Dr. Wu Xiaoping, Amber
吳曉萍

Research Assistant Professor

PhD

Field of Research

The pathophysiology and translational therapeutics of chronic metabolic diseases (CMD), particularly MASH-associated liver fibrosis.

Biography

Dr. Xiaoping Wu is a Research Assistant Professor at the University of Hong Kong (HKU), where she completed her PhD and post-doctoral training, following a Bachelor of Science from China Pharmaceutical University. Her research focuses on the pathophysiology and translational therapeutics of chronic metabolic diseases (CMD), with a strong emphasis on metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH)-associated liver fibrosis, alongside diabetes and obesity. To address these health challenges, Dr. Wu's work integrates three interconnected core directions: investigating organelle stress and immunometabolic remodeling within the liver and metabolic tissues, utilizing animal models and primary hepatic cell systems to identify novel druggable targets, and leveraging AI-driven multi-omics approaches to discover potent therapeutic combinations for treating liver diseases and other CMDs.

Selected Publications

Chui ZSW#, Xue Y#, Wu X*, Xu A*. Peptide hormone-based combinational pharmacotherapies for chronic metabolic diseases. Pharmacol Rev. 2026 Jun 26;78(5):100150. (IF: 20.3; JCR Quartile: Q1 for the Pharmacology & Pharmacy;5/356; Co-corresponding author)
Wu X#, Zhang Z#, Li J, Zong J, Yuan L, Shu L, Cheong LY, Huang X, Jiang M, Ping Z, Xu A, Hoo RLC. Chchd10: A Novel Metabolic Sensor Modulating Adipose Tissue Homeostasis. Adv Sci (Weinh). 2025 Apr;12(15):e2408763. (IF: 14.1; JCR Quartile: Q1 for Chemistry, Multidisciplinary; 24/250; First author)
Wu X, Cheong LY, Yuan L, Jin L, Zhang Z, Xiao Y, Zhou Z, Xu A, Hoo RL, Shu L. Islet-Resident Memory T Cells Orchestrate the Immunopathogenesis of Type 1 Diabetes through the FABP4-CXCL10 Axis. Adv Sci (Weinh). 2024 Aug;11(30):e2308461. (IF: 15.1; JCR Quartile: Q1 for Chemistry, Multidisciplinary; 24/250; First author)
Wu X, Shu L, Zhang Z, Li J, Zong J, Cheong LY, Ye D, Lam KSL, Song E, Wang C, Xu A, Hoo RLC. Adipocyte Fatty Acid Binding Protein Promotes the Onset and Progression of Liver Fibrosis via Mediating the Crosstalk between Liver Sinusoidal Endothelial Cells and Hepatic Stellate Cells. Adv Sci (Weinh). 2021 Jun;8(11):e2003721. (IF: 17.52; JCR Quartile: Q1 for Chemistry, Multidisciplinary; 24/250; First author)
Zong J#, Wu X#, Huang X, Yuan L, Yuan K, Zhang Z, Jiang M, Ping Z, Cheong LY, Xu A, Hoo RLC. Adipocyte-derived shed Syndecan-4 suppresses lipolysis contributing to impaired adipose tissue browning and adaptive thermogenesis. Mol Metab. 2025 Jun;96:102133. (IF: 6.3; JCR Quartile: Q1 for Endocrinology & Metabolism; 30/198; Co-first author)
Cheng Y#, Wu X#, Nie X, Wu Y, Zhang C, Lee SM, Lv K, Leung GP, Fu C, Zhang J, Li J. Natural compound glycyrrhetinic acid protects against doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity by activating the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway. Phytomedicine. 2022 Nov;106:154407. (IF: 6.66; JCR Quartile: Q1 for Pharmacology and Pharmacy; 14/356; Co-first author)
Liu Z#, Wu X#, Dai K, Li R, Zhang J, Sheng D, Lee SM, Leung GP, Zhou GC, Li J. The new andrographolide derivative AGS-30 induces apoptosis in human colon cancer cells by activating a ROS-dependent JNK signalling pathway. Phytomedicine. 2022 Jan;94:153824. (IF: 6.66; JCR Quartile: Q1 for Pharmacology and Pharmacy; 14/356; Co-first author)
Li HL#, Wu X#, Xu A, Hoo RL. A-FABP in Metabolic Diseases and the Therapeutic Implications: An Update. Int J Mol Sci. 2021 Aug 30;22(17):9386. (IF: 5.92; JCR Quartile: Q1 for Biochemistry & Molecular Biology; 72/328; Co-first author)

Research Fundings

RGC-General Research Fund: HKD 1,375,017; On-going. Principal Investigator
NSFC-Young Scientists Fund: RMB 300,000; On-going. Principal Investigator
NSFC-General Program: RMB 490,000; On-going. Principal Investigator
Shenzhen Natural Science Foundation-Basic Research Fund: RMB 300,000; On-going. Principal Investigator
Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation-General Program: RMB 150,000; On-going. Principal Investigator
HKU-Seed fund for research × 4: HKD 369,790 in total; Principal Investigator

Journal Peer Reviewer

Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy (Nature Portfolio; IF: 81.2 / JCR Q1)
Metabolism: Clinical and Experimental (Elsevier; IF: 16.7 / JCR Q1)
Cell Communication and Signaling (BioMed Central; IF: 8.9 / JCR Q1)
Phytomedicine (Elsevier; IF: 6.7 / JCR Q1)
Scientific Reports (Nature Portfolio; IF: 4.6)

Other information

Student recruitment: Potential MPhil students interested in liver research, bioinformatics, or AI-driven drug screening

Dr. Wu Xiaoping, Amber 吳曉萍