Prof JIANG Xiaohua - School of Biomedical Sciences, CUHK

Prof JIANG Xiaohua

Associate Professor

39431229

xjiang@cuhk.edu.hk

https://jiangcynthia.wixsite.com/website

Room 126A, 1/F., Lo Kwee-Seong Integrated Biomedical Sci. Bldg., Area 39, CUHK

ORCID

Biography

Prof. Cynthia Xiaohua Jiang (蔣曉華) received her medical degree from the School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University and completed her internship and residency training at Rui Jin Hospital, Shanghai. She subsequently earned her PhD in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Hong Kong.

Following the completion of her doctoral studies, Prof. Jiang undertook postdoctoral training in the Department of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where her research focused on the role of protein kinase signaling cascades in cancer development. She later joined the University of Southern California, where she investigated the cellular origins and genetic mechanisms of pediatric cancers, employing human embryonic stem cells as a novel experimental model. In 2013, Prof. Jiang established her laboratory in the School of Biomedical Sciences at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK). Her research focuses on stem cell biology and regenerative medicine, with particular emphasis on the molecular regulation of stem cells, stem cell microenvironments, and the development of stem cell–based therapies for neurological diseases. Prof. Jiang has authored over 100 peer-reviewed publications in leading international journals, including Nature Medicine, Cell Research, Cell Death and Differentiation, Theranostics, Neuro-Oncologyand Stem Cell Reports.

Research Interests

Molecular regulation of adult stem cells.
Stem cell therapy in tissue repair and regeneration.
Crosstalk between stem cells and environment during aging and age-related diseases.
Disease modeling using pluripotent stem cells.

Selected Publications

Deng, Q., Huang, J., Tsang, L.L, Guo, J., Wang, C.C., Zhang, X., Jiang, X.* (2025). Combination Therapy with Human Chorionic Villi MSCs and Secretory Factors Enhances Cutaneous Wound Healing in a Rat Model. Int J Mol Sci. , 17;26(14):6888, doi: 10.3390/ijms26146888.
Bai, S., Lu, X., Yan, X., Su, H., Lin, Y., Jiang, Z., Zong, Z., Wang, H., Yan, L.Y.C., Zhang, X., Wang, M., Yang, Z., Jin, J., Wang, Y., Lee, W.Y., Jiang, X. , Ko, H., Feng, L., Tortorella, M.D., Lin, S., Li, G.* (2025). A Novel Cranial Bone Transport Technique Repairs Skull Defect and Minimizes Brain Injury Outcome in Traumatic Brain Injury Rats. Adv Sci (Weinh) , 12(32):e04467, doi: 10.1002/advs.202504467.
U, K.P., Gao, L., Zhang, H., Ji, Z., Lin, J., Peng, S., Zhang, X., Xue, S., Tsang, L.L., Kong, Y., Xia, Y., Tang, P.M.K., Wang, T., Lee, W.Y.W., Li, G., Jiang, X.* (2025). KDM3A Controls Postnatal Hippocampal Neurogenesis via Dual Regulation of the Wnt/β-catenin Signaling Pathway. Cell Death Differ. , 32(9):1578-1594, doi: 10.1038/s41418-025-01470-2doi: 10.1038/s41418-025-01470-2.
Huang, J., Deng, Q., Zhang, X., Tsang, L.L., Chang, G., Guo, J., Ruan, Y.C., Wang, C.C., Li, G., Chan, H.F., Jiang, X.* (2025). Mesenchymal Stem Cells from Perinatal Tissues Promote Diabetic Wound Healing via PI3K/AKT Activation. Stem Cell Res Ther. , 8;16(1):59,doi: 10.1186/s13287-025-04141-8.
Lu, X., Bai, S., Feng, L., Yan, X., Lin, Y., Huang, J., Liao, X., Wang, H., Li, L., Yang, Z., Yan, L.Y.C., Yang, B., Wang, M., Jin, J., Zong, Z., Jiang, Z., Huang, C., Liu, C., Zhang, X., Su, H., Wang, Y., Lee, W.Y., Jiang, X. , Tortorella, M.D., Lin, S., Ko, H.*, Li, G.* (2025). Cranial bone maneuver ameliorates Alzheimer’s disease pathology via enhancing meningeal lymphatic drainage function. Alzheimers Dement. , 30:e14518., doi: 10.1002/alz.14518
Zhuo, D., Lei, Z., Dong, L., Chan, A.M.L., Lin, J, Jiang, L, Qiu, B., Jiang, X. , Tan, Y., Yao, X.* (2024). Orai1 and Orai3 act through distinct signalling axes to promote stemness and tumorigenicity of breast cancer stem cells. Stem Cell Res Ther., , 13;15(1):256, doi: 10.1186/s13287-024-03875-1.
Guo, Y., Guo, D., Zhang, S., Zhang, Y., He, X., Jiang, X., Chan, A. M., Zou, L., Sun, J., & Zhao, H. (2022). Inhibition of PI3 kinase isoform p110alpha suppresses neuroblastoma growth and induces the reduction of Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase. Cell Biosci, 12(1), 210. doi:10.1186/s13578-022-00946-9.
Li, X., Yuan, C., Shi, J., Kang, H., Chen, Y., Duan, Y., Jin, J., Cheung, L. P., Li, T. C., Liu, Y., Cui, Y., Ruan, Y. C., Jiang, X., Cai, Z., Chan, H. C., Ji, L., Zeng, X., Liu, J., Chen, H., & Fok, K. L. (2022). beta-Defensin 19/119 mediates sperm chemotaxis and is associated with idiopathic infertility. Cell Rep Med, 3(12), 100825. doi:10.1016/j.xcrm.2022.100825.
Tang, P. C., Chung, J. Y., Liao, J., Chan, M. K., Chan, A. S., Cheng, G., Li, C., Huang, X. R., Ng, C. S., Lam, E. W., Zhang, D., Ho, Y. P., To, K. F., Leung, K. T., Jiang, X., Ko, H., Lee, T. L., Lan, H. Y., & Tang, P. M. (2022). Single-cell RNA sequencing uncovers a neuron-like macrophage subset associated with cancer pain. Sci Adv, 8(40), eabn5535. doi:10.1126/sciadv.abn5535.
Mendez-Bermudez, A., Lototska, L., Pousse, M., Tessier, F., Croce, O., Latrick, C. M., Cherdyntseva, V., Nassour, J., Jiang, X., Lu, Y., Abbadie, C., Gagos, S., Ye, J., & Gilson, E. (2022). Selective pericentromeric heterochromatin dismantling caused by TP53 activation during senescence. Nucleic Acids Res, 50(13), 7493-7510. doi:10.1093/nar/gkac603.
Weng, Z., Lin, J., He, J., Gao, L., Lin, S., Tsang, L. L., Zhang, H., He, X., Wang, G., Yang, X., Zhou, H., Zhao, H., Li, G., Zou, L*., & Jiang, X.* (2022). Human embryonic stem cell-derived neural crest model unveils CD55 as a cancer stem cell regulator for therapeutic targeting in MYCN-amplified neuroblastoma. Neuro Oncol, 24(6),872-885. doi:10.1093/neuonc/noab241.
Bai, S., Lu, X., Pan, Q., Wang, B., Pong, U. K., Yang, Y., Wang, H., Lin, S., Feng, L., Wang, Y., Li, Y., Lin, W., Wang, Y., Zhang, X., Li, Y., Li, L., Yang, Z., Wang, M., Lee, W. Y., Jiang, X., & Li, G*. (2022). Cranial Bone Transport Promotes Angiogenesis, Neurogenesis, and Modulates Meningeal Lymphatic Function in Middle Cerebral Artery Occlusion Rats.Stroke, 53(4), 1373-1385. doi:10.1161/STROKEAHA.121.037912.
Huang J, U KP, Yang F, Ji Z, Lin J, Weng Z, Tsang LL, Merson TD, Ruan YC, Wan C, Li G, & Jiang, X.* (2022). Human pluripotent stem cell-derived ectomesenchymal stromal cells promote more robust functional recovery than umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stromal cells after hypoxic-ischaemic brain damage. Theranostics, 12(1), 143-166. doi:10.7150/thno.57234.
Niu, B., Liu, J., Lv, B., Lin, J., Li, X., Wu, C., Jiang, X., Zeng, Z., Zhang, X. K., & Zhou, H. (2021). Interplay between transforming growth factor-beta and Nur77 in dual regulations of inhibitor of differentiation 1 for colonic tumorigenesis. Nat Commun, 12(1), 2809, doi:10.1038/s41467-021-23048-5.
Liu, H., Huang, B., Xue, S., U, K.P., Tsang, L.L., Zhang, X., Li, G., & Jiang, X. (2020). Functional crosstalk between mTORC1/p70S6K pathway and heterochromatin organization in stress-induced senescence of MSCs. Stem Cell Res Ther, 11(1), 279, doi:10.1186/s13287-020-01798-1.
Huang, B., Wang, B., Lee, Y.W., U, K.P., Leung, K.T., Li, X., Liu, Z., Chen, R., Lin, J.C., Tsang, L.L., Liu, B., Ruan, Y.C., Chan, H.C., Li, G., & Jiang, X. (2019). KDM3A and KDM4C Regulate Mesenchymal Stromal Cell Senescence and Bone Aging via Condensin-mediated Heterochromatin Reorganization. iScience, 21, 375-390, doi:10.1016/j.isci.2019.10.041.
Yin, C., Wen, G., Liu, C., Yang, B., Lin, S., Huang, J., Zhao, P., Wong, S.H.D., Zhang, K., Chen, X., Li, G., Jiang, X., Huang, J., Pu, K., Wang, L., & Bian, L. (2018). Organic Semiconducting Polymer Nanoparticles for Photoacoustic Labeling and Tracking of Stem Cells in the Second Near-Infrared Window. ACS Nano, 12(12), 12201-12211, doi:10.1021/acsnano.8b05906.
Liu, S., U, K.P., Zhang, J., Tsang, L.L., Huang, J., Tu, S.P., & Jiang, X. (2018). R-spodin2 enhances canonical Wnt signaling to maintain the stemness of glioblastoma cells. Cancer Cell International, 18, 156, doi:10.1186/s12935-018-0655-3.
Yang, F.Y., Chen, R., Zhang, X., Huang, B., Tsang, L.L., Li, X., & Jiang, X. (2018). Preconditioning Enhances the Therapeutic Effects of Mesenchymal Stem Cells on Colitis Through PGE2-Mediated T-Cell Modulation. Cell Transplantation, 27(9), 1352-1367, doi:10.1177/0963689718780304.
Li, X., Fok, K.L., Guo, J., Wang, Y., Liu, Z., Chen, Z., Wang, C., Ruan, Y.C., Yu, S.S., Zhao, H., Wu, J., Jiang, X.*, & Chan, H.C.* (2018). Retinoic acid promotes stem cell differentiation and embryonic development by transcriptionally activating CFTR. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Cell Res, 1865(4), 605-615, doi:10.1016/j.bbamcr.2018.01.005.
Chen, K., Liu, Q., Tsang, L.L., Ye, Q., Chan, H.C., Sun, Y., & Jiang, X. (2017). Human MSCs promotes colorectal cancer epithelial-mesenchymal transition and progression via CCL5/β-catenin/Slug pathway. Cell Death Dis, 8(5), e2819, doi:10.1038/cddis.2017.138.
Chen, R., Lee, W.Y.W., Zhang, X.H., Zhang, J.T., Lin, S., Xu, L.L., Huang, B., Yang, F.Y., Liu, H.L., Wang, B., Tsang, L.L., Willaime-Morawek, S., Li, G., Chan, H.C., & Jiang X. (2017). Epigenetic Modification of the CCL5/CCR1/ERK Axis Enhances Glioma Targeting in Dedifferentiation-Reprogrammed BMSCs. Stem Cell Reports, 8(3), 743-757, doi:10.1016/j.stemcr.2017.01.016.
Liu, Z., Guo, J., Wang, Y., Weng, Z., Huang, B., Yu M.K., Zhang, X., Yuan, P., Zhao, H., Chan, W.Y., Jiang, X.*, & Chan, H.C.* (2017). CFTR-β-catenin interaction regulates mouse embryonic stem cell differentiation and embryonic development. Cell Death Diff, 24(1), 98-110, doi:10.1038/cdd.2016.118.
Meng, F., Xu, L., Huang, S., Liu ,Y., Hou, Y., Wang, K., Jiang, X.*, & Li, G.* (2016). Small nuclear ribonucleoprotein polypeptide N (Sm51) promotes osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells by regulating Runx2. Cell and Tissue Research, 366(1), 155-162, doi:10.1007/s00441-016-2411-0.
Zhang, J.T., Weng, Z.H., Tsang, K.S., Tsang, L.L., Chan, H.C., & Jiang, X. (2016). MycN is critical for the maintenance of human embryonic stem cell-derived neural crest stem cells. PLoS One, 11(1), e0148062, doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0148062.
Rui, Y., Xu, L., Chen, R., Zhang, T., Lin, S., Hou, Y., Liu, Y., Meng, F., Liu, Z., Ni, M., Tsang, K.S., Yang, F., Wang, C., Chan, H.C., Jiang, X.*, & Li G.* (2015). Epigenetic memory gained by priming with osteogenic induction medium improves osteogenesis and other properties of mesenchymal stem cells. Scientific Reports, 5, 11056, doi:10.1038/srep11056.

* Co-corresponding author

^# Co-first author

Grants

RGC – Collaborative Research Fund [Co-PI; 2025 to 2028]: “A novel neuro-immune axis MNT in chronic kidney disease: from molecular mechanism to clinical implication” (HK$6,000,000).
RGC – General Research Fund [PI; 2024 to 2026]: “KDM3A regulates bone fracture healing in aging via the SIRT3-SOD2 axis: from mechanism to intervention” (HK$1,598,620).
RGC – General Research Fund [PI; 2023 to 2025]: “Functional and mechanistic characterisation of the role of R-spondin3/LGR5 axis in oligodendrocyte development and white matter repair” (HK$1,378,723).
ITC – Mainland-Hong Kong Joint Funding Scheme [PI; 2021 to 2023]: ” Paracrine effects and clinical application of human mesenchymal stem cells ” (HK$1,738,645).
ITC – ITSP Tier 3 [PI; 2020 to 2021]: “Development of nanoparticles encapsulating stem cell secretion for nose-to-brain delivery to promote brain injury repair” (HK$1,396,971).
RGC – General Research Fund [PI; 2020 to 2022]: “Jmjd1a regulates mitochondrial function of adult neural stem cells and brain aging via PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway” (HK$1,114,025).
RGC – General Research Fund [PI; 2018 to 2022]: “Epigenetic and functional characterization of histone demethylases Jmjd1a and Jmjd2c in MSC senescence” (HK$961,571).
RGC – General Research Fund [PI; 2017 to 2019]: “Role of CFTR in embryonic stem cells and early embryo development: possible regulation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling” (HK$1,056,150).
Health and Medical Research Fund [PI; 2016 to 2018]: “Neural Crest Stem Cells: a Novel Source of Cell Therapy for Neontal Hypoxic-ischemic Brain Damage” (HK$1,195,440).
RGC – General Research Fund [PI; 2014 to 2016]: “CFTR promotes glioma progression via suppression of p53/miR-34a pathway” (HK$840,051).
Health and Medical Research Fund [PI; 2014 to 2015]: “Rescuing Neonates from Hypoxic-ischemic Brain Injury with Dedifferentiation-resprogrammed Mesenchymal Stem Cells” (HK$1,000,000).
RGC – General Research Fund [PI; 2012 to 31-2014]: ” CFTR as a tumor suppressor in breast cancer progression/metastasis” (HK$747,500).
RGC – General Research Fund [PI; 2011 to 2013]: ” Human embryonic stem cells as tools to investigate the oncogenic basis of MYCN in neuroblastoma ” (HK$1,390,000).