Jacky C.K Ngo
Associate Professor
The Chinese University of Hong Kong
Talk Information
Peptides in Oncology
18 June 2025, 11:10am - 11:25am, in the Pacific Jewel Ballroom
L42 – Design of a Covalent Protein-Protein Interaction Inhibitor of SRPKs to Suppress Angiogenesis and Invasion of Cancer Cells
Associate Professor Jacky Chi Ki Ngo is a faculty member in the School of Life Sciences at The Chinese University of Hong Kong, CUHK. His research focuses on the structural and functional analysis of biological macromolecules, aiming to understand their roles in cellular processes and disease mechanisms.
Academic Background
Dr. Ngo earned his B.Sc., M.Sc., and Ph.D. degrees in Chemistry and Biochemistry from the University of California, San Diego. Following his doctoral studies, he conducted postdoctoral research at UC San Diego and at the Division of Hemostasis and Thrombosis at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School. In 2009, he joined CUHK as a Research Assistant Professor, was appointed Assistant Professor in 2012, and promoted to Associate Professor in 2019.
Research Focus
Professor Ngo's research centers on structure-function studies of macromolecules, structure-based drug development targeting cancers and neurodegenerative diseases, kinase-substrate interactions and phosphorylation, and the development of environmentally friendly pesticidal peptides for sustainable agriculture. His work integrates structural biology, biochemistry, and molecular biology to elucidate the mechanisms of protein function and regulation.
Notable Contributions
Dr. Ngo has made significant contributions to understanding the molecular interactions of CAG trinucleotide RNA repeats with nucleolin and their implications in polyglutamine diseases. His research has provided insights into the role of CAG RNAs in inducing DNA damage and apoptosis by silencing NUDT16 expression, advancing the knowledge of neurodegenerative disease mechanisms.
Professional Engagements
Beyond his research, Professor Ngo is actively involved in teaching and mentoring students in the fields of cell biology, environmental science, food and nutritional sciences, genomics and bioinformatics, marine science, and plant and agricultural science. He contributes to various academic programs and initiatives within the School of Life Sciences at CUHK.
Through his interdisciplinary research and commitment to education, Associate Professor Jacky Chi Ki Ngo continues to advance the understanding of biological macromolecules and their applications in health and agriculture.
Design of a Covalent Protein-Protein Interaction Inhibitor of SRPKs to Suppress Angiogenesis and Invasion of Cancer Cells
Serine–arginine (SR) proteins are splicing factors that play essential roles in both constitutive and alternative pre-mRNA splicing. Phosphorylation of their C-terminal RS domains by SR protein kinases (SRPKs) regulates their localization and diverse cellular activities. Dysregulation of phosphorylation has been implicated in many human diseases, including cancers.
Here, we report the development of a covalent protein–protein interaction inhibitor, C-DBS, that targets a lysine residue within the SRPK-specific docking groove to block the interaction and phosphorylation of the prototypic SR protein SRSF1. C-DBS exhibits high specificity and conjugation efficiency both in vitro and in cellulo. This self-cell-penetrating inhibitor attenuates the phosphorylation of endogenous SR proteins and subsequently inhibits the angiogenesis, migration, and invasion of cancer cells. These findings provide a new foundation for the development of covalent SRPK inhibitors for combatting diseases such as cancer and viral infections and overcoming the resistance encountered by ATP-competitive inhibitors.