The eukaryotic cells organize diverse cellular processes within membrane-bound organelles that usually have characteristic shapes and distinct functions. Our current research focuses on cell biology of the lipid droplet, an organelle specialized for neutral lipid storage. Lipid droplets are believed to emerge from the outer leaflet of the endoplasmic reticulum and contain a phospholipid monolayer surrounding the neutral lipid core. Our current interests are how the structure of lipid droplets is generated and maintained and how the size and number of lipid droplets are controled by the cells. In addition, the lipid droplets are very dynamic and often make contact with other organelles. How these interactions contribute to the functions and biogenesis of lipid droplets is also fundamental for understanding the nature of this organelle. We are currently focusing on proteins that are associated with the lipid droplets. By employing biochemical and cell biology approaches, we wish to understand how these proteins exert their functions on the lipid droplets.

真核生物細胞利用各種的胞器將繁複的生命機制加以分類，而這些胞器通常都有它特定的形態和功能。剖析胞器的形態和功能是分子細胞生物學的重點，也是我們長期的研究興趣。我們目前研究的是一個細胞內用來儲存中性脂的胞器，它叫做油滴。這個胞器被認為是從內質網的外膜形成的。油滴的結構很簡單，它是一層的磷脂質包裹著中性脂。我們研究細胞如何產生油滴，油滴的結構如何維持，細胞又如何來控制油滴的大小和數目。此外，油滴是一個非常具有活動力的胞器，它會與很多不同的胞器之間進行互動，我們也想知道這些互動對油滴的功能上有什麼重要性。我們的研究是分析一些會進到油滴的特定蛋白，我們利用各種細胞學及生物化學的方法試圖了解它們是用什麼方式進入油滴，進而了解它們參與油滴形成和功能的機制。