Research Projects
The Gut Microbiome and Chronic Liver Disease


Programme(s) to which this project applies:
☑ MPhil/PhD ☒ MRes[Med] ☒ URIS

The gut microbiome is a rich and diverse microenvironment and has been demonstrated to be associated with the clinical outcomes of multiple disease entities. The Gut-Liver Axis illustrates the interconnectivity between the gut microbiome and the liver, yet it is an area that remains poorly investigated. Our research team has been collecting stool samples from patients with different chronic liver disease, at different stages of disease progression and have the track record in providing study supervision in both laboratory techniques and bioinfomatics analysis in DNA/RNA sequencing, metabolomics and proteomics. 

Professor WWK Seto, Department of Medicine

Prof. Wai-Kay Seto graduated from the University of Hong Kong in 2003 and received his Fellowship in Gastroenterology and Hepatology in 2010 from the Hong Kong College of Physicians. He received his Doctor of Medicine from the University of Hong Kong in 2012. He is currently the Simon KY Lee Professor in Gastroenterology in the Department of Medicine, and Principal Investigator of the State Key Laboratory of Liver Disease, the University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong. He is also the Chair of Division and Chief Physician in Gastroenterology of the University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China; and Assistant Dean (Interdisciplinary Collaboration, Research Sub-Deanery), LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong. He was awarded the Outstanding Researcher Award 2025 from the University of Hong Kong.

 

Biography
HKU Scholars Hub
wkseto@hku.hk

For more information or to express interest for this project, please email the supervisor or the specified contact point in the project description.  Interested candidates are advised to enclose with your email:

  1. your CV,
  2. a brief description of your research interest and experience, and
  3. two reference letters (not required for HKUMed UG students seeking MRes[Med]/URIS projects).

Information on the research programme, funding support and admission documentations could be referenced online at the Research Postgraduate Admissions website. General admission enquiries should be directed to rpgmed@hku.hk.

HKUMed MBBS students interested in the Master of Research in Medicine (MRes[Med]) programme may visit the programme website for more information.  

HKUMed UG students interested in the Undergraduate Research Internship Scheme (URIS) may visit the scheme’s website for more information. 

Research @ Department of Medicine