Current Chinese Science

Dr Xiaoxiao Cai is a Full Professor of West China School of Stomatology, Sichuan University. She also serves as the Vice-director of Dental Implant Center, West China School of Stomatology. She received her PhD from Sichuan University in 2010. Dr Cai’s research focuses on adipose stem cells differentiation and vascularization of craniofacial regeneration, such as bone, cartilage, tooth, fat et al. She has published over 50 papers, reviews and book chapters, and made several seminal contributions to the stem cells fields. She has served as the Associate Editor of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Letters (SCI) and Editorial Board of Cell Proliferation (SCI). Besides, she received an Excellent Doctoral Dissertation of Sichuan Province and Nomination of National Excellent Doctoral Dissertation of China.

Dr. Renjie Chai received his Bachelor degree from the University of Science and Technology of China in Hefei, China in 2004. He received his PhD degree from the Baylor University in Texas, U.S.A in 2009. After that, he went to Stanford University for his postdoctoral training from 2009 to 2013. He moved back to China and was appointed as Professor in School of Life Sciences and Technology, Southeast University in 2013, and is serving as an Associate Dean of the School of Life Sciences and Technology at present. His current research focus on the regeneration of sensory hair cell and spiral ganglion neuron from inner ear stem cells and neural stem cells, respectively.

Dr. Mingli, He M.D., is a professor, chief physician, chief expert of neurology, and leader of scientific and technological innovation in Lianyungang City. He is a member of the Standing Committee of the Cerebrovascular Disease Branch of the Chinese Geriatrics Association, a member of the Stroke Branch of the Jiangsu Medical Association and the Physician Association, and the chairman of the Stroke Branch of the Lianyungang Medical Association and the Physician Association. He presided over 7 provincial science and technology projects, published nearly 200 papers (58 of which were included in SCI), and won 1 second-class national science and technology progress award, 3 provincials, and 4 municipals. He has authorized 2 national invention patents, 2 utility model patents and 3 software copyrights.

Dr. Shan Sun works as a Senior Scientist in Eye and ENT Hospital, Fudan University. She focused on the mechanisms and strategies of otology disease, including hearing loss and vertigo. Dr Sun along with her group did numerous investigations on inner ear development and hair cell regeneration, such as to induce progenitor cells differentiation into hair cells or to explore the ototoxic factors to prevent hearing loss.

Dr. Shijun Hu is a Professor and Deputy Director at the Institute for Cardiovascular Science, Soochow University, China. He received his PhD in Developmental Biology from Northeast Agricultural University. His lab has a major focus on seeking a better understanding of the biology, physiology, pathology and clinical applications of pluripotent stem cells and non-coding RNAs in cardiovascular diseases. Their ultimate goals are to elaborate and develop fundamental principles and new technology of cell therapy and gene therapy on cardiovascular diseases and translate the novel treatments to therapeutic applications. His group’s current research is focused on three major directions: 1) Stem cell maintenance and cardiovascular differentiation, 2) Cardiovascular disease modelling and drug screening with pluripotent stem cells, and 3) Stem cells and cardiac regeneration. Moreover, he has published more than 50 research papers in well-reputed journals.

Dr. Chiu major research interest focuses on the “Retina Brain Research”, which includes: (1) multi‐modal retinal imaging/function markers of stress‐related symptoms and resilience; (2) neuroprotection and regeneration in retinal and optic nerve disease. The “retina‐brain‐research” aims to explore how our eyes reflect pathological changes in various neurodegenerative diseases and the possibility to modulate brain and cognitive function through the eye to maintain brain/mental health. In 2012, we first summarized the evidence of ocular involvement as extra‐cerebral manifestations of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Using AD transgenic mice models, our ongoing research seeks to elucidate the underlying mechanisms and possible novel treatment options.

Dr. Wenwen Liu received a PhD degree from the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, School of Medicine, Shandong University. Currently, he is an Associate Professor at the Shandong Provincial ENT Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, China. His research interests include Regeneration of inner ear cells, Investigation of signalling pathways that control hair cell and auditory neuronal generation, differentiation and specialization in vitro and in vivo, and Detection the mechanisms underlying the ototoxicity of ototoxic drugs. Moreover, he has published several articles in distinguished journals.

Dr. Yu Sun is a Medical Doctor, Professor and Vice director in the Department of Otolaryngology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology. His research focuses on Genetic Hearing Loss(Gjb2 related hearing loss), Cochlear Immune Response and Inflammation.

Dr Tifei Yuan received a PhD in Neuroscience, University of Geneva (UNIGE) in 2013. He did his MPhil in Neuroscience from the University of Hong Kong (HKU) and BSc in Biology from the Sun Yat-Sen University (SYSU). Currently, he is a Professor at the Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiaotong, University School of Medicine, Shanghai. He has published a few scientific papers in distinguished journals.

Dr. Chao Liu got his Ph.D at Tulane University and postdoc training at the Baylor College of Dentistry Texas A&M University. He is interested in the development and genetic disorders in craniofacial organs by utilizing genetic mouse models. He has published more than 30 articles on the craniofacial development, including tooth, palate, TMJ and tongue, in the journals Development, Journal of Biological Chemistry, Developmental Dynamics, Journal of Cellular Physiology, etc. Currently, he is working as an Associate Professor at the Department of Oral Pathology, Dalian Medical University. Dr. Chao Liu is sponsored by the National Natural Science Foundation of China to explore the roles of Fam20 family genes in craniofacial development.

Zuhong He obtained his Ph.D. from Institute of Life Sciences, Southeast University in 2016. Currently, he is serving as an Associate Professor of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Zhongnan Hospital, Wuhan University, China. His main research direction is the protective mechanism of inner ear hair cells. He has published over 28 research papers in several international journals.