2022      Young Scholar Innovation Award, Foundation for the Advancement of Outstanding Scholarship, Taiwan
  • 2021     Young Scientist Award, YungShin Tien Te Lee Biomedical Foundation, Taiwan
  • 2020-24   Career Development Award, Academia Sinica, Taiwan
  • 2020-22   Outstanding Young Scholar Research Grant, Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan
  • 2017-19    Academia Sinica Salary Bonus for Outstanding Faculties and Scholars, Academia Sinica, Taiwan
  • 2015-17   Salary Bonus for Recruitment of Outstanding Faculties and Scholars, National Science and Technology Council, Taiwan
  • 2015      Partners in Excellence (Teamwork), Massachusetts General Hospital, USA
  • 2013    Excellence in Research, American Society for Gene and Cell Therapy, USA
  • 2013    Travel Award, American Society for Gene and Cell Therapy, USA
  • 2013    Young Investigator Award, International Society for Extracellular Vesicles, USA
  • 2011-14   Postdoctoral Fellowship, Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR), Canada
Selected Publications
  • Magoling, B., Chen,Y., Wu, A.Y., Wong, W.W., Chou, S.T., Huang, H., Sung, Y., Hsieh, H., Huang, P., Lee, K., Huang, K., Chen,R., Chen,Y., Lai, C.P.* (2023). Membrane protein modification modulates big and small extracellular vesicle biodistribution and tumorigenic potential in breast cancers in vivo. Advanced Materials. 35(13): e2208966.
  • Chien, J.C., Badr, C.E.*, Lai, C.P.* (2021). Multiplexed bioluminescence-mediated tracking of DNA double strand break repairs in vitro and in vivo. Nature Protocols. 16, 3933-3953. *Co-last authors.
  • Wu, A.Y., Sung, Y., Chen, Y., Chou, S.T., Guo, V., Chien, J.C., Ko, J.J., Yang, A.L., Huang, H., Chuang, J., Wu, S., Ho, M., Ericsson, M., Lin, W., Cheung, C.H.Y., Juan, H., Ueda, K., Chen, Y., Lai, C.P. (2020). Multiresolution imaging using bioluminescence resonance energy transfer identifies distinct biodistribution profiles of extracellular vesicles and exomeres with redirected tropism. Advanced Science. 7 (19): 2001467-83.
  • Chien J.C., Pinkham, K., da Hora, C.C., Tabet E., Badr C.E.*, Lai, C.P.* (2020). Multiplexed bioluminescent reporter enables real-time tracking of DNA double strand break repair dynamics in vitro and in vivo. Nucleic Acids Research. 48 (17): e100-117. *Co-last authors.
  • Reátegui, E.,* van der Vos, K.E.,* Lai, C.P.,* Zeinali, M., Atai, N.A., Aldikacti, B., Floyd Jr., F.P., Khankhel, A.H., Thapar, V., Hochberg, F.H., Sequist, L.V., Nahed, B.V., Carter, B.S., Toner, M., Balaj, L., Ting, D.T., Breakefield, X.O., Stott, S.L. (2018). Engineered nanointerfaces for microfluidic isolation and molecular profiling of tumor-specific extracellular vesicles. Nature Communications, 9 (1): 175-186.
  • Pucci, F., Garris, C., Lai, C.P., Newton, A., Pfirschke, C., Engblom, C., Alvarez, D., Sprachman, M., Evavold, C., Magnuson, A., von Andrian, U.H., Glatz, K., Breakefield, X.O., Mempel, T.R., Weissleder, R., Pittet, M.J. (2016). SCS macrophages suppress melanoma by restricting tumor-derived vesicle-B cell interactions. Science, 352 (6282): 242-6.
  • Lai, C.P., Kim, K.Y., Badr, C.E., Mempel, T.R., Tannous, B.A., Breakefield, X.O. (2015). Visualization and tracking of tumor extracellular vesicles delivery and RNA translation using multiplexed reporters. Nature Communications, 6: 7029.1.
  • Zaborowski, M., Breakefield, X.O., Lai, C.P. (2015). Extracellular vesicles: composition, biological relevance and methods of study. Bioscience, 65 (8): 783-797.
  • Lai, C.P., Mardini, O., Ericsson, M., Prabhaker, S., Maguire A., Chen, J.W., Tannous, B.A., Breakefield, X.O. (2014). Dynamic biodistribution of extracellular vesicles in vivo using a multimodal reporter. ACS Nano, 8 (1): 483-94.
  • Lai, C.P., Bechberger, J., Naus, C. (2009). Pannexin2 as a Novel Negative Growth Regulator in C6 Gliomas. Oncogene, 28 (49): 4402-8.
  • Lai, C.P., Bechberger, J., Thompson, R.J., MacVicar, B., Bruzzone, R., Naus, C. (2007). Tumor-suppressive Effects of Pannexin1 in C6 Gliomas. Cancer Research, 67 (4): 1545-54.