PolyU Scholars Hub
Prof. Thomas LAM
Assoc. Head (Research and Innovation), ADoRCSV & Associate Professor
- HJ537
- +852 2766 6115
- thomas.c.lam@polyu.edu.hk
- Prof. Lam's main research interest is the study of protein expressions / regulations in different eye diseases or disorders using advanced omics and bioinformatics technologies. Postdoc and other research positions are open. Please email: thomas.c.lam@polyu.edu.hk
ORCID ID
SCOPUS IDBiography
Prof. Thomas Lam completed his undergraduate training with first-class honours in Optometry from PolyU. He was awarded a PhD scholarship to pursue his study on proteomics and animal myopia. He is among the first to pursue global retinal protein profiling and novel protein regulations in the chick myopia model using a mass spectrometry approach. Prof. Lam started his academic career in 2008 as a Lecturer in the School of Optometry in PolyU and obtained his first competitive research grant from the RGC in the following year. In 2010, he relocated to Singapore and helped establish the first BSc Optometry degree programme offered by the University of Manchester (UK). He returned to Hong Kong in 2012 and he is currently an Associate Professor of the School of Optometry and serves as Director of PolyU Shenzhen centralized animal facility and Associate Director of PolyU centralized animal facility.
Prof. Lam has a good mix of academic and clinical experience. He obtained his fellowship of the American Academy of Optometry (FAAO) in 2009. He has more than 15 years experience in clinical supervision in various optometry clinics locally and overseas. He also actively serves in the profession as an editorial board member of international journals, an organizing committee member of international conferences, a councilor of The Hong Kong Society of Professional Optometrists (HKSPO), and a member of The Optometrists Board of Hong Kong, The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. He is currently a PI of Centre for Eye and Vision Research (CEVR), HK Science Park, Research Centre for SHARP Vision, PolyU, Research Centre for Chinese Medicine Innovation (RCMI), PolyU and Shenzhen Research Institute, PolyU.
Prof. Lam has a good mix of academic and clinical experience. He obtained his fellowship of the American Academy of Optometry (FAAO) in 2009. He has more than 15 years experience in clinical supervision in various optometry clinics locally and overseas. He also actively serves in the profession as an editorial board member of international journals, an organizing committee member of international conferences, a councilor of The Hong Kong Society of Professional Optometrists (HKSPO), and a member of The Optometrists Board of Hong Kong, The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. He is currently a PI of Centre for Eye and Vision Research (CEVR), HK Science Park, Research Centre for SHARP Vision, PolyU, Research Centre for Chinese Medicine Innovation (RCMI), PolyU and Shenzhen Research Institute, PolyU.
Research Overview
Prof. Lam’s main research interest is the study of ocular proteomes and protein regulations in multifactorial diseases, including ocular surface disorders, myopia, and other retinal generations. His novel application of proteomics and bioinformatics platform in eye research has attracted a significant amount of collaborative research and equipment grants from PolyU, the University Grants Committee, Industries, Startup organizations, and Mainland China.
Proteomics has contributed dramatically to our understanding of gene function in the post-genomic era. Next-generation data-independent acquisition and targeted mass spectrometry platform have helped identify protein markers in many diseases for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes.
Education and Academic Qualifications
- Bachelor of Science in Optometry, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
- Doctor of Philosophy, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Professional Qualifications
- Registered Optometrist (Part I)
- Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry
Academic and Professional Experience
- Doctor of Philosophy, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
- Bachelor of Science in Optometry, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
- Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry
- Registered Optometrist (Part 1)
- Programme Committee member, International conference of vision and eye research
- Chair, scientific committee, The 10th Asia Cornea & Contact lens Conference
- International Advisory Committee member of ARVO-Asia
- Chairman, the working group on publication of report, Optometrists Board, The Government of HKSAR
- Member, Optometrists Board, The Government of HKSAR
- Member, The International Association of Contact Lens Educators
- Member, The Singapore Optometric Association
- Member, The Hong Kong Society of Professional Optometrists
- Member, The Hong Kong Society of Mass Spectrometry
- Member, Innovation Advisory Board, AB SCIEX, US
Research Interests
Research Output
- Xiao, H.; Lu, D. Q.; Cheung, J. K.; Sze, Y. H.; Bian, J. F.; Do, C. W.; Zhou, L.; Xing, X. L.; Lam, T. C*. Comprehensive characterization of human aqueous humor proteomes from primary open-angle glaucoma using data-independent acquisition dataset on a TimsTOF pro mass spectrometer. Data Brief 2025, 61, 111881.
- Yang, Y.; Sze, Y. H.; Zhou, H.; Ko, W. W. M.; Zhang, Y.; Li, K.; Zhang, Q.; Li, K. K.; Charles, T. C.; To, C. H.; et al. Bidirectional Phosphorylation Changes in Opsins Associated With Early Myopia and Hyperopia Signal Regulation by Phosphoproteomics. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2025, 66 (9), 70.
- Sze, Y. H.; Zuo, B.; Lu, D. Q.; Li, K. K.; Tse, D. Y. Y.; Zhao, Q.; Lam, T. C*. Comparative analysis of ocular biometrics using spectral domain optical coherence tomography with Purkinje image and optic nerve head alignments in mice. Eur J Med Res 2025, 30 (1), 67.
- Mansoor, H.; Lee, I. X. Y.; Liu, C.; Yu, M.; Toh, C. J. L.; Hsu, V. W.; Liu, F.; Lu, D.; Lam, T. C.; Tan, H. C.; et al. Fenofibrate ameliorates ocular surface inflammation in diabetic keratopathy. Ocul Surf 2025, 38, 31-40.
- Liao, X.; Guo, B.; Bian, J.; Li, P. H.; Tse, J. S. H.; Ngo, W.; Zhou, L.; Lam, T*. Efficacy of a new nanoemulsion artificial tear in dry eye disease management: Study protocol for a prospective cohort study. PLoS One 2025, 20 (5), e0323523.
- Choi, K. Y.; Wong, G. T. K.; Chan, S. S. H.; Lam, T. C*.; Chan, H. H. Interaction of retinal electrophysiology and novel orthokeratology lens use on myopia control efficacy in children. Br J Ophthalmol 2025, 109 (4), 463-469.
- Chan, K. K.; Lee, A. C.; Chung, S. R.; Wong, M. S.; Do, C. W.; Lam, T. C.; Kong, H. K. Upregulations of SNAT2 and GLS-1 Are Key Osmoregulatory Responses of Human Corneal Epithelial Cells to Hyperosmotic Stress. J Proteome Res 2025, 24 (6), 2771-2782.
- Chan, K. K.; Cheung, J. K.; Chung, S. R.; Kong, H. K.; Bian, J.; Zhou, L.; Do, C. W.; Lam, T. C.* A Comprehensive Proteome of Human Corneal Epithelial Cells Constructed by Cross-platform DIA-Mass Spectrometry. Sci Data 2025, 12 (1), 848
- Zhao, N.; Li, Y. Y.; Xu, J. M.; Yang, M. Y.; Li, Y. Z.; Lam, T. C.; Zhou, L.; Tong, Q. H.; Zhang, J. T.; Wang, S. Z.; et al. Cone-rod homeobox transcriptionally activates TCF7 to promote the proliferation of retinal pigment epithelial and retinoblastoma cells in vitro. Int J Ophthalmol 2024, 17 (11), 1995-2006.
- Yin Chan, K.; Liao, X.; Guo, B.; Tse, J. S. H.; Li, P. H.; Cheong, A. M. Y.; Ngo, W.; Lam, T. C.* Ocular surface parameters repeatability and agreement -A comparison between Keratograph 5M and IDRA. Cont Lens Anterior Eye 2024, 47 (6), 102281.
- Yang, Y.; Tse, Y. S.; Zhang, Q.; Wong, K. Y.; Yang, C.; Yang, Y.; Li, S.; Lau, K. W.; Charles, T. C.; Lam, T. C.; et al. Multiplexed Target Profiling with Integrated Chemical Genomics and Chemical Proteomics. J Med Chem 2024, 67 (19), 17542-17550.
- Sze, Y. H.; Tse, D. Y. Y.; Zuo, B.; Li, K. K.; Zhao, Q.; Jiang, X.; Kurihara, T.; Tsubota, K.; Lam, T. C.* Deep Spectral Library of Mice Retina for Myopia Research: Proteomics Dataset generated by SWATH and DIA-NN. Sci Data 2024, 11 (1), 1115.
- Liu, C.; Lin, M. T.; Lee, I. X. Y.; Wong, J. H. F.; Lu, D.; Lam, T. C.; Zhou, L.; Mehta, J. S.; Ong, H. S.; Ang, M.; et al. Neuropathic Corneal Pain: Tear Proteomic and Neuromediator Profiles, Imaging Features, and Clinical Manifestations. Am J Ophthalmol 2024, 265, 6-20
- Guo, B.; Chan, K. Y.; Li, P. H.; Tse, J. S. H.; Liao, X.; Eng, D.; Chen, C.; Meng, Z.; Wei, R.; Cheong, A.; et al. Validation and repeatability assessment of the Chinese version of the Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI), 5-item dry eye (DEQ-5), and contact lens dry eye questionnaire-8 (CLDEQ-8) questionnaires. Cont Lens Anterior Eye 2024, 102353.
- Cheung, J. K.; Li, K. K.; Zhou, L.; To, C. H.; Lam, T. C*. Identification of Potential Growth-Related Proteins in Chick Vitreous during Emmetropization Using SWATH-MS and Targeted-Based Proteomics (MRMHR). Int J Mol Sci 2024, 25 (19), 10644.
- Chan, K. Y.; Guo, B.; Tse, J. S.; Li, P. H.; Cheong, A. M.; Ngo, W.; Lam, T. C*. A cross-sectional study of optometrists' attitudes towards dry eye disease management in Hong Kong: A web-based survey in Hong Kong. Heliyon 2024, 10 (10), e31181.
- Catral, K. P. C.; Tse, C. Y.; Yang, W. Y.; Ling, C. Y.; Kwok, O. L.; Choy, K. Y.; Lu, D. Q.; Bian, J. F.; Lam, T. C.; Tse, D. Y.; et al. Thrombospondin 1 Mediates Autophagy Upon Inhibition of the Rho-Associated Protein Kinase Inhibitor. Cells 2024, 13 (22).
- Belete, G. T.; Zhou, L.; Li, K. K.; So, P. K.; Do, C. W.; Lam, T. C.* Metabolomics studies in common multifactorial eye disorders: a review of biomarker discovery for age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy and myopia. Front Mol Biosci 2024, 11, 1403844
