Billy Chow

Education

• B.Sc. Hon. (First Class), Physiology, University of British Columbia.
• Ph.D. Biochemistry, University of British Columbia

Teaching Areas

• Endocrinology
• Molecular Biology

Research Interests

• Bioactive Peptides and G Protein-coupled Receptors
• Neuroendocrinology of Secretin
• Drug discovery

Current Research

• Role of Secretin and its receptor in thirst regulatory neural circuits
• Co-evolution of function and structure of PACAP with the hypothalamo-pituitary axis from invertebrates to vertebrates.
• Discovery of new drug candidates for allergy and hypertension

Fellowships

• Croucher Senior Research Fellow
• University of Kyoto
• University of British Columbia

Selected Publications

• K Duraisamy, K Singh, M Kumar, B Lefranc, E Bonnafé, M Treilhou, J Leprince, BKC Chow. P17 induces chemotaxis and differentiation of monocytes via MRGPRX2-mediated mast cell-line activation. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. In press.
• H Lin, Y Yan, Y Luo, WY So, X Wei, X Zhang, X Yang, J Zhang, Y Su, X Yang, B Zhang, K Zhang, N Jiang, BKC Chow, W Han, F Wang, F Rao. 2021. IP6-assisted CSN-COP1 competition regulates a CRL4-ETV5 proteolytic checkpoint to safeguard glucose-induced insulin secretion. Nature Communications. 12(1): 2461.
• Y Heshiki, R Vazquez-Uribe, J Li, Y Ni, S Quainoo, L Imamovic, J Li, M Sørensen, BKC Chow, GJ Weiss, A Xu, MOA Sommer, G Panagiotou. 2020. Predictable modulation of cancer treatment outcomes by the gut microbiota. Microbiome, 8 (1), 1-14
• T Zheng, J Li, Y Ni, K Kang, MA Misiakou, L Imamovic, BKC Chow, AA Rode, P Bytzer, M Sommer, G Panagiotou. 2019. Mining, analyzing, and integrating viral signals from metagenomic data. Microbiome. 7(1): 21
• SOK Mak, L Zhang, BKC Chow. 2019. In vivo actions of SCTR/AT1aR heteromer in controlling Vp expression and release viacFos/cAMP/CREB pathway in magnocellular neurons of PVN. FASEB Journal. 33 (4): 5389-5398.
• JJ Bai, BKC Chow 2017 Secretin is involved in sodium conservation through the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system. FASEB Journal 31(4): 1689-1697.
• JSW On, C Duan, BKC Chow, LTO Lee 2015 Functional pairing of class B1 ligand- GPCR in cephalochordate provides evidence of the origin of PTH and PACAP/glucagon receptor family. Mol. Biol. Evol. 32(8):2048-59.
• LTO Lee, SYL Ng, JYS Chu, R Sekar, KG Harikumar, LJ Miller, BKC Chow 2014 Transmembrane peptides as unique tools to demonstrate the in vivo action of a cross-class GPCR heterocomplex. FASEB J 28(6):2632-44.
• R Sekar, BKC Chow 2014 SCTR-knockout mice are resistant to high-fat diet-induced obesity and exhibit impaired intestinal lipid absorption. FASEB J 13(2):4753-56.
• Zhang L, Chung, SK, BKC Chow 2014 The Knockout of Secretin in Cerebellar Purkinje Cells Impairs Mouse Motor Coordination and Motor Learning. Neuropsychopharmacology 39(6):1460-68.
• CYY Cheng, JYS Chu, BKC Chow 2011 Central and peripheral administration of secretin inhibits food intake in mice through the activation of the melanocortin system. Neuropsychopharmacology. 36(2):459-71.
• VHY Lee, LTO Lee, JYS Chu, IPY Lam, FKY Siu, H Vaudry, BKC Chow 2010 An indispensable role of secretin in mediating the osmoregulatory functions of angiotensin II. FASEB Journal. 24(12):5024-5032.
• JYS Chu, LTO Lee, CH Lai, H Vaudry, YS Chan, WH Yung, BKC Chow 2009 SCT as a neurohypophysial factor regulating body fluid homeostasis. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 106(37):15961-66.
• LTO Lee, FKY Siu, JKV Tam, ITY Lau, AOL Wong, MCM Lin, H Vaudry, BKC Chow 2007 Discovery of GHRHs and receptors in non-mammalian vertebrates Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 104(7):2133-38.
• WH Yung, PS Leung, SSM Ng, J Zhang, SCY Chan, BKC Chow 2001 SCT facilitates GABA transmissionin the cerebellum. J Neurosci 21(18):7063-68

Awards and Honours

• 2017 Alumni Builder Award, University of British Columbia
• 2010 Research Output Prize, The University of Hong Kong.
• 2007 Akira Arimura Young Investigator Award: By the international VIP/PACAP society. In memory of Prof Arimura who founded this research area, I was awarded the first Akira Arimura young investigator award in 2007 in recognition of my contributions in understanding the pleiotropic activities of secretin in our body.
• 2005 Grace Pickford Medal: By the International Federation of Comparative Endocrine Societies (IFCE). This is the most prestigious award for comparative endocrinologists, given out once every 4 years in the international comparative endocrinology meeting. I am the first scientist from Hong Kong receiving this honor.
• Outstanding Researcher Award, By The University of Hong Kong.
• 2004 Croucher Senior Research Fellow by Croucher Foundation.
• 1995 Travel award for young scientist, International congress Neuroscience.
• 1992 Medical Research Council, Canada, Postdoctoral Fellowship.