Biography:

Dr. Hei Ming Lai is a psychiatrist-neuroscientist in training and is a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry, CUHK. His work includes the development of neuroscientific research tools to dissect the neurobiological basis of mental disorders, with his foundational work published in leading journals as first and corresponding authors since his undergraduate years. His work has been awarded a Gold Medal in the 46th International Exhibitions of Inventions Geneva and Honourable Mention in Nikon Small World Photomicrography Competition. His current research interests include neurotechnology development, the neural correlates of mental phenomena and neuropsychopharmacology.

Specialised Research Area(s):

• Neurotechnology
• Psychiatry

1. Lai HM*†, Tang Y*, Lau ZYH*, Campbell RAA, Yau JCN, Chan CCY, Chan DCW, Wong TY, Wong HKT, Yan LYC, Wu WKK, Wong SH, Kwok KW, Wing YK, Lam HHN, Ng HK, Mrsic-Flogel TD, Mok VCT, Chan JYK, Ko H†. Antibody stabilization for thermally accelerated deep immunostaining. Nature Methods. 2022 Sept 1; 19:1137-1146. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41592-022-01569-1. Journal IF: 47.990. (*co-first authors; †co-corresponding authors).

2. Lai HM*†, Lu Z*, Choi CK*, Zhou W, Yau JCN, Tang BZ, Ko H†. Direct room temperature synthesis of α-CsPbI₃ perovskite nanocrystals with high photoluminescence quantum yields: implications for lighting and photovoltaic applications. ACS Applied Nano Materials. 2022 Apr 27;5(9):12366-112373. https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsanm.2c00732. Journal IF: 6.14. (*co-first authors; †co-corresponding authors).

3. Lo HS*, Hui K*, Lai HM*, Khan K, Kaur S, Huang J, Li Z, Chan A, Cheung H, Ng KC, Ho J, Chen YW, Ma B, Cheung P, Shin D, Wang K, Lee MH, Selisko B, Eydoux C, Guillemot JC, Canard B, Wu KP, Liang PH, Dikic I, Zuo Z, Chan FKL, Hui DSC, Mok VCT, Wong KB, Mok C, Ko H, Aik WS, Chan M, Ng WL. Simeprevir potently suppresses SARS-CoV-2 replication and synergizes with remdesivir. ACS Central Science. 2021 Apr 15;7(5):792-802. https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acscentsci.0c01186. Journal IF: 18.728. (*co-first authors).

4. Lee K*, Lai HM*†, Soerensen M, Hui E, Cho W, Ma V, Ho J, Chang RCCC†. Optimized Tissue Clearing Minimizes Distortion and Destruction During Tissue Delipidation. Neuropathology and Applied Neurobiology. 2020 Dec 2;47(3):441-453. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/nan.12673. Journal IF: 6.250. (*co-first authors; †co-corresponding authors).  

5. Lai HM*, Liu AKLL*, Ng HHM*, Goldfinger, MH, Chau, TW, DeFelice J, Tilley BS, Wong WM, Wu W, Gentleman SM. Next generation histology methods for three-dimensional imaging of fresh and archival human brain tissues. Nature Communications. 2018 Mar 14;9(1):1066. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-018-03359-w. Journal IF: 17.694. (*co-first authors).

6. Lai HM†, Ng WL, Gentleman SM†, Wu W† Chemicals Probes for Visualizing Intact Animal and Human Brain Tissue. Cell Chemical Biology. 2017 Jun 22;24(6):659-672. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2451945617301575. Journal IF: 9.039. (†co-corresponding authors).

7. Liu AKL*, Lai HM*, Chang RCCC, Gentleman SM. Free-of-acrylamide SDS-based Tissue Clearing (FASTClear): A novel protocol of tissue clearing for three-dimensional visualisation of human brain tissues. Neuropathology and Applied Neurobiology. 2017 Jun;43(4):346-351.  https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/nan.12361. Journal IF: 6.250. (*co-first authors).

8. Lai HM*†, Liu AKL, Ng WL, DeFelice J, Lee WS, Li H, Li W, Ng HM, Chang RCC, Lin B, Wu W*†, Gentleman SM*†. Rationalisation and validation of an acrylamide-free procedure in three-dimensional histological imaging. PLoS One. 2016 Jun 30;11(6):e0158628. https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0158628. Journal IF: 3.752. (*co-first authors; †co-corresponding authors).