Research
LI Gang
Name : LI Gang 李剛
Title : Professor (non-clinical)
Home Department :  Orthopaedics and Traumatology
Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences
SMART Program, Institute of Innovative Medicine
CUHK Shenzhen Research Institute 
Email: gangli@cuhk.edu.hk
Phone Number:
(852) 3505 2731
Fax Number:
(852) 2637 7889
Address: Room 74038, 5/F, Lee Chee Woo Clinical Sciences Building,
Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong
 Website: https://www.lihs.cuhk.edu.hk/en-us/research/investigators/ligang.aspx
http://www.ort.cuhk.edu.hk/staff-ligang.html




Biography:

Gang Li is Professor in the Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Faculty of Medicine at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. He is also the Chief of Stem Cells and Therapy Cluster, The Institute of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, CUHK and the Head of Space Medicine Laboratory, CUHK Shenzhen Research Institute, Director of Stem Cells and Regeneration Laboratory at Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, CUHK.  He earned an MBBS at the Fourth Military Medical University, Xian, China (1991), and a D. Phil at the University of Oxford School of Medicine, England, UK (1998). The focus of his research are on studies of the biological mechanisms of distraction osteogenesis, stem cell biology, circulating mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), the use of MSCs for cell therapy applications, musculoskeletal tissue regeneration and repair. He has published more than 240 peer-reviewed SCI articles with citations over 9000 and H index 52 (till 2020-03); 16 book chapters, edited 3 books on tissue engineering, bone biology, distraction histogenesis, and Ilizarov techniques.  He is a council member of Chinese Orthopaedic Research Society; Vice Chairman of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine Society, Chinese Association of Biomedical Engineering; Chairman of ILLRS and ASAMI China Branch.  He is an executive associate editor for Journal of Orthopaedic Translation (IF: 3.06); editor for the most influential journals in the orthopaedic and bone research fields such as Calcified Tissue International, Bone and Joint Research, Journal of Orthopaedic Research and Bone.  He holds honorary or visiting Professorship at many prestigious universities such as Monash University, Australia; University of Malaya, Malaysia; Sichuan University, China; South-East University Medical School, China; The Airforce Medical University, China; Guangdong Medical University and Jilin University, China.  His work received serval awards including the 1st Class Research Award in Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, China; 2nd Class Award in Medical Science and Technology, China Medical Association; 1st Class Award in China Medical Science, China International Exchange and Promotion Association for Medicine and Healthcare.  He holds 16 USA and China invention patients as PI or Co-I. 

Specialised Research Area(s):

  • Circulating stem cells and the use of MSCs as therapeutic vehicles. 
  • Tissue engineering for musculoskeletal tissues (fracture repair, tendon disorder and cartilage repair and novel biomaterial applications).
  • Biological mechanisms and novel clinical applications of distraction histogenesis techniques

Selected Publications:

1. Li R, Lin S, Zhu M, Deng Y, Chen X, Wei K, Xu J, Li G, Bian L. Synthetic presentation of noncanonical Wnt5a motif promotes mechanosensing-dependent differentiation of stem cells and regeneration. Science Advances, 2019 Oct 16;5(10): eaaw3896. (IF: 12.804).

2. Chen X, Li R, Wong DX, Wei K, Cui M, Chen H, Jiang Y, Yang B, Zhao P, Xu J, Chen H, Yin C, Lin S, Lee WYW, Jing Y, Li Z, Yang Z, Xia J, Chen G, Li G, Bian L. Conformational manipulation of scale-up prepared single chain polymeric nanogels for multiscale regulation of cells. Nature Communication 2019 Jun; 10(1):2705. (IF: 12.53).

3. Xu J, Feng Q, Lin S, Yuan W, Li R, Li J, Wei K, Chen X, Zhang K, Yang Y, Wu T, Wang B, Zhu M, Guo R, Li G, Bian L. Injectable stem cell-laden supramolecular hydrogels enhance in situ osteochondral regeneration via the sustained co-delivery of hydrophilic and hydrophobic chondrogenic molecules. Biomaterials. 2019 Jul; 210:51-61 (IF: 10.273).

4. Kang H, Yang BG, Zhang KY, Pan Q, Yuan WH, Li G, Bian LM. Immunoregulation of macrophages by dynamic ligand presentation via ligand-cation coordination. Nature Communication, 2019 April; 10(1):1696. (IF: 12.53).

5. Kang H, Wong SHD, Pan Q, Li G, Bian L. Anisotropic ligand nanogeometry modulates the adhesion and polarization state of macrophages. Nano Letters. 2019 Mar 13;19(3):1963-1975 (IF: 12.279).

6. Lin SE, Cui L, Chen GH, Huang JP, Yang YH, Zou KJ, Lai YX, Wang XL, Zuo LY, Wu T, Cheng JCY, Li G, Wei B, Lee WYW. PLGA/b-TCP composite scaffold incorporating salvianolicacid B promotes bone fusion by angiogenesis and osteogenesis in a rat spinal fusion model.  Biomaterials, 2019 March; 196: 109-121 (IF=10.23).

7. Lin WP, Xu LL, Pa Q, Lin SE, Feng L, Wang B, Chen SX, Li Y, Wang HX, Li YC, Wang Y, Lee WYW, Sun D, Li G. Lgr5-overexpressing mesenchymal stem cells augment fracture healing through regulation of Wnt/ERK signaling pathways and mitochondrial dynamics. The FASEB Journal, 2019 Jul; 33(7):8565-8577 (IF: 5.5).

8. Zhu ML, Wei KC, Lin SE, Li G, Bian LM. Bio-adhesive polymersome for localized and sustained drug delivery at pathological sites with harsh enzymatic and fluidic environment via supramolecular host-guest complexation. Small. 2018 Feb; 14(7). (IF: 8.64).

9. Lin SE, Lee WYW, Feng Q, Xu LL, Wang B, Man GCW, Chen YF, Jiang XH, Bian LM, Cui L, Wei B, Li G. Synergistic effects on mesenchymal stem cell-based cartilage regeneration by chondrogenic preconditioning and mechanical stimulation. Stem Cell Research & Therapy, 2017 Oct 3; 8(1):221. (IF: 4.6).

10. Chen YF, Lin SE, Sun YX, Guo J, Lu YF, Suen CW, Zhang JF, Zha Z, Ho KW, Pan XH, Li G. Attenuation of subchondral bone abnormal changes in osteoarthritis by inhibition of SDF-1 signaling. Osteoarthritis and Cartilage, 2017; 25(6):986-994 (IF:4.8).