HKBU Inaugural "CxC" Session Spotlights Autophagy as New Hope for Brain Diseases
核心洞察
HKBU's Institute of Creativity and School of Chinese Medicine hosted the inaugural "CxC" Series session on 11 August, themed around autophagy and its potential against neurodegenerative diseases.
Professor Noboru Mizushima of The University of Tokyo outlined autophagy's molecular mechanisms and reversible ATG knockdown mouse models showing restored motor and memory functions.
Professor Li Min presented HKBU's discovery of autophagy-regulating neuroprotective agents derived from Uncaria rhynchophylla (搜索) (Gouteng) and curcumin derivatives.
The Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) Institute of Creativity, supported by the Hung Hin Shiu Charitable Foundation, together with the School of Chinese Medicine, held the inaugural session of the "CxC" Series on 11 August under the theme "The Cell That Cleans Itself: From a Novel Discovery to New Hope for Brain Diseases." The event convened internationally renowned scientists to examine autophagy—the cellular self-cleaning process that breaks down and recycles damaged cell components to build new, healthy ones—and its recent advances in combating neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.
Autophagy's Molecular Foundations and Therapeutic Promise
Professor Noboru Mizushima, Professor of the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Vice Dean of the Graduate School and Faculty of Medicine at The University of Tokyo, was among the first scientists to visualise autophagy in mammalian tissues. His presentation outlined the fundamental molecular mechanisms and physiological roles of autophagy, tracing how the field has transformed from obscure observations into a central focus of global medical research over recent decades.
Professor Mizushima also discussed recent findings on autophagosome-lysosome fusion and reversible autophagy-related (ATG) knockdown mouse models that demonstrate restored motor and memory functions. He further addressed his research on organelle degradation, which he described as a highly active area of contemporary inquiry.
Traditional Chinese Medicine Meets Molecular Science
Professor Li Min, Dean and Chair Professor of the School of Chinese Medicine at HKBU, delivered a presentation titled "The Cell that Cleans Itself: Novel Drug Discovery from TCM for Brain Diseases." Her talk addressed the rising prevalence of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases globally, and explained her team's discoveries on the autophagy-regulating mechanisms of neuroprotective agents derived from the Chinese medicine Uncaria rhynchophylla (搜索) (Gouteng in Chinese) and curcumin derivatives developed over the years.
Professor Li also introduced HKBU's broader efforts to identify neuroprotective drug candidates derived from traditional Chinese medicine, illustrating how traditional Chinese medicine wisdom has integrated with cutting-edge molecular science.
A Platform for Cross-Disciplinary Dialogue
The event concluded with a panel dialogue moderated by Professor Shen Hanming, Chair Professor and Interim Associate Dean (Teaching) of the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Macau, where the speakers discussed how autophagy could be successfully harnessed to treat neurodegenerative disorders.
The "CxC" Series features duo-led dialogues between world-class scholars, designed to stimulate scientific inspiration, drive academic exchange, and foster collaborative research.