Dr. Patrick Tang completed his Bachelor of Science and Doctoral of Philosophy degrees in the Department of Biochemistry, The Chinese University of Hong Kong. He was a recipient of China Exchange Fellowship from Cancer Research UK and continued his postdoctoral training at University of Oxford. Then, he was appointed as a research manager responsible for business development and translational research of human mesenchymal stem cells in Hong Kong. Afterward, he rejoined CUHK and worked in Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences and Department of Anatomical and Cellular Pathology since 2014, then got promoted to be research assistant professor in 2017.

Patrick is currently an assistant professor in the department since 2020. He would dissect the pathogenic roles and molecular mechanisms of innate immunity for promoting renal disease and cancer by bioinformatics approaches at single-cell resolution. He has received young investigator awards in ISN Frontiers Meeting 2018 (Tokyo) and East Meets West Symposium 2018 (Hong Kong), Faculty Innovation Award 2019 (CUHK Medicine), 7th Youth Dream Makers 2021 (Hong Kong) and Gold Medal with Congratulations of the Jury Medal in Inventions Geneva 2021 (Switzerland). He has published more than 60 research papers with more than 2000 citations on high impact research journals including Nature Reviews Nephrology, Nature Communications, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Molecular Cancer, Advanced Science, Cancer Immunology Research, Kidney International, Diabetes, Molecular Therapy, etc. Dr. Tang wishes can incubate new generation to translate his bench-top discovery from the inflammatory microenvironments into novel therapy for human diseases.

 

Research Interests:

Tumor microenvironment of lung cancer

Development of novel and effective immunotherapy

 

Research Grants (As Principal Investigator)

2024-2026: Functional Role and Regulatory Mechanism of a Novel Dendritic Cell Subset in Anticancer Immunity (RGC Early Career Scheme HK$1,525,681)
2023-2026: Development of a Novel Macrophage-Myofibroblast Transition Targeted Therapy (Health and Medical Research Fund HK$1,500,000)
2023-2027: Development of a Highly Efficient System for CAR-T Engineering (Passion for Perfection Scheme HK$9,841,000)
2021-2023: Pathogenic Role and Regulatory Mechanism of TAM-CAF Transition in NSCLC (RGC General Research Fund HK$996,285)
2020-2022: Macrophage to Neuron-like Cell Transition in Tumor Microenvironment (RGC General Research Fund HK$1,074,019)
2020-2024: Faculty Innovation Award 2019, Scheme A, CUHK (HK$2,500,000)
2019-2021: Regulatory Role and Mechanism of Neutrophil Anticancer Activities (RGC General Research Fund HK$1,151,040)
2019- 2020: Development of a Novel Virus-free Anticancer Gene Therapy (Innovation & Technology Commission ITSP HK$1,391,500)
2018 – 2023: CUHK Direct Grants (2018, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023)
2022 – 2025: CUHK Research Committee - Postdoctoral Fellowship Scheme (HK$750,000)
2022 – 2026: CUHK Provost’s Strategic Allocation of Centrally-funded RPg Places

 

Awards

2023: Bronze Medal in the 13th IIFME – International Invention Fair of the Middle East
2022: Bronze Medal at the Inventions of Geneva 2022 (Switzerland)
2021: Gold Medal with Congratulations of the Jury Medal in Inventions Geneva 2021 (Switzerland)
2021: 7th Youth Dream Makers 2021 (Hong Kong)
2019: Faculty Innovation Award (Scheme A), Faculty of Medicine, CUHK
2018: Frontiers Young Investigator Award, Winner, International Society of Nephrology (Tokyo)
2018: Young Investigator Award, First Runner-up, East Meets West Symposium, Hong Kong
2018: Poster Award, Hong Kong Immunology Forum
2018: Poster Award, SYSU-CUHK State Key Laboratory Retreat Conference
2009: Postdoctoral Research Fellowship (Oxford-China Exchange), Cancer Research UK
2006: Postgraduate Students Publication Award, Department of Biochemistry, CUHK

 

Achievements of Team Members

<< 2023 >>
Second Prize in the category of Life Sciences in the 9th Hong Kong University Student Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition.
2nd Runner-up, Postgraduate Individual in Professor Charles K. Kao Student Creativity Awards 2023
Third Prize at the 18th National College Students’ Extracurricular Academic Science and Technology Contest (Challenge Cup)
<< 2022 >>
Ideation Program, Hong Kong Science & Technology Parks Corporation
First Prize at the 17th National College Students’ Extracurricular Academic Science and Technology Contest (Challenge Cup)
Bronze Medal at the Inventions of Geneva 2022 (Switzerland)
Second Prize in the category of Life Sciences in the 8th Hong Kong University Student Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition
<< 2021 >>
First Prize at the 7th Hong Kong University Student Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition
Research Grant Council Postdoctoral Fellowship Award
Outstanding Students Award, The Chinese University of Hong Kong
Young Investigator Award, Hong Kong Society for Immunology
Highest scoring abstracts, The European Association for Cancer Research 2021, England
Honorable Mention Award, Research Poster Exhibition 2021, CUHK
Poster Presentation Award, Hong Kong Society for Immunology
<< 2020 >>
Merit Award, European Society for Medical Oncology, Switzerland

Research opportunity:

Hard working and innovative research assistant and postdoctoral fellow are welcome

<< Tumour Microenvironment >>
Smad3 is essential for polarization of tumor-associated neutrophils in non-small cell lung carcinoma. Chung JY, Tang PC, Chan MK, Xue VW, Huang XR, Ng CS, Zhang D, Leung KT, Wong CK, Lee TL, Lam EW, Nikolic-Paterson DJ, To KF, Lan HY, Tang PM (correspondence). Nature Communications. 2023 Mar 31;14(1):1794. [First Prize at the 17th National College Students’ Extracurricular Academic Science and Technology Contest (Challenge Cup) and First Prize at the 7th Hong Kong University Student Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition] (IF: 17.694)

Single-cell RNA-sequencing Uncovers a Neuron-like Macrophage Subset Associated with Cancer Pain. Tang PC, Chung JY, Lian J, Chan MK, Chan AS, Xue VW, Cheng G, Li C, Huang XR, Ng CS, Lam EW, Zhang DM, Ho YP, To KF, Leung KT, Jiang X, Ho K, Lee TL, Lan HY, Tang PM (correspondence). Science Advances 2022 Oct 7;8(40):eabn5535. [Faculty Innovation Award 2019, CU Medicine] (IF: 14.972)

Smad3 Promotes Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts Generation via Macrophage-Myofibroblast Transition. Tang PC, Chung JY, Xue VW, Xiao J, Meng XM, Huang XR, Zhou S, Chan AS, Tsang AC, Cheng AS, Lee TL, Leung KT, Lam EW, To KF, Tang PM (co-correspondence), Lan HY. Advanced Science, 9: e2101235, 2022 [Frontispiece Image] [Young Investigator Award, Hong Kong Society for Immunology] (IF: 17.521)

TGF-β signaling networks in the tumor microenvironment. Chan MK, Chung JY, Tang PC, Chan AS, Ho JY, Lin TP, Chen J, Leung KT, To KF, Lan HY, Tang PM (co-correspondence). Cancer Letters 2022 Dec 1;550:215925. (IF: 9.756)

USMB-shMincle: a virus-free gene therapy for blocking M1/M2 polarization of tumor-associated macrophages. Xue VW, Chung JY, Tang PC, Chan AS, To TH, Chung JS, Mussal F, Lam EW, Li C, To KF, Leung KT, Lan HY, Tang PM (correspondence). Mol Ther Oncolytics, 23: 26-37, 2021 [Gold Medal with Congratulations of the Jury Medal in Inventions Geneva 2021]

AANG: A natural compound formula for overcoming multidrug resistance via synergistic rebalancing the TGF-beta/Smad signalling in hepatocellular carcinoma. Chung JY, Chan MK, Tang PC, Chan AS, Chung JS, Meng XM, To KF, Lan HY, Leung KT, Tang PM (correspondence). J Cell Mol Med, 25: 9805-9813, 2021 [Innovation Second-class Award of the 7th Hong Kong University Student Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition]

The Mincle/Syk/NF-kappaB Signaling Circuit Is Essential for Maintaining the Protumoral Activities of Tumor-Associated Macrophages. Li C, Xue VW, Wang QM, Lian GY, Huang XR, Lee TL, To KF, Tang PM (co-correspondence), Lan HY. Cancer Immunol Res, 8: 1004-1017, 2020 (IF: 12.02)

Enhanced Cancer Immunotherapy with Smad3-Silenced NK-92 Cells. Wang, QM, Tang, PM (co-first), Lian, GY, Li, C, Li, J, Huang, XR, To, KF, Lan, HY. Cancer Immunol Res, 6: 965-977, 2018. (IF: 12.02)

Smad3 promotes cancer progression by inhibiting E4BP4-mediated NK cell development. Tang, PM, Zhou, S, Meng, XM, Wang, QM, Li, CJ, Lian, GY, Huang, XR, Tang, YJ, Guan, XY, Yan, BP, To, KF, Lan, HY: Nature communications, 8: 14677, 2017. (IF: 17.694)

Photodynamic therapy inhibits P-glycoprotein mediated multidrug resistance via JNK activation in human hepatocellular carcinoma using the photosensitizer pheophorbide a. Tang, PM, Zhang, DM, Xuan, NH, Tsui, SK, Waye, MM, Kong, SK, Fong, WP, Fung, KP. Mol Cancer, 8: 56, 2009. (IF: 41.444)

Pheophorbide a based photodynamic therapy induces apoptosis via mitochondrial-mediated pathway in human uterine carcinosarcoma. Tang, PM, Liu, XZ, Zhang, DM, Fong, WP, Fung, KP: Cancer Biol Ther, 8: 533-539, 2009. [Highlighted by Editorial Commentary]

Pheophorbide a, an active compound isolated from Scutellaria barbata, possesses photodynamic activities by inducing apoptosis in human hepatocellular carcinoma. Tang, PM, Chan, JY, Au, SW, Kong, SK, Tsui, SK, Waye, MM, Mak, TC, Fong, WP, Fung, KP. Cancer Biol Ther, 5: 1111-1116, 2006. [Publication Award 2006, Biochemistry CUHK]

<< Kidney Disease >>
AANG Prevents Smad3-dependent Diabetic Nephropathy by Restoring Pancreatic β-Cell Development in db/db Mice. Jeff Y.F. Chung, PM Tang (co-correspondence), Max K.K. Chan, L. Wang, X.R. Huang, K.F. To, Ronald C.W. Ma, H.Y Lan. Int. J. Biol. Sci. 2022 (IF: 10.750)

P2Y12 inhibitor, Clopidogrel inhibits renal fibrosis by blocking macrophage-to-myofibroblast transition. Chen J, Tang Y, Zhong Y, Wei B, Huang XR, Tang PM (co-correspondence), Xu A, Lan HY. Molecular Therapy 2022 Jul 5;S1525-0016(22)00420-8. (IF: 12.91)

Impacts of COVID-19 Pandemic on Psychological Well-Being of Older Chronic Kidney Disease Patients. Chan ASW, Ho JMC, Li JSF, Tam HL, Tang PMK (co-correspondence). Frontiers in Medicine, 8: 666973, 2021 [Faculty Publication Award 2021, PolyU]

Neural transcription factor Pou4f1 promotes renal fibrosis via macrophage-myofibroblast transition. Tang PM (co-correspondence), Zhang YY, Xiao J, Tang PC, Chung JY, Li J, Xue VW, Huang XR, Chong CC, Ng CF, Lee TL, To KF, Nikolic-Paterson DJ, Lan HY. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 117: 20741-20752, 2020 [Frontiers Young Investigator Award, International Society of Nephrology (Tokyo)] (IF: 12.779)

Macrophages: versatile players in renal inflammation and fibrosis. Tang, PM, Nikolic-Paterson, DJ, Lan, HY. Nature Reviews Nephrology, 15:144-158. 2019. [The 5th most cited paper of Nature Reviews Nephrology 2021] (IF: 42.429)

DPP4/CD32b/NF-kappaB Circuit: A Novel Druggable Target for Inhibiting CRP-Driven Diabetic Nephropathy. Tang PM (co-correspondence), Zhang YY, Hung JS, Chung JY, Huang XR, To KF, Lan HY. Mol Ther, 29: 365-375, 2021 (IF: 12.91)

LRNA9884, a Novel Smad3-Dependent LncRNA, Promotes Diabetic Kidney Injury in db/db Mice Via Enhancing MCP-1-Dependent Renal Inflammation. Zhang, YY, Tang, PMK (co-first), Tang, PCT, Xiao, J, Huang, XR, Yu, C, Ma, RC, Lan, HY. Diabetes. 2019 Jul;68(7):1485-1498. [Cover Page, Diabetes 2019]

The proto-oncogene tyrosine protein kinase Src is essential for macrophage-myofibroblast transition during renal scarring. Tang, PM, Zhou, S, Li, CJ, Liao, J, Xiao, J, Wang, QM, Lian, GY, Li, J, Huang, XR, To, KF, Ng, CF, Chong, CC, Ma, RC, Lee, TL, Lan, HY. Kidney Int, 93: 173-187, 2018. (IF: 18.998)

Novel lncRNA Erbb4-IR Promotes Diabetic Kidney Injury in db/db Mice by Targeting miR-29b. Sun, SF, Tang, PMK (co-first), Feng, M, Xiao, J, Huang, XR, Li, P, Ma, RCW, Lan, HY. Diabetes, 67: 731-744, 2018 [Highlighted by Editorial Commentary].