Prof. CHENG, Hon-Ki Christopher

Research Professor

Personal Information

Research Professor at the School of Biomedical Sciences 

Office: (852) 3943 6801
Email: chkcheng@cuhk.edu.hk
Address: Room 604A, 6/F, Lo Kwee-Seong Integrated Biomedical Science Building, Area 39, CUHK
SBS Website: https://www2.sbs.cuhk.edu.hk/en-gb/people/academic-staff/prof-cheng-hon-ki-christopher

Biography

Prof. Cheng Hon Ki Christopher (鄭漢其) has served as a faculty member at The Chinese University of Hong Kong over 30 years.  Throughout his academic career, Prof. Cheng has published over 200 peer-reviewed research papers and review articles in various international journals on areas of endocrinology, reproduction, chemical analyses, natural product research and drug development.  He is regularly invited to review manuscripts submitted to various international journals.  He is engaged in the editorial activities of international journals.  He has also published many articles and book chapters on the assessment and development of TCM as therapeutic agents or functional foods.  Together with his collaborators on natural product research in Mainland China, Prof. Cheng was awarded a Second Class State Natural Science Award of China in the year 2009.  Prof. Cheng has successfully obtained numerous grants from various organizations to support his research, notably from the RGC, ITF and NSFC.  He has also served as grant reviewers in Hong Kong and overseas, and as a visiting professor of a number of universities. Having supervised over 54 graduate students pursuing their Ph.D./M.Phil. degrees in his laboratory, Prof. Cheng regularly serves in thesis committees of graduate students in CUHK as well as in other universities.  Prof. Cheng’s commitment to research excellence is not only limited to his own laboratory.  As the Managing Director of the Hong Kong Institute of Biotechnology, he is committed to the development of biotechnology and the Chinese medicine industry in Hong Kong. In addition, Prof. Cheng is also the Director of the CUHK Shenzhen Research Institute dedicated towards developing the activities of the university in Mainland China on areas of research, education and entrepreneurship.

Research Interests

  1. Genomics and gene knockout studies in zebrafish.
  2. Molecular endocrinology and hormone action.
  3. Identification and development of drugs from natural and synthetic sources.
  4. Novel functional molecules.

Selected Publications

  1. Xie Y, Chu L, Liu Y, Sham KWY, Li J, Cheng CHK. “The highly overlapping actions of Lh signaling and Fsh signaling on zebrafish spermatogenesis.” Journal of Endocrinology, 2017; 234(3):233-246.
  2. Liu Y, Zhu Z, Ho IHT, Shi Y, Xie Y, Li J, Zhang Y, Chan MTV, Cheng CHK. “Germline-specific dgcr8 knockout in zebrafish using a BACK approach.” Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences, 2017; 74(13):2503-2511.
  3. Tang H, Liu Y, Li J, Li G, Chen Y, Yin Y, Guo Y, Cheng CHK, Liu X, Lin H. “LH signaling induced ptgs2a expression is required for ovulation in zebrafish.” Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology, 2017; 447:125-133.
  4. Cui Z, Liu Y, Wang W, Wang Q, Zhang N, Lin F, Wang N, Shao C, Dong Z, Li Y, Yang Y, Hu M, Li H, Gao F, Wei Z, Meng L, Liu Y, Wei M, Zhu Y, Guo H, Cheng CHK, Schartl M, Chen S. “Genome editing reveals dmrt1 as an essential male sex-determining gene in Chinese tongue sole (Cynoglossus semilaevis).” Scientific Reports, 2017; 7:42213.
  5. Liu Y, Tang H, Xie R, Li S, Liu X, Lin H, Zhang Y, Cheng CHK. “Genetic evidence for multifactorial control of the reproductive axis in zebrafish.” Endocrinology, 2017; 158(3):604-611.
  6. Tang H, Liu Y, Li J, Yin Y, Li G, Chen Y, Li S, Zhang Y, Lin H, Liu X, Cheng CHK. “Gene knockout of nuclear progesterone receptor provides insights into the regulation of ovulation by LH signaling in zebrafish.” Scientific Reports, 2016; 6:28545.
  7. Hao Y, Chow AW, Yip WC, Chi H, Wan TF, Tong BC, Cheung KH, Chan WY, Chen Y, Cheng CHK, Ko WH. “G protein-coupled estrogen receptor inhibits the P2Y receptor-mediated Ca2+ signaling pathway in human airway epithelia.” Pflügers Archiv – European Journal of Physiology, 2016; 468(8):1489-503.
  8. Liu Y, Zhao H, Cheng CHK. “Mutagenesis in Xenopus and Zebrafish using TALENs.” Methods in Molecular Biology, 2016; 1338:207-27.
  9. Chu L, Li J, Liu Y, Cheng CHK. “Gonadotropin signaling in zebrafish ovary and testis development: Insights from gene knockout study.” Molecular Endocrinology, 2015; 29(12): 1743-1758.
  10. Luo D, Liu Y, Chen J, Xia X, Cao M, Cheng B, Wang X, Gong W, Qiu C, Zhang Y, Cheng CHK, Zhu Z, Hu W. “Direct production of XYDMY− sex reversal female medaka (Oryzias latipes) by embryo microinjection of TALENs.” Scientific Reports, 2015; 5:14057.