UVA School of Medicine

Ai Lab

Laboratory of Protein Engineering for Bioactivity Imaging

The Ai laboratory uses interdisciplinary approaches in chemistry, engineering, biophysics, and physiology to study and manipulate complex biological systems, with a focus on the development of novel molecular biosensors to peer into cells and brains to understand their communications.

We use a collection of technologies, such as protein engineering, fluorescence imaging, bioluminescence imaging, synthetic chemistry, electrophysiology, and MRI to dissect biological pathways related to metabolism, redox biology, insulin receptor signaling, and neurotransmission.

Our immediate goal is to monitor biological signaling in real time with excellent spatial resolution and molecular precision in physiologically relevant environments. Our long-term goal is to apply these new probes to live cells and rodent models to understand communications relevant to diabetes, cancer development and progression, cognition and behavior, and neurological disorders.

Samples

We are currently working with Addgene a nonprofit plasmid repository, to deposit frequently requested plasmids. Also see "Practical Notes for teLuc-DTZ and Antares2-DTZ".
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Molecular tools to generate reactive oxygen species in biological systems

This paper provides a concise review of current molecular tools that can generate ROS in biological systems via either non-genetic or genetically-encoded way. Challenges and perspectives are further discussed with the hope of broadening the applications of ROS generators in research and clinical settings.
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ATP-independent bioluminescent reporter variants to improve in vivo imaging

We engineered a LumiLuc luciferase which generates highly bright blue, teal, or yellow bioluminescence. We further fused LumiLuc to a red fluorescent protein, resulting in a LumiScarlet reporter with further red-shifted emission and enhanced tissue penetration. This paper was one of the top 20 most downloaded in ACS Chem Biol for the month of April 2019.
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Ai named Charter Member of NIH Study Section

Dr. Ai has been appointed by NIH as a charter member of the Imaging Guided Interventions and Surgery – IGIS study section. Dr. Ai will hold the position four years, attending…

Andy’s thesis defense

Congratulations to Andy (now Dr. Yeh) to successfully defend his PhD thesis on March 18, 2019. Andy will continue his postdoctoral training with Prof. David Baker, a leader in computational…

2019 Methods to Watch

Nature Methods in its 2019 Janurary issue selected bioluminescence (improved luciferases and luciferins) as a Method to Watch in 2019. Our work is highlighted in this short article: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41592-018-0274-x

ACS Toxicology Young Investigators Award

Dr. Huiwang Ai received the 2017 American Chemical Society Chemical Research in Toxicology Young Investigators Award for “applying innovative chemical technologies to the solution of important toxicology problems”. [Read more]

Detecting thioredoxin

Nature Chemical Biology: A fluorescent biosensor to monitor thioredoxin (Trx) redox activity called TrxRFP1 was developed by genetically linking Trx1 to the redox-sensitive red fluorescent protein, rxRFP1. TrxRFP1 was used to…

Lab Location

Pinn Hall - Rm. 4013-4020, 1340 Jefferson Park Avenue, Charlottesville, VA 22908

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