Research Projects
Zebrafish Model of Human Leukaemia


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

Objectives:

i. Understand the fundamental processes whereby blood cells are formed during embryonic development.

ii. Investigate the mechanisms whereby these processes are regulated

Significance:

i. Provide new information about the regulation of hematopoiesis during embryonic development.

ii. To create zebrafish model of human leukemia based on perturbation of genes which normally maintain or regulate hematopoiesis

Research Plan and Methodology:

Research Plan

i. Understand the fundamental processes of hematopoiesis

Hematopoietic gene expression will be examined in zebrafish embryos based on in-situ hybridization and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Gene expression profiling will be followed at different stages during development.

ii. Investigate the mechanisms whereby hematopoiesis are regulated

Gene knock-down experiments will be performed using anti-sense morpholino to identify genes which are important in the maintenance of hematopoiesis

Methodology

The student will be able to learn the maintenance of zebrafish colonies, microinjection and manipulation of embryos, molecular cloning and gene expression studies.

Professor AYH Leung, Department of Medicine 

Biography
ayhleung@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