S Y and H Y Cheng Professorship in Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine

Professor Pengtao Liu studies how stem cells can be harnessed to treat diseases and injuries. He earned his PhD from Baylor College of medicine and completed postdoctoral training at National Cancer Institute in the US. He then established and led a stem cell laboratory at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute in Cambridge, UK, where he was also an affiliate faculty member of the Cambridge University Stem Cell Institute. In 2018, Professor Liu relocated his research group to The University of Hong Kong (HKU) to advance stem cell research.

Throughout his career, Professor Liu and his team have made numerous groundbreaking discoveries. In 1995, he developed chromosome engineering technology in mouse embryonic stem cells (ESCs), enabling large precise genetic modifications. He identified Wnt3 gene as essential for initiating mouse embryo gastrulation. As a postdoc, he pioneered mitotic recombination technology in mouse ESCs, and investigated Bcl11a and Bcl11b genes in lymphocyte development and immune function. He also devised a highly efficient method to generate conditional knockout mice, supporting large-scale, multi-center research projects globally. 

While at Cambridge, Professor Liu’s team discovered a novel type of immune cell capable of targeting and destroying cancer cells. These cells are now progressing through clinical trials for cancer immunotherapy. His laboratory also developed a highly efficient technique to reprogram adult cells into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), significantly advancing regenerative medicine.  Additionally, his team established a cross-mammalian pluripotent stem cell system called Expanded Potential Stem Cells (EPSCs), which possess broader developmental capacities. Notably, they were the first to derive stable pluripotent stem cells from pig pre-implantation embryos - a breakthrough with promising applications in organ xenotransplantation and agricultural biotechnology.

In Hong Kong, Professor Liu leads major research initiatives through the HKU and InnoHK Centre for Translational Stem Cell Biology (InnoHK CTSCB), supported by the Innovation and Technology Commission of the HKSAR via the Health@InnoHK programme.

At HKU, they  focus on fundamental stem cell biology, including studies on mouse neural stem cells in peripheral tissues, how epigenetic modifications influence stem cell development, and the identification of molecules capable of directly reprogramming cell fates—potentially revolutionizing disease treatments. At InnoHK CTSCB, his team has developed stem cell-based technologies for virus propagation, advancing virology research and antiviral drug and vaccine development. They have also created cellular models that physiologically mimic normal human cell aging, offering new avenues for anti-aging research, and discovered novel stem cell sources for regenerative therapies.

As a pioneer in stem cell research, Professor Liu’s team continues to push scientific boundaries with innovative discoveries that hold the potential to transform medicine. Their efforts are establishing Hong Kong as a global hub for stem cell research and cell-based therapies, shaping the future of regenerative medicine and personalized treatments.