Koh Li Fang

Biography

Dr Li Fang Koh is a Group Leader at A*STAR, Skin Research Labs, specializing in signalling pathways that regulate and drive skin inflammatory disorders. She earned her PhD in 2010 from the Centre for Gene Regulation and Expression at the University of Dundee, UK. As a senior scientist in Dr John Common’s laboratory at A*STAR, Skin Research Labs and previously at Institute of Medical Biology, she focused on understanding the mechanisms underlying inflammatory skin diseases and evaluated current and novel therapies for atopic dermatitis.

Li Fang has played key roles in multiple academic research grants and industry-funded collaborations. Her contributions span academic programs such as CRF-ATR and NMRC LCG ADEPT (Atopic DErmatitis research Program for patienTs), as well as translational and industry-facing research initiatives. She has contributed to the management and execution of collaborative projects, including Singapore Therapeutics Development Review grant, GAP grant, Cell and Gene Therapy Flagship grant and CRF grant, the latter of which led to the filing of two patents.

Research interests

We investigate understudied pathological drivers of skin inflammation with the aim of addressing the unmet needs of patients suffering from dermatitis and related inflammatory skin diseases. Our work leverages on a range of experimental systems, including 3D skin models, clinical samples and animal models, to investigate the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying inflammatory skin diseases. We collaborate with industry and academic partners to evaluate novel regulators of skin inflammation, with the goal of translating fundamental discoveries into innovative therapeutic applications that improve patient care and quality of life.

Selected publications and patents

Koh LF, Firdaus MJ, Natsuaki Y, Hanakawa S, Tham KC, Lunny DP, Yap BLH, Nakamizo S, Nam E, Lee JE, Toh YX, Teo NMH, Lim TC, Lane EB, Kabashima K, Janela B, Common JE.

Ruxolitinib alleviates inflammation and fortifies skin barrier function through dampening IL-13.

Exp Dermatology, 2025 Jul;34(7):e70132. doi: 10.1111/exd.70132.  PMID: 40678986

Park E, Yap B, Wang X, Poh QZ, Tan CH, Koh LF, Common JE, Teo P.

Bioactive PLGA Polymer Nanoparticle Gels for Atopic Dermatitis Treatment.

Discov Appl Sci 7, 304 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42452-025-06688-w

Vind AC, Wu Z, Firdaus MJ, Snieckute G, Toh GA, Jessen M, Martínez JF, Haahr P, Andersen TL, Blasius M, Koh LF, Maartensson NL, Common JEA, Gyrd-Hansen M, Zhong FZ, Bekker-Jensen S.

The ribotoxic stress response drives acute inflammation, cell death and epidermal thickening in UV- irradiated skin in vivo.

Molecular Cell, 2024 Dec 19;84(24):4774-4789.e9.doi:10.1016/j.molcel. 2024.10.044. PMID: 39591967

Chua W, Marsh CO, Poh SE, Koh WL, Lee MLY, Koh LF, Tang XE, See P, Ser Z, Wang SM, Sobota RM, Dawson TL Jr, Yew YW, Thng S, O'Donoghue AJ, Oon HH, Common JE, Li H.

A Malassezia pseudoprotease dominates the secreted hydrolase landscape and is a potential allergen on skin.

Biochimie, 2024 Jan;216:181-193. doi: 10.1016/j.biochi.2023.09.023. Epub 2023 Sep 24. PMID: 37748748

Zheng YX, Chen XB, Wang ZY, Cai SQ, Zheng M, Koh LF, Common JE, Man XY.

Efficacy of dupilumab in palmoplantar pustulosis treatment highlights the role of Th2 inflammation.

Allergy. 2024. May;79(5):1361-1364. doi: 10.1111/all.16019. Epub 2024 Jan 9.  PMID: 38193274

Koh LF, Ong RY, Common JE.

Skin microbiome of atopic dermatitis.

Allergol Int. 2022 Jan;71(1):31-39. doi: 10.1016/j.alit.2021.11.001. Epub 2021 Nov 24.  PMID: 34838450

Koh LF, Ng BK, Bertrand J, Thierry F.

Transcriptional control of late differentiation in human keratinocytes by TAp63 and Notch.

Exp Dermatology 2015 Oct;24(10):754-60. doi: 10.1111/exd.12764. Epub 2015 Jul 14.  PMID: 26013684

Hewitt R, Koh LF, Janela B.

Singapore Patent Application No. 10202500716Y: Sensate Compounds and Compositions Thereof. (ISCE2/A*SRL/SRIS).

Hewitt R, Koh LF, Janela B.

Singapore Patent Application No. 10202500715P: Cooling Composition and Methods Thereof. (ISCE2/A*SRL/SRIS).

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