Location: Room 503, 5th Floor, Laboratory Block, Faculty of Medicine Building, 21 Sassoon Road, Pokfulam
To facilitate research and provision of training opportunities, the Heart, Brain, Hormone & Healthy Aging Laboratory has been set up under the supervision of a laboratory committee, consisting of a Deputy Director and 3 Investigators.
After extensive consultation with the Centre investigators, the following 3 research facilities for Healthy Aging Research have been established within the Centre Laboratory. In view of the limitation of space in the Centre Laboratory, appropriate networking with the existing facilities/space in Medicine, Anatomy, Physiology, Pharmacology, and Laboratory Animal Unit is arranged.
- Functional genomics: include facilities and expertise for understanding the gene function and dysfunction in aging-related diseases by making use of transgenic/knock-out mouse models generated by conventional and conditional approaches, siRNA (in vitro and in vivo), and global gene and protein expression (microarray and proteomics).
- Biomarkers & phenotying: include the multiplex assays for inflammatory, oxidative and hormonal changes, as well as metabolic, haemodynamic and behavioral assessments.
- Cell and tissue engineering: include human and mouse stem cell culture & differentiation, and recombinant viral vector generation.
The following core facilities are available for use by all the centre / non-centre members:
- In-vitro & In-vivo Setup for Hypoxia
The in-vitro and in-vivo hypoxia setup is aimed at providing a core facility for researchers to study the molecular and cellular mechanisms of hypoxic modulation. Investigators in our Centre have been working in the study of hypoxia in different areas:
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Role of hypoxia in the pathogenesis of obesity-related insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome
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Hypoxia and Cardiomyocytes
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Intermittent hypoxia and vascular/metabolic homeostasis
- Whole-Body Plethysmography (WBP)
Whole-body plethysmography on unrestrained freely moving animals provides a simple way to study pulmonary function in a non-invasive manner over time. This system uses changes in a plethysmograph box pressure to follow breathing patterns and calculate the PenH, which correlate with measures of pulmonary resistance and compliance. Other physiologic endpoints such as breaths-per-minute, tidal volume, inspiratory time, and expiratory time can also be monitored. In addition, an aerosol can be supplied through a specific inlet at the top of the plethysmograph, which enables the delivery of any compounds by inhalation.
Usage of the Hypoxia Setup
- Please contact Dr Judith Mak, Department of Medicine by email at judymak@hku.hk for any enquiries on booking/usage for the invivo Setup (A84).
Usage of the Whole-Body Plethysmography (WBP)
- Please contact Dr Judith Mak, Department of Medicine by email at judymak@hku.hk for any enquiries on booking/usage.
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