Our Research
The highly conserved respiratory system of air breathing animals represents a major interface between internal organs and the environment. In the course of a typical human lifespan, approximately 200 to 400 million liters of air are conducted via the respiratory system. While the pulmonary function has been adapted for organismal physiology and aging, it is also vulnerable to diseases including COVID-19, asthma, COPD, fibrosis, and cancer.
In the He lab at the University of Hong Kong, we leverage the power of stem cell biology, live imaging, organoids, and single-cell technologies to understand how the respiratory system develops, repairs, and regenerates. Our lab focuses on the respiratory epithelial cells, as they form a protective mucosal barrier, clears inhaled pathogens, and initiates immune responses to harmful signals. Given the species-specific differences in airway biology between mice and humans, new approaches are needed, and we are using new model systems and performing comparative studies to reveal unifying principles of regeneration. Through proactive collaboration between research and medicine, our ultimate goal is to translate basic biomedical discovery into effective therapies for patients affected by respiratory diseases.
In the He lab at the University of Hong Kong, we leverage the power of stem cell biology, live imaging, organoids, and single-cell technologies to understand how the respiratory system develops, repairs, and regenerates. Our lab focuses on the respiratory epithelial cells, as they form a protective mucosal barrier, clears inhaled pathogens, and initiates immune responses to harmful signals. Given the species-specific differences in airway biology between mice and humans, new approaches are needed, and we are using new model systems and performing comparative studies to reveal unifying principles of regeneration. Through proactive collaboration between research and medicine, our ultimate goal is to translate basic biomedical discovery into effective therapies for patients affected by respiratory diseases.
Lab Address
Laboratory Block Room L4-01
Faculty of Medicine, 21 Sassoon Road
Pok Fu Lam
Hong Kong SAR
Tel: +852 3917 9268
Faculty of Medicine, 21 Sassoon Road
Pok Fu Lam
Hong Kong SAR
Tel: +852 3917 9268