Prof. Gigi Lo obtained her BSc degree in chemistry with first class honors and PhD degree from The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK). After staying shortly at CUHK, she moved to the Division of Biophysics and Bioimaging of the Ontario Cancer Institute serving as a Postdoctoral Fellow for 2 years, where she developed her research interest in smart theranostic agents for cancer diagnosis and treatment. In 2009–2014, she was appointed as a Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemistry of CUHK. She joined the Department of Biomedical Sciences of City University of Hong Kong (CityU) as an Assistant Professor in January 2015 and was substantiated and promoted to Associate Professor in July 2021. She has published more than 100 papers in international peer-reviewed journals with an H-index of 41 (excluding self-citations as of August 2023).

Honour & Awards

Oct 2022

Stanford’s top 2% most highly cited scientists 2022
Hong Kong Institute for Advanced Study (HKIAS), CityU

Nov 2021

HKIAS Young Rising Star Lectureship
Hong Kong Institute for Advanced Study (HKIAS), CityU

Jul 2021

SPP/JPP Young Investigator Award
in the 11th International Conference on Porphyrins and Phthalocyanines

Research Interests

1. Exploration of smart photosensitizers for targeted photodynamic therapy (PDT) and antimicrobial PDT
2. Development of stimuli-responsive mesoporous silica nanoparticles and polymeric micelles as multifunctional nanocarriers for imaging agents and photosensitizers
3. Design and preparation of nanodrugs through self-assembly of therapeutic components for cancer therapy
4. Concerted activation of photosensitizers and release of anticancer drugs through bioorthogonal cleavage reactions
5. Targeted protein degradation by photosensitization triggering ferroptosis for enhanced antitumor immunity

Most Representative Publications in the Recent Five Years

Total Number of Publications = 105; H-index = 41 (excluding self-citations) as of August 2023

1. “Enzyme-Responsive Double-Locked Photodynamic Molecular Beacon for Targeted Photodynamic Anticancer Therapy”, L. K. B. Tam, J. C. H. Chu, L. He, C. Yang, K.-C. Han, P. C. K. Cheung, D. K. P. Ng,* P.-C. Lo*, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2023, 145, 7361-7375.
2. “Cupric-ion-promoted Fabrication of Oxygen-replenishing Nanotherapeutics for Synergistic Chemo and Photodynamic Therapy against Tumor Hypoxia”, L. He, F. Xu, Y. Li, H. Jin, P.-C. Lo*, Acta Biomater. 2023, 162, 57-71.
3. “A Tetrazine-Responsive Isonitrile-caged Photosensitizer for Site-Specific Photodynamic Therapy”, J. Xiong, E. Y. Xue, Q. Wu, P.-C. Lo*, D. K. P. Ng*, J. Controlled Release 2023, 353, 663-674.
4. “Dual Cathepsin B and Glutathione-Activated Dimeric and Trimeric Phthalocyanine-Based Photodynamic Molecular Beacons for Targeted Photodynamic Therapy”, L. K. B. Tam, L. Yu, R. C. H. Wong, W.-P. Fong, D. K. P. Ng,* P.-C. Lo*, J. Med. Chem. 2021, 64, 17455-17467.
5. “Encapsulating an Acid-Activatable Phthalocyanine-Doxorubicin Conjugate and the Hypoxia-Sensitive Tirapazamine in Polymeric Micelles for Multimodal Cancer Therapy”, X. Guo, H. Jin, P.-C. Lo*, Biomater. Sci. 2021, 9, 4936-4951.
6. “Ferric Ion Driven Assembly of Catalase-Like Supramolecular Photosensitizing Nanozymes for Combating Hypoxic Tumors”, Y. Li, P. Sun, L. Zhao, X. Yan,* D. K. P. Ng,* P.-C. Lo*, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2020, 59, 23228-23238.
7. “Shifting the Absorption to the Near-infrared Region and Inducing a Strong Photothermal Effect by Encapsulating Zinc(II) Phthalocyanine in Poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid)-hyaluronic Acid Nanoparticles”, D. Gao, R. C. H. Wong, Y. Wang, X. Guo, Z. Yang,* P.-C. Lo*, Acta Biomater. 2020, 116, 329-343.
8. “The Unique Features and Promises of Phthalocyanines as Advanced Photosensitisers for Photodynamic Therapy of Cancer”, P.-C. Lo, M. S. Rodriguez-Morgade, R. K. Pandey*, D. K. P. Ng,* T. Torres*, F. Dumoulin*, Chem. Soc. Rev. 2020, 49, 1041-1056.
9. “Construction of Cathepsin B-Responsive Fluorescent Probe and Photosensitizer using a Ferrocenyl Boron Dipyrromethene Dark Quencher”, Q. Wang, L. Yu., R. C.-H. Wong, P.-C. Lo*, Eur. J. Med. Chem. 2019, 179, 828-836.
10. “Polymeric Micelles Encapsulating pH-Responsive Doxorubicin Prodrug and Glutathione-Activated Zinc(II) Phthalocyanine for Combined Chemotherapy and Photodynamic Therapy”, D. Gao, P.-C. Lo*, J. Controlled Release 2018, 282, 46-61.

Position Availability

We are looking for graduate students and research assistants with research experience in synthetic chemistry and molecular pharmaceutics for cancer diagnosis and therapy.

PhD students are encouraged to apply through the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme, Department of Biomedical Sciences PhD programme or the Interdisciplinary Programme in Veterinary Medicine (in collaboration with Cornell University).

Interested candidates should send a full resume and copies of academic credentials to Prof. Lo directly (gigi.lo@cityu.edu.hk).

20 September 2023