Education

Biography

Dr Chau is a biochemist and cell biologist with in depth knowledge and research experience into the pathogenic mechanisms of neurodegenerative diseases focusing on Parkinson’s disease. He also establishes collaborations through his expertise in mitochondria biology, immunology and gene regulation. He has extensive track record of undergraduate and postgraduate research projects supervision. He is a member of professional organization such as Biochemical Society and Society for Neuroscience.

Research Interest

• Biochemistry
• cell biology
• Neurodegenerative diseases
• Parkinson’s disease
• Mitochondria biology
• Immunology
• Gene regulation

Scientific Activities

Professional Experience

Publications

1. Lascaratos G, Chau KY, Zhu H, Gkotsi D, Kamal D, Gout I, Luthert PJ, Schapira AHV, Garway-Heath DF. (2017) Systemic PTEN-Akt1-mTOR pathway activity in patients with normal tension glaucoma and ocular hypertension: A case series. Mitochondrion (in press).
2. Yang SY, Beavan M, Chau KY, Taanman JW, Schapira AHV. (2017). A Human Neural Crest Stem Cell-Derived Dopaminergic Neuronal Model Recapitulates Biochemical Abnormalities in GBA1 Mutation Carriers. Stem Cell Reports 14;8(3):728-742.
3. Hong CT, Chau KY, Schapira AHV (2016). The Cytomegalovirus protein pUL37×1 targets mitochondria to mediate neuroprotection. Sci Reports. 6:31373.
4. Sanchez-Martinez A, Beavan M, Gegg ME, Chau KY, Whitworth AJ, Schapira AH (2016). Parkinson disease-linked GBA mutation effects reversed by molecular chaperones in human cell and fly models. Sci Rep. 6:31380.
5. Hong CT, Chau KY, Schapira AHV (2016). Meclizine-induced enhanced glycolysis is neuroprotective in Parkinson disease cell models. Sci Reports. 6:25344.
6. Pryde KR, Smith HL, Chau KY, Schapira AHV (2016). PINK1 disables the anti-fission machinery to segregate damaged mitochondria for mitophagy. J Cell Biol. 213(2):163-71.
7. Ivankovic D, Chau KY, Schapira AH, Gegg ME. (2016). Mitochondrial and lysosomal biogenesis are activated following PINK1/parkin-mediated mitophagy. J Neurochem. 136(2):388-402.
8. Lascaratos G, Chau KY, Zhu H, Gkotsi D, King R, Gout I, Kamal D, Luthert PJ, Schapira AH, Garway-Heath DF. (2015.) Resistance to the most common optic neuropathy is associated with systemic mitochondrial efficiency. Neurobiol Dis. 78-85.
9. Gkotsi D, Begum R, Salt T, Lascaratos G, Hogg C, Chau KY, Schapira AH, Jeffery G. (2014). Recharging mitochondrial batteries in old eyes. Near infra-red increases ATP. Exp Eye Res. 122:50-3.
10. McNeill A, Magalhaes J, Shen C, Chau KY, Hughes D, Mehta A, Foltynie T, Cooper JM, Abramov AY, Gegg M, Schapira AH. (2014). Ambroxol improves lysosomal biochemistry in glucocerebrosidase mutation-linked Parkinson disease cells. Brain. 1481-95.
11. Chau KY, Cooper JM, Schapira AH (2013). Pramipexole reduces phosphorylation of α-synuclein at serine-129. J Mol Neurosci. 51(2):573-80.
12. Cleeter MW, Chau KY, Gluck C, Mehta A, Hughes DA, Duchen M, Wood NW, Hardy J, Mark Cooper J, Schapira AH (2013). Glucocerebrosidase inhibition causes mitochondrial dysfunction and free radical damage. Neurochem Int. 62(1):1-7.
13. Papkovskaia TD, Chau KY, Inesta-Vaquera F, Papkovsky DB, Healy DG, Nishio K, Staddon J, Duchen MR, Hardy J, Schapira AH, Cooper JM (2012). G2019S leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 causes uncoupling protein-mediated mitochondrial depolarization. Hum Mol Genet. 21(19):4201-13.
14. Lascaratos G, Garway-Heath DF, Willoughby CE, Chau KY, Schapira AH (2012). Mitochondrial dysfunction in glaucoma: understanding genetic influences. Mitochondrion. 12(2):202-12.
15. Gegg ME, Cooper JM, Chau KY, Rojo M, Schapira AH, Taanman JW (2010). Mitofusin 1 and mitofusin 2 are ubiquitinated in a PINK1/parkin-dependent manner upon induction of mitophagy. Hum Mol Genet. 19(24):4861-70.
16. Chau KY, Cooper JM, Schapira AH (2010). Rasagiline protects against alpha-synuclein induced sensitivity to oxidative stress in dopaminergic cells. Neurochem Int. 57(5):525-9.