About

Dr. Huang (Frederick) Lin is an Assistant Professor of Biostatistics at the University of Maryland. His methodological expertise includes compositional data analysis, multi-omics integration, causal inference, and machine learning, with a particular focus on metagenomics and metabolomics data. His collaborative research spans a range of fields, including cancer, infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS, aging, maternal and child health, and clinical trial evaluation. Dr. Lin has a background that includes a PhD in Biostatistics from the University of Pittsburgh, a Postdoctoral position in Biostatistics at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and undergraduate degrees in Statistics and Chemistry from Xiamen University, China.

Research topics

• Medicine
• Internal medicine
• Biology
• Oncology
• Cancer research

Selected publications

• Integrating GC–MS and LC–MS through correlation molecular networking to map fermentation chemistry

  ChemRxiv · 2026-05-04

  articleOpen access

  Foods are some of the most chemically complex systems, thus presenting a fundamental analytical challenge: their molecular composition is vast, chemically diverse, and continuously evolving. This analytical challenge is especially relevant in fermented foods, where microbial and enzymatic activity drive profound chemical transformation. Mass spectrometry-based metabolomics is among the most powerful tools for characterizing such systems, but multiple platforms are required to comprehensively capture the chemical landscape; in particular, GC-MS is required for detection of volatile and semi-volatile compounds central to flavor and aroma, while LC–MS captures the broader pool of polar and non-volatile molecules. Integrating these complementary views into a unified, interpretable framework remains challenging, particularly when the goal is to connect volatile products with non-volatile precursors across fermentation time. Here, we demonstrate how cross-platform data fusion using correlation molecular networking, combined with large language model-assisted pattern interpretation, can bridge this gap and reveal complex molecular relationships that neither platform could capture alone. As a model system, we explored kimchi as a fermented food enriched in ingredients with a high content of bioactive metabolites. We tracked daily metabolic changes over a seven-day fermentation period by parallel GC–MS and LC–MS/MS profiling. The resulting cross-platform correlation network recovered distinct ingredient-of-origin modules centered on well-annotated GC-MS volatiles, including garlicderived organosulfur compounds, chili and ginger terpenes, and Brassica-associated isothiocyanates, with groupings of largely unannotated LC-MS features organized around these hubs. Positive and negative cross-platform correlations encoded fermentation stage dynamics and identified candidate precursor–product relationships, including the conversion of phenolic acid precursors to volatile phenols and the progressive rearrangement of sulfur-containing compounds. LLM-assisted interpretation was used as a hypothesis-generation aid to capture topological patterns, which were then manually evaluated against chemical annotation, edge-sign distributions, and primary literature. Together, these results establish cross-platform correlation networking as a general strategy for decoding chemically complex, time-evolving food systems, and position AI-assisted network analysis as a scalable tool for hypothesis generation in untargeted metabolomics.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Human Infection with a Novel Tickborne Orthonairovirus Species in China

  New England Journal of Medicine · 2025-01-08 · 26 citations

  letter
  PublisherDOI

• Symptom experiences and coping strategies of liver cancer patients receiving targeted therapy combined with immunotherapy in China: A qualitative study

  European Journal of Oncology Nursing · 2025-11-20

  article
  PublisherDOI

• Dual Targeting of Extramedullary Myeloma with Talquetamab and Teclistamab

  New England Journal of Medicine · 2025-12-07 · 12 citations

  article

  BACKGROUND: Patients with plasmacytomas that are noncontiguous with bone marrow (true extramedullary myeloma) are at high risk for disease progression or relapse. Phase 1 of the RedirecTT-1 study showed promising efficacy with dual-antigen targeting of myeloma with talquetamab (anti-G protein-coupled receptor family C group 5 member D) plus teclistamab (anti-B-cell maturation antigen) in patients with triple-class-exposed relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma, including those with true extramedullary myeloma. METHODS: In this phase 2 study, we investigated talquetamab plus teclistamab exclusively in patients with drug-resistant, true extramedullary myeloma. The primary end point was overall response, evaluated with the use of functional imaging. Secondary end points included the duration of response, progression-free survival, overall survival, and safety. RESULTS: A total of 90 patients were enrolled in the study and received treatment (median follow-up, 12.6 months). A response occurred in 79% of the patients (95% confidence interval [CI], 69 to 87). Among the patients with a response, the percentage with a response duration of at least 12 months was 64% (95% CI, 48 to 76). At 12 months, progression-free survival was 61% (95% CI, 50 to 71), and overall survival was 74% (95% CI, 63 to 83). Common adverse events of any grade included oral symptoms, such as dysgeusia, dry mouth, and dysphagia (in 87% of the patients); cytokine release syndrome (in 78%); and nonrash skin effects (in 69%). Grade 3 or 4 adverse events (most commonly hematologic events) occurred in 76% of the patients; 31% had grade 3 or 4 infection. A nonfatal adverse event led to discontinuation of one or both agents in 6% of the patients. Among 10 deaths that occurred during follow-up, 5 were due to infection and 5 were considered to be related to the study treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Most patients with drug-resistant, true extramedullary myeloma had a response with talquetamab plus teclistamab. The incidence of adverse events of grade 3 or above was high and was consistent with previous observations for each agent as monotherapy. (Funded by Johnson & Johnson; RedirecTT-1 ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT04586426.).

  PublisherDOI

• Extracellular vesicles from ovarian cancer cells induce senescent lipid-laden macrophages to facilitate omental metastasis

  Journal of Nanobiotechnology · 2025-07-26 · 2 citations

  articleOpen access

  BACKGROUND: Ovarian cancer exhibits striking metastatic tropism for the omentum, where lipid-laden macrophages are key mediators that fuel disease progression. However, the mechanisms governing their formation and pro-metastatic functions remain poorly understood. As extracellular vesicles (EVs) have as critical regulators of tumor-stroma crosstalk in metastatic niches, we sought to define how ovarian cancer-derived EVs orchestrate macrophages and adipocytes, and their impact on omental metastasis, aiming to explore potential therapeutic interventions. RESULTS: Single-cell transcriptomics of ovarian cancer revealed a distinct lipid-laden macrophage population in omentum, whose abundance correlated with metastatic burden and poor survival. Proteomics revealed that EVs from highly metastatic ovarian cancer cells were enriched in lipid metabolism regulators. In vivo experiments demonstrated that these tumor-derived vesicles mediated macrophage reprogramming, driving the acquisition of a pro-metastatic phenotype. Quantitative lipidomic profiling and lipid staining approaches confirmed the progressive lipid-laden in EV-treated macrophages. Using a patient-derived omentum-macrophage co-culture system, we demonstrated that tumor-derived EVs stimulate lipid release from omental adipocytes, which macrophages subsequently internalize through CD36-dependent uptake to drive lipid accumulation. This metabolic reprogramming culminated in cellular senescence, as evidenced by classical biomarkers including SA-β-galactosidase activity, elevated p16-INK4A and p53 levels, and the development of a matrix metalloproteinase-enriched senescence-associated secretory phenotype. Immunohistochemistry of clinical specimens demonstrated overexpression of CD36 correlated with omental metastasis and poor survival in ovarian cancer. In vivo experiments demonstrated that CD36 inhibition and senolytic therapy attenuated omental metastasis. CONCLUSIONS: This study unveils an EV-driven mechanism of adipose tropism in ovarian cancer metastasis, where EVs promote the formation of senescent lipid-laden macrophages via CD36-mediated lipid uptake, remodeling the metastatic niche. Targeting CD36 and senescent cells offers a promising therapeutic strategy against omental metastasis.

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• Long-Term Follow-Up from MajesTEC-1 China Cohort of Teclistamab in Patients with Relapsed/Refractory Multiple Myeloma: Efficacy Updates, Infection Profile and Immunoglobulin Usage

  Clinical Lymphoma Myeloma & Leukemia · 2025-09-01

  article
  PublisherDOI

• Pipelines and Databases—Microbiome Analysis

  2025-05-19

  other
  PublisherDOI

• Associations of antenatal micronutrient supplementation with adolescent blood pressure: evidence from a 14-year follow-up study of a randomized controlled trial

  BMC Public Health · 2025-11-22

  articleOpen access

  BACKGROUND: This study directly examined the effects of antenatal micronutrient supplementation on adolescent blood pressure (BP). METHODS: This study involved adolescents from two rural counties in western China. Their mothers had previously participated in a cluster-randomized trial of antenatal micronutrient supplementation. All pregnant women were randomized to take a daily capsule of folic acid (FA) as control, folic acid plus iron (IFA), or multiple micronutrients (MMNs) until delivery. Adolescent BP was assessed using a validated electronic sphygmomanometer and converted into percentiles by population reference. We examined the effects of antenatal micronutrient supplementation on adolescent BP and BP percentiles using generalized estimation equations. Multinomial logistic regression was employed to examine the associations between antenatal micronutrient supplementation and categorical BP outcomes, with relative risk reduction estimated. RESULTS: Among 4488 singleton births eligible for long-term follow-up, 1994 (44.4%) adolescents were followed, and among them, 59.2% were male, with a mean age of 11.73 (SD, 0.86) years old. After adjusting for a range of covariates, antenatal MMNs supplementation relative to FA alone was associated with a 1.13 (95% CI -2.09, -0.17) mmHg lower systolic blood pressure (SBP) and a 2.59 (95% CI -5.01, -0.17) points lower SBP percentile. The similar benefits of MMNs were observed for categorized adolescent high BP (SBP and/or diastolic blood pressure (DBP) ≥ the 95th percentile for age, sex, and height). CONCLUSIONS: Compared with folic acid alone, antenatal MMNs supplementation was associated with lower adolescent SBP. This finding suggests that comprehensive antenatal nutritional interventions may offer a potential strategy for the primordial prevention of hypertension in offspring. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN08850194, retrospectively registered December 14, 2006. https://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN08850194?q=ISRCTN08850194&filters=&sort=&offset=1&totalResults=1&page=1&pageSize=10 .

  PublisherDOI

• Safety and efficacy of talquetamab + teclistamab in patients with Relapsed/Refractory multiple myeloma from Phase 1b of redirectt-1: Results with an extended median follow-up of 3 years

  Blood · 2025-11-03 · 6 citations

  articleOpen access

  Abstract Introduction: Talquetamab (Tal, anti-GPRC5D×CD3) and teclistamab (Tec, anti-BCMA×CD3) are the first bispecific antibodies (BsAbs) approved as monotherapies for triple-class exposed (TCE) relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM). In previous results from the phase 1b portion of RedirecTT-1 (NCT04586426, March 2024 data cut; median follow-up [mFU] 20.3 mo), Tal + Tec elicited deep, durable responses and demonstrated a safety profile generally consistent with each monotherapy across all dose levels (DLs), including at the recommended phase 2 regimen (RP2R) of Tal 0.8 mg/kg + Tec 3.0 mg/kg Q2W and in patients (pts) with true extramedullary disease (EMD). We report efficacy and ongoing safety from phase 1b of RedirecTT-1 at an extended mFU of 36.2 mo. Methods: Pts had TCE RRMM with measurable disease per IMWG criteria and were refractory, relapsed, or intolerant to the last line of therapy. True EMD was defined as ≥1 nonradiated soft tissue plasmacytoma noncontiguous with bone ≥2 cm in 1 dimension (with or without paramedullary plasmacytomas). Primary objectives were to evaluate safety and identify a RP2R. Investigator-assessed confirmed response per IMWG criteria was reported in all treated pts. EMD response was assessed by CT, PET-CT, or MRI whole-body scans. Results: As of July 2025, 94 pts received Tal + Tec (44 pts at the RP2R), with a mFU of 36.2 mo (34.1 mo at the RP2R). Baseline characteristics were as previously reported; 23 (45.1%) pts had high-risk cytogenetics. Dose-limiting toxicities occurred in 3 pts across non-RP2R DLs (all grade [gr] 3; oral herpes, oral candidiasis, increased alanine/aspartate aminotransferase) and in 1 pt at the RP2R (gr 4 thrombocytopenia). Most common adverse events (AEs) were CRS (80.9%; gr 3, 2.1%; no gr 4/5), neutropenia (74.5%; gr 3/4, 70.2%), taste changes (66.0%; all gr 1/2), and non-rash skin AEs (62.8%; gr 3, 2.1%). Infections occurred in 93.6% of pts (gr 3/4, 68.1% [54.5% at the RP2R]). The most common infection was COVID-19 (40.4%; gr 3/4, 17.0%); pts were screened for enrolment between 2020–2023, concurrent with the COVID-19 pandemic. Opportunistic infections occurred in 16 (17.0%) pts. Eighty-four (89.4%) pts had posttreatment hypogammaglobulinemia; 61 (64.9%) pts received ≥1 dose of IgG. ICANS occurred in 3.2% of pts (gr 3/4, 1.1%). Overall, 18 (19.4%) pts discontinued Tal + Tec due to AEs (6 [14.0%] at the RP2R), of which 9 were deemed drug-related by investigator (2 at the RP2R); 12 discontinuations were due to infections (5 at the RP2R). One pt discontinued Tal only. In total, 18 (19.1%) pts died due to AEs (6 [13.6%] at the RP2R), of which 9 (9.6%) were deemed drug-related by investigator (2 [4.5%] at the RP2R). At the RP2R, overall response rate (ORR) was 79.5%, with a ≥CR rate of 61.4%; ORR was 61.1% (≥CR, 44.4%) in pts with EMD and 92.3% (≥CR, 73.1%) in pts without EMD. Across all DLs, ORR was 77.7% (≥CR, 52.1%). Responses continued to be durable at the RP2R and across all DLs, including in pts with EMD, consistent with previous results. The median duration of response (DOR) was non-estimable (NE) at the RP2R (NE with and without EMD), as well as across all DLs, with 36-mo DOR rates of 71.1% at the RP2R (61.4% with EMD, 76.4% without EMD) and 58.5% across all DLs. Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were promising at an extended mFU. Median PFS was NE at the RP2R (21.6 mo with EMD, NE without EMD) and 38.6 mo across all DLs, with 36-mo PFS rates of 57.9% at the RP2R (39.7% with EMD, 70.5% without EMD) and 52.6% across all DLs. Median OS was NE at the RP2R (NE with and without EMD), as well as across all DLs, with 36-mo OS rates of 73.9% at the RP2R (57.0% with EMD, 83.2% without EMD) and 65.8% across all DLs. Conclusions: At an extended mFU of ~3 yrs, Tal + Tec continued to have a safety profile that was generally consistent with each monotherapy, with no exacerbation of AEs with the combination. The infection profile supported prophylaxis and vigilant monitoring and management. Tal + Tec led to a high ORR and deep, durable responses in all pts, including at the RP2R and in pts with true EMD, contributing to durable PFS observed across all pts. DOR and prolonged survival in pts with and without EMD exceeded all therapies for pts with TCE RRMM. These data continue to highlight the clinical benefit of the novel combination of Tal + Tec in pts with TCE RRMM, validating the RP2R and the ongoing phase 2 analyses in pts with true EMD.

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• Inactivation of glutathione <i>S</i> -transferase alpha 4 blocks <i>Enterococcus faecalis</i> -induced bystander effect by promoting macrophage ferroptosis

  Gut Microbes · 2025-01-16 · 8 citations

  articleOpen access

  -induced colitis and CRC.

  PublisherDOI

Frequent coauthors

• Shyamal Peddada

  National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

  36 shared

• John M. Kirkwood

  University of Pittsburgh

  25 shared

• Diwakar Davar

  UPMC Hillman Cancer Center

  25 shared

• Ahmad A. Tarhini

  Moffitt Cancer Center

  24 shared

• Yana G. Najjar

  UPMC Hillman Cancer Center

  20 shared

• Lisa H. Butterfield

  19 shared

• Cindy Sander

  19 shared

• Hassane M. Zarour

  University of Pittsburgh Medical Center

  18 shared

Education

• PhD, Biostatistics

  University of Pittsburgh

  2020