School of Life Sciences - Professor LAM Hon Ming

Professor LAM Hon Ming

Address	(Office): Room E409, Science Centre East Block (Lab): Room 298, Science Centre South Block
Phone	(Office): (852) 3943 6336 (Lab): (852) 3943 8132
Fax	(852) 3943 6336
Email	This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Web	http://137.189.43.137:8080/Publications/HML-publications.htm

Education

1992	Ph.D. Northwestern University
1987	M. Phil. The Chinese University of Hong Kong
1985	B. Sc. The Chinese University of Hong Kong

Position

Choh-Ming Li Professor of Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, CUHK
Director, Molecular Biotechnology Program, CUHK
Director, State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology (CUHK)
Director, Institute of Environment, Energy and Sustainability, CUHK
Director, RGC-AoE Center for Genomic Studies on Plant-Environment Interaction for Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security, CUHK
Director, Center for Soybean Research, CUHK
Associate Director, Institute of Plant Molecular Biology & Agricultural Biotechnology, CUHK
Student Hostel Warden, Daisy Li Hall, New Asia College, CUHK

Research Interests

Climate-smart and sustainable agriculture
Plant and agricultural biotechnology
Genomic studies on crop-environment interaction

Recent and Representative Publications

F. Cisternas*, C. Sun, C.A. Contador, S. Anders, M. Chu, N. Phan, B. Hu, Z. Liu, H.-M. Lam*, L.A. Tse. 2024. Cultural and generational factors shape Asians’ sustainable food choices: Insights from choice. Cell Rep Sustain. 1:100020.
M. Huang, L. Zhang, W.-S. Yung, Y. Hu, Z. Wang, M.-W. Li, H.-M. Lam. 2023. Molecular evidence of enhancer-promoter interaction involved in light responses in soybean seedlings. Plant Physiol. 193:2287-2291.
K. Fan, Z. Wang, C.-C. Sze, Y. Niu, F.-L. Wong, M.-W. Li, H.-M. Lam. 2023. MicroRNA 4407 modulates nodulation in soybean by repressing a root-specific ISOPENTENYLTRANSFERASE (GmIPT3). New Phytol. 240:1034-1051.
S. Duan, M.-W. Li, Y. Niu, C. Huang, J. Hang, D. Shi, C.K. Man, M.L. Chow, F.-L. Wong, G. Chung, H.-M. Lam. 2023. A natural non-synonymous single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in GmbHLH113 negates its inhibitory effect on root hair elongation in soybean. Plant J. 115:742-757.
M. Chu, S. Anders, Q Deng, C.A. Contador, F. Cisternas, C. Caine, Y. Zhu, S. Yang, B. Hu, Z. Liu, L.A. Tse, H.-M. Lam. 2022. The future of sustainable food consumption in China. Food Energy Secur. 12:e405
M. Huang, L. Zhang, L. Zhou, W.-S. Yung, Z. Wang, Z. Xiao, Q. Wang, X. Wang, M.-W. Li, H.-M. Lam. 2022. Identification of the accessible chromatin regions in six tissues in the soybean. Genomics 114:110364.
P.E. Bayer, B. Valliyodan, H. Hu, J.I. Marsh, Y. Yuan, T.D. Vuong, G. Patil, Q. Song, J. Batley, R.K. Varshney, H.-M. Lam, D. Edwards, H.T. Nguyen. 2022. Sequencing the USDA core soybean collection reveals gene loss during domestication and breeding. Plant Genome 15:20109.
S.C. Lung, S.H. Lai, H. Wang, X. Zhang, A. Liu, Z.-H. Guo, H.-M. Lam, M.-L. Chye. 2022. Ligand-dependent interaction of Class II acyl-CoA-binding proteins with lipoxygenase modulates oxylipin signaling in salt-stressed soybean. Plant Cell 34:1117-1143.
C. Li, W. Nong, S. Zhao, X. Lin, Y. Xie, M.-Y. Cheung, Z. Xiao, A.Y.P. Wong, T.F. Chan, J.H.L. Hui, H.-M. Lam. 2022. Differential microRNA expression, microRNA arm switching, and microRNA:long noncoding RNA interaction in response to salinity stress in soybean. BMC Genom. 23:65.
V. Garg, O. Dudchenko, J. Wang, A.W. Khan, S. Gupta, P.K.K. Han, R.K. Saxena, S.M. Kale, M. Pham, J. Yu, A. Chitikineni, Z. Zhang, G. Fan, C. Lui, V. Valluri, F. Meng, A. Bhandari, X. Liu, T. Yang, H. Chen, B. Valliyoan, M. Roorkiwal, C. Shi, H.B. Yang, N.C. Durand, M.K. Panday, G. Li, R. Barmukh, X. Wang, X. Chen, H.-M. Lam, H. Jiang, X. Zong, X. Liang, X. Liu, B. Liao, B. Guo, S. Jackson, H.T. Nguyen, W. Zhuang, S. Wan, X. Wang, E.L. Aiden, J.L. Bennetzen, R.K. Varshney. 2021. Chromosome-length genome assemblies of six legume species provide insights into genome organization, evolution, and agronomic traits for crop improvement. J. Adv. Res. (accepted)
X. Liu, A.P.K. Tai, Y. Chen, L. Zhang, G. Shaddick, X. Yan, H.-M. Lam. 2021. Dietary shifts can reduce premature deaths related to particulate matter pollution in China. Nat. Food 2:997-1004.
Q. Wang, X. Bao, S. Chen, H. Zhong, Y. Liu, L. Zhang, Y. Xia, F. Kragler, M. Luo, X. Li, H.-M. Lam, S. Zhang. 2021. AtHDA6 functions as an H3K18ac eraser to maintain pericentromeric CHG methylation in Arabidopsis thaliana. Nucl. Acids. Res. 49:9755-9767.
X. Qi, B. Jiang, T. Wu, S. Sun, C. Wang, W. Song, C. Wu, W. Hou, Q. Song, H.-M. Lam, T. Han. 2021. Genomic dissection of widely planted soybean cultivars informs a new breeding strategy in post-genome era. Crop J. 9:1079-1087.
X. Wang, M.-W. Li, F.-L. Wong, C.-Y. Luk, C.Y.-L. Chung, W.-S. Yung, Z. Wang, M. Xie, S. Song, G. Chung, T.-F. Chan, H.-M. Lam. 2021. Increased copy number of Gibberellin 2-oxidase 8 genes reduced trailing growth and shoot length during soybean domestication. Plant J. 107:1739-1755.
K. Fan, J. Wong-Bajracharya, X. Lin, M. Ni, Y.-S. Ku, M.-W. Li, C. Tian, T.-F. Chan, H.-M. Lam. 2021. Differentially expressed microRNAs that target functional genes in mature soybean nodules. Plant Genome 14:e20103.
M. Huang, L. Zhang, L. Zhou, M. Wang, W.-S. Yung, Z. Wang, S. Duan, Z. Xiao, Q. Wang, X. Wang, M.-W. Li, H.-M. Lam. 2021. An expedient survey and characterization of the soybean JAGGED 1 (GmJAG1) transcription factor binding preference in the soybean genome by modified ChIPmentation on soybean protoplasts. Genomics 113:344-355.
Q. Wang, W.-S. Yung, Z. Wang, H.-M. Lam. 2020. The histone modification H3K4me3 marks functional genes in soybean nodules. Genomics 112:5282-5294.
S. Zhang, R. Runsheng, L. Zhang, S. Chen, M. Xie, L.Yang, Y. Xia, C. Foyer, Z. Zhao, H.-M. Lam. 2020. New insights into Arabidopsis transcriptome complexity revealed by direct sequencing of native RNAs. Nucleic Acids Res. 48:7700-7711.
Y.-S. Ku, M. Ni, N.B. Muñoz, Z. Xiao, P. Chen, M.-W. Li, M.-Y. Cheung, M. Xie, H.-M. Lam. 2020. GmABAS1 from soybean is a 1R-subtype MYB transcriptional repressor that regulates stomatal aperture under ABA treatment. J. Exp. Bot. 71:2970-2981.
C.A. Contador, S.-K. Lo, S.H.J. Chan, H-M. Lam. 2020. Metabolic analyses of nitrogen fixation in the soybean micro-symbiont Sinorhizobium fredii using constraint-based modeling. mSystems 5:e00516-19.
M. Xie, C.Y.-L. Chung, M.-W. Li, F.-L. Wong, X. Wang, A. Liu, Z. Wang, A.K.-Y. Leung, T.-H. Wong, S.-W. Tong, Z. Xiao, K. Fan, M.-S. Ng, X. Qi, L. Yang, T. Deng, L. He, L. Chen, A. Fu, Q. Dong, J. He, G. Chung, S. Isobe, T. Tanabata, B. Valliyodan, H.T. Nguyen, S.B. Cannon, C.H. Foyer, T.-F. Chan, H.-M. Lam. 2019. A reference-grade wild soybean genome. Nat. Commun. 10:1216.
C. Foyer, H.M. Lam, H. Nguyen, K. Siddique, R. Varshney, T. Colmer, W. Cowling, H. Bramley, T. Mori, J. Hodgson, J. Cooper, T. Miller, K. Kunert, B. Vorster, C. Cullis, J. Ozga, M. Wahlqvist, Y. Liang, H. Shou, K. Shi, J. Yu, N. Fodor, B. Kaiser, F.-L. Wong, B. Valliyodan, M. Considine. 2016. Neglecting legumes has compromised global food and nutritional security. Nat. Plants 2:16112.
M.-Y. Cheung, X. Li, R. Miao, Y.-H. Fong, K.-P. Li, Y.-L. Yung, M.-H. Yu, K.-B. Wong, Z. Chen, H.-M. Lam. 2016. ATP binding by the P-loop NTPase OsYchF1 (an unconventional G protein) contributes to biotic but not abiotic stress responses. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 113:2648-53.
X. Qi, M.-W. Li, M. Xie, X. Liu, M. Ni, G. Shao, C. Song, A.K.-Y. Yim, Y. Tao, F.-L. Wong, S. Isobe, C.-F. Wong, K.-S. Wong, C. Xu, C. Li, Y. Wang, R. Guan, F. Sun, G. Fan, Z. Xiao, F. Zhou, T.-H. Phang, X. Liu, S.-W. Tong, T.-F. Chan, S.-M. Yiu, S. Tabata. J. Wang, X. Xu, H.-M. Lam. 2014. Identification of a novel salt tolerance gene in wild soybean by whole-genome sequencing. Nat. Commun. 5:4340.
H.-M. Lam, J. Remais, M.-C. Fung, L. Xu, S.S.-M. Sun. 2013. Food supply and food safety issues in China. Lancet 381:2044-2053.
H.-M. Lam, X. Xu, X. Liu, W. Chen, G. Yang, F.-L. Wong, M.-W. Li, W. He, N. Qin, B. Wang, J. Li, M. Jian, J. Wang, G. Shao, J. Wang, S.S.-M. Sun, and G. Zhang. 2010. Resequencing of 31 wild and cultivated soybean genomes identifies patterns of genetic diversity and selection. Nat. Genet. 42:1053-1059.

Research Grants

2021-2023, GRF, Differential functions in RNA splicing by heat-responsive isoforms of PRP4KA and PRP4KB in Arabidopsis thaliana, HK$1,125,732
2019-2020, ENSURE, Global Food Security, Climate Change and Resilience: An International Perspective, HK$1,000,000
2018-2019, "港澳台科技創新合作" 重點專項國家重點研發計劃, RMB$980,000
2018-2020, GRF, Possible roles of a plant ribosome-associated protein on translational regulation, $1,034,257
2017-2025, RGC-AoE, Center for Genomic Studies on Plant-Environment Interaction for Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security, $81,156,000
2017-2019, GRF, Characterization of soybean multidrug and toxin extrusion (MATE) transporters that regulate the accumulation of flavonoid phenolic metabolites in soybean seeds, $1,181,200
2016-2018, GRF, Site-directed mutagenesis to delineate the interactions of a plant regulator which loves to interact, $1,306,718
2015-2017, GRF, The roles of the soybean Rj2/Rfg1 protein in the interaction with the rhizobial bacterium Sinorhizobium fredii, $878,400
2013-2016, GRF, Functional dissection of a novel C2-domain protein that regulates an unconventional G-protein in plants, $1,125,842
2012-2015, CRF, Genomic and molecular studies of a salinity tolerance locus in the wild soybean genome, $8,035,050
2011-2013, GRF, Using a unique recombinant inbred population and genomic sequencing information to map loci controlling important agronomic traits of soybean, $2,070,000
2010-2011, GRF, The functional roles of GmSAL1 in enhancing stress tolerance via regulating the basal cytosolic calcium level, $869,124
2009-2010, GRF, The roles of a novel G-protein binding protein in plant defense response, $990,465
2004-2007, CERG, Characterization and functional analysis of a novel NaCl-inducible purple acid phosphatase-like gene, $939,968
2002-2005, CERG, Gene regulation in the signal transduction pathways of broad-spectrum bacterial blight resistance loci in rice, $876,000
2000-2003, CERG, Sink-source relationship during seed development in Arabidopsis thaliana– molecular regulation of aspartate family amino acids, $1,062,600
1999-2003, Molecular and biochemical characterization of a salt-tolerant soybean variety, $709,500
1998-2002, CERG, Asparagine synthetase genes: their roles in plant growth and development, $1,032,000
1997-1999, Ho Sin Hang Education Endowment Fund, Reclaiming the salty lands for agriculture, $250,000

Patents

U.S. Patents (Granted)

Plant nitrogen regulatory P-PII polypeptides; Patent number: 6,822,079 (2004)
Plant nitrogen regulatory P-PII genes; Patent number: 6,177,275 (2001)
Plant glutamate receptors; Patent number: 5,824,867 (1998); 5,981,703 (1999); 5,959,174 (1999); 6,451,546 (2002)
Method to alleviate abiotic stress in plants by expression of mitochondrial-targeted purple acid phosphatase; (Patent No. 7,939,712B2) (May 10, 2011)
Abiotic stress tolerance conferred by J domains containing proteins (Patent No. 7,939,711B2) (May 10, 2011)
Use of GmRD22-like genes to protect against abiotic stress (Patent No. 7,994,390B2) (August 9, 2011)
Methods to enhance plant trauma resistance (Patent No. 7,994,392B2) (August 9, 2011)
Methods to improve plant resistance to infections (Patent No. 7,994,393B2) (August 9, 2011)

China Patents (Granted)

Transgenic plant products comprising human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor and method for preparing the same (Patent No. CN1281759C) (Feb 2007)
Methods to improve plant resistance to infections (Patent No. CN101686646B) (May 23, 2012)
Gmrd22-like genes and use thereof to protect against abiotic stress (Patent No. CN101548013B) (March 21, 2012)
Method to alleviate abiotic stress in plants by expression of mitochondrial-targeted purple acid phosphatase (Patent No. CN101541165B) (May 15, 2013)
Abiotic stress tolerance conferred by J-domain-containing proteins (Patent No. CN101553569B) (June 20, 2013)
Methods to enhance plant trauma resistance (Patent No. CN101686642B) (January 1, 2014)

Hong Kong Patents (Granted)

Transgenic plant products comprising human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor and method for preparing the same; Patent number 1071908 (August 2007)
Use of GmRD22-like genes to protect against abiotic stress (Patent No. 1137776) (December 2, 2012)
Methods to improve plant resistance to infections (Patent No. 1140910) (March 1, 2013)
Method to alleviate abiotic stress in plants (Patent No. HK1132878) (September 19, 2013)
Abiotic stress tolerance conferred by J-domain-containing proteins (Patent No. HK1138033) (March 14, 2014)

Awards

2023, Medal of Honor, Hong Kong SAR Government
2012-2013, & 2020-2021, Research Excellence Award, The Chinese University of Hong Kong
2017, Higher Education Outstanding Scientific Research Award 2016 (Science and Technology; Second Class), Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China: Searching Functional Gene for Crop Improvement (1^st Awardee)
2016-2021, Outstanding Fellow of the Faculty of Science
2007, Second-Class Award for Science and Technology, Zhejiang Province, People's Republic of China: Establishment and Large Scale Application of an Efficient and Safe System for Transgenic Rice Technology. (6^th Awardee)
2001, Second-Class Award for Scientific and Technological Achievements, Beijing City, People's Republic of China: Research and Application of Salt Tolerance Study in Soybean. (4^th Awardee)
1999-2000 &2005-2006, Exemplary Teaching Award, Faculty of Science, CUHK
1998, Award for Excellence in Presentation, 6th Pacific Rim Biotechnology Conference and BioExpo '98
1992, Raymond W. Sarber Award, American Society for Microbiology

Professional Activities

Visiting Professorships

2006-present, Visiting Professor (Institute of Plant Sciences, Jilin University, China)
2000-present, Visiting Research Professor (Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, China)
2012-present, Visiting Research Professor (Gansu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, China)
2011-present, Visiting Research Professor (Institute of Economic Crops, Shanxi Academy of Agricultural Sciences, China)

Editorial Boards

2021-present, CABI A&B Journal (Associate Editor)
2021-2023, The Plant Genome (Associate Editor)
2014-present, PLOS ONE (Academic Editor)
2013-present, The Crop Journal (Associate Editor)
2010-present, Soybean Science (Editorial Board)

Professional Services

2023 – present, Director, Institute of Environment, Energy and Sustainability, CUHK
2017 – present, Director, State Kay Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology (The Chinese University of Hong Kong)
2012 – present, Director, Center for Soybean Research, CUHK
2018 – present, Member, Research Committee, CUHK
2019 – present, Member, Management Committee of Institute of Environment, Energy and Sustainability, CUHK
2020 – 2023, Member of the Academic Committee, Key Laboratory of Germplasm Resources Conservation and Utilization, Guangdong Province
2018 – present, Member of the Academic Committee, State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, Northwest A & F University
2019 – present, Member, Biology and Medicine Panel (Joint Research Scheme), Research Grants Council (RGC) of Hong Kong
2022 – 2025, Chair, Advisory Committee of the Sustainable Agricultural Development Fund, Environment and Ecology Bureau, Government of HKSAR
2016 – present, Member, Advisory Committee of the Sustainable Agricultural Development Fund, Environment and Ecology Bureau, Government of HKSAR
2019 – 2025, MT Incu-Bio Assessment Panel, Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation

Major Services in Education

2020 – present, member, CDC Standing Committee on STEM Education
2019 – 2023, Associte Director, Guangdong Provincial College Plant Production Professional Teaching Steering Committee
2019 – present, Member, Steering Committee for Internationalization of Higher Education and Engagement of Mainland China, CUHK
2019 – present, School Manager, Delia Memorial School (Hip Wo)
2019 – present, School Manager, Delia Memorial School (Broadway)
2015 – present, School Manager, Queen Elizabeth School Old Students’ Association Tong Kwok Wah Secondary School