PolyU scholar received award for anti-cancer drug research

HUNG HOM, Hong Kong - Aug. 1, 2014 - PRLog -- Dr Tao Ye, Associate Professor of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU)’s Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology was recently awarded the 2014 Xiaoyu Hu Memorial Award at the 13^th Chinese International Peptide Symposium (CPS) held in Datong, China, from 30 June – 4 July 2014. The award was presented to Dr Ye in recognition of his outstanding achievements in the peptide science field, contributing to the research in synthesis of natural products and exploration of natural-products-based anti-cancer drugs.  His research resulted in discovery of novel anti-cancer agents based on marine natural products largazole, burkholdacs and computational-aided drug design. These anticancer agents have been proven effective in controlling cancer proliferation via inhibition of histone deacetylases and histone demethylases.

The CPS was founded in 1990 by world leading scholars in the peptide field, including Nobel Laureate Bruce Merrifield. It is one of the most important events in the field of peptide science, on par with the American Peptide Symposium, European Peptide Symposium and Japanese Peptide Symposium etc. The Xiaoyu Hu Memorial Award was established by the CPS in commemoration of Professor Xiaoyu Hu, a pioneer and leader in the development peptide science in the Chinese mainland. The award honors biennially one Chinese and one international scientist with outstanding contribution in the peptide science field. The other winner of the 2014 Xiaoyu Hu Memorial Award was Professor Paul Alewood, Chairman of Australian Peptide Association.

As a leading scientist in the field of synthetic chemistry and chemical biology, Dr Ye’s research focuses on the total synthesis of biological active natural products and chemical proteomics. His laboratory is particularly devoted to the research in synthesis and biological evaluation of natural products, especially in the exploration of natural-products-based novel anti-tumor agents. Dr Tao Ye also received the WuXi PharmaTech Life Science and Chemistry Award in 2012. His anti-cancer drug discovery program was supported by generous donation from both Fong Shu Fook Tong Foundation and Joyce M. Kuok Foundation.