YCW Lab

Cancer Biology/tumor-immunology Lab

Dr. Yi-Ching Wang investigates the molecular mechanisms underlying lung, esophageal, pancreatic, and colorectal cancers. Her recent work focuses on post-translational modifications of immune checkpoint molecules, stromal-cancer crosstalk, and the role of the small GTPase Rab37 in immune modulation of the tumor microenvironment and cancer progression. Her group also studies cancer-related transcription factors, including NF-κB, STAT3, Oct4, ZNF322A, and SOX17, as well as cytokines and secretory factors such as IL-2, IL-6, IL-33, CCL2, and chitinase-3-like protein 1. In parallel, her team is developing novel anticancer small-molecule therapeutics, immunomodulatory antibodies, and cytokines.

H-index

Google Scholar: Yi-Ching Wang

ResearchGate: Yi-Ching Wang

ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7694-2067

Research NCKU: https://researchoutput.ncku.edu.tw/en/persons/yi-ching-wang/

- Latest Research -

Post-translational modifications of immune checkpoints: molecular mechanisms, tumor microenvironment remodeling, and therapeutic implications

Source: J Biomed Sci. 2026 Jan 4;33(1):3.

doi: 10.1186/s12929-025-01202-1.

Hung-Chia Hsieh, Lun-Ling Ling, Yi-Ching Wang

Deubiquitinase USP24 activated by IL-6/STAT3 enhances PD-1 protein stability and suppresses T cell antitumor response

Source: Sci Adv. 2025 Apr 18;11(16):eadt4258.

doi: 10.1126/sciadv.adt4258.

Hung-Chia Hsieh, Ming-Jer Young, Kuan-Yu Chen, Wu-Chou Su, Chien-Chung Lin, Yi-Ting Yen, Jan-Jong Hung, Yi-Ching Wang

Fully human chitinase-3 like-1 monoclonal antibody inhibits tumor growth, fibrosis, angiogenesis, and immune cell remodeling in lung, pancreatic, and colorectal cancers

Source: Biomed Pharmacother. 2024 May 30:176:116825.

doi: 10.1016/j.biopha.2024.116825.

Pei-Chia Su, Ching-Yu Chen, Min-Hua Yu, I-Ying Kuo, Pei-Shan Yang, Ching-Hsuan Hsu, Ya-Chin Hou, Hsin-Ta Hsieh, Chih-Peng Chang, Yan-Shen Shan, Yi-Ching Wang

GDP-bound Rab37 modulates M2-like tumor-associated macrophage polarization by attenuating STAT1 translocation to downregulate the type I IFN pathway

Source: Br J Cancer. 2025 Apr;132(7):622-634.

doi: 10.1038/s41416-025-02955-0.

Chen-Tai Hong, You-En Yang, Hsueh-Fen Juan, Chih-Peng Chang & Yi-Ching Wang

IL-33/NF-κB/ST2L/Rab37 positive-feedback loop promotes M2 macrophage to limit chemotherapeutic efficacy in lung cancer

Source: Cell Death Dis. 2024 May 22;15(5):356.

doi: 10.1038/s41419-024-06746-y.

You-En Yang, Meng-Hsuan Hu, Yen-Chen Zeng, Yau-Lin Tseng, Ying-Yung Chen, Wu-Chou Su, Chih-Peng Chang, Yi-Ching Wang

Rab37 mediates trafficking and membrane presentation of PD-1 to sustain T cell exhaustion in lung cancer

Source: J Biomed Sci. 2024 Feb 7;31(1):20

doi: 10.1186/s12929-024-01009-6.

Wan-Ting Kuo, I-Ying Kuo, Hung-Chia Hsieh, Ssu-Ting Wu, Wu-Chou Su, Yi-Ching Wang

Dysregulation of SOX17/NRF2 axis confers chemoradiotherapy resistance and emerges as a novel therapeutic target in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

Source: J Biomed Sci. 2022 Oct 30;29(1):90.

doi: 10.1186/s12929-022-00873-4.

Chih-Hsiung Hsieh, Wen-Hui Kuan, Wei-Lun Chang, I-Ying Kuo, Hsun Liu, Dar-Bin Shieh, Hsuan Liu, Bertrand Tan & Yi-Ching Wang

Recent advances in conventional and unconventional vesicular secretion pathways in the tumor microenvironment

Source: J Biomed Sci. 2022 Aug 5;29(1):56.

doi: 10.1186/s12929-022-00837-8.

I.‑Ying Kuo, Chih‑Hsiung Hsieh, Wan‑Ting Kuo, Chih‑Peng Chang* and Yi‑Ching Wang*

Targeting protumor factor chitinase-3-like-1 secreted by Rab37 vesicles for cancer immunotherapy

Back Cover

Source: Theranostics 2022; 12(1): 340-361.

doi: 10.7150/thno.65522

Pei-Shan Yang*, Min-Hua Yu*, Ya-Chin Hou*, Chih-Peng Chang, Shao-Chieh Lin, I-Ying Kuo, Pei-Chia Su, Hung-Chi Cheng, Wu-Chou Su, Yan-Shen Shan, Yi-Ching Wang.