Major Research Interests#

• Studies investigating the epidemiology, genetics, pathogenesis, and treatment of IBD.
• Pioneer of the first large-scale epidemiologic study of IBD across 15 countries in the Asia-Pacific region and a Pan-Asian Microbiota Consortium.
• Development of the Hong Kong IBD Registry to determine disease burden locally.
• Studies on the natural history and environmental risk factors of IBD to identify potential etiological factors and preventive strategies.
• Studies to assess the role of gut microbiota and diet in IBD pathogenesis.
• Launching new IBD platforms and networks to train specialist trainees and PhD candidates.
• Led a pivotal study introducing a non-invasive method for diagnosing IBD, including Crohn's Disease (CD) and Ulcerative Colitis (UC). By analyzing nearly 6,000 stool samples from diverse populations, the team identified multi-bacteria panels associated with IBD. This led to the development of the world’s first droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) test, which can differentiate IBD from conditions like Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) with nearly 90% accuracy. The findings were published in Nature.
• Led an international consortium that conducted a comprehensive global epidemiological study in IBD. By synthesizing data from over identified a four-stage evolution of IBD, highlighting its emergence as a pressing public health issue, particularly in newly industrialized countries such as China. Additionally, utilizing an artificial intelligence machine learning model, the study predicts a 150% rise in Hong Kong IBD prevalence by 2034. The findings were published in Nature.

• Developed a panel of 31 multikingdom and functional gut microbiome biomarkers to facilitate diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), with a high sensitivity of 94% and specificity of 93%. In a pilot clinical study, research findings also showed that modulation of the gut microbiome alleviated symptoms of anxiety in children with ASD, introducing the possibility of a new therapeutic paradigm for the condition. The findings were published in Nature Microbiology.
• Building on these findings, the team developed a laboratory-based non-invasive diagnostic kit in 2024 that requires only a small faecal sample. With diagnostic accuracy of over 90%, the technology has received Breakthrough Device Designation from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the same year, which recognizes it as a globally innovative and promising advance in ASD diagnosis.

• Established Asia's First Microbiota Transplantation (FMT) & Research Centre to develop translational research of FMT, lead multi-center microbiota research, and train young scientists and researchers.
• The sole provider of FMT services to the local health authority in Hong Kong for the treatment of recurrent Clostridioides Difficile Infections (CDI).
• Studies on gut virome and fungome and their impact on FMT efficacy.
• Pioneer of a collaborative platform with the Greater Bay Area to recruit 100,000 mother and baby pairs to study the impact of early-life microbiome on gut and non-gut diseases.
• Director of a joint microbiome laboratory for the development of innovation, technology transfer, and intellectual property at the Hong Kong Science and Technology Park.
• Presents the first and largest Fecal Microbiota Transplantation (FMT) registry in Asia to determine the real-life effectiveness and safety of FMT in patients.
• Pioneered the development of innovative diagnostic approaches based on microbiome metagenomic analysis for the prediction of diseases, including Colorectal Cancer (CRC), Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and metabolic syndrome.
• Developed a novel technology, MOZAICTM (Multi-kingdom OptimiZAtIon for Microbiota Consortia), which resulted in improved clinical outcomes after fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT). The clinical success rate was enhanced from 70% to over 90% in patients with recurrent Clostridioides Difficile Infection (CDI).
• Conducted research that revealed COVID-19 vaccines were more effective in individuals with a specific gut bacterium (Bifidobacterium Adolescentis), while those lacking it exhibited a lower antibody response to vaccines. This suggests that modulating the gut microbiome has the potential to enhance the efficacy of COVID vaccines.
• Led research that discovered a potential link between the composition of the gut microbiome and an individual's risk of developing long COVID many months after their initial COVID-19 infection.
• Developed a non-invasive prediction and diagnostic tool for Long COVID with high accuracy and specificity, along with a safe intervention based on microbiota modulation.
• Conducted the first randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial to demonstrate that a proprietary oral live microencapsulated bacteria preparation (SIM01) effectively alleviated multiple symptoms of post-acute COVID-19 syndrome (PACS).

• Led the Asia-Pacific CRC study group to investigate the efficacy of Colorectal Cancer (CRC) screening in Asia.
• Conducted investigations into molecular characterization and screening intervals for familial CRC.
• Investigated non-invasive biomarkers and conducted large-scale validation for CRC screening.
• Conducted investigations into the role of microbiota in CRC pathogenesis.