Focused on the molecular basis of human cancers, our research team has deciphered liver cancer expression profiles and metastasis associated genes. Ongoing research includes the identification of potential therapeutic targets, growth factor granulin-epithelin precursor (GEP) and its roles in cancer growth, invasion, drug resistance, cancer stemness properties and antibody targeted therapy.

We have extended our studies from genomics to examine novel molecular biomarkers on diagnostic with prognostic implication. Current research focuses on natural killer cell-mediated cytotoxicity against tumour cells and rational combination therapy to improve treatment efficacy.

Nathalie WONG   |   natwong@cuhk.edu.hk  

Siu Tim CHEUNG   |   stcheung@surgery.cuhk.edu.hk  

Bioengineering or biomedical engineering is the application of engineering principles and design concepts in medicine and biology for healthcare. This field is narrowing the gap between engineering and medicine, combining the design and problem-solving skills of engineering with biomedical sciences to advance healthcare treatments.

Our current areas of research interest include wearable sensing, endoscopic informatics and smart cancer screening. We develop innovative medical devices and robotics, including flexible surgical instruments/robotics, soft medical robotics and magnetic anchored and guided systems. In addition, we are studying visceral biomechanics,gastrointestinal (GI) mechanosensory properties, the development of endoluminal devices for the treatment of obesity, and diagnostics of functional GI disorders.

We use experimental and computational approaches to address surgically relevant healthacre problems and have published our findings in leading bioengineering and medical journals. Currently, we are focused on development of several medical devices for diagnostics and therapy, including performance and validation studies, and proof-of-concept clinical trials.

Zheng LI   |   zli@surgery.cuhk.edu.hk  

The discovery of stem cells has sparked the idea of personalized medicine. Stem cells have a great clinical potential because of their ability to differentiate into a wide range of cell types. This is exactly the reason why the number of stem cell research projects has escalated rapidly in the past few decades.

With the generous support from the Chow Tai Fook Charity Foundation, Chow Tai Fook - Cheng Yu Tung Surgical Stem Cell Research Centre, the Chinese University of Hong Kong was established in July 2011. Since then, we have made remarkable progress in translational stem cell research. It is our ultimate goal to explore the therapeutic potential of stem cells on traumatic and degenerative disorders as well as the underlying mechanisms.

Our research team is composed of surgeons across various specialties, scientists in tissue engineering and cell biology, pathologists, radiologists, etc. We have interdepartmental collaborations within the Chinese University of Hong Kong and joint research projects with overseas institutes.

Chow Tai Fook - Cheng Yu Tung Surgical Stem Cell Research Centre