I-Chen PengAssociate Professor

2020 Associate Professor, Department of Life Sciences, National Cheng Kung University
2014 Assistant Professor, Department of Life Sciences, National Cheng Kung University
2012 Postdoctoral Researcher, Stony Brook University, USA
2011 Postdoctoral Researcher, University of California, Riverside, USA

Metabolic reprogramming enables cancer cells to adapt to various intrinsic and extrinsic stresses, including nutrient deprivation, oxidative stress, and chemotherapy, thereby promoting tumor growth, metastasis, and chemoresistance. Our laboratory is dedicated to elucidating the mechanisms underlying lipid and glutamine metabolic reprogramming in cancer cells. We further explore how epigenetic regulation, including DNA demethylation, and protein O-GlcNAcylation remodel cellular metabolic networks to drive tumor progression and therapeutic resistance. To address these questions, we integrate metabolomics, lipidomics, and molecular biology approaches to systematically investigate lipid metabolic reprogramming, lipid droplet formation and function, dynamic changes in lipid-associated metabolites, and the interplay between metabolic signaling and cell fate. We also seek to identify novel molecular biomarkers with diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic value. Our ultimate goal is to uncover the key metabolic pathways and molecular mechanisms that drive cancer cell growth, metastasis, and chemoresistance, ultimately facilitating the development of innovative metabolism-based therapeutic strategies and anticancer therapies. In addition to cancer research, we investigate the regulation of lipid and glutamine metabolism in hepatocytes and adipocytes to better understand the metabolic mechanisms underlying obesity, metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), and other metabolic disorders. Through these studies, we aim to develop novel preventive and therapeutic strategies for metabolic diseases.

Research topics:

1. To explore the roles of promoter demethylation and protein O-GlcNAcylation-mediated enhancement of fatty acid synthase (FAS) on hepatic steatosis and inflammation in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD).
2. To study the role of protein O-GlcNAcylation in the regulation of fatty acid translocase CD36 and lipid metabolic reprogramming that drives chemoresistance in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
3. To investigate how lipid droplet formation influences chemotherapeutic efficacy in colorectal cancer (CRC) and to elucidate the underlying metabolic regulatory mechanisms.

1. 2025 國立成功大學113學年度生物科學與科技學院輔導優良導師
2. 2023 國立成功大學111學年度生物科學與科技學院教學優良導師
3. 2020 國立成功大學108學年度生物科學與科技學院輔導優良導師
4. 2016-2019 Outstanding Young Research Scholar Project Grants from the Ministry of Science and Technology, R.O.C., Taiwan.
5. 2016 High Quality Paper Awards, Department of Life Sciences, National Cheng Kung University, Taiwan.
6. 2014-2017 Special Outstanding Talents of the Ministry of Science and Technology Awards, Ministry of Science and Technology, R.O.C., Taiwan.
7. 2009 Annual Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Research Symposium Best Poster Award, University of California, Riverside, USA.