Development of novel gene transfer tools and small animal models for the study of HIV, cancer, vaccines and immuno-therapeutic strategies.
Retroviruses are RNA viruses that synthesize DNA inside the host cell and then incorporate it into the chromosome by a process called reverse transcription and integration. My lab studies the life cycle of retroviruses, in particular, the retrovirus which causes AIDS, also known as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
The current research interest is focused on the development of novel gene transfer tools, experimenting with small animal models, and developing HIV and cancer vaccines and immuno-therapeutic strategies.
We are interested in characterizing cellular and immune modulatory factors that are essential to the development of protective immunity targeting HIV and cancer. My laboratory has established reagents
and protocols for improved lentiviral vector gene transfer, siRNA delivery and high-titer vector production.
The goal of my research is to translate basic scientific discovery into clinical applications.
Selected Recent Publications
Han, S., Wang, B., Yang, L.-J., Zucali, JR, Moreb, JS, and Chang, L.-J. (2007) Overcoming immune tolerance against multiple myeloma with lentiviral calnexin-engineered dendritic cells. Molecular Therapy (in press)
Yang, Q, Lucas, A., Son, S. and Chang, L.-J. (2007) Overlapping function of transcriptional enhancer and terminator elements in the lentiviral long termina repeat. Retrovirology 4-4.
Chen, X., Wang, B. and Chang, L.-J. (2006) Induction of primary anti-HIV CD4 and CD8 T cell responses by dendritic cells transduced with self-inactivating lentiviral vectors. Cellular Immunology 243, 10-18.
Wang, B, He, J., Chen, L. and Chang, L.-J. (2006) An effective cancer vaccine modality: lentiviral modification of dendritic cells expressing multiple cancer-specific antigens. Vaccine 24, 3477-89.
Tang, D.-Q, Cao, L.-Z., Chou, W., Shun, L., Farag, C., Atkinson, M. A., Li, S.-W., Chang, L.-J. and Yang, L.-J. (2006) Role of Pax4 in Pdx1-VP16-mediated liver-to-endocrine pancreas transdifferentiation. Lab. Invest. 86, 829-41.
He, J, Yang, Q and Chang, L.-J. (2005) DNA Methylation and Chromatin Modifications Are Coupled with Lentiviral Transgene Silencing in Murine Embryonic Carcinoma Cells. J. Virol. 79, 13497-508.
Books, Contributor of Chapter
Oka, M. Chang, L.-J. and Terada, N. (2005) Lentivirus mediated gene modification in ES cells. "Methods in Molecular Biology series: Embryonic Stem Cells 2".
Cui, Y. and Chang, L.-J. (2003) Detection and selection of lentiviral vector transduced cells. "Methods in Molecular Biology Vol. 229: Lentivirus Gene Engineering Protocols" pp 69-85, Ed. Maurizio Federico, Human Press, Inc.
Chang, L.-J. and Zaiss, A.-K.(2002) Self-inactivating lentiviral vectors in combination with a sensitive Cre-loxP reporter system. Methods in Molecular Medicine. "Viral Vectors for Gene Therapy: Methods and Protocols", pp 367-382, Ed. John Walker, Humana Press, Inc..
Chang, L.-J. and Zaiss, A.-K. (2001) Methods for the preparation and use of lentivirus vectors. Methods in Molecular Medicine, Gene Therapy Protocols, 2nd Ed., pp 303-318, Ed. Jeffrey Morgan, Humana Press, Inc.
Reviews
Chang, L.-J. (2003) Vector integration: pest not guest. Gene Therapy 10: 193-194 (News and Commentary).
Parney, I. F. and Chang, L.-J. (2002) Cancer immunogene therapy. Journal of Biomedical Sciences 10, 37-43.
Chang, L.-J. and Gay, E. (2001) The molecular genetics of lentiviral vectors - current and future perspectives. Current Gene Therapy 1, 237-251.
Chang, L-J. and He, J. (2001) "Retroviral vectors for gene therapy of AIDS and cancer". Current Opinion in Molecular Therapeutics 3, 468-475.
