Congratulations to Prof. Liang Zhang, who has recently been awarded an Innovation and Technology Fund (ITF) grant of HK$1,392,650 for his research project titled “Development of Human Peripheral CAR-NK Cells to Treat Autoimmune Juvenile Dermatomyositis: Technology Innovation and Mechanistic Study.”

This project focuses on developing Chimeric Antigen Receptor Natural Killer (CAR-NK) cells as a potential treatment for autoimmune juvenile dermatomyositis (JDM), a rare but serious paediatric autoimmune disease. Dr Baozhen Huang, a postdoc in Prof. Zhang’s group, has spearheaded the project of applying immunotherapy in autoimmune diseases. By leveraging advanced cell therapy techniques, the study aims to explore innovative therapeutic approaches that could improve treatment outcomes for affected patients.

The ITF grant is a testament to the contributions Prof. Zhang’s team to immunotherapy research and highlights the department’s commitment to advancing medical innovation. We look forward to seeing the impact of this project and congratulate Prof. Zhang and Dr Huang on this remarkable achievement!