Ge Ruowen

Associate Professor

Contact Information:
Department of Biological Science
National University of Singapore
14 Science Drive 4
Singapore 117543
Tel: 65167879
Fax: 67792486
email: dbsgerw@nus.edu.sg

PhD (Univ. of Pennsylvania)

Research interests:


Tumor angiogenesis, anti-angiogenic proteins and cancer therapeutics:
Angiogenesis (new blood vessel formation) is essential for tumor growth and metastasis.  Anti-angiogenesis is a promising anticancer therapeutic approach.  We focus on investigating novel endogenous angiogenesis inhibitor proteins that contain the thrombospondin type 1 repeat domain (TSR) and their function and development into anti-angiogenic cancer drugs. These proteins are not only valuable for anticancer drug development, but also important for maintaining angiogenesis homeostasis in normal tissues. We have identified 3 novel endogenous anti-angiogenic proteins: Isthmin, ADAMTS5 and ADAMTS4. We are currently investigating their pathophysiological function and therapeutic applications. In addition, we are studying tumor endothelial cell biology and developing targeted drug delivery for liver cancer using tumor endothelial cell surface markers.

Angiogenesis and liver organogenesis in zebrafish model:
Angiogenesis is very important for cardiovascular biology and medicine. It is essential for all tissue formation and growth.  We use zebrafish as a model organism to study angiogenesis and liver development. Genes of interest include Augmenter of Liver Regeneration (ALR), Hepatocyte Growth Factor (HGF) and histone deacetylases (HDACs).

Selected recent publications: 
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  1. Kumar, S., S. Sharghi-Namini, N. Rao and R. Ge. ADAMTS5 functions as an anti-angiogenic and
    anti-tumorigenic protein independent of its proteoglycanase activity. Am. J. Pathol. 181(3):1056-68, 2012. PubMed link 

  2. Ge R, Tan E, Sharghi-Namini S, Asada HH. Exosomes in cancer microenvironment and beyond: have we overlooked these extracellular messengers? Cancer Microenviron. 2012 May 15. PubMed link

  3. Li Y, Farooq M, Sheng D, Chandramouli C, Lan T, Mahajan NK, Kini RM, Hong Y, Lisowsky T, Ge R. Augmenter of liver regeneration (alr) promotes liver outgrowth during zebrafish hepatogenesis. PLoS One 7(1):e30835, 2012. PubMed link

  4. Zhang Y, Chen M, Venugopal S, Zhou Y, Xiang W, Li YH, Lin Q, Kini RM, Chong YS, Ge R. Isthmin exerts pro-survival and death-promoting effect on endothelial cells through alphavbeta5 integrin depending on its physical state. Cell Death Dis. 2:e153, 2011. PubMed link

  5. Xiang W, Ke Z, Zhang Y, Cheng GH, Irwan ID, Sulochana KN, Potturi P, Wang Z, Yang H, Wang J, Zhuo L, Kini RM, Ge R. Isthmin is a novel secreted angiogenesis inhibitor that inhibits tumor growth in mice. J. Cell. Mol. Med. 15(2):359-74., 2011. PubMed link

  6. Jia, J., J. Wang, M. Teh, W. Sun, J. Zhang, I. Kee, P. K-H Chow, R. C. M-Y. Liang, M. C.M. Chung  and R. Ge.  Identification Of Proteins Differentially Expressed Between Capillary Endothelial Cells Of Hepatocellular Carcinoma And Normal Liver In An Orthotopic Rat Tumor Model Using 2D-DIGE. Proteomics 10(2):224-34, 2010. PubMed link

  7. Raghunath M, Sy Wong Y, Farooq M, Ge R. Pharmacologically induced angiogenesis in transgenic zebrafish. Biochem. Biophy. Res. Comm. 378:766-71, 2009. PubMed link

  8. Yuan P, Bartlam M, Lou Z, Chen S, Zhou J, He X, Lv Z, Ge R, Li X, Deng T, Fodor E, Rao Z, Liu Y. Crystal structure of an avian influenza polymerase PA(N) reveals an endonuclease active site. Nature 458:909-13, 2009. PubMed link

  9. Fan, H., K.N. Sulochana, Y-S Chong and R. Ge. Decorin Derived Antiangiogenic Peptide LRR5 Inhibits Endothelial Cell Migration By Interfering With VEGF-Stimulated NO Release. Int. J. Biochem. Cell Biol. 40, 2120-2128, 2008. PubMed link

  10. Sharghi-Namini, S., H. Fan, K.N. Sulochana, P. Potturi, W. Xiang, Y-S Chong, Z. Wang, H. Yang, R. Ge. The first but not the second thrombospondin type 1 repeat of ADAMTS5 functions as an angiogenesis inhibitor.  Biochem. Biophy. Res. Comm. 371:215-9, 2008. PubMed link

  11. Farooq, M., K.N. Sulochana, X. Pan, J. To, D. Sheng, Z. Gong, R. Ge. Histone deacetylase 3 (hdac3) is specifically required for liver development in zebrafish. Dev. Biol., 317:336-53, 2008. PubMed link

  12. He X, Zhou J, Bartlam M, Zhang R, Ma J, Lou Z, Li X, Li J, Joachimiak A, Zeng Z, Ge R, Rao Z, Liu Y. Crystal structure of the polymerase PA(C)-PB1(N) complex from an avian influenza H5N1 virus. Nature 454:1123-6, 2008. PubMed link

  13. Sulochana, K. N and R. Ge.  Developing Antiangiogenic Peptide Drugs for Angiogenesis-Related Diseases. Curr. Pharma. Des., 13:2074-86, 2007. PubMed link

  14. Ye, L, KhH Haider, RS Tan, WC Toh, PK Law, WB Tan, LP Su, W Zhang, R Ge, Y Zhang, Y T Lim and E K W Sim, "Transplantation of nanoparticle transfected skeletal myoblasts overexpressing vascular endothelial growth factor 165 for cardiac repair".  Circulation 116:I113-20, 2007. PubMed link

  15. Sulochana, KN, H. Fan, S. Jois, S. Vivekanandan, F. Sun, R. M. Kini, and R. Ge.  Peptides Derived From Human Decorin Leucine Rich Repeat 5 Inhibit Angiogenesis. 
    J. Biol. Chem. 280: 27935-27948, 2005. PubMed link

  16. Sun, F., D. Casse, J. A. Van Kan, R. Ge* and F. Watt.  Geometric Control of fibroblasts Growth on Proton Beam Micromachined Scaffolds.  Tissue Eng. 10, 267-272, 2004. *Corresponding author. PubMed link

  17. Shim, W. S. N, M. Teh, A. Bapna, I, Kim, G-Y Koh, P. Mack and R. Ge. Angiopoietin-1 Promotes Tumor Angiogenesis and Tumor Vessel Plasticity ofHuman Cervical Cancer in Mice.  Exp. Cell Res. 279, 299-309, 2002. PubMed link

  18. Liang, D., J. Chang, A. J. Chin, A. Smith, C. Kelly, Eric S. Weinberg and R. Ge.  The Role of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) in Vasculogenesis, Angiogenesis, and Hematopoiesis in Zebrafish Development.  Mech. Dev. 108, 29-43, 2001. PubMed link

  19. Tan, D C-W., M. R. Kini., J. D. S. Seetharama, D. K-F Lim, L. Xin and R. Ge.  A Small Peptide Derived From Flt-1 (VEGFR-1) Functions As An Angiogenic Inhibitor. FEBS Lett. 494,150-156, 2001. PubMed link

  20. Shim, W S-N, M. Teh, P. Mack and R. Ge.  Inhibition Of Angiopoietin-1 Expression In Tumor Cells By An Antisense RNA Approach Inhibited Xenograft Tumor Growth In Immunodeficient Mice.  Int.  J. Cancer 94, 6-15, 2001. PubMed link

Patents:

  1. Ge, R and R. M. Kini, Small Peptides With Potent Anti-Angiogenic Activities. US patent No. 7,317,003, 2008.

  2. Ge, R and R. M. Kini, Small Peptides with Potent Anti-Angiogenic Activities. US patent No. 6,200,954, 2001. 

 

updated 15 Feb 2013

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