Qing-Jun Meng

Qing-Jun Meng is a Professor of Chronobiology and Associate Dean for Internationalisation (Research & Innovation) at the University of Manchester's Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health. He leads the Chrono-Matrix research theme at the Wellcome Centre for Cell-Matrix Research and co-directs the Wellcome Trust Immuno-Matrix PhD programme. His research focuses on circadian clocks' roles in ageing and diseases like osteoarthritis, breast cancer, and skin ageing. Meng has pioneered studies on circadian medicine, aiming to align therapies with biological rhythms for better clinical outcomes.

He holds a MD and PhD, and has been awarded prestigious fellowships including the MRC Career Development Award (2009) and Arthritis Research UK Senior Fellowship (2015). His work integrates transgenic models, omics technologies, and machine learning to explore circadian-clock mechanisms in tissue degeneration and repair.

Recent research highlights include identifying circadian regulation of collagen deposition, developing chronogenetic drug delivery systems, and investigating cancer stem cell vulnerability through circadian targeting. Meng also chairs international conferences like the Gordon Research Conference on Cartilage Biology.

• Key Awards: 2024 FBMH Researcher of the Year, MRC Centenary Award, Manchester’s Conference Ambassador
• Leadership Roles: Secretary of British Society for Matrix Biology, Council Member of International Society for Matrix Biology

His lab comprises postdoctoral researchers, PhD students, and technicians exploring circadian-clock interactions with extracellular matrix biology. Meng teaches courses on chronobiology, regenerative medicine, and matrix biology, contributing to the Biosciences International Summer School.