Team
Wei Shen AIK
Group Leader
Wei Shen Aik is an Associate Professor at Hong Kong Baptist University. He obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree in Natural Sciences at the University of Cambridge. He then received his doctoral training in chemical biology at Prof. Christopher Schofield's laboratory at the University of Oxford. After his D.Phil. studies at Oxford, Wei Shen did his postdoctoral research in Structural Biology with Professor Liang Tong at Columbia University in the United States. As group leader, Wei Shen combines structural biology and chemical biology to design new solutions for human health problems.
Samson Nok Yin TAM
PhD Student
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I was an undergraduate student at Hong Kong Baptist University, majoring in Chemistry. I like science because I truly think that scientific research can improve the quality of life of people in the future. My Final Year Project focuses on inhibition studies of cancer-associated RNA modifying enzymes. I did not have much experience in biochemical studies before I joined the Aik Lab. However, I like challenges and learning. By learning research skills in biochemistry, I hope to contribute to improving people’s health and lives.
Vivien Yingqi Lai
PhD Student
I was born and raised in Guangdong, China. I discovered my passion for chemistry when I was in high school, so I chose Chemistry as my major during my undergraduate study. For my final year project, I worked on structural-based discovery of inhibitors which targets the methyltransferase of Zika virus. After that, I decided to stay in the Aik group to my further postgraduate studies. I am continuing my work on synthesizing and testing small molecule inhibitors on different methyltransferases, and I hope the research on inhibitors can contribute to the discovery of effective treatments towards virus related diseases.
Grace Chung Yan CHAN
Senior Research Assistant
I graduated from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University for my bachelor degree, majoring in Chemical Technology. To further my studies, I studied my Master degree at Hong Kong Baptist University. In my Master's project, I worked on studying viral protein-RNA interactions. This gave me an opportunity to learn more about RNA synthesis and protein production. I hope to gain more experience in the biochemistry field by doing research in order to improve people's health.
Shanrui LI
PhD Student
I hold a bachelor degree from Sichuan University and am currently pursuing my Ph.D. at Hong Kong Baptist University. My research is dedicated to unraveling protein structures, and I'm also passionate about studying the interactions between proteins and proteins or between proteins and compounds. I'm excited about this journey, as it holds immense potential for advancing drug development, revealing physiological processes and understanding diseases. My enthusiasm drives me to delve deep into the world of proteins and compounds, seeking innovative insights at the intersection of biology and chemistry.
Hanbin LIANG
PhD Student
I graduated from South China Agricultural University with my bachelor's degree and then continued my studies at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, where I received my MPhil degree. During graduate studies, I found myself becoming more interested in understanding how small molecules interact with proteins, rather than just synthesizing them. To pursue this interest further, I joined Aik's lab, hoping to gain more research experience in biochemistry, particularly in the area of small molecule-protein interactions. I expect that this experience will help me better understand biochemical mechanisms and eventually allow me to design effective small-molecule drugs to treat diseases. I'm really looking forward to learning more and contributing to research in this area.
Yidan ZHANG
PhD Student
I earned my bachelor’s degree from Dalian Medical University and developed a strong passion in improving human health. During this time, I realized the vital role of biochemistry in understanding disease mechanisms. This growing interest motivated me to pursue a master degree at Hong Kong Baptist University, where I joined Prof. AIK’s lab to participate in a structural biology project focused on the mechanisms of RNA demethylase inhibitors and their applications in cancer treatment. I acquired experimental skills in analyzing RNA-protein interactions and cultivated a deep research interest in their potential for targeted therapy. This experience further motivated me to pursue a PhD, with the goal of continuing my work in cancer treatment and drug delivery strategies.
Zhilin HE
PhD Student
I obtained my bachelor degree from Gannan Medical University, and then continued my postgraduate studies at Central South University. My master’s research focused on RNA biology, particularly in exploring the mechanisms of non-coding RNAs, such as miRNAs or circular RNAs, in cancers. As my learning in this field deepens, I realized that beyond elucidating mechanisms, developing novel and effective treatment approaches, like drug delivery systems, could better facilitate the translation of research into clinical applications. After joining the AIK Lab, I hope to acquire more experience in RNA therapeutics delivery, and integrate it with my previous research to discovery effective treatments for human diseases.
Undergraduate Researchers
Yangjun LI
Huang Xiao Wen Meggie
Robin Yifei ZHANG
Adrian Tsz Tsun YIU
Alumni
Venus Yi Lok FAN
Undergraduate Research Student
09/19 - 06/20
Yi Min NG
Research Assistant
08/19 - 09/20. PhD student at ESRF, France
Kam Mei SIU
Undergraduate Researcher
09/20 - 06/21 MSc Student at HKBU, Hong Kong
Pui Hang SHUM
Undergraduate Researcher
09/20 - 06/21 PhD student at the University of Stratchlyde, United Kingdom
Hing Pan NG
Undergraduate Researcher
09/20 - 06/21 Master Student at Uppsala University, Sweden
Tingyuan XING
MSc Student
2020/2021
Shipping LIN
MSc Student
2020/2021
Yiqiong ZHANG
MSc Student
2020/2021
Dragon Ka Lung KONG
Undergraduate Researcher
2021/2022
Pearl Pui Yee CHAN
Undergraduate Researcher
2021/2022
Sheryl Lok Yee LAI
Undergraduate Researcher
2021/2022
Haixia MENG
MSc Student
2021/2022
Xingxuan CHEN
MSc Student
2021/2022
Xiaolan LIANG
MSc Student
2021/2022
Thomas Tong Lok LEE
Undergraduate Research Student
2022/2023
Iris Lai Shan YIU
Undergraduate Researcher
2022/2023
Kainat BIBI
MSc Student
2022/2023
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Sharon Wing Tung LU
MSc Student
2022/2023
Yat Yin CHAU
MPhil Student
2022/2024
Kelly Yan Tung WONG
MPhil Student
2022/2024
Simranjeet KAUR
PhD Student
2020/2024 Currently postdoc at HKU