Research Projects
Molecular mechanisms of inflammation and fibrosis in chronic kidney disease


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

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is an escalating global health problem leading to considerable morbidity, mortality, and treatment costs. Irrespective of the primary etiology, progressive tubulointerstitial fibrosis drives CKD progression. The mechanisms that mediate tubulointerstitial fibrosis are complex and incompletely understood. Emerging evidence suggests that cellular senescence promotes fibrogenesis. Our research studies aims to investigate the molecular mechanisms that induces cellular senescence and kidney fibrosis in CKD using animal and in vitro studies, with particular focus on cellular mechanisms and phenotypic manifestations in resident renal tubulointerstitial cells. A greater understanding of disease pathogenesis and the identification of key pathways and molecules that contribute to CKD may allow for the development of novel therapeutic agents for CKD.

Professor SSY Yung, Department of Medicine

Prof Yung is Associate Professor in the Department of Medicine, School of Clinical Medicine at the University of Hong Kong. She graduated in Applied Biology from Cardiff University, UK, and obtained a PhD at Cardiff University School of Medicine, UK. Prof Yung received post-doctoral training at Cardiff University School of Medicine and University of Alabama at Birmingham, USA.

Prof Yung has published in top-ranked subspecialty journals such as the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, Kidney International, Arthritis & Rheumatism (now Arthritis & Rheumatology) and EBioMedicine.

Biography
HKU Scholars Hub
ORCID
ssyyung@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