>> Research Seminar
- Finding the strength from within: understanding the mechanism of a host antiviral protein Zinc Antiviral Protein (ZAP) by Dr John Law, HKU-Pasteur Research Centre, December , 2009 -
A seminar entitled

Finding the strength from within: understanding the mechanism of a host antiviral protein Zinc Antiviral Protein (ZAP)

will be given by

Dr John Law, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY

Date:
Tuesday, 22 December 2009

Time:
12:00 noon – 1:30pm

Venue:
HKU-Pasteur Research Centre
1/F Dexter H.C. Man Bldg.,
8 Sassoon Road, Pokfulam, Hong Kong

Abstract:
Interferons have strong antiviral effects inducing many host proteins to combat pathogens. Mechanisms of action for many of these interferon stimulated antiviral proteins are poorly understood. ZAP is one such host factor that specifically blocks replication of alphaviruses, Moloney murine leukemia virus and filoviruses. In the case of Sindbis virus, the type member of the alphaviruses, overexpression of ZAP prevents translation of the incoming genome. Furthermore, virus infection causes relocation of ZAP to stress granules, a subcellular location for mRNA triage. Based on these observations, we hypothesize that the ability of ZAP to block virus replication requires localization to stress granules. Through extensive mutagenesis we have identified residues critical for the antiviral function of ZAP, uncovered a previously undetectable endogenous pool of the protein and found evidence of functional dimerization. The panel of mutants is now being used to dissect the role of stress granules in Sindbis virus replication and ZAP activity.

All are welcome

>> New Publications in PLoS One
- Published article -
The article entitled "Systems-level comparison of host-responses elicited by avian H5N1 and seasonal H1N1 influenza viruses in primary human macrophages" by Lee S.M. et al. is published in PLoS One.

>> New Publications in PLoS One
- Published article -
The article entitled "Efficient Assembly and Secretion of Recombinant Subviral Particles of the Four Dengue Serotypes Using Native prM and E Proteins" by Wang P.-G. et al. is published in PLoS One.

>> New Publications in PLoS One
- Published article -
The article entitled "Prevalence of antibodies against avian influenza A (H5N1) virus among Cullers and poultry workers in Ho Chi Minh City, 2005" by Schultsz C. et al. is published in PLoS One.

>> Scientific Congress
- 14th Research Postgraduate Symposium, December 2-3, 2009, Laboratory Block, 21 Sassoon Road, Pokfulam, Hong Kong -
Mr Jean Millet presented his work on "Interactome of the C-terminal Domains of Human Coronavirus Spike (S), Envelope (E) and Membrane (M) Envelope Glycoproteins" (Oral Presentation Sessions, Session III, Infection & Immunology, Seminar Room 7, LG1).
Mr Huailiang Ma presented his work on "Definition of Human Cellular Regulators Required for the Replication of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza H5N1 Virus" (Poster Presentation Sessions, Theme IV, Infection & Immunology, Multidisciplinary Laboratory 2-3, G/F).
Mr Simon Yip presented his work on "Antibody-dependent Enhancement of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus" (Poster Presentation Sessions, Theme IV, Infection & Immunology, Multidisciplinary Laboratory 2-3, G/F).
Mr Jimmy Lai presented his work on "Revisiting Influenza Virus Interaction with its Receptor by STD NMR Spectroscopy" (Poster Presentation Sessions, Theme IV, Infection & Immunology, Multidisciplinary Laboratory 2-3, G/F). He was awarded a Certificate of Merit.

>> New Publication in PLoS One
- Published article -
The article entitled "Heterosubtype Neutralizing Responses to Influenza A (H5N1) Viruses Are Mediated by Antibodies to Virus Haemagglutinin" by Garcia J.-M.et al. is published in PLoS One.

October 2009

August 2009

July 2009

June 2009

>> Molecular Detection of Swine Influenza H1N1
- Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, the University of Hong Kong, May 21, 2009-
Researchers at HKU and HKU-Pasteur Research Centre have developed a new RT-PCR assays for the rapid detection of cases of the newly emergent H1N1 virus. This techinque using conventional agarose gel electrophoretic separation for identification of PCR products does not require expensive rapid PCR equipment and could be used in laboratories worldwide. These assays are described in Clinical Chemistry journal.


Download the article here.

>> New Publication in PLoS Medicine
- Published article -
The perspective article entitled "Mapping antibody epitopes of the avian H5N1 influenza virus" by Yen H.L. & Peiris J. S. is published in PLoS Medicine.

>> AoE Seminars
- Friday, 13 March 2009, 3:30PM, Lecture Theatre 2, Cheung Kung Hai Conference Centre, G/F, William MW Mong Block, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine -
Seminar 1
Title: Humoral and cellular response in infants < 6 months old after
intramuscular or intradermal influenza vaccination
Speakers: Drs Wenwei Tu and Susan Chiu, Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University of Hong Kong

Seminar 2
Title: Pseudoviral particles: The "swiss army knife" of the virologist
Speaker: Dr Jean-Michel Garcia, HKU-Pasteur Research Centre

>> Technology Seminar
- Converging into focus: HTS, HCS and stem cells by Richard M. Eglen, Wednesday, March 11, 2009, 3:00 p.m., Seminar Room 6, LG/F, Laboratory Block, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine -
Abstract:
Over the past decade, the use of cell-based assays has accelerated in modern drug discovery. Indeed, the majority of assays in either target validation or lead identification/optimization all employ cell-based systems. A very wide range of target classes can now be addressed by cell-based approaches including G protein coupled receptors (GPCRs), kinases (TKs, RTKs), nuclear hormone receptors (NHRs) and ion channels. One implicit assumption in these approaches is that the functional response provides a better definition of both the target physiology as well as its pharmacological interaction with novel compounds.
However, classical functional assays frequently use cell phenotypes that differ markedly from those found in human pathology. In particular, the reliance on the use of immortalized clonal cells, often optimized for the automation and detection systems in the HTS laboratory, raises concerns as to the clinical relevance of both the target validation studies as well as lead compounds selected for subsequent development. Consequently, some drug discovery programs are moving towards a broader adoption of primary and stem cells, as well as using sophisticated cell-based assays which employ high content analysis (HCA) and high content screening (HCS) techniques.
This presentation will discuss these emerging trends in drug discovery, with an emphasis on assays for a key drug discovery target classes, the GPCRs.

Richard M. Eglen
Richard M. Eglen (Ph.D. Molecular Pharmacology) is President, Bio-discovery, at PerkinElmer. He has held numerous executive management positions in the Life Science industry being most recently Vice President and General Manager, Drug Discovery Reagents at PerkinElmer. Until 2006, he was Chief Scientific Officer at DiscoveRx Corp. In 2000 he was appointed as Vice President of the Center for Biological Research at Roche and previously, Vice President and Director of the Institute of Pharmacology at Syntex Research.
Eglen has worked extensively in the GPCR, kinase and ion channel fields, from the perspectives of both drug discovery and assay technologies. He is the author of over 280 publications, book chapters, and patents, and serves on numerous NIH advisory and journal editorial boards, including ASSAY and Drug Development Technologies, of which he is currently deputy editor.

>> A new candidate vaccine against avian flu.
- Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, the University of Hong Kong, March 1, 2009 -
Researchers at HKU and NIH have developed in a collaborative project a multivalent vaccine against H5N1 by piggy-backing it on the vaccinia virus vector. The HKU team included Leo Poon and Connie Leung (Department of Microbiology), John Nicholls (Department of Pathology) and Malik Peiris (Department of Microbiology and Scientific Director of HKU-PRC) who was one of the senior authors of the study supported through the Area of Excellence program on the “Control of pandemic and inter-pandemic influenza” funded by the University Grants Council of Hong Kong.

The authors adopted a strategy based on the use of a “live delivery vector, the incorporation of a repertoire of antigenic targets to achieve broad cross protection, and the incorporation of a molecular adjuvant to enhance the breadth and durability of vaccine-induced immune responses.” (Vaccinia virus-based multivalent H5N1 avian influenza vaccines adjuvanted with IL-15 confer sterile cross-clade protection in mice. J Immunol. 2009 Mar 1;182(5):3063-71). This vaccine induced cross-neutralizing antibodies as well as robust cellular immune responses in vaccinated mice and conferred sterile cross-protection with 100% efficacy against H5N1 viruses of different clades. Although it remains to be seen whether the vaccine will work also in humans, this strategy may also allow production of a cheap and stable vaccine that would be more easily available to developing countries. For more details, read the press release of the LKS Faculty of Medicine.

February 2009

>> New Publications
- Published Articles -
The article entitled "Induction of proinflammatory cytokines in primary human macrophages by influenza A virus (H5N1) is selectively regulated by IFN regulatory factor 3 and p38 MAPK " by Hui K. P. et al. is published in Journal of Immunology.
The article entitled "High-throughput screening using pseudotyped lentiviral particles: A strategy for the identification of HIV-1 inhibitors in a cell-based assay " by Garcia J. M. et al. is published in Antiviral Research.