Academic Staff

PolyU Scholars Hub

Dr Cheng Wai-yin, Nano

Research Assistant Professor

PolyU Scholars Hub

ORCID ID

SCOPUS ID

Research Overview

Dr Cheng’s research interests are in the areas of chrononutrition, immunology and neuroscience. She focuses on developing novel dietary strategies for treating neuroinflammation, chronodisruption (e.g. shift-work/ jet lag) and its related diseases; as well as studying the underlying mechanisms involved.

Education and Academic Qualifications

Bachelor of Science in Food Safety and Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Master of Philosophy, The Chinese University of Hong Kong
Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Hong Kong

Academic and Professional Experience

Postdoctoral researcher, KU Leuven
Grant Reviewer, U.S.-Israel Binational Science Foundation
Reviewer for different SCI journals, including Journal of Advanced Research, Journal of Neuroinflammation, International Journal of Biological Macromolecules and The Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry
Member, Society for Neuroscience
Member, Alzheimer's Association International Society to Advance Alzheimer's Research and Treatment
Registered European Commission Expert
Young GI Associate, United European Gastroenterology
Organizing Committee, Yen Kwo Yung Lecture in Life Sciences (2019)
Academic exchange, University of Cambridge (2016)

Research Interests

Achievements

Outstanding Alumni Award 2025 of PolyU
Best Poster Award, 2025 International Conference on Polysaccharides for Nutraceuticals and Future Food
Young Investigator Award for Poster Presentation, 17th International Symposium on Healthy Aging (2023)
Postdoctoral Fellowship (2022-2023), KU Leuven
Hui Pun Hing Memorial Postgraduate Fellowship, University Postgraduate Fellowship (2019-2022), The University of Hong Kong
University Postgraduate Scholarship (2019-2022)
Research Postgraduate Student Grants for Overseas Academic Activities, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (2018)
HKSAR Government Scholarship (2016-2017)
Reaching Out Award, HKSAR Government Scholarship Fund (2014)
Dr. Ng Tat-lun Memorial Scholarship (2016-2017)
Li Po Chun Charitable Trust Fund Scholarship (2015-2016)
Dean’s Honours List (2014-2017), The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Lee Kam Kee Food Innovation Competition Merit award (2015)
Subject Prize for Outstanding Performance in Analytical Chemistry (2014-2015), The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Cheng, W.Y.*, Chan, P.H., Chan, P.L., Lam, K.L., Lai, C.H., HO, Y.S., Yeung, W.F., Wong, K.H., Cheung, P.C.K. & Chang, R. C. C. (2026). Chronoregulatory and Neuroprotective Effects of Yeast β-Glucan Against Systemic Inflammation. Carbohydrate Polymers, 124812 (Impact factor: 12.5, Q1)
Chen, S.C., Li, H., Ning, M., Yu, B.Y.M., Wu, S., Cheng, W.Y., Li, Y, Yeung, W.F.(2026). The Association Between Gut Microbiota and Insomnia: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Sleep Medicine Reviews, [Accepted, in press] (Impact factor: 9.7, Q1)
Cheng, W.Y.*, Lee, X.Z., Lai, M.S.L., Ho, Y.S. and Chang, R.C.C. (2025). PKR Modulates Sterile Systemic Inflammation-Triggered Neuroinflammation and Brain Glucose Metabolism Disturbance. Frontiers in Immunology, 16, 1469737 (Impact factor: 5.9, Q1)
Ling, P. Z., Wong, K. H., Ho, Y. S., Cheng, W. Y.*, & Chang, R. C. C. (2025). The Role of Gut-Brain Axis in Modulating the Impact of Sterile Inflammation on Neuroimmune Responses in Neurodegenerative Diseases—Alzheimer’s Disease and Parkinson’s Disease. Neuroimmunomodulation, 32 (1), 220–232.
Chen, S. C., Wu, T. M. S., Li, H., Shou, J. W., Qin, J., Wu, G. T., Cheng, W. Y., & Yeung, W. F. (2025). Parental Perspectives on Eating Disorders of Their School-Age Children with ADHD in Hong Kong: A Qualitative Study. Nutrients, 17(3), 513. (Impact factor: 5.0, Q1)
Zhu, Y. Y., Dong, Y. H., Gu, F. T., Zhao, Z. C., Huang, L. X., Cheng, W. Y.*, & Wu, J. Y. (2024). Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Cordyceps Cs-HK1 Fungus Exopolysaccharide on Lipopolysaccharide-Stimulated Macrophages via the TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB Pathway. Nutrients, 16(22), 3885. (Impact factor: 5.0, Q1)
Cheng, W.Y.*, Chan, P.L., Ong, H.Y., Wong, K.H., & Chang, R. C. C. (2024). Systemic Inflammation Disrupts Circadian Rhythms and Diurnal Neuroimmune Dynamics. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 25(13). (Impact factor: 5.7, Q1)
Ho, Y. S., Cheng, W. Y., Lai, M. S. L., Lau, C. F., Wong, G. T. C., Yeung, W. F., & Chang, R. C. C. (2024). Postoperative Electroacupuncture Boosts Cognitive Function Recovery after Laparotomy in Mice. Biomolecules, 14(10), 1274. (Impact factor: 5.6, Q1)
Wu, Y., Meng, X., Cheng, W. Y., Yan, Z., Li, K., Wang, J., Jiang, T., Zhou, F., Wong, K. H., Zhong, C., Dong, Y., & Gao, S. (2024). Can pluripotent/multipotent stem cells reverse Parkinson's disease progression? Frontiers in Neuroscience, 18, 1210447. (Impact factor: 3.2, Q2)
Cheung, K., Chan, V., Chan, S., Wong, M. M. H., Chung, G. K. K., Cheng, W. Y., Lo, K. & Zeng, F. (2024). Effect of intermittent fasting on cardiometabolic health in the Chinese population: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Nutrients, 16(3), 357. (Impact factor: 5.0, Q1)
Cheng, W.Y., Desmet, L., & Depoortere, I. (2023). Time-restricted eating for chronodisruption-related chronic diseases. Acta Physiologica, 239(2), e14027. (Impact factor: 6.3, Q1)
Cheng, W. Y., Ho, Y. S., & Chang, R. C. C. (2022). Linking circadian rhythms to microbiome-gut-brain axis in aging-associated neurodegenerative diseases. Ageing Research Reviews, 78, 101620. (Impact factor: 12.4, Q1)
Wong, W. K., Lai, C. H. N., Cheng, W. Y., Tung, L. H., Chang, R. C. C., & Leung, F. K. C. (2022). Polymer–Metal Composite Healthcare Materials: From Nano to Device Scale. Journal of Composites Science, 6(8), 218. (Impact score: 3.9, Q2)
Cheng, W. Y., Lam, K. L., Li, X., Kong, A. P. S., & Cheung, P. C. K. (2021). Circadian disruption-induced metabolic syndrome in mice is ameliorated by oat β-glucan mediated by gut microbiota. Carbohydrate Polymers, 267, 118216. (Impact factor: 12.5, Q1)
Cheng, W. Y., Lam, K. L., Kong, A. P. S., & Cheung, P. C. K. (2020). Prebiotic supplementation (beta-glucan and inulin) attenuates circadian misalignment induced by shifted light-dark cycle in mice by modulating circadian gene expression. Food Research International, 137, 109437. (Impact factor: 8.0, Q1)
Lam, K. L., Cheng, W. Y., Su, Y., Li, X., Wu, X., Wong, K. H., ... & Cheung, P. C. K. (2020). Use of random forest analysis to quantify the importance of the structural characteristics of beta-glucans for prebiotic development. Food Hydrocolloids, 108, 106001. (Impact factor: 12.4, Q1)
Lam, K. L., Cheng, W. Y., Yang, F., Lin, S., You, L., Chiou, J., ... & Cheung, P. C. K. (2020). Framework as a Service, FaaS: Personalized Prebiotic Development for Infants with the Elements of Time and Parametric Modelling of In Vitro Fermentation. Microorganisms, 8(5), 623. (Impact factor: 4.926, Q2)
Lam, K. L., Ko, K. C., Li, X., Ke, X., Cheng, W. Y., Chen, T., ... & Cheung, P. C. K. (2019). In Vitro Infant Faecal Fermentation of Low Viscosity Barley β-Glucan and Its Acid Hydrolyzed Derivatives: Evaluation of Their Potential as Novel Prebiotics. Molecules, 24(5), 828. (Impact factor: 5.0, Q1)
Cheng, W. Y., Wei, X. Q., Siu, K. C., Song, A. X., & Wu, J. Y. (2018). Cosmetic and Skincare Benefits of Cultivated Mycelia from the Chinese Caterpillar Mushroom, Ophiocordyceps sinensis (Ascomycetes). International journal of medicinal mushrooms, 20(7), 623-636. (Research article based on final year project; Impact factor: 1.921, Q3)
Li, X., Zhou, J., Dong, X., Cheng, W. Y., Duan, H., & Cheung, P. C. K. (2018). In Vitro and In Vivo Photothermal Cancer Therapeutic Effects of Gold Nanorods Modified with Mushroom β-Glucan. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry, 66(16), 4091-4098. (Impact factor: 6.2, Q1)