Overview

The GIBH CAS-CUHK Joint Research Laboratory on Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine (the GIBH-CUHK Joint Lab), established by the joint efforts of the Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences (GIBH, CAS) and the School of Biomedical Sciences, Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), was officially inaugurated at CUHK in August 2012.


The Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine (the Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Lab) is established based on the GIBH-CUHK Joint Lab and the Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine and was officially approved for construction by the Guangdong Department of Science and Technology in 2024.


The GIBH-CUHK and Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Labs aim to harness the strengths of both institutions in their respective fields to achieve significant research breakthroughs in the field of stem cell and regenerative medicine in order to contribute to the advancement of biomedical sciences and healthcare.


The establishment of the two Joint Labs represents a significant and continuously deepening collaboration between GIBH and CUHK, serving as the vital international frontier base for both CUHK and GIBH, contributing to the strategic development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the national ‘Belt and Road’ initiative. The collaboration further strengthens scientific and technological cooperation between Guangdong and Hong Kong and presents new opportunities for the advancement of stem cell and regenerative medicine research in China.


The Joint Labs have high-level academic teams with reasonable knowledge structure, high education level, wide professional coverage, and strong technical force. A dedicated team of scientists is set up on each side and led by a Co-Director and a Deputy Director.


Prof. Pan Guangjin from GIBH is the Co- Director of the Joint Labs, and is also the project leader of the national key research and development program, the Chief Scientist of the 973 Program, an awardee in the CAS Hundred Talents Program (Outstanding), an outstanding talent of Guangdong Province's Special Support Plan. Prof. Chen Jiekai is the deputy Director from GIBH side, and is also the Winners of National Distinguished Youth Foundation. The GIBH team consists of 20 Principle Investigators and 30 Associate Investigators, mainly from the Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine.


Prof Chan Wai-Yee, is the Co-Director of the Joint Labs from Hong Kong side, who is currently the Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Strategic Developments) of the CUHK, and concurrently serves as the Director of the Institute for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine in CUHK and the Director of CUHK-BGI (Beijing Genome Institute) Innovation Institute of Trans-Omics. The Deputy Director from CUHK side is Prof. Feng Bo. The HKU team mainly comes from the School of Biomedical Sciences, CUHK. Other HKU team faculty members include Prof Chan Man Lok Andrew, Prof. Zhao Hui, Prof. Jiang Xiaohua, Prof Hui Xiaoyan Hannah, Prof Fok Kin Lam Ellis, Prof Gu Shen Linda, Prof. Cheung Hoi Hung Albert and Prof. Wang Wuming. Prof Chan Man Lok Andrew is the Director of the School of Biomedical Sciences, CUHK.


Several joint research teams composed of both GIBH and CUHK researchers have been working together efficiently, and have achieved great progress.

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Research

Specifically, by targeting major health issues and unmet medical needs, the Joint Labs, focus on stem cell-based cell biology and regenerative medicine, combine the cell fate regulation technologies (such as somatic cell reprogramming, differentiation, and transdifferentiation) and the biomedical engineering methods(e.g. biomedical information, new imaging technologies, genetic engineering, new materials and nanotechnology, etc.), to develop innovative treatments for tumours, reproductive and genetic diseases, as well as degenerative diseases (including cardiovascular diseases, metabolic disorders, and neurodegenerative diseases).


The new development strategy of the two Joint Labs will closely align with the objectives outlined in the national “Fourteenth Five-Year Plan”, specifically in promoting advancements in stem cell therapy, gene diagnosis and treatment, and immune cell therapy.


Resources

The two Joint Labs are co-administered by the GIBH and CUHK. Over the past 10 years, both institutions have made significant progress in laboratory infrastructure, funding, and personnel development, setting a solid foundation for future endeavors. The newly constructed Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Lab provided a good example for this. The GIBH-CUHK Joint Lab has been actively involved in the organization of the ‘Guangzhou International Conference on Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine’ since its inception, and plays an important role in construction of the Max Planck – GIBH Joint Center for Regenerative Biomedicine (MGCRB), the first Max Planck Center in China, and jointly holds the annual MGCRB Retreats and the CUHK-MPI-GIBH multilateral Joint Symposiums.


People
History

The GIBH-CUHK Joint Lab was officially inaugurated at CUHK in August, 2012, and was listed as CAS-Hong Kong SAR joint laboratories in 2012. In 2017 and 2022, The GIBH-CUHK Joint Lab passed CAS official assessments.

The Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Lab was officially approved for construction by the Guangdong Department of Science and Technology in 2024.


2012

On November 11, the Guangdong Provincial Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine built by the Chinese Academy of Sciences Guangzhou Institute of Biomedicine and Health was unveiled.

2017

On November 11, the Guangdong Provincial Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine built by the Chinese Academy of Sciences Guangzhou Institute of Biomedicine and Health was unveiled.

2017

On November 11, the Guangdong Provincial Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine built by the Chinese Academy of Sciences Guangzhou Institute of Biomedicine and Health was unveiled.

2017

On November 11, the Guangdong Provincial Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine built by the Chinese Academy of Sciences Guangzhou Institute of Biomedicine and Health was unveiled.

2017
Acknowledging Support

The GIBH-CUHK Joint Lab is supported by Chinese Academy of Science (2012-present).


The Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Lab is funded by Guangdong Department of Science and Technology (2024-2026).


Over the past five years, the GIBH-CUHK Joint Lab has received grants from prestigious funding programs such as the National Key Research and Development Program of the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST), the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS)-Hong Kong Foundation for Research and Development, and the Joint Research Fund of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) and the Research Grants Council (RGC) of Hong Kong, with a total funding exceeding 5 million RMB.


Contact

Joint Lab Coordinator

People：
Email：
Address：		 GUO Yiping
guo_yiping@@gibh.ac.cn
No.190 Kaiyuan Road, Guangzhou Science Park, Luogang District, Guangzhou 510530