With the support from the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme (HKFPS), I pursued my Ph.D. degree in Biomedical Sciences at the School of Biomedical Sciences (SBS), CUHK under the supervision of Prof. Chan Hsiao-chang since 2012. Upon my graduation in 2015, I started my postdoctoral training in Dr. Tien Peng’s laboratory at the University of California, San Francisco, U.S. in early 2016.

Thanks to the comprehensive training received in SBS, I completed my postdoctoral stage with numerous achievements, including conducting research studies in defining the alveolar stem cell niche (Journal of Clinical Investigation, 2018); demonstrating the mechanism of pulmonary fibrosis (Nature Cell Biology, 2022); and illustrating the pathogenesis of the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (Immunity, accepted).

In July 2022, I started my new position as a Principal Investigator at the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica. My primary goal is to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying pulmonary diseases, while providing a strong and supportive environment for my trainees. With supports from my colleagues, I am currently setting up the Zhongshan Institute for Drug Discovery in Guangdong, Zhongshan, which will serve as a basic research and drug development centre in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

Dr. Wang Chaoqun (right)