Dr. KHOO Bee Luan (邱美娈博士) Postdoc (Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology)
PhD (National University of Singapore)
BS (Nanyang Technological University)



Assistant ProfessorUnder 35 Technology Review (MIT)Early Career Investigator (AMED/NYAS)


Contact Information Office: Y6720YEUNG
Phone: 34429423
Email: blkhoo@cityu.edu.hk
Web: Personal Homepage

Research Interests The development of Integrated Microsystems for Disease Detection
Improving patient treatment strategies and prognosis
How the tumor microenvironment affects cancer progression



Dr. Bee Luan Khoo is currently an Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering at the City University of Hong Kong (CityU). Dr. Khoo got her Ph.D. degree from the National University of Singapore, working on tumor models for prognosis evaluation. As a senior postdoctoral associate in the Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology, she developed microfluidic-based tools for rare cell detection.
Now Dr. Khoo's research group is focusing on detecting, prognosis, and characterization of disease heterogeneity using multidisciplinary techniques, including the design and utilization of microfluidic devices for personalized cancer management and evaluation. Dr. Khoo has authored more than 42 articles in top journals such as Energy & Environmental Science, Chemical Engineering Journal, Biosensors and Bioelectronics, Science Advances, Nature Protocols, etc., and held 7 patents pending or granted. Dr. Khoo was awarded the Young Investigator national grant award by the National Medical Research Council and recently received the Young Investigator award to support upcoming projects in disease detection via the Interstellar Initiative, funded by the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED) and the New York Academy of Sciences. She is also the recipient of Innovators under 35 (Asia; MIT Technology Review) for her work on microfluidic devices with direct clinical relevance.
Key Areas:
1. The development of Integrated Microsystems and Biosensors for Disease Evaluation
(Worm-Based Microfluidic Biosensor for Real-Time Assessment of the Metastatic Status. Cancers (Basel) 13(4).)
2. Improving patient treatment strategies and prognosis
(Label-free biosensor of phagocytosis for diagnosing bacterial infections. Biosens Bioelectron 191, 113412. )
3. How the microenvironment affects disease progression
(The effects of biofilms on tumor progression in a 3D cancer-biofilm microfluidic model. Biosens Bioelectron 180, 113113.)
4. Integrated systems
(A portable purification system for the rapid removal of microplastics from environmental samples. Chemical Engineering Journal 428, 132614.)
We are currently accepting applications for several positions:
[1] Research assistant (12 months) (July 2022-July 2023)
[2] MPhil in various disciplines (ongoing)
[3] PhD in various disciplines (June/Sept 2022 entry)
[4] Post doc - microfluidics (immediate placement)
[5] Form 1-5 students for Gifted Programme EDB 2022
Please refer to our lab website for more details.
Project scope for positions: Design and implementation of microfluidic biosensors for point of care disease detection
Duties (including but not limited to)Design and fabrication of biosensors for point of care detection of diseases using liquid biopsy.
Characterisation of disease heterogeneity for database establishment and prediction of disease
Improving limit of detection for early-stage detection; and
Conducting clinical trials for device validation and translation from bench to bedside.
Requirements: A Bachelor's/PhD degree in Biomedical Engineering/Mechanical Engineering/Chemical Engineering or related disciplines


Service in CityU
Teaching Service 2022 - Now, BME2106.
2019 - Now, BME 8009 Research Methodology.
2019 - Now, BME3101 --- Micro & Nanotech'y for Bio Eng.
2019 - Now, BME6117 - Biomedical Safety and Risk Assessment.
2019 - Now, GE1320 - Engineering Your Health.




Publication Highlight S. Zou, B.L. Khoo, A 6-gene panel as a signature to predict recovery from advanced heart failure using transcriptomic analysis, Genes & Diseases (2022).?
Chen, C.K., Zhang, J., Bhingarde, A., Matotek, T., Barrett, J., Hardesty, B.D., Banaszak Holl, M.M., B.L. Khoo, 2022. A portable purification system for the rapid removal of microplastics from environmental samples. Chemical Engineering Journal 428, 132614.
Liao, J., Ren, J., Wei, H., Lam, R.H.W., Chua, S.L., B.L. Khoo, 2021. Label-free biosensor of phagocytosis for diagnosing bacterial infections. Biosensors and Bioelectronics 191, 113412.
Deng, Y., Liu, S.Y., Chua, S.L., Khoo, B.L., 2021. The effects of biofilms on tumor progression in a 3D cancer-biofilm microfluidic model. Biosens Bioelectron 180, 113113.
Zhang, J., Chua, S.L., Khoo, B.L., 2021. Worm-Based Microfluidic Biosensor for Real-Time Assessment of the Metastatic Status. Cancers (Basel) 13(4).
Hong, Y., Jin, L., Wang, B., Liao, J., He, B., Yang, T., Long, Z., Li, P., Zhang, Z., Liu, S., Lee, Y., Khoo, B.L., Yang, Z., 2021. A wood-templated unidirectional piezoceramic composite for transmuscular ultrasonic wireless power transfer. Energy & Environmental Science 14(12), 6574-6585.
Chen, C.K., Khoo, B.L. A density-based threshold model for evaluating the separation of particles in heterogeneous mixtures with curvilinear microfluidic channels. Sci Rep 10, 18984 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-75878-w
Shang, M., Lim, S.B., Jiang, K., Yap, Y.S., Khoo, B.L., Han, J., Lim, C.T., 2021. Microfluidic studies of hydrostatic pressure-enhanced doxorubicin resistance in human breast cancer cells. Lab Chip 21(4), 746-754.
Shang, M., Kwon, T., Hamel, J.P., Lim, C.T., Khoo, B.L., Han, J., 2021. Investigating the influence of physiologically relevant hydrostatic pressure on CHO cell batch culture. Sci Rep 11(1), 162.
C. Chen, J. Liao, M. LI, B.L. Khoo, Urine biopsy technologies: Cancer and beyond, Theranostics 10(17) (2020) 7872-7888.
Y. Fu, Y. Zhang, B.L. Khoo, Liquid biopsy technologies for hematological diseases, Medicinal Research Reviews (2020).
Zhang, J., Deng, Y. & Khoo, B.L. J Biomed Sci 27, 58 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12929-020-00651-0
Khoo, B.L., Shang, M., Ng, C.H., Lim, C.T., Chng, W.J., Han, J., 2019. Liquid biopsy for minimal residual disease detection in leukemia using a portable blast cell biochip. NPJ Precis Oncol 3, 30.
Khoo, B.L., Bouquerel, C., Durai, P., Anil, S., Goh, B., Wu, B., Raman, L., Mahendran, R., Thamboo, T., Chiong, E., Lim, C.T., 2019. Detection of Clinical Mesenchymal Cancer Cells from Bladder Wash Urine for Real-Time Detection and Prognosis. Cancers (Basel) 11(9).
Khoo, B.L., Grenci, G., Lim, Y.B., Lee, S.C., Han, J., Lim, C.T., 2018. Expansion of patient-derived circulating tumor cells from liquid biopsies using a CTC microfluidic culture device. Nat Protoc 13(1), 34-58.
Khoo, B.L., Grenci, G., Jing, T., Lim, Y.B., Lee, S.C., Thiery, J.P., Han, J., Lim, C.T., 2016. Liquid biopsy and therapeutic response: Circulating tumor cell cultures for evaluation of anticancer treatment. Sci Adv 2(7), e1600274.
Warkiani, M.E., Khoo, B.L., Wu, L., Tay, A.K., Bhagat, A.A., Han, J., Lim, C.T., 2016. Ultra-fast, label-free isolation of circulating tumor cells from blood using spiral microfluidics. Nat Protoc 11(1), 134-148.



Others



Last update date : 14 Jan 2022