Roles of the Plant SIRTUIN Deacetylases in Plant Immunity (PI: Dr. Shoudong Zhang) SIRTUIN proteins are largely NAD+-dependent protein deacetylases that couple lysine deacetylation with NAD+ hydrolysis to yield O-acetyl-ADP-ribose (OAADPR), nicotinamide, and deacetylated lysine. SIRTUINs, initially identified in yeast…

Isolation and Characterization of Stanniocalcin-1 Receptor in Fish Gills of Japanese Eels (PI: Professor Chris Wong) Calcium ion is vital for many cellular and physiological processes which are critical in life. The maintenance of Ca2+ homeostasis in cellular and extracellular…

The Epithelial SAA1 Protein Regulates Epithelial-Mesenchymal-Transition (EMT) in Normal Esophageal Epithelium and Esophageal Carcinoma (PI: Dr. Hong Lok Lung) Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma (ESCC) is a highly prevalent cancer type in China and Hong Kong, and is derived from thin…

HKBU Science Festival enables 1,200 secondary and primary school students to discover big data in daily life HKBU showcases biotech inventions at global expo in USA Research jointly led by HKBU and HKUST decoding the first deep-sea mussel genome published…

產前全氟辛烷磺酸（PFOS）暴露對雄性子代生殖功能的影響 (PI: Professor Chris Wong) 摘要 当前，内分泌干扰物（EDCs）已被确定为全球最为关注的问题之一。新兴污染物全氟辛烷磺酸（PFOS）因其独特的生物特性尤其引人关注。目前认为，EDCs通过干扰机体雄激素和/或雌激素受体而影响机体的生殖健康，而其所涉及的具体分子机制还没有定论。流行病学表明，母体血浆PFOS与子代低繁殖力、精子数量减少及不孕有关。我们前期的实验发现，PFOS暴露的雄鼠导致雄性激素分泌紊乱和精子数量减少。然而，潜在的分子机制（尤其在整个发育阶段）还未被深入探讨。因此，本课题拟建立产前污染物暴露的动物模型，运用分子、脂质组学及生理病理学相结合的研究手段，旨在系统深入地探讨PFOS对调控脂质信号介质生成的细胞色素P450-花生四烯酸级联信号通路的干预作用，进而分析其对胎儿，新生和成年子代中相应的睾丸结构与功能表型的影响。由此，PFOS引起生殖功能障碍相关的分子网络调控机制和分子靶标的鉴定将有助于进一步了解生殖系统疾病的非遗传因素的病因。

Identification of Asymmetric Hybrid Incompatibility Loci by Systematic Introgression of C. nigoni Genomic Fragment into C. briggsae Background (PI: Dr. ZHAO Zhongying) Closely related species may mate with each other but produce hybrid progeny that often suffer from severe damages…

Functional Characterization of Two E3 Ubiquitin Ligases (PUB2 and PUB4) and the EXTRA LARGE G PROTEINS in Arabidopsis (PI: Professor XIA Yiji) As sessile organisms, plants need to adjust their growth and development according to ever-changing environments. Environmental cues and…

Role of USF methylation and epigenetic modifications in lipogenic gene repression during starvation (PI: Dr. Roger Wong) Background Mammals employ intricate and precise endocrine control to maintain a constant supply of metabolic energy. Transcription of genes encoding enzymes involved in…

Regulatory Roles of Tonicity-responsive MicroRNAs in Osmoregulatory Functions of the gills of Japanese Eels (PI: Professor Chris Wong) Homeostatic regulation of fluid and electrolyte balance is a vital process for guiding many cellular functions. It is crucial for upholding osmotic…

Stress resistance genes as the new engineering target for environmental control of airborne bacteria (PI: Dr. LAI Ka Man) Over the past 70 years, studies have attempted to determine the survival of airborne bacteria and the associated effects of environmental…