Professor Xiang-qian Lao

Biography

Dr. Xiang Qian LAO obtained his medical degree (Bachelor of Medicine) from Sun Yet-sen Medical University and then served as a Public Health Doctor for many years. He further pursued his Master of Medical Science in Peking Union Medical College and Doctor of Philosophy in the University of Hong Kong, respectively. His PhD thesis is on the “Inflammation, metabolic syndrome and vascular diseases in older Chinese: The Guangzhou Biobank Cohort Study”. He then went to the United States and received training in Genetic Epidemiology as a Post-Doctoral Fellow at Duke Institute for Genome Science & Policy at Duke University. Dr. Lao joined The Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care in 2009. His research focuses on using epidemiologic approaches to exploring environmental and genetic risks of chronic diseases.

Research Interest

Epidemiology in Air Pollution and Cardiovascular Disease Dr. Lao has established/leveraged the four large scale cohorts/survey series for his research: The Guangzhou Biobank Cohort Study: a cohort with 30,000 elderly in Guangzhou, China, to investigate genetic/environmental factors and common chronic diseases. For details pls see: Jiang C, Thomas GN, Lam TH, Schooling CM, Zhang W, Lao XQ, Adab P, Liu B, Leung GM, Cheng KK. Cohort profile: The Guangzhou Biobank Cohort Study, a Guangzhou-Hong Kong-Birmingham collaboration. Int J Epidemiol 2006; 35:844-52; or Lao XQ. Inflammation, metabolic syndrome and vascular diseases in older Chinese: The Guangzhou Biobank Cohort Study (PhD Thesis) The Guangdong Health Survey Series: A series of surveys in Guangdong province of China to monitor trends of cardiovascular risk in the population experiencing the fastest economic development in the world. For details pls see: Lao XQ, Ma WJ, Sobko T, Zhang YH, Xu YJ, Xu XJ, Yu DM, Nie SP, Cai QM, Xia L, Thomas GN, Griffiths SM. Overall obesity is leveling-off while abdominal obesity continues to rise in a Chinese population experiencing rapid economic development: analysis of serial cross-sectional health survey data 2002-2010. International Journal of Obesity 2015; 39:288-94 Air pollution and Health-the Taiwan MJ Cohort: a longitudinal cohort with more than 0.5 million Taiwan residents to investigate air pollution-related diseases and chronic diseases. For details pls see: Zhang Z, Chang LY, Lau AKH, Chan TC, Chuang Jackie, Chan Jimmy, Lin C, Jiang Kelvin, Dear K, Zee BCY, Yeoh EK, Hoek G, Tam THW, Lao XQ*. Satellite-Based Estimates of Long-Term Exposure to Fine Particulate Matter are associated with C-Reactive Protein in 30,034 Taiwanese Adults. Int J Epidemiol (online) The Hong Kong Primary School Children Cohort: A longitudinal cohort with 5,000 primary school students to investigate air pollution and respiratory health. For details pls see: Liu X, Lao XQ*, Wong CCY, Tan L, Zhang Z, Wong TW, Tse LA, Lau APS, Yu ITS. Frequent use of household cleaning products is associated with rhinitis in Chinese children. J ALLERGY CLIN IMMUN September 2016; 138:754-760 ​