Prof. LIU Aijia Jessica (劉艾佳)

Dr. Jessica Ai-jia Liu received her Bachelor degree in Biochemical Engineering from East China University of Science and Technology in Shanghai and Ph.D degree in the Department of Surgery, followed by postdoctoral training in the School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine at the University of Hong Kong. She was promoted to Research Assistant professor in the Department of Anaesthesiolgy in 2019. Dr. Liu has made seminal contributions to unravel the molecular mechanisms in governing the nervous system development and its associated disorders. She is a recipient of YS and Christabel Lung Scholarship (2015), outstanding postgraduate award (2016), Hong Kong Young Scientist Award (2016) and LKS Faculty outstanding research output award (2018) in recognition of her research achievements. Her work is also featured in press release at the Faculty/ University levels as well as the local media. Dr. Liu joined the City University of Hong Kong in 2022.

A complex gene regulatory network orchestrates the establishment of Peripheral nervous system (PNS) and central nervous systems (CNS) during embryogenesis, particularly in controlling the formation, proliferation, migration of multipotent progenitors and the decision between neuronal and glial fate acquisition. Consequently, dysregulation of gene batteries leads to variety of neurological disorders.

Our laboratory is focusing on investigating the molecular mechanisms underlying the pathophysiology of neuropathic pain which is induced by central/peripheral nerve injury or diseases. We are leveraging the power of clinical associated study, stem cell biology, somatic cell reprogramming, omics based metabolic and single-cell technologies to unravel the pain signaling for identifying therapeutic targets and explore alternative approaches for nerve repairs and regeneration.

Our laboratory is also interested in studying the cell signaling in determining the neuronal- glial cell fate during PNS development. We use chicken/mouse animal model and organoids derived from human cells to understand their functions in normal developmental process and human congenital disorders. We have further expanded research interests in elucidating the disease mechanism of the neuronal-glial interaction in spinal cord muscular atrophy using patients’ somatic cells derived human pluripotent stem cells and mouse model.