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Dr S.W. Shan
PolyU Scholars Hub

Dr Samantha SHAN

Research Assistant Professor

Biography

Dr Samantha SW Shan obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry from The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK). After completing her undergraduate studies, she obtained her PhD degree in the Department of Anatomy in CUHK (which is now under the School of Biomedical Science). Following this, she spent about four years as a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Sunnybrook Health Science Centre, an affiliated hospital of University of Toronto, Canada, where she was involved in microRNA studies associated with hepatocellular carcinoma in microRNA-transgenic mice. Her work was very well received in conference presentations and resulted in a number of publications in high impact journals, including Nature Cell Biology, FASEB Journal and the Journal of Cell Science. Prior to joining The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, she has worked as a laboratory director in a private cord blood bank in Hong Kong for three years. Dr Shan joined School of Optometry as a Research Fellow in 2014 and is currently a Research Assistant Professor in the School.

Dr Shan has more than ten year’s local and overseas experience in molecular research. She is proficient in adopting both genomic and proteomic approaches in her work. Dr Shan’s research interest is the pathophysiology of glaucoma. Her research is attempting to unravel the mechanisms of aqueous humor secretion, outflow facility, and intraocular pressure (IOP). Her research associated with ocular health has been published in international journals including Investigative Ophthalmology and Vision Science, Scientific Reports, Journal of Proteomics, J. Proteome Research and Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity.

Education and Academic Qualifications

  • Postgraduate Diploma in Medical Laboratory Science, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
  • Bachelor of Science, The Chinese University of Hong Kong
  • Master of Philosophy, The Chinese University of Hong Kong
  • Doctor of Philosophy, The Chinese University of Hong Kong

Professional Qualifications

  • Registered Medical Laboratory Technologist (Part II)

Research Interests

  • Mechanism of aqueous humor formation, outflow facility and IOP regulation
  • MicroRNAs on outflow facility
  • DNA methylation of potential candidates on outflow facility and IOP regulation

Research Output

  1. Hoi-lam Li, Samantha Sze-wan Shan, W. Daniel Stamer, et al. (2022) Mechanistic effects of baicalein on aqueous humor drainage and intraocular pressure. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. (In press)
  2. Wing Yan Yu*, Samantha Sze Wan Shan*, Yamunadevi Lakshmanan, et al. (2022) Selective blue-filtering spectacle lens protected primary porcine RPE cells against light emitting diode-induced cell damage. PLoS One 17(5): e0268796. (*Co-first author with equal contribution)
  3. Sze Wan Shan*, Pan Feng Wang*, Jimmy Ka Wai Cheung, Fengjuan Yu, Hui Zheng, Shumeng Luo, Shea Ping Yip, Chi Ho To, and Thomas Chuen Lam. (2022) Transcriptional profiling of the chick retina identifies down-regulation of VIP and UTS2B genes during early lens-induced myopia. Molecular Omics 18(5): 449-459. (*Co-first author with equal contribution)
  4. Samuel Abokyi, Sze-wan Shan, et al. (2021) Targeting lysosomes to reverse hydroquinone-induced autophagy defects and oxidative damage in human retinal pigment epithelial cells. International Journal of Molecular Sciences 22(16): 9042.
  5. Sze‐Wan Shan, Chi‐Wai Do, et al. (2021) Thrombospondin‐1 mediates Rho‐kinase inhibitor‐induced increase in outflow‐facility. J Cell Physiol. 236(12): 8226-8238.
  6. Shan SW, Tse DY, et al. (2018). Integrated SWATH-based and targeted-based proteomics provide insights into the retinal emmetropization process in guinea pig. J Proteomics. 181: 1-15.
  7. Shan SW, Do CW, et al. (2017) New insight of common regulatory pathways in human trabecular meshwork cells in response to dexamethasone and prednisolone using an integrated quantitative proteomics: SWATH and MRM-HR mass spectrometry. J. Proteome Research 16(10): 3753-3765.
  8. Shan SW, Fang L, et al. (2013) Mature MiR-17-5p and passenger miR-17-3p induce hepatocellular carcinoma by targeting PTEN, GalNT7, and vimentin in different signal pathways. J Cell Sci. Mar 15 126(Pt 6): 1517-30.
  9. Shan SW, Lee DY, et al. (2009) MicroRNA MiR-17 overexpression retards tissue growth and represses fibronectin expression. Nat. Cell Biol 11(7): 1031-8.
  10. Shan SW, Tang MK, et al. (2007) Induction of growth arrest and polycomb gene expression by reversine allows C2C12 cells to be reprogrammed to become stem-like cells. Proteomics 7: 4303-16.
  1. Research Grants Council General Research Fund (as Co-I) “The role of photoreceptors and color vision in emmetropization in chicks”. (Jan 2023 – Dec 2025)
  2. Research Grants Council General Research Fund (as Co-I) “Reducing neural cytotoxicity by using synthesized aquaporin-4 mimotope peptides in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder-related optic neuritis: from model construction to experimental investigation”. (Jan 2023 – Dec 2025)
  3. Health and Medical Research Fund (as PI) “Epigenetic regulation and glaucoma – the effect of DNA methylation inhibition of Thrombospondin 1 on aqueous humor dynamics”. (Sep 2022 – Aug 2025)
  4. Research Centre for SHARP Vision Smaller-scale Project, POLYU (as PC) “Characterizing the effects of ROCK inhibition on mitochondrial function of trabecular meshwork cells in vitro and in vivo”. (Apr 2022 – Mar 2023)
  5. Health and Medical Research Fund (as PI) “Gene editing approach for glaucoma treatment – downregulation of TSP1 improves outflow facility and IOP reduction”. (Oct 2021 – Sep 2024)
  6. The National Natural Science Foundation of China (as Co-I) “Effect of microRNA in the functions and mechanisms of DNMT inhibitor resistance in Leukemia”. (Jan 2013-Dec 2016)

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