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Dr. Wang Baile
王柏乐

Research Assistant Professor

PhD

baile612@hku.hk

HKU link

Field of Research

Adipose tissue biology, Adipose-mediated inter-organ crosstalk, Glucose metabolism, Bone homeostasis

Biography

Dr. Baile Wang obtained her PhD degree at the Department of Medicine in The University of Hong Kong in 2017. Her research is dedicated to elucidating the molecular mechanisms underlying obesity and its related metabolic disorders, with specific focus on adipose tissue biology and adipose-mediated inter-organ crosstalk. Her work not only deciphers the metabolic remodeling of adipose tissue but also explores the interactions between adipose tissue and liver, bone, neural and immune systems. Her findings have been published in top-ranked journals, including , , and . These studies reveal novel mechanisms and identify potential therapeutic targets for obesity-related metabolic diseases.

Publications

  1. Wang B#*, Jiang X#, Wang Q, Xu A*. The multiscale heterogeneity of adipose tissue in health and disease. Research. 2026 Apr 22;9:1261. (*Co-corresponding author)

  2. Wang B#*, Liu J#, Wang Q, Arhatte M, Cheong LY, Glogowska E, Jiang X, Chung SK, Jin L, Hu Q, Wang Y, Honoré E*, Xu A*. Piezo1 activation suppresses bone marrow adipogenesis to prevent osteoporosis by inhibiting a mechanoinflammatory autocrine loop. Signal Transduct Target Ther. 2025 Oct 28;10(1):357. (*Co-corresponding author)

  3. Wang B#, Chen CY#, Liu J, Wang Q, Zhang W, Liu J, Tai A, Kai A, Ko B, Xu A*, Chung SK*. Epac1 mediates thermogenesis and lipolysis in white adipose tissue via p38γ-NFAT5 axis in a PKA-independent manner. Clin Sci (Lond). 2025 May 22:CS20256710. (Cover story)

  4. Zhang K#, Gan J#, Wang B#, Lei W#, Zhen D, Yang J, Wang N, Wen C, Gao X, Li X, Xu A, Liu X*, Li Y*, Wu F*, Lin Z*. FGF21 protects against HFpEF by improving cardiac mitochondrial bioenergetics in mice. Nat Commun. 2025 Feb 15;16(1):1661. (#Co-first author)

  5. Cheong LY#, Wang B#*, Wang Q, Jin L, Kwok KHM, Shu L, Wu X, Lin H, Chung SK, Cheng KK, Hoo RLC, Xu A*. Fibroblastic reticular cells in lymph node potentiate white adipose tissue beiging through neuro-immune crosstalk in male mice. Nat Commun. 2023 Mar 3;14(1):1213. (#Co-first author, *co-corresponding author)

  6. Wang B#, Lin H#, Li X, Lu W, Kim JB, Xu A, Cheng KK. The adaptor protein APPL2 controls glucose-stimulated insulin secretion via F-actin remodeling in pancreatic β cells. PNAS. 2020 Nov 10; 117(45): 28307–28315 2020.

  7. Wang B, Li A, Li X, Ho WL, Wu D, Wang X, Liu Z, Wu K, Yau S, Xu A, Cheng KK. Activation of hypothalamic RIP-Cre neurons promotes beiging of WAT via sympathetic nervous system. EMBO Rep. 2018 Apr 19(4): e44977. (Highlighted by News & Views in EMBO Reports)

  8. Wang B, Cheng KK. Hypothalamic AMPK as a mediator of hormonal regulation of energy balance. Int J Mol Sci. 2018 Nov 11; 19(11).

Awards

  1. Early Career Researcher Oral Competition Runner Up in Synergy for Science 2026, Glasgow, UK, 2026

  2. Best Poster Award in 2025 CSMB-Cell Press Collaborative Conference on Metabolism Research, Innovation and Translation (C2-MERIT), China, 2025

  3. Young Investigator Award of the 1st Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Congress on Cardiometabolic Diseases, China, 2024

  4. Award for Excellence in the Department of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, 2023

  5. Best Abstract and poster presentation in 27th Medical Research Conference, Hong Kong, China, 2022

  6. Poster Award in 2018 Asia Islet Biology & Incretin Symposium (AIBIS), South Korea, 2018

  7. Best Abstract and poster presentation in 21st Medical Research Conference, Hong Kong, China, 2016

  8. Best Abstract and poster presentation in 19th Medical Research Conference, Hong Kong, China, 2014

Research Fundings

  1. RGC-General Research Fund: HKD 1,380,847. On-going. Principal Investigator

  2. RGC-General Research Fund: HKD 1,558,606. On-going. Principal Investigator

  3. RGC-General Research Fund: HKD 1,180,022. On-going. Principal Investigator

  4. Shenzhen Medical Research Fund - Original Exploration Program: CNY 1,000,000. On-going. Principal Investigator

  5. Health Medical Research Fund: HKD 1,482,400. Completed. Principal Investigator

  6. National Natural Science Foundation of China: CNY 240,000. Completed. Principal Investigator

  7. HKU Seed Fund for PI Research - Basic Research: HKD 72,000. On-going. Principal Investigator

  8. HKU Seed Fund for PI Research - Basic Research: HKD 93,040. On-going. Principal Investigator

  9. HKU Seed Fund for PI Research - Basic Research: HKD 150,000. Completed. Principal Investigator

  10. HKU Seed Fund for Basic Research for New Staff: HKD 150,000. Completed. Principal Investigator

  11. Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory for Metabolic Medicine: HKD 10,950,000. On-going. Co-Investigator

  12. National Science and Technology Major Project of China: CNY 70,868,000. On-going. Co-Investigator

  13. RGC-General Research Fund: HKD 1,287,078. On-going. Co-Investigator

  14. RGC-General Research Fund: HKD 1,375,017. On-going. Co-Investigator

  15. RGC-General Research Fund: HKD 1,596,200. On-going. Co-Investigator

  16. Health Medical Research Fund: HKD 460,975. On-going. Co-Investigator

  17. Health Medical Research Fund: HKD 1,499,880. Completed. Co-Investigator

  18. France/Hong Kong Joint Research Scheme: HKD 90,000: Completed. Co-Investigator

L8, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, 21 Sassoon Road, Pokfulam, Hong Kong

(852) 3917 9766

antibody@hku.hk

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