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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, 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 delineating the molecular basis that links obesity with its related metabolic diseases, with specific focuses on adipose tissue remodeling, glucose metabolism, and adipose-mediated bone homeostasis. Her research work contributed substantially to the understanding of novel molecular links between obesity and its related metabolic complications, which have been published in top-ranked journals including Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy, Nature Communications, PNAS, etc. These research outputs not only uncover new molecular mechanisms, but also provide potential therapeutic targets for obesity-related metabolic diseases.

Publications

  1. 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-first author, co-corresponding author)

  2. 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. Co-first author)

  3. 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)

  4. 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)

  5. 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. (Co-first author)

  6. 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)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Grants

  1. RGC-General Research Fund: Adipose-derived S100A4 as a novel anorexigenic hormone to alleviate obesity and hyperglycemia: clinical implications and mechanistic investigations. (HKD 1,380,847) 2026.01-2028.12. On-going. Principal Investigator.

  2. RGC-General Research Fund: Semaphorin 6B as a novel glucose-lowering hormone to counteract type 2 diabetes: molecular mechanism and clinical implications. (HKD 1,558,606) 2025.01-2027.12. On-going. Principal Investigator.

  3. RGC-General Research Fund: Bone marrow adipose tissue orchestrates hematopoiesis to facilitate type 2 immune response during cold-induced beiging of white adipose tissue. (HKD 1,180,022) 2023.01-2026.06. On-going. Principal Investigator.

  4. Health Medical Research Fund: Role of the mechano-sensitive ion channel Piezo1 in the regulation of obesity and adaptive thermogenesis: molecular mechanisms and clinical implications. (HKD 1,482,400) 2020.04-2024.03. Completed. Principal Investigator.

  5. National Natural Science Foundation of China – Youth Fund (国家自然科学基金青年基金): 机械敏感离子通道Piezo1通过调控骨髓脂肪细胞形成对全身代谢的作用及机理研究. (CNY 240,000) 2021.01-2023.12. Completed. Principal Investigator.

  6. RGC-General Research Fund: Chchd10 (C10) as a novel druggable target for revitalizing pancreatic beta cells: from molecular mechanism to therapeutic potential. (HKD 1,375,017) 2025.09-2028.09. On-going. Co-Investigator.

  7. RGC-General Research Fund: STAP1 as a Novel Perpetrator of Metabolic Inflammation: Molecular Basis and Pathophysiological Implications. (HKD 1,596,200) 2024.01-2026.12. On-going. Co-Investigator.

  8. Health Medical Research Fund: The potential role of L-Arginine in managing Type 2 Diabetes: from prediction to therapeutic treatment. (HKD 460,975) 2024.07-2026.06. On-going. Co-Investigator.

  9. Health Medical Research Fund: Preservation of β cell mass by targeting fatty acid oxidation in islet macrophages. (HKD 1,499,880) 2022.10-2025.12. On-going. Co-Investigator.

  10. France/Hong Kong Joint Research Scheme: The mechanobiology of obesity. (HKD 90,000) 2018.01-2021.12: 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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