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  4. Dr Shan LUO

Dr Shan LUO

Research Assistant Professor
Department of Family Medicine and Primary Care, The University of Hong Kong
  • PhD, MPH, BMed
email aprilluo@hku.hk
email HKU Scholars Hub
email ORCiD Connecting Research and Researchers

Dr. Luo holds a Master’s degree with distinction in Public Health and a PhD in Epidemiology and Biostatistics from the School of Public Health at the University of Hong Kong. She was awarded the Research Output Prize (2019/20) for her research work at BMJ and received the Bau Tsu Zung Bau Kwan Yeu Hing Research and Clinical Fellowship (2019/20) for overseas training at the Wellcome Genome Campus and the MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit in the UK.

Her research focuses on translational human genetics, particularly in identifying the determinants of non-communicable diseases and exploring the safety, validation, and repositioning of drug targets. By leveraging Mendelian randomization to improve causal inference, Dr. Luo addresses critical pharmacological intervention needs. Her work includes discovering novel drug targets for rare diseases, evaluating drug safety in vulnerable populations, and repositioning drug targets like metformin to promote healthy longevity.

Dr. Luo has also received the Healthy Longevity Catalyst Award from the US National Academy of Medicine (2021) and the World Cancer Research Fund Inspire Research Challenge (2023). Since 2024, she serves as an associate editor for Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism.

Key Research Areas
  • Epidemiology in non-communicable diseases
  • Drug target safety and repositioning
  • Population genetics and Mendelian randomization

Key Publications
  1. Luo S* (corresponding author), Zheng Ming-Hua, Wong Vincent WS, Au Yeung SL. Drug target Mendelian randomization applied to metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease. Promises and Challenges. eGastroenterology 2024;2(4):e100114. 
  2. Wong THT, Mo JMY, Zhou M, Zhao J, Schooling CM, He B, Luo S* (corresponding author), Au Yeung SL. A two-sample Mendelian randomization study explores metabolic profiling of different glycemic traits. Communications Biology. 2024;7(1):293. [IF (2023): 5.2, Biology: Ranked 10/109]
  3. Luo S, Lam HS, Chan YH, Tang CSM, He B, Kwok MK, Leung GM, Schooling CM, Au Yeung SL. Assessing the safety of lipid-modifying medications amongst Chinese adolescents: a drug-target Mendelian randomization study. BMC Medicine. 2023 Oct 31;21(1):410. [IF (2023): 7, Medicine, General & Internal: Ranked 19/329]
  4. Luo S* (corresponding author), Wong ICK, Chui CSL, Zheng J, Huang Y, Schooling CM, Au Yeung SL. Effects of putative metformin targets on phenotypic age and leukocyte telomere length: A mendelian randomisation study using data from the UK Biobank. Lancet Healthy Longevity. 2023 Jul;4(7):e337-e344. [IF (2023): 13.4, Geriatrics & Gerontology: Ranked 2/74]
  5. Luo S, Liang Y, Wong THT, Schooling CM, Au Yeung SL. Identifying factors contributing to increased susceptibility to COVID-19 risk: a systematic review of Mendelian randomization studies. International Journal of Epidemiology. 2022 Apr 20:dyac076. [IF (2021): 9.685, Public, Environment & Occupational Health: Ranked 16/210]
  6. Luo S, Au Yeung SL, Schooling CM. Assessing the linear and non-linear association of HbA1c with cardiovascular disease: a Mendelian randomisation study. Diabetologia 2021 Nov;64(11):2502-10. [IF (2021): 10.460; Endocrinology & Metabolism: Ranked 11/146]
  7. Luo S*(corresponding author), Clarke SLN, Ramanan AV, Thompson S, Langefeld CD, Marion MC, Grom AA, Schooling CM, Gaunt TR, Au Yeung SL, Zheng J. Platelet glycoprotein Ib alpha chain as a putative therapeutic target for juvenile idiopathic arthritis: a Mendelian randomization study. Arthritis and Rheumatology. 2021 Apr; 73(4): 693-701 [IF (2021): 15.483; Rheumatology: Ranked 4/34]
  8. Luo S, Schooling CM, Wong ICK, Au Yeung SL. Evaluating the impact of AMPK activation, a target of metformin on risk of cardiovascular diseases and cancer in the UK Biobank: a Mendelian randomization study. Diabetologia. 2020 Nov;63(11):2349-58. [IF (2020): 10.122; Endocrinology & Metabolism: Ranked 9/146] 
  9. Luo S, Au Yeung SL, Zuber V, Burgess S, Schooling CM. The impact of genetically predicted red blood cell traits on venous thromboembolism, multivariable Mendelian randomization study using UK Biobank. Journal of the American Heart Association. 2020 Jul 21;9(14):e016771. [IF (2020): 5.501; Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems: Ranked 35/142]
  10. Luo S, Au Yeung SL, Zhao J, Burgess S, Schooling CM. Association of genetically predicted testosterone with thromboembolism, heart failure, and myocardial infarction: mendelian randomization study in UK Biobank. BMJ. 2019 Mar 6; 364: l476. [IF (2019): 30.313, Medicine, General & Internal: Rank 4/172] (Selected as Research Output Prize 2019-2020, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong)