• Biomarker discovery in gestational complications using multi‑omics (proteomics, metabolomics, metagenomics) to identify novel biomarkers for diagnosis and prediction of pregnancy loss, preeclampsia and other reproductive diseases
• Microbiome and maternal‑fetal health: investigating dynamic changes in maternal gut, vaginal and milk microbiomes and developing microbiota‑targeted interventions (e.g., maternal probiotic treatment) to improve health outcomes
• AI‑driven wearable devices and digital medicine for women’s health: leveraging wearable technologies and designing neuromodulation devices for transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation to manage menstrual cycles and relieve disorders such as endometriosis and dysmenorrhea

Max Wang’s specialised research area bridges multi‑omics biomarker discovery, microbiome science and digital health to advance maternal‑fetal medicine. By integrating proteomics, metabolomics and metagenomics across blood, stool and vaginal samples, he identifies biomarkers that enable early detection and prediction of pregnancy complications such as miscarriage and preeclampsia. His research also explores the dynamic roles of maternal gut, vaginal and milk microbiomes in reproductive outcomes, elucidating how microbial communities influence fetal development. In parallel, he develops microbiota‑targeted interventions, such as probiotic supplementation, to improve maternal and neonatal health. Furthermore, Max leverages AI‑driven wearable technologies to monitor menstrual cycles and designs neuromodulation devices that deliver transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation to relieve reproductive disorders. Together, his work offers a multidisciplinary approach that combines systems biology, microbiology and digital medicine to transform women’s health.

Max Wang is a Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at The Chinese University of Hong Kong. She earned her BSc in Pharmaceutical Sciences from Sun Yat‑sen University and completed her Ph.D. in Pharmacology and Pharmacy at The University of Hong Kong under the supervision of Professor Aimin Xu, where his thesis investigated the role of the gut microbiome in the therapeutic efficacy of exercise on insulin resistance in individuals with prediabetes. Following his doctoral studies she undertook a post‑doctoral fellowship in the Department of Medicine at the University of Hong Kong and subsequently joined CUHK in 2022. Max also holds visiting appointments at Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, the University of Alberta and the National University of Singapore.

In his current role, Max leads research programmes at the Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences and the CUHK–Sichuan University Joint Laboratory for Reproductive Medicine, focusing on multi‑omics biomarker discovery, maternal‑fetal microbiome dynamics and AI‑driven digital interventions for women’s health. He has published more than twenty‑seven journal articles, nine conference papers and two book chapters, with an H‑index of 11 and over 970 citations. Many of her publications appear in high‑impact journals such as Cell Metabolism, Gut Microbes and NPJ Digital Medicine and have been highlighted in Nature and other leading outlets. Max has secured over HK$9.7 million in competitive research grants as principal investigator, including funding from the Hong Kong Research Grants Council, the Health and Medical Research Fund and multiple international collaborations. Her translational work has led to several patent applications on diagnostic and predictive methods for miscarriage and innovative wearable devices.

Max’s contributions have been recognised through numerous awards, including the Golden Medal at the International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva (2024), the Faculty Outstanding Research Output Award from the Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine (2024), multiple Young Investigator Awards at international symposia and the Best of Cell Metabolism Publication Award. He serves as guest editor for special issues in JoVE and Biomedicines and reviews manuscripts for journals such as BMJ, Nature Communications and Diabetes Care. Max frequently delivers invited lectures at international conferences and plays an active role in academic societies, including the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology and the Hong Kong Young Scientist Association. His multidisciplinary expertise positions him as a leading scientist advancing precision medicine and digital technologies in maternal‑fetal health.

1. PhD International Mobility for Partnerships and Collaborations Award, PhD IMPAC Award (2025)
2. 3rd Prize in Academic Poster Exhibition, Great Bay Area Graduate Research Forum (2025)
3. Reception for 2024 I&T Awards, Hong Kong Innovation and Technology Commission (2024)
4. Golden Medal of the 49th International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva for “Blood levels of sPD‑L1 as a novel biomarker for miscarriage”, International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva (2024)
5. Faculty Outstanding Research Output Award, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong (2024)
6. Young Investigator Award, 17th International Symposium on Healthy Aging, Research Centre of Heart, Brain Hormone & Healthy Aging (2023)
7. Young Investigator Award, 25th Diabetes and Cardiovascular Risk Factors East Meets West Symposium, Hong Kong Institute of Diabetes and Obesity (2023)
8. Young Investigator Award, 24th Diabetes and Cardiovascular Risk Factors East Meets West Symposium, Hong Kong Institute of Diabetes and Obesity (2022)
9. Young Investigator ePoster Award, 15th International Symposium on Healthy Aging (2021)
10. Best of Cell Metabolism 2020 Publication Award, Cell Metabolism (2021)

1. Shi Y, Wang CC, Yang Y, Li Q, Chung PW, Wang Y. The diagnostic accuracy of wearable digital technology in detecting fertility window and menstrual cycles: a systematic review and bayesian network meta-analysis. npj Digital Medicine. 2026;9(1). doi:10.1038/s41746-025-02320-8.
2. Wang Y, Zheng R, Wang CC. Placental immunodynamics regulated by leukocytes and trophoblasts: From pregnancy to onco‑fetal immunity. Journal of Reproductive Immunology. 2026;175:104893. doi:10.1016/j.jri.2026.104893.
3. Wang Y, Wu J, Yao J, Chen J, Cheng KK, Ho MY, Lee CH, Lam KSL, Tse MA, Panagiotou G, Xu A. Gut microbiome-adipose crosstalk modulates soluble IL-6 receptor influencing exercise responsiveness in glycemic control and insulin sensitivity. Cell Metabolism. 2025;37(12):2323-2341.e6. doi:10.1016/j.cmet.2025.10.013.
4. Alemu BK, Wang CC, Poon LC, Wang Y. Maternal probiotics intake during pregnancy and exclusive colostrum breastfeeding are associated with a reduced risk of neonatal jaundice. BMC Medicine. 2026;24(1). doi:10.1186/s12916-025-04516-x.
5. Alemu BK, Wang CC, Li L, Zhu Z, Li Q, Wang Y. Effect of preconception antibiotics exposure on female reproductive health and pregnancy outcomes: A systematic review and meta-analysis. eClinicalMedicine. 2024;78:102935. doi:10.1016/j.eclinm.2024.102935.
6. Wang Y, Chen J, Ni Y, LiuY, Gao X, Tse MA, Panagiotou G, Xu A. Exercise-changed gut mycobiome as a potential contributor to metabolic benefits in diabetes prevention: An integrative multi-omics study. Gut Microbes. 2024;16(1). doi:10.1080/19490976.2024.2416928.
7. Liu Y, Wang Y, Ni Y, Cheung CKY, Lam KSL, Wang Y, Xia Z, Ye D, Guo J, Tse MA, Panagiotou G, Xu A. Gut microbiome fermentation determines the efficacy of exercise for diabetes prevention. Cell Metabolism. 2020;31(1):77-91.e5. doi:10.1016/j.cmet.2019.11.001.
8. Li Y, Hung SW, Zheng X, Ding Y, Zhang T, Tan Z, Zhang R, Lin Y, Song Y, Wang Y, Wang CC. Melatonin inhibits endometriosis growth via specific binding and inhibition of EGFR phosphorylation. Journal of Pineal Research. 2024;76(8):e70022. doi:10.1111/jpi.70022.
9. Li Q, Chen C, Wu J, Poon LC, Wang CC, Li TC, Zhang T, Guo X, Song L, Wang X, Zhang Q, Ye Z, Yang Y, Lu J, Yao J, Ye D, Wang Y. Decreased serum soluble programmed cell death ligand-1 level as a potential biomarker for missed miscarriage. Human Reproduction. 2023;38(11):2128-2136. doi:10.1093/humrep/dead178.
10. Yang Y, Wu J, Wang X, Yao J, Lao KS, Qiao Y, Xu Y, Hu Y, Feng Y, Cui Y, Shi S, Zhang J, Liang M, Pan Y, Xie K, Yan K, Li Q, Ye D, Wang Y. Circulating fibroblast growth factor 21 as a potential biomarker for missed abortion in humans. Fertility and Sterility. 2021;116(4):1040-1049. doi:10.1016/j.fertnstert.2021.05.098.
11. Li Q, Wu H, Hu Q, Sze S, Guo X, Wang Y. Leveraging Ringconn smart ring for monitoring women’s menstrual health: A pilot study. IEEE. Published online 2024. doi:10.1109/biocas61083.2024.10798339.
12. Alemu BK, Wu L, Azeze GG, Lau SL, Wang Y, Wang CC. Microbiota-targeted interventions and clinical implications for maternal-offspring health: An umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses of randomised controlled trials. Journal of Global Health. 2024;14. doi:10.7189/jogh.14.04177.
13. Woldeamanuel GG, Tlaye KG, Wang X, Nguyen-Hoang L, Zhou Q, Wang Y, Leung BW, Wang Y, Poon LC, Wang CC. Platelets in preeclampsia: An observational study of indices associated with aspirin nonresponsiveness, activation and transcriptional landscape. BMC Medicine. 2025;23(1). doi:10.1186/s12916-025-04132-9.
14. Tlaye KG, Woldeamanuel GG, Wong KCY, Chen L, Zheng R, So PK, Wang X, Nguyen-Hoang L, Zhong M, So HC, Leung BW, Huang Y, Wang Y, Poon LC, Wang CC. Pharmacogenomics and pharmacokinetics of aspirin in preeclampsia prevention. Circulation Research. 2025;137(1):69-82. doi:10.1161/circresaha.124.325699.
15. Diaz-Canestro C, Chen J, Liu Y, Han H, Wang Y, Honoré E, Lee CH, Lam KSL, Tse MA, Xu A. A machine-learning algorithm integrating baseline serum proteomic signatures predicts exercise responsiveness in overweight males with prediabetes. Cell Reports Medicine. 2023;4(2). doi:10.1016/j.xcrm.2023.100944.
16. Jin L, Geng L, Ying L, ShuL, Ye K, Yang R, Liu Y, Wang Y, Cai Y, Jiang X, Wang Q, Yan X, Liao B, Liu J, Duan F, Sweeney G, Woo CWH, Wang Y, Xia Z, Lian Q, Xu A. FGF21-sirtuin 3 axis confers the protective effects of exercise against diabetic cardiomyopathy by governing mitochondrial integrity. Circulation. 2022;146(20):1537-1557. doi:10.1161/circulationaha.122.059631.
17. Yiu JHC, Chan KS, Cheung J, Li J, Liu Y, Wang Y, Fung WWL, Cai J, Cheung SWM, Dorweiler B, Wan EYF, Tso P, Xu A, Woo CW. Gut microbiota-associated activation of TLR5 induces apolipoprotein A1 production in the liver. Circulation Research. 2020;127(10):1236-1252. doi:10.1161/circresaha.120.317362.