Prof. Kai Liu is currently the Cheng Professor of Science at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST). He also serves as Associate Director of HKUST-Nan Fung Life Sciences Joint Laboratory and Laboratory Animal Facility at HKUST.
Prof. Liu is a leading expert on axonal regeneration. His research interest focuses on the intrinsic mechanisms regulating axonal regeneration and functional repair after central nervous system injuries. He has made several important findings in the field. A research team led by Prof. Liu successfully stimulated the growth of corticospinal tract axons, nerve fibers that control voluntary motor functions, after chronic spinal cord injury, and demonstrated that enhancing neuronal activity promotes axon regeneration in the adult central nervous system. His research has been featured in distinguished publications, including the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, Science Advances, Neuron and Journal of Neuroscience.