Centre for Translational Stem Cell Biology 幹細胞轉化研究中心

15/05/2026

⭐Highlights from ASGH 2026

Centre for Translational Stem Cell Biology 幹細胞轉化研究中心 was delighted to present our diverse translational research portfolio and showcase cutting-edge EPSC technology at ASGH. Our innovative platforms are designed to address some of the most pressing health challenges—including infectious, inflammatory, autoimmune, neurological, cardiovascular, immune, and age-related conditions.

We are proud to have established 8 spin-off companies that turn breakthroughs into real-world innovation. At ASGH, we highlighted 3 of these ventures:

1. Estelle Biovita: Developing innovative skincare solutions powered by proprietary bioactive ingredients and cutting-edge stem cell technology.

2. Synhealer: Advancing immunotherapies for solid tumours using Antibody-CAR-Macrophage (AB-CAR-M) technology, with a primary focus on liver cancer.

3. NexusAb: Establishing a transgenic mouse platform for in vivo discovery of therapeutic single domain antibodies (VHHs).

Thank you to everyone who visited our booth, met our team, and contributed to the conversations around advancing stem cell science. We look forward to building new collaborations and accelerating progress together.

👉 Follow Centre for Translational Stem Cell Biology 幹細胞轉化研究中心 for more updates on our research and innovations.

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17/04/2026

Dr. Timothy Tam, Postdoctoral Fellow in Prof. Pengtao Liu’s Lab, in collaboration with Prof. Guojun Sheng from Kumamoto University, has led a review article now published in Nature Cell Biology — “Amniogenesis in embryos and stem cell models.”

The work explores the mechanisms underlying amniotic formation and how cutting-edge stem cell-based human embryo models are advancing our understanding of one of the earliest and most critical stages of human development.

Read the full article:
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41556-026-01873-4

Congratulations to Dr. Tam, Prof. Pengtao Liu, and all co-authors! 👏

👉Follow Centre for Translational Stem Cell Biology 幹細胞轉化研究中心 and stay tuned for more updates.

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14/04/2026

Engineered SOX17 and miniSOX not only replace but outperform SOX2 in driving efficient mouse and human iPSC generation. In a new study led by Dr. Haoqing Hu from Prof. Ralf Jauch’s lab, with key contributions from Martha Yeung, Yuebin Tan and Dr. Degong Ruan, we now show that these engineered SOX factors also enable the robust derivation of induced Expanded Potential Stem Cells (iEPSCs) – the key translational stem cell platform of the Centre for Translational Stem Cell Biology 幹細胞轉化研究中心 for modelling early development and discovering new antiviral and anti‑aging therapies.

Read the full paper: https://www.nature.com/articles/s42003-026-09963-7

A huge congratulations to Dr. Haoqing Hu and the entire team for this outstanding work. 🎉

👉Excited to see where this research leads — follow Centre for Translational Stem Cell Biology 幹細胞轉化研究中心 for more updates.

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23/03/2026

🌏 Our Team Takes on Suzhou & BIOCHINA 2026

From 12–14 March, our team travelled to Suzhou alongside HKU and Baycharm teams as part of the MedTech Hackathon GBA 2026.

We explored Suzhou’s biotechnology startup and innovation community, a leading hub for life sciences innovation. Highlights included visits to Suzhou Industrial Park, BioBAY, and BioSpark, a tour of Suzhou Kowloon Hospital, and taking the stage at BIOCHINA 2026, one of the largest biotechnology conferences in the region.

Our spin-off teams, including Synhealer, MabGenix, and NexusAB, pitched to investors, connected with industry partners, and gained real clinical and market insights — exactly the kind of exposure that moves innovation forward.

A huge thank you to HKU iDendron and TEA for organising such a meaningful and well-run program. Experiences like this accelerate MedTech innovation from the lab bench to real-world impact — and for Synhealer, MabGenix, and NexusAB, we left with new connections and ideas.

Centre for Translational Stem Cell Biology 幹細胞轉化研究中心

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16/02/2026

Centre for Translational Stem Cell Biology 幹細胞轉化研究中心 warmly wishes our team, collaborators, and friends a joyful and prosperous Chinese New Year.🧧🐎

As we welcome the Year of the Horse, we look forward to a year of collaboration, discovery, and progress in translational stem cell research.

28/01/2026

Exciting news from our team!🎉

Dr. Zhen Feng, Post-doctoral Fellow at Centre for Translational Stem Cell Biology 幹細胞轉化研究中心, and fellow researchers from The University of Hong Kong, have published groundbreaking research in Aging Cell titled "A Novel Human Cellular System for Studying Normal Aging and for Anti-Aging Discovery". The collaborative research, led by our Managing Director, Prof. Pengtao Liu, represents a significant step forward in aging research.

🔬 Key Innovation:

The team developed a novel human cellular system using human trophoblast stem cells (hTSCs) that accurately mimics key aging hallmarks. This breakthrough model opens new pathways for understanding the aging process and developing therapies to promote healthier, longer lives.

📄 Read the full paper: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/acel.70352

Proud of our team’s dedication to advancing translational stem cell research and contributing to the future of healthy aging!

👉 Follow Centre for Translational Stem Cell Biology 幹細胞轉化研究中心 for the latest breakthroughs and research insights.

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27/01/2026

Join Us This Thursday!【CTSCB Stem Cell Seminar Series by Dr. Shaohua Ma | Jan 29 | Zoom】

⚠️IMPORTANT: The seminar start time has changed to 10:30 AM.

📌 Topic: Ultra-small Tissue-compatible Organoid Printing for Rapid and Controllable Modeling of Patient-derived Organoids

Speaker: Dr. Shaohua Ma, Associate Professor with Tenure, Institute of Biopharmaceutical and Health Engineering (iBHE), Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School (SIGS)

📅 Seminar Details:

📍 Date: January 29, 2026 (Thursday)
⏰ Time: 10:30 AM – 11:30 AM HKT
💻 Format: Virtual (Zoom)

🔗 Zoom Link: https://bit.ly/4pHnnxl
🌍 Time Zone Converter: https://bit.ly/45wefEz

📖 Full Details: www.hkstemcell.hk
✅ Free to attend | No registration required | Open to all

👉 Follow Centre for Translational Stem Cell Biology (CTSCB) for more cutting-edge research seminars and updates.

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14/01/2026

【CTSCB Stem Cell Seminar Series by Dr. Shaohua Ma | Jan 29 | Zoom】

Join us for our next CTSCB Stem Cell Seminar as Dr. Shaohua Ma, Associate Professor with Tenure from the Institute of Biopharmaceutical and Health Engineering (iBHE), Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, reveals groundbreaking advances in organoid bioprinting and spatial transcriptomics.

🎯 What You’ll Discover:

✨OrgFab: A fully automated bioprinting platform that creates ultra-small volume organoid fabrication

✨LOSRT: A breakthrough technique for spatial transcriptomic analysis of organoids via lamination-assisted flattening

This integrated workflow is transforming how we approach precision medicine, enabling faster drug discovery, more accurate diagnostics, and personalized treatment strategies that could revolutionize patient care.

Whether you’re in stem cell research, bioengineering, drug development, or clinical medicine, this seminar offers insights into the future of personalized healthcare.

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📅 Seminar Details:

📍 Date: January 29, 2026 (Thursday)
⏰ Time: 10 AM - 11 AM HKT
💻 Format: Virtual (Zoom)

🔗 Zoom Link: https://bit.ly/4pHnnxl
🌍 Time Zone Converter: https://bit.ly/45wefEz

📖 Full Details: https://lnkd.in/gkP_KEtS
✅ Free to attend | No registration required | Open to all

👉 Follow Centre for Translational Stem Cell Biology 幹細胞轉化研究中心 for more cutting-edge research seminars.

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12/01/2026

12/01/2026

Last week, CTSCB was delighted to host Prof. Jianhua Qin, the Chair Professor at the Division of Biotechnology in Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China (DICP), and the leader of microfluidic organs-on-chips and the biomedical research centre, for a seminar on organoids-on-chips and disease modelling.

These innovative platforms integrate organoid and microfluidic technologies to model complex diseases, including the brain, metabolism, and tumour microenvironments, transforming our ability to study human biology and test new therapies in physiologically realistic settings.

Thank you to Prof Qin for an inspiring exchange of ideas. We look forward to exploring future collaborations that bring together organoids-on-chips and EPSCs for translational discovery.

Centre for Translational Stem Cell Biology 幹細胞轉化研究中心
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