Dr. Chan Yuen Yee Kathy

Personal Information

Dr. Kathy Chan
PhD, BSc (Hons) (HKU)

Email : kathyyychan@cuhk.edu.hk

Kathy YY CHAN (2).jpg

Biography

 

Dr. Chan has been the Scientific Officer of our department since 2006. She also serves as the Safety Officer of our laboratories and oversees the daily operation of the laboratory. 

​

She has immense interest in conducting research in neonatology and paediatric oncology, including the pathophysiology of necrotising enterocolitis, developmental immaturity in innate immune responses and haematological malignancies. She is currently developing rapid tests for detecting bacterial infections, gastrointestinal conditions and drug-induced tissue damage in paediatric patients.  

​

Dr. Chan obtained her first degree in biotechnology and PhD degree in Molecular Biology from the University of Hong Kong. She then pursued her postdoctoral training in the Department of Clinical Oncology and, Anatomical and Cellular Pathology in the Chinese University of Hong Kong. She received technical training on genomics, transcriptomic and network analysis at the National Institutes of Health (USA) as a visiting scientist in 2008.

 

Current appointments

  • Scientific Officer

​​

Research Interests

  • Early biomarkers for neonatal infections and gastrointestinal conditions

  • Pathophysiology of necrotising enterocolitis

  • Innate immunity against bacterial infection in neonates

  • Application of circulating nucleic acids analysis to paediatric diseases

  • MicroRNA and gene regulation

​

Recent and Representative Publications

  1. Lam HS, Chan KY, Ip M, Leung KT, Lo NW, Wong RP, Li K, Ng PC. Rapid Identification of Bacterial Antibiotic Resistance by qPCR in Infants with Gram-Negative Septicaemia: A Proof-of-Concept Study. Neonatology. 2017;111(2):145-152.

  2. Leung KT, Lam HS, Chan KY, Sit T, Wong RP, Yu JW, Li K, Ng PC. Regulation of Circulating Hematopoietic Stem/Progenitor Cells in Preterm Infants with Septicemia. Stem Cells Dev. 2016 ;25(23):1780-1787.

  3. Leung KT, Chan KY, Ma TP, Yu JW, Tong JH, Tam YH, Cheung HM, To KF, Lam HS, Lee KH, Li K, Ng PC. Dysregulated expression of arginine metabolic enzymes in human intestinal tissues of necrotizing enterocolitis and response of CaCO2 cells to bacterial components. J Nutr Biochem. 2016;29:64-72.

  4. Ng PC, Chan KY, Leung KT, Tam YH, Ma TP, Lam HS, Cheung HM, Lee KH, To KF, Li K. Comparative MiRNA Expressional Profiles and Molecular Networks in Human Small Bowel Tissues of Necrotizing Enterocolitis and Spontaneous Intestinal Perforation. PLoS One. 2015;10(8):e0135737.

  5. Chan KY, Leung KT, Tam YH, Lam HS, Cheung HM, Ma TP, Lee KH, To KF, Li K, Ng PC. Genome-wide expression profiles of necrotizing enterocolitis versus spontaneous intestinal perforation in human intestinal tissues: dysregulation of functional pathways. Ann Surg. 2014;260(6):1128-37.

  6. Fong ON, Chan KY, Leung KT, Lam HS, Cheung HM, Leung TY, Li K, Ng PC. Expression profile of cord blood neutrophils and dysregulation of HSPA1A and OLR1 upon challenge by bacterial peptidoglycan. J Leukoc Biol. 2014;95(1):169-78.  

  7. Ng EW, Poon TC, Lam HS, Cheung HM, Ma TP, Chan KY, Wong RP, Leung KT, Lam MM, Li K, Ng PC. Gut-associated biomarkers L-FABP, I-FABP, and TFF3 and LIT score for diagnosis of surgical necrotizing enterocolitis in preterm infants. Ann Surg. 2013;258(6):1111-8.

  8. Chan KY, Zhou L, Xiang P, Li K, Ng PC, Wang CC, Li M, Pong NH, Tu L, Deng H, Kong CK, Sung RY. Thrombopoietin improved ventricular function and regulated remodeling genes in a rat model of myocardial infarction. Int J Cardiol. 2013;167(6):2546-54.

  9. Ng PC, Chan KY, Poon TC. Biomarkers for prediction and diagnosis of necrotizing enterocolitis. Clin Perinatol. 2013;40(1):149-59.

  10. Cheng SF, Ho JW, Chan KY, Leung TY, Lam HS, Fong ON, Li K, Ng PC. IL-15 and macrophage secretory factors facilitate immune activation of neonatal natural killer cells by lipoteichoic acid. Cytokine. 2013;61(2):499-505.

  11. Chan KY, Leung FW, Lam HS, Tam YH, To KF, Cheung HM, Leung KT, Poon TC, Lee KH, Li K, Fok TF, Ng PC. Immunoregulatory protein profiles of necrotizing enterocolitis versus spontaneous intestinal perforation in preterm infants. PLoS One. 2012;7(5):e36977.

  12. Chan KY, Xiang P, Zhou L, Li K, Ng PC, Wang CC, Zhang L, Deng HY, Pong NH, Zhao H, Chan WY, Sung RY. Thrombopoietin protects against doxorubicin-induced cardiomyopathy, improves cardiac function, and reversely alters specific signalling networks. Eur J Heart Fail. 2011;13(4):366-76.

  13. Leung KT, Chan KY, Ng PC, Lau TK, Chiu WM, Tsang KS, Li CK, Kong CK, Li K. The tetraspanin CD9 regulates migration, adhesion, and homing of human cord blood CD34+ hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells. Blood. 2011;117(6):1840-50.

  14. Lee KY, Fong BS, Tsang KS, Lau TK, Ng PC, Lam AC, Chan KY, Wang CC, Kung HF, Li CK, Li K. Fetal stromal niches enhance human embryonic stem cell-derived hematopoietic differentiation and globin switch. Stem Cells Dev. 2011;20(1):31-8.

  15. Chan KY, Lam HS, Cheung HM, Chan AK, Li K, Fok TF, Ng PC. Rapid identification and differentiation of Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacterial bloodstream infections by quantitative polymerase chain reaction in preterm infants. Crit Care Med. 2009;37(8):2441-7.

  16. Gho JW, Ip WK, Chan KY, Law PT, Lai PB, Wong N. Re-expression of transcription factor ATF5 in hepatocellular carcinoma induces G2-M arrest. Cancer Res. 2008;68(16):6743-51.

  17. Wong QW, Lung RW, Law PT, Lai PB, Chan KY, To KF, Wong N. MicroRNA-223 is commonly repressed in hepatocellular carcinoma and potentiates expression of Stathmin1. Gastroenterology. 2008;135(1):257-69.  

  18. Chan KY, Lai PB, Squire JA, Beheshti B, Wong NL, Sy SM, Wong N. Positional expression profiling indicates candidate genes in deletion hotspots of hepatocellular carcinoma. Mod Pathol. 2006;19(12):1546-54.

  19. Chan KY, Wong N, Lai PB, Squire JA, Macgregor PF, Beheshti B, Albert M, To KF, Johnson PJ. Transcriptional profiling on chromosome 19p indicated frequent downregulation of ACP5 expression in hepatocellular carcinoma. Int J Cancer. 2005;114(6):902-8.

  20. Wong N, Chan KY, Macgregor PF, Lai PB, Squire JA, Beheshti B, Albert M, Leung TW. Transcriptional profiling identifies gene expression changes associated with IFN-alpha tolerance in hepatitis C-related hepatocellular carcinoma cells. Clin Cancer Res. 2005;11(3):1319-26.