School of Biomedical Sciences
生物醫學學院
The Chinese University of Hong Kong 香港中文大學

Prof YUNG Wing Ho

YUNG Wing Ho

Professor

B.Sc., M.Phil. (CUHK), D.Phil. (Oxon)

Telephone:  3943 6880

Email:  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

Address:

304A, Lo Kwee-Seong Integrated Biomedical Sciences Building, Area 39, CUHK

Website:  http://www.cuhk.edu.hk/gcnc/home.html

ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5542-8173

  

 

 

Biography

Prof. YUNG Wing Ho (容永豪) graduated from The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) in biology and biochemistry with first class honors. Supported by the Commonwealth Scholarship and the Croucher Foundation Fellowship he received his D.Phil. degree and postdoctoral training from the University of Oxford under the supervision of Prof. Julian Jack, FRS. Over the years, he developed strong interest in understanding mechanisms underlying motor control and learning, including their aberrations in diseases like Parkinson’s disease. More recently, he has been exploring the neural circuits and plasticity mechanisms responsible for the expression of higher cognitive functions and behavioral flexibility. These are achieved by employing a multitude of cutting-edge neuroscience and computational techniques. In the past, he had received the Master Teacher award by the Faculty of Medicine and the Research Excellence Award by CUHK. He was the founding director of the Gerald Choa Neuroscience Centre and has been serving in international neuroscience bodies including the governing councils of the International Brain Research Organization and the Federation of Asian-Oceanian Neuroscience Societies.

  1. The capability to learn novel, complex motor skills is a remarkable ability, and essential for daily lives and survival. By applying circuit mapping technique, multi-array electrophysiological recording, brain imaging and machine-learning algorithms, we probe the mechanisms underlying the emergence of neuronal assembly in the cortex for the encoding and transfer of motor memory as well as elucidating novel motor pathways underlying skilful movements. The aberrations in these processes and pathways in brain disorders like Parkinson’s disease are also explored.
  2. Adaptive behaviours in response to the complex and changing environment rely largely on cognitive flexibility, a higher brain function. We aim to decipher the neural circuits and mechanisms underlying this important cognitive function, e.g. in switching of strategy to solve a problem, as well as its malfunction in various brain disorders. Techniques including neuronal tract tracing, optogenetics and network analysis are employed to tackle this question.
  1. Qiao, J.D., Yang, S.X., Geng, H.Y., Yung, W.H.* & Ke, Y. (2022). Input-timing dependent plasticity at incoming synapses of mushroom body facilitates olfactory learning in drosophila. Current Biology https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2022.09.054
  2. Zhang, F.W., Mak, O.K., Liu, Y.C., Ke, Y., Rao, F., Yung, W.H.*, Zhang, L. & Chow, K.C. (2022). Secretin receptor deletion in the subfornical organ attenuates the activation of excitatory neurons under dehydration. Current Biology https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2022.09.037
  3. Lam, Y.S., Liu, X.X., Ke, Y. & Yung, W.H.* (2022). Edge-based network analysis reveals frequency specific network dynamics in aberrant anxiogenic processing in rats. Network Neuroscience, 6(3), 816-833
  4. Xu, L.H., Li, Q., Ke, Y. & Yung, W.H.* (2022). “Chronic intermittent hypoxia-induced aberrant neural activities in the hippocampus of male rats revealed by long-term in vivo recording” Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience, 15:784045.
  5. Lam, Y.S., Li, J.X., Ke. Y. & Yung, W.H.* (2022). Variational dimensions of cingulate cortex functional connectivity and implications in neuropsychiatric disorders. Cerebral Cortex, Feb 22:bhac045.
  6. Du, L., Xu, L., Liang, T., Wing, Y.K., Ke, Y. & Yung, W.H.* (2021). Progressive pontine-medullary dysfunction leads to REM sleep behavior disorder symptoms in a chronic model of Parkinson’s disease. Nature and Science of Sleep, 13,1723-1736.
  7. Li, C,, Yang, X., Ke, Y. & Yung, W.H.* (2020). Fully Affine Invariant Methods for Cross-Session Registration of Calcium Imaging Data. eNeuro, 7(4) ENEURO.0054-20.2020.
  8. Mu, M.D., Geng, H.Y., Rong, K.L., Peng, R.C., Wang, S.T., Geng, L.T., Qian, Z,M, Yung, W.H.* & Ke, Y. (2020). A limbic circuitry involved in emotional stress-induced grooming. Nature Communications, 11, 2261. doi: 10.1038/s41467-020-16203-x. (Editor’s highlight)
  9. Li, C., Chan, D.C.W., Yang, X., Ke, Y. & Yung, W.H.* (2019). Prediction of forelimb reach results from motor cortex activities based on calcium imaging and deep learning. Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience, 13, 88 doi: 10.3389/fncel.2019.00088.
  10. Cui, Q., Li, Q., Geng, H., Chen, L., Ip, N.Y., Ke, Y. & Yung, W.H.* (2018). Dopamine receptors mediate strategy abandoning via modulation of a specific prelimbic cortex-nucleus accumbens pathway in mice. Proceedings of the National Academy of Science USA, 115(21), E4890-E4899.
  11. Li, Q., Ko, H., Qian, Z.M., Yan, L.Y.C., Chan, D.C.W., Arbuthnott, G., Ke, Y. & Yung, W.H.* (2017). Refinement of learned skilled movement representation in motor cortex deep output layer. Nature Communications, 8, 15834. doi: 10.1038/ncomms15834
  12. Leong, A.T., Chan, R.W., Gao, P.P., Chan, Y.S., Tsia, K.K., Yung, W.H. & Wu, E.X. (2016). Long-range projections coordinate distributed brain-wide neural activity with a specific spatiotemporal profile. Proceedings of the National Academy of Science USA, 113(51), E8306-E8315.
  13. Xu, L.H., Xie, H., Shi, Z.H., Du, L.D., Wing, Y.K., Li, A.M., Ke, Y. & Yung, W.H.*(2015). Critical role of endoplasmic reticulum stress in chronic intermittent hypoxia-induced deficits in synaptic plasticity and long-term memory. Antioxidants & Redox Signaling, 23, 695-710.
  14. Li, Q., Qian, Z.M., Arbuthnott, G.W., Ke, Y. & Yung, W.H.* (2014). Cortical effects of deep brain stimulation: implications for pathogenesis and treatment of Parkinson disease. JAMA Neurology, 71, 100-103(Editorial Highlight).
  15. Huang, Y., Wang, J.J., & Yung, W.H.* (2013). Coupling between GABA-A receptor and chloride transporter underlies ionic plasticity in cerebellar Purkinje neurons. The Cerebellum, 12, 328-330.
  16. Li, Q., Ke, Y., Chan, D.C.W., Qian, Z.M., Yung, K.K.L., Ko, H., Arbuthnott, G. & Yung, W.H.* (2012). Therapeutic deep brain stimulation in parkinsonian rats directly influences motor cortex. Neuron, 76, 1030-1041 (Highlighted in 'Nature Reviews Neuroscience' and 'Nature China').
  17. Huang, Y., Ko, H., Cheung, Z.H., Yung, K.K.L., Yao, T., Wang, J.J., Morozov, A., Ke, Y., Ip, N.Y. & Yung, W.H.* (2012). Dual actions of brain-derived neurotrophic factor on GABAergic transmission in cerebellar Purkinje neurons. Experimental Neurology, 233, 791-798.
  18. Xie, H., Leung, K.L., Chen, L., Chan, Y.S., Ng, P.C., Fok, T.F., Wing, Y.K., Ke, Y., Li, A.M. & Yung, W.H.* (2010). Brain-derived neurotrophic factor rescues and prevents chronic intermittent hypoxia-induced impairment of hippocampal long-term synaptic plasticity. Neurobiology of Disease, 40, 155-162.
  19. Chu, J.Y.S., Lee, L.T.O., Lai, C.H., Vaudry, H., Chan, Y.S. Yung, W.H. & Chow, B.K.C. (2009). Secretin as a neurohypophysial factor regulating body water homeostasis.Proceedings of the National Academy of Science USA, 106, 15961-15966.
  20. Pang, P., Teng, H., Zaitsev, E., Woo, N.T., Sakata, K., Zhen, S., Teng, K.K., Yung, W.H., Hempstead, B., & Lu, B. (2004). Proteolytic conversion from pro- to mature BDNF by tPA/plasmin is essential for long-term hippocampal plasticity. Science, 305, 487-491.

    *  Corresponding / Co-corresponding author
  1. Health and Medical Research Fund [PI; 01-Apr-2022 to 31-Mar-2025]: " A novel target brain area for obsessive-compulsive disorder neuromodulatory an pharmacological intervention" (HK$1,499,960).
  2. RGC - General Research Fund [PI; 01-Jan-2022 to 31-Dec-2024]: " Inter-hemispheric transfer of motor skill: characterization and brain mechanism " (HK$1,175,732)
  3. RGC - General Research Fund [PI; 01-Jan-20 to 31-Dec-2022]: "Anomalous synaptic representations of locomotive states in the motor cortex in Parkinson’s disease: origin and significance" (HK$928,156).
  4. RGC – NSFC-RGC Joint Research Scheme [PI; 01-Jan-2020 to 31-Dec-2024]: “ The synaptic, cellular and circuit plasticity mechanisms underlying the role of the small-molecule neuropeptide orexin in central vestibular compensation” (HK$1,177,667).
  5. UGC – Theme-Based Research Scheme [Co-PI; 01-Jan-2019 to 31-Dec-2023]: “A Stem Cell Approach to Dissect the Molecular Basis of Neurodegenerative Diseases” (HK$37,973,000).
  6. UGC – Area of Excellence Scheme [Co-PI; 01-Jun-2017 to 31-May-2025]: “Cellular Mechanisms of Synaptic Functions and Plasticity in Health and Neurodegenerative Diseases” (HK$77,516,000).