School of Biomedical Sciences cordially invites you to join the following seminar:

Speaker: Professor Qing-Jun Meng, Wellcome Centre for Cell Matrix Research, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, UK
Talk Title: Circadian rhythms in skeletal ageing and breast cancer

Date: 27 May 2024 (Monday)
Time: 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Venue: Lecture Theatre 1, G/F, William M.W. Mong Block, 21 Sassoon Road
Host: Professor Danny Chan

Biography

Qing-Jun Meng (MD & PhD) is a Professor of Chronobiology, Versus Arthritis Senior Research Fellow, and Director of Internationalisation (School of Biological Sciences) at the University of Manchester. His earlier research has contributed to the understanding of the molecular circadian clocks and their pharmacological regulation (Neuron, PNAS, Genes & Dev, Current Biology, Nucleic Acids Res, PLoS Genetics, Elife). His current interest is the interface between circadian biology, extracellular matrix homeostasis and age-related diseases, including osteoarthritis, intervertebral disc degeneration, breast cancer and skin ageing (Nature, Nature Cell Biology, Nature Comms, J Clin Invest, Annals Rheum Dis, Arthritis & Rheum, Osteoarthritis & Cartilage, Matrix Biology). He is also interested in a “circadian medicine” approach to tailor existing therapies according to the patient’s internal body clocks for better clinical outcomes. He has received research funding from the MRC, BBSRC sLoLa, Wellcome Trust, Versus Arthritis, Breast Cancer Now and industries (GSK, Walgreens Boots Alliance, No.7 Beauty Company). His research has received extensive media coverage including BBC Breakfast (TV), BBC Radio Stoke, BBC Radio 5, BBC Radio Manchester. He has recently been elected as the Secretary of the British Society for Matrix Biology, Council Member of the International Society for Matrix Biology, and Chair of the Cartilage GRC 2027.  

Abstract

Circadian (24-hourly) clocks are evolutionarily conserved biological timers that exist in almost all cells of the body. Clocks in the brain and peripheral tissues temporally coordinate local physiology to align with the daily rhythmic environment through light/darkness, rest/activity and feeding/fasting cycles. Circadian disruption (during ageing, shift work and jet lag) has been proposed as a risk factor for a range of age-related conditions including skeletal ageing and breast cancer. In this seminar, I will first introduce the circadian biology and discoveries of endogenous 24-hour rhythms and clock genes, as well as their biomedical relevance. I will then give a few examples of how we have been investigating circadian rhythms in the ageing skeletal system and in breast cancer, using clock reporter and KO mouse models, clinical samples, circadian time series “-omics”, artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms, and quantitative live imaging. These studies will pave the way for a “circadian medicine” approach to tailor existing therapies according to patient’s internal body clocks for better clinical outcomes.

ALL ARE WELCOME

Should you have any enquiries, please feel free to contact Miss Crystal Chan at 3917 6830.