Education

Current Positions

• Choh-Ming Li Professor of Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, CUHK
• Associate Dean (Research), Faculty of Science, CUHK
• Director, RGC-AoE “Centre for Plant Vacuole Biology and Biotechnology”, CUHK
• Director, RGC-AoE “Centre for Organelle Biogenesis and Function”, CUHK
• Director, Centre for Cell and Developmental Biology, CUHK
• Director, Institute of Plant Molecular Biology and Agricultural Biotechnology (IPMBAB), CUHK
• Deputy Director, State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, CUHK

Research Interests

• Plant Cell and Molecular Biology
• Protein Targeting and Trafficking in Plant Cells
• Organelle Biogenesis and Function in Plants
• Plant Bioreactors for Pharmaceutical Proteins

Representative Publications

1. Liu Z, Liao M, Liang Z, Gao J, Huang Y, Xiang Y, Ni T, Erdmann P and ^*Jiang L (2025) Three-dimensional visualization of tip-vesicles in growing pollen tubes by electron tomography. Science China Life Science (in press) doi: 10.1007/s11427-025-3096-x
2. *Cui Y, Gao J, Li Y, Zhang H, Zheng X, Qi Q, Zhang S, Kang BH and ^*Jiang L (2025) Seeing is believing: Whole-cell electron tomography models of vacuole morphology and formation in the early-stage root cortex of Arabidopsis. Plant Cell 37(4):koaf057.
3. Wang Y, Li S, Mokbel M, May AI, Liang Z, Zeng Y, Wang W, Zhang H, Yu F, Sporbeck K, Jiang L, Aland S, Agudo-Canalejo J, ^*Knorr RL and ^*Fang X (2024) Biomolecular condensates mediate bending and scission of endosome membranes. Nature. 634(8036):1204-1210.
4. ^*Zhuang X, ^*Li R and ^*Jiang L (2024) A Century Journey of Organelles Research in the Plant Endomembrane System. Plant Cell 36(5):1312-1333.
5. Wang C, Wang J, Lu J, Xiong Y, Zhao Z, Yu X, Zheng X, Li J, Lin Q, Ren Y, Hu Y, He X, Li C, Zeng Y, Miao R, Guo M, Zhang B, Zhu Y, Zhang Y, Tang W, Wang Y, Hao B, Wang Q, Cheng S, He X, Yao B, Gao J, Zhu X, Yu H, Wang Y, Sun Y, Zhou C, Dong H, Ma X, Guo X, Liu X, Tian Y, Liu S, Wang C, Cheng Z, Jiang L, Zhou J, Guo H, Jiang L, Tao D, Chai J, Zhang W, ^*Wang H, ^*Wu C and ^*Wan J (2023) A Natural Gene Drive System Confers Reproductive Isolation in Rice. Cell 186(17):3577-3592.
6. Yu Y, Tang W, Lin W, Li W, Zhou X, Li Y, Chen R, Zheng R, Qin G, Cao W, Pérez-Henríquez P, Huang R, Ma J, Qiu Q, Xu Z, Zou A, Lin J, Jiang L, ^*Xu T and ^*Yang Z (2023) ABLs and TMKs are co-receptors for extracellular auxin. Cell 186(25):5457-5471.
7. Zhu Y, Zhao Q, Cao W, Huang S, Ji C, Zhang W, Zhao Q, Trujillo M, ^*Shen J and ^*Jiang L (2023) The plant-unique protein DRIF1 coordinates with sorting nexin 1 to regulate membrane protein homeostasis. Plant Cell 35(12):4217–4237.
8. Luo M, Law KC, He Y, Chung KK, Po MK, Feng L, Chung KP, Gao C, ^*Zhuang X and ^*Jiang L (2023) Arabidopsis AUTOPHAGY-RELATED2 is essential for ATG18a and ATG9 trafficking during autophagosome closure. Plant Physiology 193(1):304-321.
9. Zeng Y, Li B, Huang S, Li H, Cao W, Chen Y, Liu G, Li Z, Yang C, L Feng, Gao J, Lo SW, Zhao J, Shen J, Guo Y, Gao C, Dagdas Y and ^*Jiang L (2023) The plant unique ESCRT component FREE1 regulates autophagosome closure. Nature Communications 14(1):1768.
10. ^*Li B, Niu F, Zeng Y, Tse MK, Deng C, Hong L, Gao S, Lo SW, Cao W, Huang S, Dagdas Y and ^*Jiang L (2023) Ufmylation reconciles salt stress-induced unfolded protein responses via ER-phagy in Arabidopsis. PNAS 120(5):e2208351120.
11. Li B, Zeng Y, Lo SW, Guo Y and ^*Jiang L (2023) In vitro reconstitution of COPII vesicles from Arabidopsis thaliana suspension cultured cells. Nature Protocols 18(3):810-830.
12. Ye H, Gao J, Liang Z, Lin Y, Yu Q, Huang S and ^*Jiang L(2022) The Arabidopsis ORP2A Mediates ER-Autophagosomal Membrane Contact Sites and Regulates PI3P in Plant Autophagy. PNAS 119(43):e2205314119.
13. He Y, Gao J, Luo M, Gao C, Lin Y, Wong HY, Cui Y, Zhuang X and ^*Jiang L(2022) VAMP724 and VAMP726 are involved in autophagosome formation in Arabidopsis thaliana. Autophagy 19(5):1406-1423.
14. Huang S, Liu Z, Cao W, Li H, Zhang W, Cui Y, Hu S, Luo M, Zhu Y, Zhao Q, Xie L, Gao C, Xiao S and ^*Jiang L(2022) The plant ESCRT component FREE1 regulates peroxisome-mediated turnover of lipid droplets in germinating Arabidopsis seedlings. Plant Cell 34(11):4255-4273.
15. Li B, Zeng Y, Cao W, Zhang W, Cheng L, Yin H, Wu Q, Wang X, Huang Y, Lau WCY, Yao ZP, ^*Guo Y and ^*Jiang L(2021) A Distinct Giant COPII Vesicle Population in Arabidopsis thaliana. Nature Plants 7(10):1335-1346.
16. ^*Zeng Y, Li B, Ji C, Feng L, Niu F, Deng C, Chen S, Lin Y, Cheung KCP, Wong KB and ^*Jiang L (2021) A unique AtSar1D-AtRabD2a nexus modulates autophagosome biogenesis in Arabidopsis thaliana. PNAS 118(17):e2021293118.
17. Lin Y, Zeng Y, Zhu Y, Shen J, Ye H and ^*Jiang L (2021) Plant Rho GTPase signaling promotes autophagy. Molecular Plant 14(6):905-920.
18. ^*Zhao Q, Shen J, Gao C, Cui Y, Wang Y, Cui J, Cheng L, Cao W, Zhu Y, Huang S, Zhou Q, Leong CK, Leung KP, Chen X and ^*Jiang L(2019) RST1 is a FREE1 suppressor that negatively regulates vacuolar trafficking in Arabidopsis. Plant Cell 31(9):2152-2168.
19. Li H, Li Y, Zhao Q, Li T, Wei J, Li B, Shen W, Yang C, Zeng Y, Rodriguez P, Zhao Y, ^*Jiang L, ^*Wang X and ^*Gao C (2019) The Plant ESCRT Component FREE1 Shuttles to the Nucleus to Attenuate Abscisic Acid Signalling. Nature Plants 5(5):512-524.
20. ^*Cui Y, Cao W, He Y, Zhao Q, Wakazaki M, Zhuang X, Gao J, Zeng Y, Gao C, Ding Y, Wong HY, Wong WS, Lam HK, Wang P, Ueda T, Rojas-Pierce M, Toyooka K, Kang BH and ^*Jiang L (2019) A whole-cell electron tomography model of vacuole biogenesis in Arabidopsis root cells. Nature Plants 5(1):95-105.

Research Grants

• 2026-2030, Research Grants Council (RGC) Areas of Excellence Scheme (AoE) Grant as PC “Centre for Plant Vacuole Biology and Biotechnology”, HK$87,777,000

• 2024-2027, Research Grants Council (RGC) Collaborative Research Fund (CRF) as PC “Molecular Mechanisms of Vacuole Biogenesis and Vacuole Fission in Plants”, HK$9,500,000

• 2024-2027, NSFC/RGC Collaborative Research Scheme (CRS) as PC “Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms underlying Deubiquitinating Enzyme AMSHs in Regulating Autophagosome and MVB Formation in Arabidopsis”, HK$3,600,000

• 2022-2026, RGC Senior Research Fellow Scheme (SRFS), “Cellular and Molecular Characterization of the Tip-Vesicles in Germinating Pollen Tube”, HK$ 7,798,380

• 2022-2025, Research Grants Council (RGC) Collaborative Research Fund (CRF) as PC “The First Integrated State-of- the-Art Live Cell Imaging Platforms to Timely Promote Interdisciplinary and Advanced Life Sciences Research in Hong Kong and Beyond”, HK$ 10,000,000
• 2019-2024, Research Grants Council (RGC) Research Impact Fund (RIF) as PI “Plant Bioreactor for Pharmaceutical Proteins”, HK$5,000,000
• 2014-2021, Research Grants Council (RGC) Areas of Excellence Scheme (AoE) Grant as PC “Center for organelle biogenesis and function”, HK$47,250,000

Awards

Professional Activities

• Editor-in-Chief: Plant Science
• Senior Editor: Journal of Integrative Plant Biology and 植物学报
• Associate Editor: Protoplasma
• Editorial Board: Plant Cell; Molecular Plant and 中國科學: 生命科學

Awards Received by Graduate Students and Postdoc

• NSFC National Excellent Young Scientists Fund 2025-26 (Lin Youshun)
• Professor Charles K. Kao Creativity Award 2025, CUHK (Mgbechidinma Chiamaka Linda)
• NSFC Excellent Young Scientists Fund (Hong Kong and Macau) 2023-25 (Zhuang Xiaohong)
• Young Scientist Award in Life Science, Hong Kong Institution of Science, 2021 (Li Baiying)
• 1000 Young Talent Program of China, 2019 (Cui Yong)
• 1000 Young Talent Program of Zhejiang, 2017 (Shen Jinbo)
• 1000 Young Talent Program of China, 2015 (Ding Yu, Gao Caiji)
• CUHK Young Scholars Thesis Award 2013 (Zhuang Xiaohong)
• CUHK Young Scholars Dissertation Award 2013  (Shen Jinbo)
• CUHK Young Scholars Dissertation Award 2009 (Miao Yansong)
• Postgraduate Research Output Award 2016, CUHK (Zeng Allen)
• Postgraduate Research Output Award 2013, CUHK (Shen Jinbo)
• Postgraduate Research Output Award 2009, CUHK (Miao Yansong)
• Postgraduate Research Output Award 2006, CUHK (Lam Sheung Kwan)
• Postgraduate Research Output Award 2004, CUHK (Tse Yu Chung)
• Research Fellowship Scheme 2018-2019, CUHK (Zeng Yonglun)
• Research Fellowship Scheme 2017-2018, CUHK (Cui Yong)
• Research Fellowship Scheme 2016-2017, CUHK (Cui Yong)
• Research Fellowship Scheme 2015-2016, CUHK (Shen Jinbo)
• Research Fellowship Scheme 2014-2015, CUHK (Zhuang Xiaohong)
• Research Fellowship Scheme 2013-2014, CUHK (Ding Yu)
• Keystone Symposium Scholarship 2012 (Wang Juan)
• Keystone Symposium Scholarship 2007 (Miao Yansong)
• The HFSP (Human Frontier Science Program) Long-Term Fellows 2010 (Lam Sheung Kwan)
• The HFSP (Human Frontier Science Program) Long-Term Fellows 2009 (Miao Yansong)

Faculty Positions Lab Alumni

• Niu Fangfang, Associate Professor, Guangzhou University
• Chung Kin Pan, Assistant Professor, Wageningen University & Research
• Cao Wenhan, Associate Professor, Zhejiang Agriculture and Forestry University
• Zeng Yonglun, Professor, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences
• Li Baiying, Assistant Professor Hong Kong Baptist University
• Lin Youshun, Associate Professor, Shanghai Jiao Tong University
• Hu Shuai, Associate Professor, Zhejiang Agriculture and Forestry University
• Lau Wilson Chun Yu, Associate Professor, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
• Cui Yong, Professor, Xiamen University
• Zhao Qiong, Professor, East China Normal University
• Shen Jinbo, Professor, Zhejiang Agriculture and Forestry University
• Wang Xiangfeng, Associate Professor, China Agricultural University
• Zhuang Xiaohong, Associate Professor, CUHK
• Wang Juan, Associate Professor, South China Agricultural University
• Gao Caiji, Professor, South China Normal University
• Ding Yu, Professor, Jinan University
• Wang Hao, Professor, South China Agricultural University
• Miao Yansong, Nanyang Assistant Professor, Nanyang Technological University
• Cai Yi, Professor, Sichuan Agricultural University
• Tse Yu Chung, Associate Professor, South University of Science and Technology of China
• Wang Junqi, Associate Professor, South University of Science and Technology of China
• Mo Beixin, Professor, Shenzhen University
• Li Hongye, Professor, Jinan University