Professor CHENG Sze Lok, Alfred
Assistant Dean (Research)
Professor, School of Biomedical Sciences
CUHK Employment
- Assistant Dean (Research), Faculty of Medicine
- Professor, School of Biomedical Sciences
- Chief, Cancer Biology and Experimental Therapeutics Theme, School of Biomedical Sciences
Expertise
- Epigenetics
- Cancer biology
Education & Qualifications
B.Sc. (CUHK), M.Phil. (CUHK), Ph.D. (CUHK)
Research Interests
- Cancer epigenetics
- Tumor immunology and immunotherapy
- Hepatocellular carcinoma
Additional Information
Award & Honour
- 10th Health and Medical Research Fund Anniversary Award in Breakthrough Research, Food and Health Bureau, The Government of Hong Kong SAR, 2021
- CUHK Young Researcher Award, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2015, 2020
- Visiting Professorship Award, Southwest Medical University, 2018
- Asa Briggs Visiting Fellowship Award, University of Sussex, 2017
- Most Promising Young Investigator Award, Food and Health Bureau, The Government of Hong Kong SAR, 2014
- High-impact Scholarship, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2012
- Research Excellence Award, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2012
- AACR-Eli Lilly Scholar-in-Training Award, American Association for Cancer Research, 2006
- AACR-AFLAC Scholar-in-Training Award, American Association for Cancer Research, 2004
- AACR-ITO EN, LTD. Scholar-in-Training Award, American Association for Cancer Research, 2004
- Sir Edward Youde Memorial Scholarship, 2001
- Arthur Yau Award, 17th Annual Meeting of the Hong Kong Orthopaedic Association, 1997
Professional Service
- Experts Panel for Ministry of Science and Technology of China, People's Republic of China
- Founding Chairman and Council Member, Japan-Taiwan-Hong Kong Working Group on Cancer Epigenomics
- Founding Member: South China Liver Tumor (START) Working Group
- Executive Committee Member, Hong Kong Cancer Institute
- Panel Member, Hong Kong Research Grants Council Joint Research Scheme
Panel Member, Hong Kong Research Grants Council Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme
Panel Member, Hong Kong Research Grants Council Postdoctoral Fellowship Scheme
Panel Member, Health and Medical Research Fund, Hong Kong
Council Member, Hong Kong Society for Immunology
Member, The Hong Kong Epigenomics Project (EpiHK)
Member, Society of Hong Kong Scholars
Member, American Association for Cancer Research
Associate Editor, Cancers
Associate Editor, Frontiers in Genetics
Editorial Board Member, Cellular & Molecular Immunology
Guest Editor, Journal of Leukocyte Biology
Academic Engagement in CUHK
Course Coordinator, BSc in Biomedical Sciences Programme
Course Coordinator, MBChB Programme
Chairman, Distinction Viva in Biochemistry, MBChB Programme
Mentor, Global Physician Stream (GPS), MBChB Programme
Panel Member, Provost’s Strategic Allocation of Centrally-funded Research Postgraduates and Post-doctoral Fellowships
Panel Member, Research Committee Strategic Impact Enhancement Fund
Panel Member, Research Committee Postdoctoral Fellowship Scheme
Member, Selection Interview Committee, BSc in Biomedical Sciences Programme
Member, Pre-clinical Education Committee, MBChB Programme
Member, New Asia College Assembly of Fellows
Member, New Asia College Committee on College Culture
Member, New Asia College Committee on Environmental Protection
Member, New Asia College Committee on General Education
Selected Publications
- Xiong Z, Chan SL, Zhou J, Vong JS, Kwong TT, Zeng X, Wu H, Cao J, Tu Y, Feng Y, Yang W, Wong PC, Si-Tou WW, Liu X, Wang J, Tang W, Liang Z, Lu J, Li KM, Low JT, Chan MWY, Leung HH, Chan AW, To KF, Yip KY, Lo DY, Sung JJ*, Cheng AS*. (2023) Targeting PPAR-gamma counteracts tumor adaptation to immune-checkpoint blockade in hepatocellular carcinoma. Gut. Online First. doi: 10.1136/gutjnl-2022-328364.
- Yang W, Feng Y, Zhou J, Cheung OK, Cao JQ, Wang J, Tang WS, Tu YL, Xu LL, Wu F, Tan Z, Sun H, Tian Y, Wong J, Lai PB, Chan SL, Chan AW, Tan P, Chen Z, Sung JJ, Yip KYL, To KF, Cheng AS*. (2021) A selective HDAC8 inhibitor potentiates antitumor immunity and efficacy of immune checkpoint blockade in hepatocellular carcinoma. Science Translational Medicine, 13(588):eaaz6804.
- Liu M, Zhou J, Liu X, Feng Y, Yang W, Wu F, Cheung OK, Sun H, Zeng X, Tang W, Mok MT, Wong J, Yeung PC, Lai PB, Jin H, Chen J, Chan SL, Chan AW, To KF, Chen Z, Sung JJ, Chen M, Cheng AS*. (2020). Targeting Monocyte-intrinsic Enhancer Reprogramming Improves Immunotherapy Efficacy in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Gut, 69(2):365-379.
- Yuan T, Yang B, Qiu W, Hao Y, Zhang Z, Yang B, Li N, Cheng S, Lin Z, Rui YC, Cheung OK, Wu WK, Yang W, Cheung Y, Lai PB, Luo J, Sung JJ, Chen R, Wang H, Cheng AS*, Yang P*. (2019). ER-residential Nogo-B accelerates NAFLD-associated HCC mediated by metabolic reprogramming of oxLDL lipophagy. Nature Communications, 10(1):339
- Xiong L, Wu F, Wu Q, Xu L, Cheung OK, Kang W, Mok MT, Szeto LLM, Lun CY, Lung RW, Zhang J, Yu KH, Lee SD, Huang G, Wang CM, Liu J, Yu Z, Yu DY, Chou JL, Huang WH, Feng B, Cheung YS, Lai PB, Tan P, Wong N, Chan MW, Huang TH, Yip KY*, Cheng AS*, To KF*. (2019). Aberrant enhancer hypomethylation contributes to hepatic carcinogenesis through global transcriptional reprogramming. Nature Communications, 10(1):335.
- Sun H, Yang W, Tian Y, Zeng X, Zhou J, Mok MTS, Tang W, Feng Y, Xu L, Chan AWH, Tong JH, Cheung YS, Lai PBS, Wang HKS, Tsang SW, Chow KL, Hu M, Liu R, Huang L, Yang B, Yang P, To KF, Sung JJY, Wong GLH*, Wong VWS*, Cheng AS*. (2018). An inflammatory-CCRK circuitry drives mTORC1-dependent metabolic and immunosuppressive reprogramming in obesity-associated hepatocellular carcinoma. Nature Communications, 9(1):5214.
- Zhou J, Liu M, Sun H, Feng Y, Xu L, Chan AWH, Tong JH, Wong J, Chong CCN, Lai PBS, Wang HK, Tsang SW, Goodwin T, Liu R, Huang L, Chen Z, Sung JJ, Chow KL, To KF, Cheng AS*. (2018). Hepatoma-intrinsic CCRK inhibition diminishes myeloid-derived suppressor cell immunosuppression and enhances immune-checkpoint blockade efficacy. Gut, 67, 931-944.
- Feng H, Yu Z, Tian Y, Lee YY, Li MS, Go MY, Cheung YS, Lai PB, Chan AM, To KF, Chan HL, Sung JJ, Cheng AS*. (2015). A CCRK-EZH2 epigenetic circuitry drives hepatocarcinogenesis and associates with tumor recurrence and poor survival of patients. Journal of Hepatology, 62(5), 1100-11
- Yu Z, Gao YQ, Feng H, Lee YY, Li MS, Tian Y, Go MY, Yu DY, Cheung YS, Lai PB, Yu J, Wong VW, Sung JJ, Chan HL, Cheng AS*. (2014). Cell cycle-related kinase mediates viral-host signalling to promote hepatitis B virus-associated hepatocarcinogenesis. Gut, 63(11), 1793-1804.
- Feng H, Cheng AS*, Tsang DP, Li MS, Go MY, Cheung YS, Zhao GJ, Ng SS, Lin MC, Yu J, Lai PB, To KF, Sung JJ*. (2011). Cell cycle–related kinase is a direct androgen receptor-regulated gene driving ß-catenin/T-cell factor-dependent hepatocarcinogenesis. Journal of Clinical Investigation, 121(8), 3159-3175.
*(co-)corresponding author