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Dr. Alicia Wong Khai Yeen

Email: [email protected]

I began my research journey about a decade ago, inspired by my final year project on oil degrading bacteria. This sparked my passion for microbiology, particularly how microbes interact with and impact human lives.

My main research interests include host-pathogen interactions and the immune defenses employed by infective bacteria. I focus on how post-translational modifications affect cellular signaling pathways in diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and periodontitis. Additionally, my research involves understanding the formation and function of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), crucial components of the innate immune response. These web-like structures, composed of DNA and antimicrobial proteins, are deployed by neutrophils to trap and neutralize pathogens. I am particularly interested in how citrullination influences the formation and function of NETs at the molecular level.

Additionally, I have a keen interest in food microbiology and explore effective educational strategies for students.

PhD in Biological Sciences (Biochemistry) Jagiellonian University, 2012-2019

MRES in Medical and Veterinary Microbiology University of Glasgow, 2010-2011

Bsc (HONS) Biotechnology UCSI University, 2005-2009

Year Title
2021 Song J, Schwenzer A, Wong A, Turcinov S, Rims C, Martinez LR, Arribas-Layton D, Gerstner C, Muir VS, Midwood KS, Malmström V, James EA, Buckner JH. Shared recognition of citrullinated tenascin-C peptides by T and B cells in rheumatoid arthritis. JCI Insight. 2021 Mar 8;6(5):e145217. doi: 10.1172/jci.insight.145217. PMID: 33507879; PMCID: PMC8021118.
2020 Bryzek D, Golda A, Budziaszek J, Kowalczyk D, Wong A, Bielecka E, Shakamuri P, Svoboda P, Pohl J, Potempa J, Koziel J. Citrullination-resistant LL37 is a potent antimicrobial agent in the inflammatory environment high in arginine deiminase activity. Int J Mol Sci 2020 Nov 30; 21(23):9126. Doi: 10.3390/ijms21239126. PMID: 33266231; PMCID:PMC7730452

Hočevar K, Vizovišek M, Wong A, Kozieł J, Fonović M, Potempa B, Lamont RJ, Potempa J, Turk B. Proteolysis of Gingival Keratinocyte Cell Surface Proteins by Gingipains Secreted From Porphyromonas gingivalis – Proteomic Insights Into Mechanisms Behind Tissue Damage in the Diseased Gingiva. Front Microbiol. 2020 Apr 28;11:722. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.00722. PMID: 32411104; PMCID: PMC7198712.

2019 Möller B, Bender P, Eick S, Kuchen S, Maldonado A, Potempa J, Reichenbach S, Sculean A, Schwenzer A, Villiger PM, Wong A, Midwood KS. Treatment of severe periodontitis may improve clinical disease activity in otherwise treatment-refractory rheumatoid arthritis patients. Rheumatology (Oxford). 2019 Jul 10. pii: kez287. doi: 10.1093/rheumatology/kez287. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 31292632.

Aliko A, Kamińska M, Falkowski K, Bielecka E, Benedyk-Machaczka M, Malicki S,  Kozieł J, Wong A, Bryzek D, Kantyka T, Mydel P. Discovery of Novel Potential Reversible Peptidyl Arginine Deiminase Inhibitor. Int J Mol Sci. 2019 May 2;20(9). pii: E2174. doi: 10.3390/ijms20092174. PubMed PMID: 31052493.

2018 Wong A, Bryzek D, Dobosz E, Scavenius C, Svoboda P, Rapala-Kozik M, Lesner A, Frydrych I, Enghild J, Mydel P, Pohl J, Thompson PR, Potempa J, Koziel J. A Novel Biological Role for Peptidyl-Arginine Deiminases: Citrullination of Cathelicidin
LL-37 Controls the Immunostimulatory Potential of Cell-Free DNA. J Immunol. 2018
Apr 1;200(7):2327-2340. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.1701391. Epub 2018 Feb 23. PubMed PMID: 29475987; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC5860981
2017 Schwenzer A, Quirke AM, Marzeda AM, Wong A, Montgomery AB, Sayles HR, Eick S, Gawron K, Chomyszyn-Gajewska M, Łazarz-Bartyzel K, Davis S, Potempa J, Kessler BM, Fischer R, Venables PJ, Payne JB, Mikuls TR, Midwood KS. Association of Distinct Fine Specificities of Anti-Citrullinated Peptide Antibodies With Elevated Immune Responses to Prevotella intermedia in a Subgroup of Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis and Periodontitis. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2017

Dec;69(12):2303-2313. doi: 10.1002/art.40227. Epub 2017 Oct 30. PubMed PMID: 29084415; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC5711558.Glowczyk I, Wong A, Potempa B, Babyak O, Lech M, Lamont RJ, Potempa J, Koziel J. Inactive Gingipains from P. gingivalis Selectively Skews T Cells toward a Th17 Phenotype in an IL-6 Dependent Manner. Front Cell Infect Microbiol. 2017 Apr 27;7:140. doi: 10.3389/fcimb.2017.00140. eCollection 2017. PubMed PMID: 28497028; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC54064037

2015 Laugisch O, Wong A, Sroka A, Kantyka T, Koziel J, Neuhaus K, Sculean A, Venables PJ, Potempa J, Möller B, Eick S. Citrullination in the periodontium—a possible link between periodontitis and rheumatoid arthritis. Clin Oral Investig.
2016 May;20(4):675-83. doi: 10.1007/s00784-015-1556-7. Epub 2015 Aug 13. PubMed PMID: 26264638; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC5146953.

Thomas Bogucki, Internship student (2014)
(Higher National Diploma in Biotechnology, Valentine Labbé High school, France)
Project: Effect of Bestatin on macrophages invasion by P. gingivalis and bacterium intracellular survival

Karolina Grzegorczyk, Bachelor student (2015)
(Jagiellonian university, Poland)
Project: The influence of chemotherapeutic Bestatin on biofilm formation by S. aureus

Thomas Bogucki, Internship student (2015)
(Higher National Diploma in Biotechnology, Valentine Labbé High school, France)
Project: Effect of nonbactericidal doses of Bestatin on biofilm formation by P. gingivalis

Paulina Zurek, Master student (2016 – 2017)
(Jagiellonian university, Poland)
Project: Analysis of interaction between antimicrobial peptide and lipoprotein

Marie Sklodowska Curie ITN (ESR PhD fellowship), European Commission

Dean’s list, UCSI University

R&D Appreciation Award, UCSI university