Projects per year
Personal profile
Personal profile
Dr. Ken Cheng joined XJTLU as an Assistant Professor in 2021. She has extensive experience in Mass Spectrometry (MS)- and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR)-based metabolomics and lipidomics, with a particular focus on developing advanced analytical approaches for comprehensive molecular profiling.
Her research integrates metabolomics and multi-omics approaches to discover novel biomarkers, investigate disease-associated metabolic alterations, and develop diagnostic and predictive models, particularly for metabolic diseases. She is also interested in understanding the interactions among natural bioactive compounds, gut microbiota, and host metabolism, with the aim of advancing precision health and precision nutrition.
She welcomes academic and industry collaborations, as well as enquiries from prospective PhD students interested in her research areas. For further discussions on potential collaborations or PhD research opportunities, please contact her at ken.cheng@xjtlu.edu.cn.
Research interests
-Multi-omics Biomarker Discovery and Precision Health: Identification of novel biomarkers and development of diagnostic and predictive models for metabolic diseases through multi-omics profiling, especially metabolome, proteome and gut microbiota, and multidimensional data integration.
-Natural Bioactive Compounds and Gut Microbiota-Host Interactions: Investigation of the metabolic effects and underlying mechanisms of natural bioactive compounds, with a focus on gut microbiota-host interactions and metabolic health.
-Advanced Mass Spectrometry-Based Omics Technologies: Development and application of advanced MS-based analytical methods for comprehensive metabolomic and lipidomic profiling, including metabolite identification and quantitative analysis.
Research key words
Mass Spectrometry; Metabolomics; Lipidomics; Multi-omics Integration; Biomarker Discovery; Gut Microbiota-Host Interactions; Natural Bioactive Compounds; Precision Health; Precision Nutrition
Experience
2021-present, Assistant professor, Academy of Pharmacy, XJTLU, Suzhou
2021-present, Honorary Academic Staff, University of Liverpool, UK
2020-2021, Product Manager, IVD-Product R&D Group, Shenzhen Digital Life Institute (iCarbonX), Shenzhen
2018-2020, Senior Scientist, MS-based Omics Platform, Shenzhen Digital Life Institute (iCarbonX), Shenzhen
2017-2018, Postdoctoral Researcher, Department of Food and Nutrition Science, Chalmers Institute of Technology, Goteborg, Sweden
2012, Manager Assistant and French translator, I-TEK, Tremeur, France
Teaching
Current modules
- APH002, Introduction to Basic Science of Medicine (module leader)
- APH211, Principle of Engineering (module leader)
- APH113, Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare & Pharmaceutical Research (co-teacher)
Previous modules
- APH001, Explore Pharmaceutical Sciences (module leader)
- APH004, Brief History of Drug Discovery (module leader)
- APH402, Modern Instrumentation Analytical Technologies (co-teacher)
- APH404, Modern Pharmaceutical Activity Screening (co-teacher)
Awards and honours
2026, Academic Research Excellence Award, AoP, XJTLU
2026, Grand Prize for Outstanding Poster, 2nd Conference of Metabolomics for Health (CMH), Shanghai
2026, Outstanding Contribution to Student Recruitment Award in AY2526, XJTLU
2025, Outstanding Oral Presenter Award (Youth Forum), Obesity Prevention and Control Conference, Xining
2019-2024, Shenzhen Longhua Chinese Dragon Plan Talent (level A)
2019-2024, Shenzhen Overseas High-Caliber Personnel (level C)
2017, Young Scientist Award, Eurofed Lipid & Nordic Lipidforum, Uppsala
Education/Academic qualification
Bsc, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China, 2005-2009
Master, Universite de Rennes 1 & Agrocampus Ouest, Rennes, France, 2009-2012
PhD, Swedish University of Agricultural Science, Uppsala, Sweden, 2012-2017
Person Types
- Staff
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
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SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being -
SDG 14 Life Below Water -
SDG 15 Life on Land
Fingerprint
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Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
Recent external collaboration on country/territory level. Dive into details by clicking on the dots or
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From Passive to Critical: Redesigning AI-Integrated Learning and Assessment in a Large-Cohort AI-in-Healthcare Module
Liu, X. (PI), Guo, B. (CoI), Cheng, K. (CoI) & Liu, H. (CoI)
4/05/26 → …
Project: Internal Research Project
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Study on the mechanism of DMGV-induced functional impairment of pancreatic β-cell and early progression of type 2 diabetes
Cheng, K. (PI)
1/01/25 → 31/12/27
Project: Governmental Research Project
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The mechanism of ammonia accumulation promotes liver cancer progression via calcium channel-mTORC2-SREBP1-lipogenesis dependent manner
Dai, W. (PI), Wang, S. (Team member), Chen, G. (Team member), Elkord, E. (Team member), Hamada, K. (Team member), Cheng, K. (Team member), Xu, J. (Team member), Huang, S. (Team member), Yang, C. (Team member), Ma, J. (Team member) & Bin, U. (Team member)
1/01/25 → 31/12/28
Project: Governmental Research Project
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Jiangsu Province Higher Education Key Laboratory of Cell Therapy Nanoformulation (Construction)
Ruan, G. (PI), Lee, M. H. (Team member), Wu, Q. (Team member), Lu, T. (Team member), Xu, P. (Team member), Loo, S. (Team member), Sun, Y. (Team member), Kam, A. (Team member), Liu, X. (Team member), Wen, X. (Team member), Zhang, J. (Team member), Wang, M. (Team member), Xu, M. (Team member), Cheng, K. (Team member), Zhang, X. (Team member), Song, J. (Team member), Guo, B. (Team member), Wang, Y. (Team member), Wang, J. (Team member), Wu, S. (Team member), Yang, J. (Team member), Fu, L. (Team member), Zhang, J. (Team member), Qiao, Y. (Team member), Chen, Y. (Team member), Li, T. (Team member), Zhan, T. (Team member), Wan, Y. (Team member), He, Z. (Team member), Cheng, Y. (Team member), Leng, J. (Team member), Qi, M. (Team member), Ho, J. (Team member), Sun, Y. (Team member), Zhang, N. (Team member), Soe, H. M. S. H. (Team member), Ling, C. (Team member), Zhou, H. (Team member), Huang, D. (Team member) & Gu, J. (Team member)
1/07/24 → 30/06/27
Project: Governmental Research Project
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Single-Molecule Single-Cell Imaging and Analysis Innovation Platform
Ruan, G. (PI), Zhang, X. (Team member), Wang, Y. (Team member), Zhou, Z. (Team member), Zhang, J. (Team member), Ding, D. (Team member), Ling, C. (Team member), Wu, Q. (Team member), Xu, P. (Team member), Ho, J. (Team member), Cheng, K. (Team member), Song, J. (Team member), Guo, B. (Team member), Wu, S. (Team member), Wang, J. (Team member), Sun, Y. (Team member), Lu, T. (Team member), Li, T. (Team member), Xu, Y. (Team member), Huang, D. (Team member), Cao, S. (Team member), Leng, J. (Team member) & Wen, X. (Team member)
1/10/24 → 30/09/26
Project: Governmental Research Project
Research output
- 20 Article
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ACAT3 controls hepatic cholesterol metabolism and modulates systemic energy homeostasis of male mice
Ma, Z., Chen, Q., Zhang, J., Huang, Z., Wu, Q., Shi, T., Liu, X., Shu, H., Ma, Y., Cheng, K., Zhang, C., Jia, Z., Feng, Y. & Jiang, C., 15 Sept 2026, In: Life Sciences. 401, 124519.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Asymmetric dimethylguanidino valeric acid as an independently associated risk factor for early hypertriglyceridemia and dyslipidemia
Han, Y., Xiong, Q., Wang, J., Wang, A., Chen, Q., Liu, Y. & Cheng, K., 7 Mar 2026, In: Metabolomics. 22, 2, 34.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access -
Polygonatum kingianum polysaccharides ameliorate cognitive impairments in alcohol-exposed obese mice in a sex-specific manner by regulating the gut microbiome and metabolome
Lv, J., Qu, Y., Yan, Q., Cheng, K., Wu, Q., Zhang, J., Duan, X., Han, S., Tian, H. & Shi, L., 31 Oct 2026, In: Food Research International. 242, 119827.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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PRMT3-mediated post-translational adaptation to fasting regulates metabolic flexibility
Huang, Z., Liu, X., Chen, X., Zhou, Y., Chen, Q., Liu, Y., Zhu, H., Cheng, K., Feng, Y., Dong, M., Song, L., Wang, L., Liu, S., Shan, T., Kuang, S., Dong, Y., Vidal-Puig, A., Zhang, Y. & Jia, Z., 2 Feb 2026, In: Nature Communications. 17, 1Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access1 Citation (Scopus) -
Wheat Bran Arabinoxylan Potentiates Hepatoprotective Efficacy of Postbiotic Limosilactobacillus reuteri in Colitis Mice via a Gut–Liver Axis
Zhou, L., Liu, T., Zhang, S., Lv, J., Wang, Y., Wang, G., Dai, X., Wang, J., Zhang, Z., Cheng, K., Tian, H. & Shi, L., 2 Mar 2026, In: Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 74, 13Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
1 Citation (Scopus)