KOH Cheng Gee

KOH Cheng Gee

Collaborator, Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore
Associate Chair (Faculty), School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University

cgkoh@ntu.edu.sg
+65 6316 2854
SBS-03n-38
Nanyang Technological University
50 Nanyang Avenue
Singapore 639798

Research Program
The Cell-Matrix and Cell-Cell Mechanotransduction Group

Koh Cheng Gee

Collaborator

Research Areas

Cell signalling; Regulation of actin cytoskeleton; Rho GTPases, their effectors and regulators

Research Interests

Our laboratory is interested in the signal transduction events involving small GTPases of the Rho family, their regulators and effectors. These proteins play key roles in transducing extracellular stimuli into distinct responses including cell shape changes, cell motility, adhesion, cell division and phagocytosis. The emphasis of our current research is on the kinase PAK, its interacting protein PIX and a family of serine/ threonine phosphataes of the PP2C family, POPXs.

Biography

Dr Koh did her undergraduate studies at the Department of Chemistry at the National University of Singapore. After completing her Ph.D. with Sydney Brenner at the University of Cambridge, she returned to Singapore to work on Fugu genomics at the Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology. She later moved to Louis Lim’s laboratory at the same institute to study small GTPases-mediated cell signaling. In 2004, Dr Koh started her own laboratory at the School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University. Dr Koh is also a Principal Investigator at MBI.

Education

PhD University of Cambridge

Recent Publications

  1. Zhang S, Chong LH, Woon JYX, Chua TX, Cheruba E, Yip AK, Li H, Chiam K, and Koh C. Zyxin regulates embryonic stem cell fate by modulating mechanical and biochemical signaling interface. Commun Biol 2023; 6(1):62. [PMID: 36653484]
  2. Wong DCP, Pan CQ, Er SY, Thivakar T, Rachel TZY, Seah SH, Chua PJ, Jiang T, Chew TW, Chaudhuri PK, Mukherjee S, Salim A, Aye TA, Koh CG, Lim CT, Tan PH, Bay BH, Ridley AJ, and Low BC. The Scaffold RhoGAP Protein ARHGAP8/ BPGAP1 Synchronizes Rac and Rho Signaling to Facilitate Cell Migration. Mol Biol Cell 2023;:mbcE21030099. [PMID: 36598812]
  3. Yip AK, Zhang S, Chong LH, Cheruba E, Woon JYX, Chua TX, Goh CJH, Yang H, Tay CY, Koh C, and Chiam K. Zyxin Is Involved in Fibroblast Rigidity Sensing and Durotaxis. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:735298. [PMID: 34869319]
  4. Sathe SR, Jain D, Koh C, and Yim EKF. POPX2 phosphatase enhances topographical contact guidance for cell morphology and migration. Biomed Mater 2020;. [PMID: 33321483]
  5. Koon YL, Zhang S, Rahmat MB, Koh CG, and Chiam K. Enhanced Delta-Notch Lateral Inhibition Model Incorporating Intracellular Notch Heterogeneity and Tension-Dependent Rate of Delta-Notch Binding that Reproduces Sprouting Angiogenesis Patterns. Sci Rep 2018; 8(1):9519. [PMID: 29934586]
  6. Ou S, Tan M, Weng T, Li H, and Koh C. LIM kinase1 regulates mitotic centrosome integrity via its activity on dynein light intermediate chains. Open Biol 2018; 8(6). [PMID: 29925632]
  7. Weng T, and Koh C. POPX2 phosphatase regulates apoptosis through the TAK1-IKK-NF-κB pathway. Cell Death Dis 2017; 8(9):e3051. [PMID: 28906490]
  8. Zhang S, Weng T, Cheruba E, Guo T, Chan H, Sze SK, and Koh C. Phosphatase POPX2 Exhibits Dual Regulatory Functions in Cancer Metastasis. J. Proteome Res. 2016;. [PMID: 27976581]
  9. Hoon JL, Tan MH, and Koh C. The Regulation of Cellular Responses to Mechanical Cues by Rho GTPases. Cells 2016; 5(2). [PMID: 27058559]
  10. Khaw S, Min-Wen C, Koh C, Lim B, and Shyh-Chang N. Oocyte Factors Suppress Mitochondrial Polynucleotide Phosphorylase to Remodel the Metabolome and Enhance Reprogramming. Cell Rep 2015; 12(7):1080-8. [PMID: 26257174]

Lab Members

The Chan Lab at the MBI-MPG Conference 2025!

Sep 15th, 2025|Comments Off on The Chan Lab at the MBI-MPG Conference 2025!

Congratulations to Kim Whye and Kosei for being selected for talks, and Boon Heng for winning the 'Best Poster' prize! Thanks to all who gave feedback on our work!

Rac-1 Regulated Cadherin Clusters Mark Naive Stem Cells

Sep 10th, 2025|Comments Off on Rac-1 Regulated Cadherin Clusters Mark Naive Stem Cells

Researchers from the Kanchanawong Lab at the Mechanobiology Institute, NUS discover a marker of ground-state pluripotent stem cells and what governs it.

Confined Migration Shapes the Bony Fate of Stem Cells

Sep 3rd, 2025|Comments Off on Confined Migration Shapes the Bony Fate of Stem Cells

Researchers from the Holle Lab at the Mechanobiology Institute, NUS discover that migration through confined spaces causes lasting nuclear changes in stem cells, biasing them toward bone formation.

P. Shakthi

Sep 3rd, 2025|Comments Off on P. Shakthi

Research Assistant, Dye & Michelot Groups

Lim Choon Kiat

Sep 2nd, 2025|Comments Off on Lim Choon Kiat

Senior Research Fellow, Li Group

Nicholas Chan Zhen Woon

Sep 2nd, 2025|Comments Off on Nicholas Chan Zhen Woon

Research Fellow, Yan Jie Group

Disrupted Cell-Matrix Interactions Drives Aging and Reveals New Paths for Skin Regeneration

Aug 27th, 2025|Comments Off on Disrupted Cell-Matrix Interactions Drives Aging and Reveals New Paths for Skin Regeneration

Researchers from the Li Lab discover how α5-integrin–FN interactions preserve dermal integrity, offering new insights for antiaging strategies targeting ECM organization and fibroblast function.

DECIPHERing the Role of Cell-Matrix Interactions in Ageing Heart Health

Aug 22nd, 2025|Comments Off on DECIPHERing the Role of Cell-Matrix Interactions in Ageing Heart Health

Researchers from the Soft Nano-Biomaterials Lab at MBI developed a material system to enable precise investigation into how individual ECM properties affect cultured heart cells.

Scientists Develop AI-Driven Tool to Map 3D Cellular Landscapes

Aug 15th, 2025|Comments Off on Scientists Develop AI-Driven Tool to Map 3D Cellular Landscapes

Researchers from the Beghin Lab at the Mechanobiology Institute, NUS combine DeepStar3D algorithm and 3DCellScope interface to develop an experimental tool for real-time interaction with cell data.