People
Dr. Owen H KO
The Chinese University of Hong Kong
Director, Gerald Choa Neuroscience Institute
Assistant Dean (Research), Faculty of Medicine
Head of Translational Neuroscience Unit, Division of Neurology
Associate Professor, Department of Medicine and Therapeutics
Principal Investigator, Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences
Associate Director, Margaret K.L. Cheung Research Centre for Management of Parkinsonism
Associate Director, Lau Tat-chuen Research Centre of Brain Degenerative Diseases in Chinese
Associate Faculty Member, Department of Biomedical Engineering
Academic and Professional Qualifications
BMedSc (CUHK), MBChB (CUHK), PhD (UCL)Biography
Owen holds medical science and clinical medicine degrees from CUHK, and a PhD in neuroscience from University College London (UCL). In his early career, he advanced our understanding of the physical basis of sensory perception by uncovering several fundamental rules governing the connections between neurons. After medical training, he established his lab and shifted his research focus from studying the neural basis of information processing, to its preservation in diseases. Owen’s current research combines preclinical and clinical approaches to investigate the mechanisms underlying nervous system dysfunction in aging, neurodegeneration, and cerebrovascular diseases, with the aim of guiding the development of disease-modifying therapeutics.
Dr. Owen H KO
The Chinese University of Hong Kong
Director, Gerald Choa Neuroscience Institute
Assistant Dean (Research), Faculty of Medicine
Head of Translational Neuroscience Unit, Division of Neurology
Associate Professor, Department of Medicine and Therapeutics
Principal Investigator, Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences
Associate Director, Margaret K.L. Cheung Research Centre for Management of Parkinsonism
Associate Director, Lau Tat-chuen Research Centre of Brain Degenerative Diseases in Chinese
Associate Faculty Member, Department of Biomedical Engineering
Research Interests
- Therapeutic targeting in age-related neurological disorders
- Neural circuits mediating behavior and dysfunction in aging
- Methods and tools for imaging and disease prognostication
Honorary Appointments in Other Professional Activities
- Visiting Associate Professor, Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University
- VAssociate Editor, Molecular Therapy
- Editorial Board Member and Associate Editor, BMC Biology
- Steering Committee Member, Hang Lung Mathematics Awards
Awards
- Elected Member, Hong Kong Young Academy of Sciences (2026)
- Richard Yu Lectureship, Hong Kong College of Physicians (2025)
- Life Science Fellow, Asian Young Scientist Fellowship (2023)
- Hong Kong Ten Outstanding Young Persons, Junior Chamber International Hong Kong (2023)
- Sir David Todd Lectureship, Hong Kong College of Physicians (2022)
- Awardee of Excellent Young Scientists Fund, National Natural Science Foundation of China (2021)
- Croucher Innovation Award, Croucher Foundation (2020)
- Runner-up, Eppendorf and Science Prize for Neurobiology (2014)
Selected Publications
- Huang J, Kwok AJ, Li JCY, Chiu CLH, Ip BYM, Tung LY, Chan RCH, Chan DCW, Wang Z, Zheng X, Chow HT, Lo MPS, Li Z, Lin N, Wang M, Yan LYC, Wu WKK, Chow HM, Lin WJ, Tang Y, Zhang Y, Song W, Ng BWL, Wong SH, Leung TW, Mok VCT, Ko H. Body-wide multi-omic counteraction of aging with GLP-1R agonism. Cell Metabolism. 2025 Dec 2;37(12):2362-2380.e8.[Research Highlight by Nature Aging: https://www.nature.com/articles/s43587-025-01063-1]
- Wang H*, Ko H*,#, Leung TW*, Huang J, Sai J, Liang Y, Li H, Zhang J, Cao Q, Zang W, Li Y, Ma SH, Lui WT, Choi J, Chan C, Wong J, Kwok AJ, Ma K, Fan F, Chan A, Ip V, Leung H, Soo Y, Wong KT, Lai B, Chu CM, Leung H, Hui AH, Cheung T, Abrigo J, Li SH, Chan L, Yeung J, Pan S, Yip T, Lui LT, Hung T, Tsang SF, Leng XL, Lam B, Mok VCT, Chan RHM, Nguyen T, Hu W, Che F#, Ip BY#. Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist in large vessel occlusion treated by reperfusion therapy – a phase 2 randomized trial. Nature Communications, 2025 Dec 14;16(1):11274.
- Cai Y, Fan X, Zhao L, Liu W, Luo Y, Lau AYL, Au LCW, Shi L, Lam BYK, Ko H#, Mok VCT. Comparing machine learning‐derived MRI‐based and blood‐based neurodegeneration biomarkers in predicting syndromal conversion in early AD. Alzheimer’s & Dementia. 2023 Nov;19(11):4987-4998.
- Sy SKH, Chan DCW, Chan RCH, Lyu J, Li Z, Wong KKY, Choi CHJ, Mok VCT, Lai HM, Randlett O, Hu Y, Ko H. An optofluidic platform for interrogating chemosensory behavior and brainwide neural representation in larval zebrafish. Nature Communications, 2023 Jan 14;14(1):1-18.
- Lai HM, Tang Y, Lau ZYH, Campbell RAA, Yau CN, Chan CCY, Chan DCW, Wong HKT, Yan LYC, Wu WKK, Wong SH, Kwok KW, Wing YK, Lam HHN, Ng HK, Mrsic-Flogel TD, Mok VCT, Chan JYK, Ko H. Antibody stabilization for thermally accelerated deep immunostaining. Nature Methods. 2022 Sep;19(9):1137-1146.
- Zhao L, Li Z, Vong JSL, Chen X, Lai HM, Yan LYC, Huang J, Sy SKH, Tian X, Huang Y, Chan HYE, So HC, Ng WL, Tang Y, Lin WJ, Mok VCT, Ko H. Pharmacologically reversible zonation-dependent endothelial cell transcriptomic changes with neurodegenerative disease associations in the aged brain. Nature Communications. 2020 Sep 4;11(1):4413. doi:10.1038/s41467-020-18249-3.
- Li Q*, Ko H*, Qian ZM, Yan LYC, Chan DCW, Arbuthnott GW, Ke Y, Yung WH. Refinement of learned skilled movement representation in motor cortex deep output layer. Nature Communications. 2017 Jun 9;8:15834.
- Ko H, Cossell L, Baragli C, Antolik J, Clopath C, Hofer SB, Mrsic-Flogel TD. The emergence of functional microcircuits in visual cortex. Nature. 2013 Apr 4;496(7443):96-100.
- Hofer SB*, Ko H*, Pichler B, Vogelstein J, Ros H, Zeng H, Lein E, Lesica NA, Mrsic-Flogel TD. Differential connectivity and response dynamics of excitatory and inhibitory neurons in visual cortex. Nature Neuroscience. 2011 Jul 17;14(8):1045-52.
- Ko H, Hofer SB, Pichler B, Buchanan KA, Sjo stro m PJ, Mrsic-Flogel TD. Functional specificity of local synaptic connections in neocortical networks. Nature. 2011 May 5;473(7345):87-91.