Dr Fang-Ping Huang

I received my medical training in China (1977-82), and was awarded the Li Ka Shing Academic Foundation Scholarship to undertake postgraduate studies in the UK (1987-90). I have subsequently become engaged in active immunology research and teaching since 1990 (Glasgow, Oxford, Hong Kong). I am now affiliated to Imperial College London.

Immunology is my major field of research, with a focus on immune regulation in immunity and autoimmunity. My current research interests include dendritic cell (DC) immunobiology, and complex interactions between DC and T cells (Photo 1), DC and dying cells (Photo 2), both in health and in diseases. In particular, we study the roles of DC and T regulatory cells (Treg) in systemic autoimmunity (lupus), DC and Prion transport, and DC-based immunotherapies for autoimmune as well as malignant diseases. Based on our findings, we try to understand how the immune system is normally regulated, why dysregulation of which may cause disease and, immunologically and molecularly, whether and how the so-called "self-reactivity" (autoimmune responses) can be redirected for effective cancer treatment. 

Photo 1: "DC-T cell cross-talk" - an illustration of DC (brown) and T cell (green) interactions in cell culture (Huang YG).

Photo 2: Confocal micrographs showing the uptake of apoptotic (apo) and necrotic (nec) syngenic dying cells (red) by DC (green) (Wong OH et al, Immunology 2005).

Selected Recent Publications:

Huang FP; Chen YX; To KW. (2011). Guiding the “Misguided” - Functional Conditioning of Dendritic Cells for the DC-based Immunotherapy against Tumours. European Journal of Immunology. 41:18-25. DOI.

Mok MY; Huang FP; Ip WK; Lo Y; Wong FY; Chan EYT; Lam KF; Xu DM. (Mar 2010). Serum levels of IL-33 and soluble ST2 and their association with disease activity in systemic lupus erythematosus. RHEUMATOLOGY. 49:520-527. DOI.

Yang CH, Tian L, Ling GS, Trendell-Smith NJ, Ma L, Lo CK, Stott DI, Liew FY, Huang FP. Immunological mechanisms and clinical implications of regulatory T cell deficiency in a systemic autoimmune disorder: Roles of IL-2 versus IL-15.  Eur J Immunol. 2008; May 8. [Epub ahead of print] 

Sun Q, Kong CT, Huang FP, Chan LC. Aberrant dendritic cell differentiation initiated by the Mll-Een fusion gene does not require leukemic transformation.  J Leukoc Biol. 2008; 83(1):173-80.  

Chen YX, Man K, Ling GS, Chen Y, Sun BS, Cheng Q, Wong OH, Lo CK, Ng IO, Chan LC, Lau GK, Lin CL, Huang F, Huang FP. A crucial role for dendritic cell (DC) IL-10 in inhibiting successful DC-based immunotherapy: superior antitumor immunity against hepatocellular carcinoma evoked by DC devoid of IL-10.  J Immunol. 2007; 179(9):6009-15. 

Chen Y, Chan VS, Zheng B, Chan KY, Xu X, To LY, Huang FP, Khoo US, Lin CL. A novel subset of putative stem/progenitor CD34+Oct-4+ cells is the major target for SARS coronavirus in human lung.  J Exp Med. 2007; 204(11):2529-36.  

Ma L, Chan KW, Trendell-Smith NJ, Wu A, Tian L, Lam AC, Chan AK, Lo CK, Chik S, Ko KH, To CK, Kam SK, Li XS, Yang CH, Leung SY, Ng MH, Stott DI, MacPherson GG, Huang FP. Systemic autoimmune disease induced by dendritic cells that have captured necrotic but not apoptotic cells in susceptible mouse strains.  Eur J Immunol. 2005; 35(11):3364-75. 

Wong OH, Huang FP, Chiang AK. Differential responses of cord and adult blood-derived dendritic cells to dying cells. Immunology. 2005;16(1):13-20. 

Huang FP, Farquhar CF, Mabbott NA, Bruce ME, MacPherson GG. Migrating intestinal dendritic cells transport PrP(Sc) from the gut. J Gen Virol. 2002; 83(Pt 1):267-71. 

Esfandiari E, McInnes IB, Lindop G, Huang FP, Field M, Komai-Koma M, Wei X, Liew FY. A proinflammatory role of IL-18 in the development of spontaneous autoimmune disease. J Immunol. 2001; 167(9):5338-47.

Huang FP, Platt N, Wykes M, Major JR, Powell TJ, Jenkins CD, MacPherson GG. A discrete subpopulation of dendritic cells transports apoptotic intestinal epithelial cells to T cell areas of mesenteric lymph nodes.  J Exp Med. 2000; 191(3):435-44.  

Patents filed

US Regular Patent: Huang F-P, Chen YX, Man K. ANTI-TUMOR VACCINES DELIVERED BY DENDRITIC CELLS DEVOID OF INTERLEUKIN-10 (Ref. No.: 11/957,146, filed on Dec. 14, 2007. Publication Date: January 8, 2009, Publication No. 20090010948, Website: http://www.uspto.gov/patft/index.html ). US Patent & Trademark Office. USA.

PCT patent: Huang F-P, Chen YX, Man K. ANTI-TUMOR VACCINES DELIVERED BY DENDRITIC CELLS DEVOID OF INTERLEUKIN-10. (Ref No: WO2008/071093, filed on Dec. 17, 2007, Publication Date: June 19, 2008; WIPO's website: www.wipo.int/pctdb)