Room: 323B, BMSB Office: 2609 6879 Email: psleung@cuhk.edu.hk

LEUNG, Po Sing

Professor

Room: 323, BMSB, Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, CUHK
Tel: +852 2609 6879, Fax: +852 2603 5022, E-mail: psleung@cuhk.edu.hk

B.Sc. (1986), National Taiwan Normal University
Ph.D. (1993), The Queen's University of Belfast

Teaching: Gastrointestinal Physiology

1. Teaching gastrointestinal physiology

2. Teaching and coordinating general education course

3. Coordinating physiology course for School of Chinese Medicine

4. Teacher of the Year Awards, Faculty of Medicine (06/07, 05/06, 04/05, 03/04 and 01/02)

Research Interests: Pancreatology and Endocrinology

1. Basic research on the physiology of pancreas to pancreatic disease

2. Renin-angiotensin system blockade as a novel strategy for diabetes and pancreatitis

3. Pancreatic stem cells as a source of insulin-producing ß-cells for islet transplantation

4. Local control of SGLT1- and GLUT2-mediated intestinal glucose transport in diabetes

5. Potential therapeutic agents or drugs from natural and synthetic sources for pancreatic disease

Statement of Interests

My research efforts are involved in the fields of Pancreatology and GI Endocrinology. I have endeavored to make my work truly translational - focusing on disease mechanisms which will allow rapid movement from novel concept to valued therapy. In this context, the most significant research leadership in this area is the demonstration of a local renin-angiotensin system (RAS) in the pancreas. Such a pancreatic RAS plays pivotal roles in the endocrine and exocrine functions of the pancreas and thus has clinical applications to such pancreatic disease as diabetes and pancreatitis. Blockade of the RAS is beneficial to diabetes and pancreatic inflammation. Further elucidation of this protective mechanism(s) of RAS blockade should provide new insights into the development of novel therapeutic strategies in the prevention and treatment of diabetes and pancreatitis.

Honorary Appointments

• Visiting Professor

Nanjing Medical University (2007), Nanjing Normal University (2007), Fourth Military Medical University (2006), Capital University of Medical Sciences (2004), Prince Henry Institute of Medical Research, Australia (2007), Semmelweis University Medical School, Hungary (2001)

• Editorial Boards

Journal of Molecular Endocrinology (2000-2007), Journal of Pancreas (2001-present), Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology (2002-present), Pancreas (2003-present), International Journal of Biochemistry and Cell Biology (2004-present), Journal of CardioMetabolic Syndrome (2006-present), Current Protein and Peptide Science (2006-present), Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism (2006-present)

• Founder and Council Member of the Asian-Oceanic Pancreatic Association (2005-present)

• Panel Member of Digestion, Endocrinology and Reproduction of Chinese Physiological Society (2007-present)

Selected Research Publications:

I. Original Research Articles

1. Suen PM, Chan JC, TK Lau, Yao KM & Leung PS. PDZ-domain-containing 2 (PDZD2) is a novel factor that affects the growth and differentiation of human fetal pancreatic progenitor cells (2008). International Journal of Biochemistry and Cell Biology 40, 789-803.

2. Chu KY & Leung PS. Angiotensin II type 1 receptor antagonism mediates uncoupling protein 2-driven oxidative stress and ameliorates pancreatic ß-cell function in young type 2 diabetic mice (2007). Antioxidants and Redox Signaling 9, 869-878.

3. Wong TP, Tebnam ES & Leung PS. Involvement of an enterocyte renin-angiotensin system in the local control of SGLT1-dependent glucose uptake across the rat small intestinal border membrane (2007). Journal of Physiology 584, 613-623.

4. Chu KY, Lau T, Carlsson PO & Leung PS. AT₁ receptor blockade improves ß-cell function and glucose tolerance in mouse model of type 2 diabetes (2006). Diabetes 55, 367-374.

5. Leung PS, Srai SK, Mascarenhas M, Churchill LJ & Debnam ES. Increased duodenal iron transport in a rat model of chronic hypoxia is accompanied by reduced hepcidin expression (2005). Gut 54, 1391-1395.

6. Lau T, Carlsson PO & Leung PS. Evidence for a local angiotensin-generating system and dose-dependent inhibition of glucose-stimulated insulin release by angiotensin II in isolated pancreatic islets (2004). Diabetologia 47, 240-248.

II. Invited Reviews, Editorials, Perspectives and Letters

1. Leung PS, Review. The physiology of a local renin-angiotensin system in the pancreas (2007),Journal of Physiology 580, 31-37.

2. Leung PS, Review. Mechanisms protective effects induced by blockade of the renin-angiotensin system: novel role of the pancreatic islet angiotensin-generating system in Type 2 diabetes (2007),Diabetic Medicine 24, 110-116.

3. Leung PS, Hayek A & De Gasparo M. Frontiers in diabetic research (2006). International Journal of Biochemistry and Cell Biology 38, 687-688.

4. Leung PS, Perspective. Novel roles of a local angiotensin-generating system in the carotid body (2006), Journal of Physiology 575, 4.

5. Leung PS, Letter. Roles of the renin-angiotensin system and its blockade in pancreatic inflammation (2005), International Journal of Biochemistry and Cell Biology 37, 237-238.

6. Leung PS, Review. The peptide hormone angiotensin II: its new functions in tissues and organs (2004). Current Protein and Peptide Science 5, 267-273.

III. Book, Book Chapters and Special Thematic Issues of Journals

1. “Frontiers in Research of the Renin-Angiotensin System on Human Disease”. In: Proteases in Biology and Disease Book Series,Volume 7, pp. 1-306, 2007, Springer, Dordrecht, The Netherlands.

2. “Importance of the Local Renin-Angiotensin System in Pancreatic Disease”. In: U Lendeckel & NM Hooper, eds. Protease in Gastrointestinal Tissue, p.131-152, Springer, New York, 2006.

3. “Novel Peptide and Protein in Diabetes Mellitus”, Current Protein and Peptide Science, Bentham Science, San Francisco, United States of America (to be published in 2008).

4. “Diabetes: New Research and Novel Therapies”. International Journal of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, volume 38, number 5-6, pp.685-1022, 2006, Elsevier, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

5. “Renin-Angiotensin System: State of the Art”. International Journal of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, volume 35, number 6, pp. 757-1002, 2003, Pergamon-Elsevier Science, Oxford, United Kingdom.

6. “Renin-Angiotensin System in the Pancreas: From the Basic Research to the Bedside”. Journal of the Pancreas, volume 2, number 1, pp. 1-60, 2001, ES Burioni Ricerche Bibliografiche, Genova, Italy.

Current Grants

• Involvement of the local renin-angiotensin system in control of enterocyte fluid and glucose uptake.
  Principal Investigator (Partner PI: ES Debnam), The Royal Society International Joint Project, 2006/2007, £6,180, Ref. No: 2005/R3-JP.
  
• Diabetes model (in Stem Cell and Tissue Regeneration Research)
  Principal investigator, Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, 2005/2006, HK$400,000 (HK$2,500,000), Ref. No: 6901951.
  
• The pancreatic islet renin-angiotensin system and beta cell dysfunction
  Principal investigator, Research Grants Council of Hong Kong-Competitive Earmarked Research Grant 2005/2006, HK$818,957, Ref. No: CUHK 4537/05M.
  
• Evaluation of potential synergistic effects of Valsartan combined with GLP-1 or LAF237 on pancreatic islet function, endothelial function and glucose tolerance in type 2 diabetes mellitus
  Principal investigator, Novartis Non-Clinical Study Grant from Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Inc., 2005/2006, US$172,500 (HK$1,345,500), Ref. No: CUHK TN052266.
  
• Inhibition of the pancreatic renin-angiotensin system: its regulatory mechanism for pancreatic microcirculation, oxidative stress and cytokine-mediated inflammatory response in acute pancreatitis
  Principal investigator, Research Grants Council of Hong Kong-Competitive Earmarked Research Grant 2004/2005, HK$939,968, Ref. No: CUHK 4364/04M.
  
• Protective role of blockade of the renin-angiotensin system with Losartan on pancreatic beta-cell function and repair and its relationships with oxidative stress in impaired glucose tolerance and type 2 diabetes
  Principal investigator, MERCK-COZAAR Medical School Grant Program #25868,
  2004/2005, Merck Sharp & Dohme, US$50,000 (HK$390,000), Ref. No: CUHK TM042204.