Dr. Chang Chih-Peng’s research focuses on tumor-associated macrophages in tumor microenvironments and host factors in dengue virus (DENV) infection. He has identified key host factors, such as Akt, Beclin-1, and integrin-linked kinase, which regulate DENV replication by influencing cell death, autophagy, and type I interferon signaling. His studies show that AR-12 inhibits DENV replication by reducing PI3K/Akt activity and GRP78 expression before and after infection in cell cultures and mice (Antiviral Research, 2017). Additionally, he discovered that DENV-induced autophagy protects against early cell apoptosis while aiding viral replication, with DENV NS1 preserving Beclin-1 function (International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2020). Moreover, ILK enhances DENV infection by activating the Akt-Erk-NF-κB pathway and suppressing interferon-stimulated genes via SOCS3, suggesting it is a potential therapeutic target against DENV (PLoS Pathogens, 2023).