Feature Story Research & Innovation
Centre for Translational Stem Cell Biology, Health@InnoHK
Centre for Translational Stem Cell Biology (CTSCB) is one of the six Health@InnoHK Centres wholly owned by The University of Hong Kong (HKU) and is supported by Innovation and Technology Commission. With the leadership by Professor Pengtao Liu, CTSCB brings together world-leading scientists and clinicians from the HKU and a world-class Institute in the UK, who are dedicated in stem cell, genetics and genomics research. Professor Liu and his research team have established a world-leading patented technology in establishing expanded potential stem cells (EPSCs) from multiple mammalian species including mouse, human and pig.
Front row from left: Dr. Stephanie Ma, Dr. Ralf Jauch, Dr. Vera Chan Back row from left: Prof. Chak-Sing Lau, Dr. Philip Hei Li, Dr. Guocheng Lan, Dr. Bo Gao, Prof. Pengtao Liu
Professor Gordon Dougan, CTSCB Deputy Director, a world authority on vaccines, genomics and epidemiology of infectious diseases, will bring in his know-how on Centre's translational research. Together with the collaborators who have unique expertise in single cell genomics, blood cell development, drug screening and different diseases, the dedicated team will further advance on the technology of EPSCs and translate the discoveries into regenerative medicine, organ transplantation and genomic medicine. Hong Kong, as a cosmopolitan city and in close proximity to other cities in mainland China and Asia, is a “meeting point” to attract talents to work and study. Seizing this opportunity of bringing renowned scientists from our overseas collaborating Institute, CTSCB has a vision of playing the key role in transforming Hong Kong into a global innovative hub on stem cell biology. The Centre aims to develop EPSC-based animal cloning technology and to explore in vitro human early cell lineage development, which will provide vital information for producing mature and functional cells for regenerative medicine. The patented technology also enables EPSCs to be used as a platform to study diseases, such as heart and liver diseases, and for drug testing and screening for cell-based therapies. Likewise, this can also be applicable to immune diseases in which the Centre will establish genetically-defined stem cell-based models of immune disease to identify multiple new disease-associated genes and to screen cellular phenotypes for drug discovery. Taken together, the discoveries and technologies will be eventually developed as commercial products for clinical applications.
CTSCB research laboratory at Hong Kong Science & Technology Park has been opened since July 2021. The laboratory is about 11,000 square feet with advanced equipment and a Pre-Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) laboratory.
With state-of-the-art research facilities, cross-disciplinary group of innovative researchers and clinicians, CTSCB strives in pursuing high quality research in the following three main programmes: 1. Development of new stem cell technologies 2. EPSCs for studying human disease and for regenerative medicine 3. EPSCs for genomics medicine of immune disease
CTSCB website
CTSCB is now opened for applications for Post-Doctoral Fellow, Research Assistant and Research Postgraduate Student.
Principal Investigators: Prof. Pengtao Liu, Prof. Hung-Fat Tse, Prof. Chak-Sing Lau, Prof. William Shu-Biu Yeung, Dr. Cherie Lau-Yin Lee, Dr. Gao Bo, Dr. Philip Hei Li, Dr. Ralf Jauch, Dr. Rio Ryohichi Sugimura, Dr. Stephanie Kwai-Yee Ma, Dr. Yuanhua Huang, Dr. Vera Chan
Upcoming Events
Jan 26, 2022 HKU Biomed Entrepreneurship Talk Series by Dr. Sloan Kulper, CEO, Lifespans Limited
Jan 7 & 21, Feb 18 & 25, Mar 4, 11, 18 & 25, 2022 RPG Seminar
Jan 26, Feb 23, Mar 9 & 30, 2022 PDF Seminar
Jan 10 & 11, 2022 Joint Research Retreat with HKUST
Feb 10, 2022 HKUMed Spring Reception 2022
Feb 10, 2022 Invited Seminar by Dr. Johnny Kim, Department of Cardiac Development and Remodelling, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Germany
Jan 13, 2022 Human Embryonic Development and Developmental Genomics Seminar by Prof.
Upcoming Events
Marianne Bronner, Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, USA
Feb 16, 2022 Research Chalk Talk by Dr. Xiucong Bao
Jan 25, 2022 T&L Chalk Talk by Mr. Guilherme Fonseca
Mar 12, 2022 Body Donation Day 2022
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