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Research Interests

	Fish models for embryonic cells (ES cells) and gene targeting;
	Stem cell biology; totipotency and differentiation of ES and germ cells;
	Spermatogonial stem cells and spermatogenesis in vivo and vitro;
	Mechanism of homologous recombination;
	Molecular reproduction and transgenic fish;

Research Achievements

	recognized internationally as heading the first team that developed non-mammalian embryonic stem (ES) cell lines from the medaka fish;
	created SG3, a first vertebrate cell line of normal spermatogonia from the adult fish testis without going through any genetic transformation;
	developed the first “test tube” sperm from SG3 cells after 2 years of culture.

Research Strengths

	utilising the medaka fish, that produces sperm in a similar way to mammals, as a vertebrate model for the development of platform technologies;
	pursuing a multi-disciplinary approach to elucidate fundamental biomedical issues.

Publication Credits

first author of 2 articles published in the Proceedings National Academy of Sciences, United States. (1) Production of medakafish chimeras from a stable embryonic stem cell line, 1998 and (2) Establishment of a normal medaka fish spermatogonial cell line capable of sperm production in vitro, 2004.

International Standing

	member, editorial board, Zebrafish;
	member, editorial board, Acta Hydrobiologica Sinica;
	member, editorial board, Acta Zoologica Sinica;
	his papers on ES cells have been cited 123 times;
	media reports of his breakthrough in cultivating test-tube sperms have appeared in more than 100 newspapers worldwide.

Awards and Accolades

	“This cell line is a major breakthrough for the scientific community and especially for all of us working in this field” Sophie Pison-Rousseauz, French researcher, Institute Albert Bonniot, 2004;
	DAAD-Scholarship of the German Academic Exchange Program, 1988-1992.

Research Aspiration

to replicate his work on fish to mammals so that sperms can be grown in the laboratory for treating male infertility.

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