Huanxing SU 蘇煥興

• 2014 Macau Awards for Science and Technology, FDCT, Macao SAR
• Incentive Award Scheme for Outstanding Academic Staff 2017/2018
• Incentive Award Scheme for Outstanding Academic Staff  2019/2020

1. Drug Discovery and Validation in Cross-Species ALS Models

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fast-progressing and devastating neurodegenerative disease. Despite extensive studies on ALS over the past decades, there is still no cure for this fatal disease. My lab has developed a suite of cross-species ALS models including, C. elegans, mice, and patient derived iPSCs, which enable comprehensive exploration of the pathogenesis of ALS and facilitate screening for effective candidate drugs.

Representative publications:

Li A, Xiao X, Qin D*, Su H*. Discovery of a novel TFEB activator targeting lysosomal dysfunction in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis using artificial intelligence-based virtual screening. Autophagy. 2026 Apr 12. doi: 10.1080/15548627.2026.2659295

Li A, Xiao X, Liu G, Li K, Ling Y, Deng S, Xu C, Cao SQ, Wen J, Lu G, Yang G, Fang EF, Qin D*, Su H*. Isoginkgetin protects against degeneration of ALS motor neurons via regulating the GSK-3β-TFEB signaling axis. Pharmacol Res. 2026 Mar 28;227:108172.

Li A, Cao SQ, Fang EF*, Su H*. Pharmacological activation of mitophagy antagonizes motor neuron degeneration in a cross-species platform of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Autophagy. 2026 Mar;22(3):637-639.

Li A, Huang S, Cao SQ, Lin J, Zhao L, Yu F, Huang M, Yang L, Xin J, Wen J, Yan L, Zhang K, Jiang M, Le W, Li P, Liu YU, Qin D, Lu J, Lu G, Shen H, Yao X*, Fang EF*, Su H*. Isoginkgetin antagonizes ALS pathologies in its animal and patient iPSC models via PINK1-Parkin-dependent mitophagy. EMBO Mol Med. 2025 Nov;17(11):3139-3173.

Wen J, Li Y, Qin Y, Yan L, Zhang K, Li A, Wang Z, Yu F, Lai J, Yang W, Liu YU*, Qin D*, Su H*. Lycorine protects motor neurons against TDP-43 proteinopathy-induced degeneration in cross-species models with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Pharmacol Res. 2024 Dec; 210:107518.

Huang M, Liu YU, Yao X*, Qin D*, Su H*. Variability in SOD1-associated amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: geographic patterns, clinical heterogeneity, molecular alterations, and therapeutic implications. Transl Neurodegener. 2024 May 29;13(1):28.

Zhang K, Huang M, Li A, Wen J, Yan L, Li Y, Guo L, Senthil KS, Zhou Y, Chen G, Liu Y, Zhang X, Yao X, Qin D, Su H*. DIAPH3 condensates formed by liquid-liquid phase separation act as a regulatory hub for stress-induced actin cytoskeleton remodeling. Cell Rep. 2023 Jan 10;42(1):111986.

2. Targeting glymphatic function and blood-brain barrier integrity to treat dementia

Targeting the glymphatic system and blood-brain barrier integrity offers a promising therapeutic strategy for various forms of dementia including Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia by clearing toxic proteins and maintaining brain homeostasis. Over the past decade, my lab is looking for pharmacological agents that can be used in long term to promote glymphatic function and protect BBB integrity without obvious side effects.

Representative publications:

Yan L, Xu K, Liu C, Yu F, Guo J, Hou L, Feng Y, Yang M, Gong Q, Qin D, Qin M, Wang Y, Su H*, Lu Y*. Polymer-Formulated Nerve Growth Factor Shows Effective Therapeutic Efficacy for Cerebral Microinfarcts. Adv Mater. 2025 Jan;37(3): e2412843.

Wen J, Satyanarayanan SK, Li A, Yan L, Zhao Z, Yuan Q, Su KP*, Su H*. Unraveling the impact of Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids on blood-brain barrier (BBB) integrity and glymphatic function. Brain Behav Immun. 2024 Jan;115:335-355.

Yan L, Xie Y, Satyanarayanan SK, Zeng H, Liu Q, Huang M, Ma Y, Wan JB, Yao X, Su KP, Su H*. Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids promote brain-to-blood clearance of β-Amyloid in a mouse model with Alzheimer’s disease. Brain Behav Immun. 2020 Mar; 85:35-45.

Liu Q, Yan L, Huang M, Zeng H, Satyanarayanan SK, Shi Z, Chen D, Lu JH, Pei Z, Yao X, Su H*. Experimental alcoholism primes structural and functional impairment of the glymphatic pathway. Brain Behav Immun. 2020 Mar;85:106-119.

Luo C, Ren H, Yao X, Shi Z, Liang F, Kang JX, Wan JB, Pei Z, Su KP, Su H*. Enriched Brain Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids Confer Neuroprotection against Microinfarction. EBioMedicine. 2018 Jun; 32:50-61.

1. Li A, Xiao X, Liu G, Li K, Ling Y, Deng S, Xu C, Cao SQ, Wen J, Lu G, Yang G, Fang EF, Qin D*, Su H*. Isoginkgetin protects against degeneration of ALS motor neurons via regulating the GSK-3β-TFEB signaling axis. Pharmacol Res. 2026 Mar 28;227:108172.
2. Li A, Huang S, Cao SQ, Lin J, Zhao L, Yu F, Huang M, Yang L, Xin J, Wen J, Yan L, Zhang K, Jiang M, Le W, Li P, Liu YU, Qin D, Lu J, Lu G, Shen H, Yao X*, Fang EF*, Su H*. Isoginkgetin antagonizes ALS pathologies in its animal and patient iPSC models via PINK1-Parkin-dependent mitophagy. EMBO Mol Med. 2025 Nov;17(11):3139-3173.
3. Yan L, Xu K, Liu C, Yu F, Guo J, Hou L, Feng Y, Yang M, Gong Q, Qin D, Qin M, Wang Y, Su H*, Lu Y*. Polymer-Formulated Nerve Growth Factor Shows Effective Therapeutic Efficacy for Cerebral Microinfarcts. Adv Mater. 2025 Jan;37(3): e2412843.
4. Wen J, Li Y, Qin Y, Yan L, Zhang K, Li A, Wang Z, Yu F, Lai J, Yang W, Liu YU*, Qin D*, Su H*. Lycorine protects motor neurons against TDP-43 proteinopathy-induced degeneration in cross-species models with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Pharmacol Res. 2024 Dec; 210:107518.
5. Zhang K, Huang M, Li A, Wen J, Yan L, Li Y, Guo L, Senthil KS, Zhou Y, Chen G, Liu Y, Zhang X, Yao X, Qin D, Su H*. DIAPH3 condensates formed by liquid-liquid phase separation act as a regulatory hub for stress-induced actin cytoskeleton remodeling. Cell Rep. 2023 Jan 10;42(1):111986.

Dr. Su obtained his medical degree (MD) from Zhejiang University, an MPhil from the Chinese University of Hong Kong, and a PhD from the University of Hong Kong. He is currently a Full Professor at the University of Macau. His research primarily focuses on identifying and validating effective pharmacological strategies for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Dr. Su has authored nearly 100 peer-reviewed publications as corresponding author in high-impact journals in his discipline, with nearly 12,000 citations in Scopus and over 27,000 citations on Google Scholar. He also serves as an Associate Editor for Aging and Disease and is an editorial board member of Brain Behavior and Immunity. His research continues to integrate multidisciplinary approaches spanning neuropharmacology, molecular neuroscience, and regenerative medicine, aiming to identify safe and effective long-term therapeutics for neurodegenerative and aging-related disorders.

For his complete list of publications, please visit his PubMed profile “https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=huanxing+su&sort=date”.

Editorial Board Member: Brain, Behavior, and Immunity

Associate Editor: Aging and disease

(1). Mechanistic studies on cell cycle and cell division during cell reprograming (Ministry of Science and Technology 973 program of China; Project Code: 2012CB966802; Duration: 2012, 01-2016, 12). PI.

(2). Application of induced pluripotent stem cells in treatment of multiple sclerosis (Start-up Research Grant (SRG) 2012; Project Code: SRGO14.ICMS12-SHX; Duration: 2012, 01-2012, 12). PI.

(3). Using patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells for drug screens for efficacy and preclinical predictive toxicology (Multi-year research grant from the University of Macau; Project Code: MYRG122 (Y1-L3)-ICMS12-SHX; Duration: 2012, 06-2015, 05). PI.

(4). Therapeutic potentials of ginsenoside and neural progenitor cell transplantation in stroke (Multi-year research grant from the University of Macau; Project Code: MYRG110 (Y1-L2)-ICMS13-SHX; Duration: 2013, 05-2016, 04). PI.

(5). Therapeutic potentials of a combination of ginsenoside Rd administration and neural progenitor cell transplantation in stroke (Macao Science and Technology Development Fund; Project Code: FDCT 003/2012/A; Duration: 2012, 10-2014, 04). PI.

(6). Using patient-specific induced pluripotent stem cells to establish drug screening platforms for neurodegenerative diseases (Macao Science and Technology Development Fund; Project Code: FDCT 018/2013/A1; Duration: 2014, 01-2016, 12). PI.

(7). Driving metabolite clearance from the brain to maintain its homeostasis via activating the Glymphatic System and exploring its underlying mechanisms (Macao Science and Technology Development Fund; Project Code: FDCT 063/2015/A2; Duration: 2016, 01-2018, 06). PI.

(8). Mechanistic studies on the development of cerebral small vessel diseases and therapeutic potentials of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in the treatment of cerebral small vessel diseases and vascular cognition impairment (Macao Science and Technology Development Fund; Project Code: FDCT 020/2017/A1; Duration: 2017, 08-2020, 07). PI.

(9). Driving metabolite clearance from the brain to maintain its homeostasis via activating the Glymphatic System (Multi-year research grant from the University of Macau; Project Code: MYRG2016-00184-ICMS-QRCM; Duration: 2017, 01-2019, 12). PI.

(10). Roles and action mechanisms of SENP3 in autism (FDCT-NSFC; Project Code: FDCT 039/2017/AFJ; Duration: 2018, 01-2020, 12). PI.

(11). Study of neprilysin gene therapy targeting the glymphatic pathway for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease and cerebral amyloid angiopathy (Multi-year research grant from the University of Macau; Project Code: MYRG2018-00242-ICMS; 2018, 09-2021, 08). PI.

(12). Mechanistic studies on clearance of amyloid beta in the brain and therapeutic roles of glymphatic pathways in prevention and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases (Macao Science and Technology Development Fund; Project Code: FDCT 049/2019/A1; Duration: 2019, 07-2022, 06). PI.

(13). Study of pathophysiological mechanisms and cognitive consequences of microinfarcts and beneficial effects of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids on attenuating microinfarcts and improving vascular dementia (Multi-year research grant from the University of Macau; Project Code: MYRG2019-00160-ICMS; 2020, 01-2021, 12). PI.