Dr Ng Kit, Ray
Assistant Professor
BSc (Hons) HK, MPhil HK, PhD Cantab
Email: rayng@pathology.hku.hk
Epigenetic regulation in stem cells
Research Interest
Stem cell research provides new insights into the area of regenerative medicine. My research focuses on the epigenetic mechanisms, e.g. DNA methylation and histone modifications, involved in the cellular properties (self-renewal and differentiation) of embryonic and adult stem cells. We are particularly interested in the differentiation of stem cells into haematopoietic and placental cell lineages, which opens up new strategies to generate essential cell types for clinical applications.
Another research focus is on the aberrant epigenetics in human leukaemia. The discovery of leukaemic stem cell (LSC) reveals its critical role in initiating and sustaining clonal proliferation of blast cells in leukaemia patients. We therefore aim to delineate the dysregulated epigenetic mechanism in the generation of LSC, which helps us to develop an effective therapeutic strategy to leukaemias.
Research Grants
RGC General Research Fund
- Role of Sirt1 in generation of mouse induced pluripotent stem cells (2011) (Co-Investigator)
- The functional roles of histone H3K9 demethylase Jmjd2 family in determination of trophoblast lineages (2010)
- Genome-wide analysis of DNA methylation patterns in MLL-rearranged leukaemia stem cells (2009)
Postgraduate/Post-doctoral/Research Assistant positions are available. Interested applicants are welcome to enquire for details.
Recent Publication List:
Click here for detail publication list on PubMed
Ng MH, Ng RK, Kong CT, Jin DY and Chan LC. Activation of Ras-dependent Elk-1 activity by MLL-AF4 family fusion oncoproteins. Exp. Hematol. 2010; 38: 481-488.
Ng RK, Dean W, Dawson C, Lucifero D, Madeja Z, Reik W and Hemberger M. Epigenetic restriction of embryonic cell lineage fate by methylation of Elf5. Nat. Cell Biol. 2008; 10(11): 1280-1290.
Farthing CR*, Ficz G*, Ng RK*, Andrews S*, Chan A*, Dean W, Hemberger M and Reik W. (* co-first authors) Global mapping of DNA methylation in mouse promoters reveals epigenetic reprogramming of pluripotency genes. PLoS Genet. 2008; 4(6): e1000116.
Ng RK and Gurdon JB. Epigenetic inheritance of cell differentiation status. Cell Cycle 2008; 7(9): 1173-1177.
Ng RK and Waye MMY. The multiple functions of the hepatitis B virus protein HBx: Lessons learned from microarray studies. In The pleiotropic functions of the viral protein HBx in Hepatitis B virus infection and the development of liver cancer (Kobarg J., eds.), Research Signpost 2008; p135-148. ISBN: 978-81-308-0260-2
Ng RK and Gurdon JB. Epigenetic memory of an active gene state depends on histone H3.3 incorporation into chromatin in the absence of transcription. Nat. Cell Biol. 2008; 10(1): 102-109.
Ng RK and Gurdon JB. Maintenance of epigenetic memory in cloned embryos. Cell Cycle 2005; 4(6): 760-763.
Ng RK and Gurdon JB. Epigenetic memory of active gene transcription is inherited through somatic cell nuclear transfer. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 2005; 102(6): 1957-1962.
Ng RK, Lau CYL, Lee SMY, Tsui SKW, Fung KP and Waye MMY. cDNA microarray analysis of early gene expression profiles associated with hepatitis B virus X protein (HBx)-mediated hepatocarcinogenesis. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 2004; 322(4): 827-835.