Techung Lee PhD
Techung Lee
PhD
Associate Professor
Jacobs School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences
Specialty/Research Focus
Cell growth, differentiation and development; Gene Expression; Molecular Basis of Disease; Signal Transduction
Professional Summary:
Research in my laboratory has been focused on molecular signaling mechanisms in fatty liver pathogenesis and heart failure. These processes are mediated by several cross-talk pathways involving intracellular and extracellular mediators such as Wnts, sFRPs, VEGF, JAK/STAT3, and phosphoglucose isomerase (PGI). We have explored the immunomodulatory property of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in our cell transplantation studies, and found that MSCs improve cardiac function in the porcine myocardial ischemia and hamster heart failure models. We have identified secreted PGI as a diagnostic biomarker for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and developed a robust PGI enzyme assay method for NAFLD detection. My long-term goal is to generate clinically relevant strategies that may be used for disease diagnosis and therapy for a broad spectrum of human diseases. In addition to the research endeavor, my laboratory maintains Biomedical Research Service (www.bmrservice.com) that provides innovative reagents for the life science community and pharmaceutical industry.
Education and Training:
- PhD, Microbiology and Immunology, Virginia Commonwealth University (1989)
- MS, M.S. in Biochemistry, National Taiwan University (1983)
- BS, Botany, National Taiwan University (1981)
Employment:
- Associate Professor, Biochemistry, SUNY at Buffalo Jacobs School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (1999-present)
- Assistant Professor, Biochemistry, SUNY at Buffalo Jacobs School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (1993-present)
- Research Associate, Cell Biology, Baylor College of Medicine (1990-present)
- Instructor, Cell Biology, Baylor College of Medicine (1992)
Awards and Honors:
- Siegel Teaching Recognition (2020)
- Siegel Teaching Recognition (2018)
- Siegel Teaching Award (2013)
- STOR Recognition (2013)
- STOR Recognition (2010)
- Siegel Teaching Recognition (2004)
Research Expertise:
- Cell and Molecular Biology
- Human metabolism and nutrition
Grants and Sponsored Research:
- February 2024–January 2028
Poly(I:C) Drug Repurposing and SFRP-2 Gene Therapy in Tooth Regeneration
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Role: Co-Principal Investigator
$470,400
Patents:
- Stem cell material and method of use A method to immortalize bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (2011)
Journal Articles:
- Camila Sabatini Huey-Jiun Lin Galib Ovik Richard Hall Techung Lee. (2025) The Proneural Transcription Factor Atoh1 Promotes Odontogenic Differentiation in Human Dental Pulp Stem Cells (DPSCs). BMC Molecular and Cell Biology (Jan), 26(5): 1-10. doi:10.1186/s12860-025-00530-2
- Sabatini C, Ayenew L, Khan T, Hall R, Lee T. (2022) Dental Pulp Cell Conditioning through Polyinosinic-Polycytidylic Acid Activation of Toll-like Receptor 3 for Amplification of Trophic Factors. Journal of endodontics (Jul), 48(7): 872-879.
- Lin H, Zhu L, Baker SS, Baker RD, Lee T. (2020) Secreted phosphoglucose isomerase is a novel biomarker of nonalcoholic fatty liver in mice and humans. Biochemical and biophysical research communications (Sep), 529(4): 1101-1105. doi:10.1016/j.bbrc.2020.06.126
- Zhu L, Baker SS, Shahein A, Choudhury S, Liu W, Bhatia T, Baker RD, Lee T. (2018) Upregulation of non-canonical Wnt ligands and oxidative glucose metabolism in NASH induced by methionine-choline deficient diet. Trends in cell & molecular biology (Jan), 13: 47-56.
- Lin H, Angeli M, Chung KJ, Ejimadu C, Rosa AR, Lee T. (2016) sFRP2 activates Wnt/ß-catenin signaling in cardiac fibroblasts: differential roles in cell growth, energy metabolism, and extracellular matrix remodeling. American journal of physiology. Cell physiology (Nov), 311(5): C710-C719. doi:10.1152/ajpcell.00137.2016
- Martin S, Lin H, Ejimadu C, Lee T. (2015) Tissue-nonspecific alkaline phosphatase as a target of sFRP2 in cardiac fibroblasts. American journal of physiology. Cell physiology (Aug), 309(3): C139-47. doi:10.1152/ajpcell.00009.2015
- Mastri M, Lin H, Lee T. (2014) Enhancing the efficacy of mesenchymal stem cell therapy. World journal of stem cells (Apr), 6(2): 82-93. doi:10.4252/wjsc.v6.i2.82
- Mastri M, Shah Z, Hsieh K, Wang X, Wooldridge B, Martin S, Suzuki G, Lee T. (2014) Secreted Frizzled-related protein 2 as a target in antifibrotic therapeutic intervention. American journal of physiology. Cell physiology (Mar), 306(6): C531-9. doi:10.1152/ajpcell.00238.2013
Abstracts:
- Camila Sabatini, Huey Lin, Techung Lee. (2024) Novel Odontogenic Potential of Secreted Frizzled-Related Protein 2 (sFRP2). AADOCR Meeting Abstract, Annual AADOCR Meeting. New Orleans, LouisianaUnited States (Mar) Poster
Presentations:
- "Induction of tissue inhibitors of matrix metalloproteinases (TIMPs) in NASH and regulation of dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) by TIMPs" AASLD; AASLD; Basic science (2020)
- "Liver enzyme activity profile-based discovery of serum biomarkers for NASH in mice" AASLD; AASLD; Basic science (2019)
- "Upregulation of non-canonical Wnt ligands and oxidative glucose metabolism in NASH induced by methionine-choline deficient (MCD) diet" AASLD; AASLD; Basic science (2018)
- "MMP7 and relevant chemokines in NASH" AASLD; AASLD; Basic science (2017)
- "Secreted Frizzled Receptor proteins and liver fibrosis in Non alcoholic fatty liver disease" AASLD; AASLD; Basic science (2016)
- "Skeletal muscle injection of plasmid VEGF165 improves myocardial flow and function in swine with hibernating myocardium" conference; American Heart Association (2002)
- "Intracoronary administration of AdvFGF-5 improves resting function but does not alter myocardial perfusion during adenosine vasodilation in hibernating myocardium" Conference; American Heart Association (2001)
- "Hypoxic Response in Cardiomyocytes" Conference; Great Lakes Muscle Symposium (2001)
- "Positron emission tomography reveals viability and revascularization of cell patch cardiomyoplasty" Conference; American College of Chest Physicians (2001)
- "Cardiomyocyte apoptosis and selective calcium-mediated proteolysis of cardiac troponin I. Scientific Conference on molecular, cellular, and integrated physiological approaches to the failing heart" Conference; American Heart Association (1999)
- "Pharmacological preconditioning and selective degradation of contractile proteins associated with simulated hypoxia-induced apoptosis of cultured neonatal cardiomyocytes" Conference; European Heart House (1998)
- ". Proteolytic regulation of the zinc finger factor YY1, a repressor of myogenic transcription" Conference; ASBMB (1997)
- ". Analysis of events associated with serum deprivation-induced apoptosis in muscle satellite cells" Conference; ASBMB (1996)
Service Activities:
- Ad hoc reviewer for FASEB Journal, Stem Cell Research and Therapy, Annals of Medicine, Stem Cells International, and Journal of Lipids; Ad hoc reviewer (2024)
- JSMBS M.D. Thesis committee; Member (2024)
- JSMBS Phase I committee; Member (2024)
- JSMBS Faculty council; Member (2024)
- Department of Biochemistry Undergraduate Education Committee; Member (2024)
- My reagent service center has made a good reputation for the University over the years. Several dozens of publications have cited University at Buffalo for the use of my service center reagents.; Research reagent provider (2024)
- Providing reagents for the broad life science research community. The annual revenue is $40,000-$50,000, which is used to fund research operation.; Research reagents supplier for UB Marketplace (2024)