Research in Physiology and Developmental Biology investigates fundamental processes including cell and tissue differentiation and functioning of the body systems. Below are some examples of research in this field conducted in our school:

 

Zebrafish is used as the model in functional analyses of the brain-pituitary-ovary axis . Current interests include intrafollicular communication network in the ovary and the molecular biology of gonadotropins and their receptors.

 

 

 

 PDB 01

 

 

PDB 02 

 

 

 

Salinity adaptation in seabream is dependent on changes in kidney and gill function. In seawater, the kidney excretes excessive ions and retains water but switches to excrete water and conserve ions in freshwater. Gill chloride cells can act as either ion extrusion or absorption devices in seawater or freshwater respectively.

 

 

 

 

Advanced molecular biology and genetic engineering technology are used in studying mammalian embryonic developmental processes, with mouse as the model organism.

 

  PDB 03
 

 

During the past two decades we saw an increasing number of living organisms, including the humans, whose complete genomes were made available by the ever-improving DNA-sequencing technologies. Bioinformatics, also known as computational molecular biology, is a new area of research focusing on the sequence, structural, and functional analysis of genomic data. The importance of genomics and bioinformatics research was best exemplified during the SARS outbreak in 2003.

G-B 01 G-B 03
G-B 02 G-B 04

 

 

 

It has become apparent over last decade that in this post-genomic era, protein structure-function study is of major importance in understanding the molecular basis of cellular pathways and developing therapeutic targets.

Our ongoing research projects focus on proteins in cellular signaling and biomedical science, proteins of pathogenic microorganisms and proteins of biotechnological significance. Multidisciplinary techniques including protein engineering, biophysical characterization and X-ray crystallography and NMR spectroscopy to study the structure-function relationship of proteins are employed.

 

 

 PS 01

 

 

PS 04 

 

  PS 02

 PS 03

 

 PS 05
 

 

The research of toxicology and health centres on liver metabolism and detoxification enzymes of drugs and environmental toxicants, chemical carcinogenesis, and the development of biomarkers of effects from chemical toxicants.
Effects of environmental pollutants, such as metals, pesticides, and trace organics on liver metabolism of fish and rats are investigated. Sophisticated techniques involved in the toxicology research include the differential gene expression and proteomic studies, molecular toxicological approach with the use of gene cloning and DNA array as well as the use of enzyme markers or reporter gene systems for the evaluations of potential health risks of the environmental contaminants including endocrine disruptors.
Both mammalian models and fish models are being used for toxicity assessments
  

 AA2
Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer

  

 

 

 

30 Oct - Nov 3 2014


THE CUHK GENETIC ENGINEERING TEAM WON GOLD AWARD AT BOSTON

A genetic engineering team formed by 10 undergraduate students of science and engineering at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) has won a gold medal at the iGEM  (international Genetic Engineered Machine) 2014 Giant Jamboree at Boston, USA.  This year, the iGEM foundation celebrated its 10th anniversary at Boston Hynes Convention Centre with 243 teams with close to 3000 participants joining this Championship competition from around the world. There were 79 teams achieved gold medal standard in the competition (http://igem.org/Results?year=2014).

The winning project of the CUHK team was named ABCDE: AzotoBacter vinelandii Cluster-transformable & Deoxygenated protein Expression system.  The innovative idea of using Azotobacter vinelandii D.J. strain to express recombinant protein under anaerobic condition. The ultimate goal of this project is to manipulate an enzyme called nitrogenase, which could capture carbon dioxide to produce methane gas energy after genetic modifications by adding hydrogenase into its genome by genomic recombination. However, this biosynthetic ABCDE system can do a lot more than just producing energy, this novel system can express any protein or enzyme for industrial applications and has potential use in soil or sewage under anaerobic condition with ammonia for bioremediation purposes. Photos and more details of our team and project information could be found at this website: http://www.sls.cuhk.edu.hk/index.php/undergraduate-programmes/msbbs-article-2/dream-program-2/igem-2014. (This project is partly supported by a Teaching Development Grant, 2012-15).

About iGEM Competition 

iGEM is an annual premier synthetic biology competition worldwide for high school, undergraduate and postgraduate students.  It was established by the MIT in 2004 to foster students' learning in synthetic biology, promote collaboration among students and nurture biology talents.  Participating teams are required to specify, design, build, and test simple biological systems made from standard, interchangeable biological parts.  The accomplishments of these student teams often lead to important advances or provide solutions to tackle problems in medicine, food and nutrition, energy, and the environment.  For more information, please visit http://www.igem.org.

Contacts:

Prof. CHAN King-ming (School of Life Sciences; 3943-4420)

 


香港中文大學基因工程隊伍在波士頓勇奪金獎

 

由香港中文大學（中大）理學院及工程學院十位本科生組成的基因工程隊伍在國際遺傳工程機器設計競賽（iGEM）的世界賽中榮獲金獎。今年為慶祝這項比賽的十周年紀念，iGEM基金會在美國波士頓海恩斯會議中心舉行世界大賽，全球共243隊大學隊伍近三千人參加了今年的比賽，有79隊奪得金獎。

中大隊伍今年參賽項目主題為 ”固氮菌集束轉型蛋白缺氧表達系統(ABCDE)”。今年中大同學的硏究開發項目，開展了利用固氮細菌在缺氧下表達蛋白質生產，長遠更可利用這改造過的集束基因轉移系統來操控固氮酶的表達，或加入了氫酶，更可以吸收二氧化碳來生產甲烷氣體能源。當然，這生物合成系統更有其工業應用價值，亦可以應用在泥土或者污水中缺氧情況下利用氨氣表達蛋白質，作生物修復工程之用。可以在以下網址找到中大隊伍的更多資訊及圖片: http://www.sls.cuhk.edu.hk/index.php/undergraduate-programmes/msbbs-article-2/dream-program-2/igem-2014. (此項目部分資助由教學發展基金,2012-15,贊助。)


iGEM比賽簡介

iGEM比賽為國際合成生物學界每年一度的盛事。iGEM由麻省理工學院於2004年創立，旨在促進學生在合成生物學的學習、交流與合作，以培養合成生物學人才。比賽隊伍須利用基本且可交替的生物部件，設計及建立有效的生物系統。參賽作品水平超卓，有效推動解決醫學、食品營養、能源及環境等方面難題的硏究。網址：http://www.igem.org。

2014年11月10日

聯絡人:

陳竟明教授(生命科學學院: 3943-4420)


Information:
1. iGEM Asia 2014 CUHK Team Website

2. Team Members

3. Videos of iGEM CUHK Team Project Presentation: 

    Part 1: Introduction
    Part 2: Biobricks
    Part 3: Modeling
    Part 4: Human Practice and Conclusion
    Part 5: Discussion

2014 iGEM from Above IMG 6492   IMG 6490
 IMG 6491  IMG 6494  IMG 6493