Prof. Kwok-Fai So, Ph.D.
Member, Chinese Academy of Sciences

Chair Professor and Head
Jessie Ho Professor in Neuroscience
Department of Anatomy
The University of Hong Kong

Co-Directors
JNU-HKU Joint Laboratory for Brain Function and Health (BFAH)
Jinan University

Background
Prof. So  is currently Chair Professor and Head of the Department of Anatomy, Jessie Ho Professor in Neuroscience at The University of Hong Kong ( http://www.hku.hk/anatomy/Staff/KFSo/k.f.so.htm ), a member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Co-Director of the China Spinal Cord Injury Network (www.hku.hk/hkuscif), and Co-Director of the State Key laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Sciences at HKU (www.hku.hk/fmri/).   He received his Ph.D. degree from MIT. He is one of the pioneers in the field of axonal regeneration in visual system. He was the first to show lengthy regeneration of retinal ganglion cells in adult mammals with peripheral nerve graft. He is currently using multiple approaches to promote axonal regeneration in the optic nerve and spinal cord. His team identifies neuroprotective and regenerative factors including: peptide nanofiber scaffold, trophic factors, herbal extracts, other small molecules, immune responses and environmental manipulation. He is the author and co-author of over 200+ publications.             .
He is Honorary or Visiting Professor to a number of Universities in China, including the Sun Yat-Sen University (Guangzhou), Beijing Medical University, Institute of Neurosciences of the Fourth Military Medical University (Xi’an), Central South University (Changsha), Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Sichuan), Chengdu Army Kunming General Hospital (Kunming), Suzhou University, and Tianjin Medical University Hospital.

Research

Neuroprotection and neuroregeneration of the mammalian optic nerve.
Long-term research goal is to find a cure for blindness resulted from traumatic optic nerve in glaucoma. Various approaches are used to promote the survival and axonal regeneration of retinal ganglion cells in hamster and rat.
Peripheral or optic nerve graft, Schwann cells or fibroblasts, and trophic factors such as BDNF, CNTF, Nogo, or Lingo receptor antagonists are administered into the vitreous of the eye to rescue damaged retinal ganglion cells.  
Low level laser irradiation and traditional Chinese herbal extracts are also used to protect damaged retinal ganglion cells.  
Peripheral nerve graft is used as a bridge to promote and guide the regeneration of the damaged optic nerve.  
Injection of CNTF into the vitreous of the eye to promote regeneration of optic axons across a crushed site.  
Use of self-assembling peptide nanofiber scaffold for axon regeneration and repair of injured brain tissue.  
The molecular mechanisms of neuroprotection and neuroregeneration are studies including growth associated gene expression and trophic factors receptor genes.  
The functional return of vision of the animals with repaired optic nerve is tested in our animal behavioral laboratory.