Huang Weijun, male, born in July 1977. Associate Professor and Doctoral Supervisor at the Stem Cell and Tissue Engineering Center of Sun Yat-sen University. Young Committee Member of the Medical Genetics Branch of the Chinese Medical Association, Committee Member of the Medical Genetics Branch of the Guangdong Medical Association, Young Committee Member of the Guangdong Genetic Society, and Standing Committee Member of the Neurogenetic Diseases Branch of the Guangdong Precision Medicine Application Association.
Email: hweijun@mail.sysu.edu.cn

Main Research Directions:
Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have broad prospects for clinical application, but there are key bottlenecks in clinical transformation, such as inaccurate targeting of lesions and selection of indications, differences in cell functions, and incomplete clarity of the treatment mechanism. Focusing on these issues, I have conducted targeted research and achieved a series of results. As a key member of the project, I participated in two National Key Research and Development Programs; and presided over 8 provincial and ministerial-level projects, including two General Projects of the National Natural Science Foundation of China, with a total amount of over 10 million yuan. I have published 48 SCI articles, among which 17 articles were published as corresponding author or first author in journals such as PNAS, Nat Commun, Mol Ther, and Cell Discov:

1. Promote precise MSC therapy: Based on machine learning, develop a disease monitoring system for autoimmune diseases and bioinformatics analysis tools for cell communication to achieve precise selection of indications (J Neuroinflammation, Top Journal in Q1; Front Immunol, Top Journal in Q2); construct chemokine receptor-modified MSCs to ensure precise targeting of lesions by cells (Mol Ther, Top Journal in Q1); discover that MSCs secrete GBP1, which lures Toxoplasma gondii towards the cells and precisely implements host defense (PNAS, Top Journal in Q1).
2. Discover new functional subsets of MSCs: Discover that the MSC biomarker nestin regulates nuclear envelope homeostasis and delays cell senescence (Nat Commun, Top Journal in Q1); based on this, screen nestin-positive cells in the ovaries of cynomolgus monkeys to improve the symptoms of premature ovarian failure (Cell Discov, Top Journal in Q1).
3. Reveal new treatment mechanisms of MSCs: Discover that MSCs excite the "lung-brain axis" circuit to improve the behavioral abnormalities of depressive mice (Nat Commun, Top Journal in Q1); excite the splenic nerve to relieve hypertension (Sci China Life Sci, Top Journal in Q1); discover new effector molecules such as IGFBP7, STC2, and MGP that mediate the immunomodulatory effects of MSCs (Mol Ther, Top Journal in Q1; Cell Death Dis, Top Journal in Q1).

Overview of Scientific Research Projects Undertaken:

1. National Key Research and Development Program, 2023YFC2506103, Preclinical Research on Retinal Cells Derived from Autologous Pluripotent Stem Cells and the Combination of Tissue Engineering Materials, November 2023 - October 2026, 500,000 yuan, ongoing, Sub-project Leader
2. National Key Research and Development Program, 2021YFA1100602, Interactive Regulation between Craniofacial Stem Cells of Specific Lineages and the Immune Microenvironment, December 2021 - June 2026, 1.4 million yuan, ongoing, Sub-project Leader
3. National Natural Science Foundation of China, 81970222, Research on the Mechanism of Purinergic Receptor P2Y1 in the Treatment of Acute Myocardial Infarction by Cardiac Mesenchymal Stem Cells, January 2020 - December 2023, 550,000 yuan, ongoing, Project Director
4. National Natural Science Foundation of China, 31371482, Research on the Functional Defect Mechanism of Osteoclasts and Gene Repair Based on the Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Model of Malignant Infantile Osteopetrosis, January 2014 - December 2017, 750,000 yuan, completed, Project Director
5. National Natural Science Foundation of China, 81271265, Establishment of an In Vitro Disease Model of Craniofacial Deformities in Down Syndrome and Research on Its Pathogenesis, January 2013 – December 2016, 700,000 yuan, completed, Participant
6. Guangdong Science and Technology Program, 2017B020230004, Clinical Application Research of MSC Treatment for MDS/MPN, July 2017 - June 2020, 900,000 yuan, ongoing, Sub-project Leader
7. Guangdong Science and Technology Program, 2016B090918040, Research and Development and Industrialization of Tissue Engineering Products Based on Mesenchymal Stem Cells, January 2016 - December 2019, 200,000 yuan, ongoing, Sub-project Leader
8. Guangdong Science and Technology Program, 2016B030229003, Research and Development and Industrialization of Dental Pulp Regeneration and Biological Dental Pulp Treatment Technology, January 2016 - December 2018, 500,000 yuan, completed, Sub-project Leader
9. Guangdong Science and Technology Program, 2015B020226002, Clinical Research on the Treatment of Inflammatory and Immune Diseases Related to Kidney Transplantation by Mesenchymal Stem Cells, July 2015 - June 2018, 1.5 million yuan, completed, Sub-project Leader
10. Guangdong Science and Technology Program, 2014B020226004, Treatment of Bone Marrow Failure Diseases by Mesenchymal Stem Cells, July 2015 - June 2018, 1.5 million yuan, completed, Sub-project Leader
11. Guangzhou Science and Technology Program, 201508020262, Construction of the Guangzhou Stem Cell Technology Clinical Transformation Base, November 2015 - November 2018, 3 million yuan, completed, Sub-project Leader

Representative Publications:

1. Li H, Yi J, Xu X, Ma Y, Xiang J, Shu Y, Ye W, Wang T, Hao J, Zhang X, Huang W. Dysfunction in neuro-mesenchymal units impairs the development of bone marrow B cells in mice with anxiety. Brain Behav Immun. 2024 Dec 10;124:305-320. (Corresponding Author)
2. Yang C, Ma Y, Lu Q, Qu Y, Li Y, Cheng S, Xiao C, Chen J, Wang C, Wang F, Xiang AP, Huang W, Tang X, Zheng H. 2-Bromo-1,4-Naphthalenedione promotes CD8+T cell expansion and limits Th1/Th17 to mitigate experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. J Neuroinflammation. 2024 Jul 27;21(1):181. (Co-corresponding Author)
3. Wan L, Hu X, Xia T, Li F, Chi Q, Ma H, Yan S, Li W, Huang W. Disruption of Cdyl gene impairs mouse lung epithelium differentiation and maturation. Gene. 2023; 853:147088. (Corresponding Author)
4. Ma Y, Chen J, Wang T, Zhang L, Xu X, Qiu Y, Xiang AP, Huang W. Accurate Machine Learning Model to Diagnose Chronic Autoimmune Diseases Utilizing Information from B Cells and Monocytes. Front Immunol. 2022; 13:870531. (Corresponding Author)
5. Liu J, Lai X, Bao Y, Xie W, Li Z, Chen J, Li G, Wang T, Huang W, Ma Y, Shi J, Zhao E, Xiang AP, Liu Q, Chen X. Intraperitoneally Delivered Mesenchymal Stem Cells Alleviate Experimental Colitis Through THBS1-Mediated Induction of IL-10-Competent Regulatory B Cells. Front Immunol. 2022; 13:853894.
6. Chen H, Xia K, Huang W, Li H, Wang C, Ma Y, Chen J, Luo P, Zheng S, Wang J, Wang Y, Dong L, Tan Z, Lai X, Mao FF, Li W, Liang X, Wang T, Xiang AP, Ke Q. Autologous transplantation of thecal stem cells restores ovarian function in nonhuman primates. Cell Discov. 2021 Aug 31;7(1):75. (Co-first Author)
7. Y Ma, Y Huang, T Wang, AP Xiang, W Huang. ACE2 shedding and furin abundance in target organs may influence the efficiency of SARS-CoV-2 entry. The Open Bioinformatics Journal. 2021;14 (1):1-12. (Corresponding Author)
8. Zhang Y, Wang J, Huang W, Cai J, Ba J, Wang Y, Ke Q, Huang Y, Liu X, Qiu Y, Lu Q, Sui X, Shi Y, Wang T, Shen H, Guan Y, Zhou Y, Chen Y, Wang M, Xiang AP. Nuclear Nestin deficiency drives tumor senescence via lamin A/C-dependent nuclear deformation. Nat Commun. 2018 Sep 6;9(1):3613. (Co-first Author)
9. Hong D, Liu T, Huang W, Liao Y, Wang L, Zhang Z, Chen H, Zhang X, Xiang Q. Gremlin1 Delivered by Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Promoted Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition in Human Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Cell Physiol Biochem.2018;47(5):1785-1799. (Co-first Author)
10. Feng Y, Liao Y, Huang W, Lai X, Luo J, Du C, Lin J, Zhang Z, Qiu D, Liu Q, Shen H, Xiang AP, Zhang Q. Mesenchymal stromal cells-derived matrix Gla protein contribute to the alleviation of experimental colitis. Cell Death Dis. 2018 Jun7;9(6):691. (Co-first Author)
11. Chen X, Liu Q, Huang W, Cai C, Xia W, Peng Y, Zheng S, Li G, Xu Y, Wang J, Liu C, Zhang X, Huang L, Xiang AP, Zhang Q. Stanniocalcin-2 contributes to mesenchymal stromal cells attenuating murine contact hypersensitivity mainly via reducing CD8(+) Tc1 cells. Cell Death Dis. 2018 May 1;9(5):548. (Co-first Author)
12. Wang J, Yang W, Wang T, Chen X, Wang J, Zhang X, Cai C, Zhong B, Wu J, Chen Z, Xiang AP, Huang W. Mesenchymal Stromal Cells-Derived β2-Microglobulin Promotes Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition of Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Cells. Sci Rep. 2018 Apr 3;8(1):5422. (Corresponding Author)
13. Xiang Q, Liao Y, Chao H, Huang W, Liu J, Chen H, Hong D, Zou Z, Xiang AP, Li W. ISL1 overexpression enhances the survival of transplanted human mesenchymal stem cells in a murine myocardial infarction model. Stem Cell Res Ther. 2018 Feb 26;9(1):51.
14. Wang J, Huang Y, Cai J, Ke Q, Xiao J, Huang W, Li H, Qiu Y, Wang Y, Zhang B, Wu H, Zhang Y, Sui X, Bardeesi ASA, Xiang AP. A Nestin-Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 5-Dynamin-Related Protein 1 Axis Regulates Neural Stem/Progenitor Cell Stemness via a Metabolic Shift. Stem Cells. 2018 Apr;36(4):589-601.
15. Zhang X, Huang W, Chen X, Lian Y, Wang J, Cai C, Huang L, Wang T, Ren J, Xiang AP. CXCR5-Overexpressing Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Exhibit Enhanced Homing and Can Decrease Contact Hypersensitivity. Mol Ther. 2017 Jun 7;25(6):1434-1447. (Co-first Author)
16. Qin A, Lai DH, Liu Q, Huang W, Wu YP, Chen X, Yan S, Xia H, Hide G, Lun ZR, Ayala FJ, Xiang AP. Guanylate-binding protein 1 (GBP1) contributes to the immunity of human mesenchymal stromal cells against Toxoplasma gondii. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2017 Feb 7;114(6):1365-1370. (Co-first Author)
17. Liao Y, Lei J, Liu M, Lin W, Hong D, Tuo Y, Jiang MH, Xia H, Wang M, Huang W, Xiang AP. Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Mitigate Experimental Colitis via Insulin-like Growth Factor Binding Protein 7-mediated Immunosuppression. Mol Ther. 2016 Oct;24(10):1860-1872. (Co-corresponding Author)
18. Wang J, Wang Y, Wang S, Cai J, Shi J, Sui X, Cao Y, Huang W, Chen X, Cai Z, Li H, Bardeesi AS, Zhang B, Liu M, Song W, Wang M, Xiang AP. Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cell-secreted IL-8 promotes the angiogenesis and growth of colorectal cancer. Oncotarget. 2015 Dec 15;6(40):42825-37.
19. Jiang MH, Li G, Liu J, Liu L, Wu B, Huang W, He W, Deng C, Wang D, Li C, Lahn BT, Shi C, Xiang AP. Nestin(+) kidney resident mesenchymal stem cells for the treatment of acute kidney ischemia injury. Biomaterials. 2015 May;50:56-66.
20. Liu Q, Zheng H, Chen X, Peng Y, Huang W, Li X, Li G, Xia W, Sun Q, Xiang AP. Human mesenchymal stromal cells enhance the immunomodulatory function of CD8(+)CD28(-) regulatory T cells. Cell Mol Immunol. 2015 Nov;12(6):708-18.
21. Lei J, Hui D, Huang W, Liao Y, Yang L, Liu L, Zhang Q, Qi G, Song W, Zhang Y, Xiang AP, Zhou Q. Heterogeneity of the biological properties and gene expression profiles of murine bone marrow stromal cells. Int J Biochem Cell Biol. 2013 Nov;45(11):2431-43.