Dr. Siddharth Sridhar

MB BS (HK), MRCP (UK), PDipID (HK), FRCPath, FHKCPath, FHKAM (Pathology), MD (HK)

Clinical Associate Professor

Email: sid8998@hku.hk

ORCID : https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2022-8307

Scopus author ID: 55845494300

biography

Dr. Sridhar is a Clinical Associate Professor at the Department of Microbiology of The University of Hong Kong (HKU). He obtained his medical degree from HKU and subsequently trained as a clinical virologist. He received his Doctor of Medicine degree from HKU in 2021. Dr. Sridhar’s research focuses on novel emerging causes of viral hepatitis and their impact on the health of immunocompromised persons. 

RESEARCH AREAS

  1. Genomic epidemiology and clinical characteristics of hepatitis E virus variants relevant to East Asia including genotype 4 hepatitis E and rat hepatitis E
  2. Investigating impact of hepatitis E virus on health of immunocompromised persons using in vitro an in vivo models
  3. Improving current treatment and prevention paradigms for hepatitis E in immunocompromised persons
  4. Identifying novel virus candidates causing hepatitis in humans

HONORS AND AWARDS

1)      Heine-Medin Award for young scientists with remarkable research in virology, European Society for Clinical Virology, 2025 

2)      HKUMed Faculty Clinical Service Excellence Award, 2024

3)      Lo Ying Shek Chi Wai Foundation Award for Young Investigator, 2022-2023

4)      Top 1% researchers, Essential Science Indicators, 2022

5)      Young Investigator Bursary, International Liver Congress, 2022

6)      American Society for Virology Global Scholar Award, 2021

7)      European Congress of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases (ECCMID) 21for ’21 grant, 2021
 
8)      American Society for Virology Global Scholar Award, 2020
 
9)      HKUMed Research Fellowship Scheme for Clinical Academics, 2022
 
10)      Faculty Outstanding Research Output Award, 2022
 
11)      Faculty Teaching Medal, 2021
 
12)      Sir Patrick Manson Gold Medal (for best MD thesis), 2021

selected significant publications

  1. Hon-Yin Lo K, Stanley Ho SF, Hon-Kiu Shun E, Wu S, Chik-Yan Yip C, Situ J, Ip JD, Chan WM, Yin F, Li Z, Kai-Wang To K, Fuk-Woo Chan J, Sridhar S. Enhanced surveillance, subtyping, and host adaptation analysis reveal genotype-wide zoonotic potential of rat hepatitis E virus. J Hepatol. 2025 Jul 14:S0168-8278(25)02339-6. doi: 10.1016/j.jhep.2025.07.004. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40669520.
  2. Chen Z, Liu L, Situ J, Li G, Guo S, Lai Q, Wu S, Jiang Y, Fan J, Tang Z, Li Y, Wen G, Wang S, Ying D, Liang Y, Siu-Fung Ho S, Ma X, Yiu-Hung Tsoi J, Shun EH, Chew NF, Ma W, Mao W, Li T, Chen Z, Fang M, Wang Y, Yu H, Zhang F, Zhang AJ, Li S, Xia N, Sridhar S (co-corresponding author), Zheng Q, Zheng Z. Antibodies elicited by hepatitis E vaccination in humans confer cross-genus protection against rat hepatitis E virus. J Hepatol. 2025 Jun 24:S0168-8278(25)02283-4. doi: 10.1016/j.jhep.2025.06.015. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40571163.
  3. Cui X, Situ J, Tang T, Li Z, Chen D, Ho SS, Chung HL, Wong TC, Liang Y, Deng C, Su Y, Cai H, Lo SK, Huang S, Zeng S, Zhang L, Chen Y, Wu S, Shun EH, Chew NF, Tsoi JY, Lo KH, Xing F, Cheng VC, Yuen KY, Yin F, Chan JF, Sridhar S. Prevalence of Rocahepevirus ratti (rat hepatitis E virus) in humans and rats in China. JHEP Rep. 2025 Mar 4;7(5):101370. doi: 10.1016/j.jhepr.2025.101370. PMID: 40342633; PMCID: PMC12060442.
  4. Guo H, Xu J, Situ J, Li C, Wang X, Hou Y, Yang G, Wang L, Ying D, Li Z, Wang Z, Su J, Ding Y, Zeng D, Zhang J, Ding X, Wu S, Miao W, Tang R, Lu Y, Kong H, Zhou P, Zheng Z, Zheng K, Pan X, Sridhar S (co-corresponding author), Wang W. Cell binding tropism of rat hepatitis E virus is a pivotal determinant of its zoonotic transmission to humans. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2024 Nov 5;121(45):e2416255121. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2416255121. Epub 2024 Oct 28. PMID: 39467126; PMCID: PMC11551445.
  5. Situ J, Lo KH, Cai JP, Li Z, Wu S, Shun EH, Chew NF, Yiu-Hung Tsoi J, Chan GS, Chan WH, Yip CC, Sze KH, Cheng VC, Yuen KY, Sridhar S. An immunoassay system to investigate epidemiology of Rocahepevirus ratti (rat hepatitis E virus) infection in humans. JHEP Rep. 2023 May 15;5(9):100793. doi: 10.1016/j.jhepr.2023.100793. PMID: 37575885; PMCID: PMC10415708.
  6. Sridhar S, Wu S, Situ J, Shun EH, Li Z, Zhang AJ, Hui K, Fong CH, Poon VK, Chew NF, Yip CC, Chan WM, Cai JP, Yuen KY. A small animal model of chronic hepatitis E infection using immunocompromised rats. JHEP Rep. 2022 Aug 10;4(10):100546. doi: 10.1016/j.jhepr.2022.100546. PMID: 36052220; PMCID: PMC9424580.
  7. Sridhar S, Yip CCY, Lo KHY, Wu S, Situ J, Chew NFS (current MPhil student), Leung KH, Chan HSY, Wong SCY, Leung AWS, Tse CWS, Fung KSC, Tsang OTY, Hon KL, Cheng VCC, Ng KHL, Yuen KY. Hepatitis E Virus Species C Infection in Humans, Hong Kong. Clin Infect Dis. 2022 Aug 25;75(2):288-296. doi: 10.1093/cid/ciab919. PMID: 34718428.
  8. Sridhar S, Situ J, Cai JP, Yip CC, Wu S, Zhang AJ, Wen L, Chew NF, Chan WM, Poon RW, Chan JF, Tsang DN, Chen H, Xia NS, Yuen KY. Multimodal investigation of rat hepatitis E virus antigenicity: Implications for infection, diagnostics, and vaccine efficacy. J Hepatol. 2021 Jun;74(6):1315-1324. doi: 10.1016/j.jhep.2020.12.028. PMID: 33845058.
  9. Sridhar S, Yip CC, Wu S, Chew NF, Leung KH, Chan JF, Zhao PS, Chan WM, Poon RW, Tsoi HW, Cai JP, Chan HS, Leung AW, Tse CW, Zee JS, Tsang OT, Cheng VC, Lau SK, Woo PC, Tsang DN, Yuen KY. Transmission of Rat Hepatitis E Virus Infection to Humans in Hong Kong: A Clinical and Epidemiological Analysis. Hepatology. 2021 Jan;73(1):10-22. doi: 10.1002/hep.31138. PMID: 31960460.
  10. Sridhar S, Cheng VCC, Wong SC, Yip CCY, Wu S, Lo AWI, Leung KH, Mak WWN, Cai J, Li X, Chan JFW, Lau SKP, Woo PCY, Lai WM, Kwan TH, Au TWK, Lo CM, Wong SCY, Yuen KY. Donor-Derived Genotype 4 Hepatitis E Virus Infection, Hong Kong, China, 2018. Emerg Infect Dis. 2019 Mar;25(3):425-433. doi: 10.3201/eid2503.181563. PMID: 30789146; PMCID: PMC6390757.
  11. Sridhar S, Yip CCY, Wu S, Cai J, Zhang AJ, Leung KH, Chung TWH, Chan JFW, Chan WM, Teng JLL, Au-Yeung RKH, Cheng VCC, Chen H, Lau SKP, Woo PCY, Xia NS, Lo CM, Yuen KY. Rat Hepatitis E Virus as Cause of Persistent Hepatitis after Liver Transplant. Emerg Infect Dis. 2018 Dec;24(12):2241-2250. doi: 10.3201/eid2412.180937. PMID: 30457530.
  12. Sridhar S, Lo SK, Xing F, Yang J, Ye H, Chan JF, Teng JL, Huang C, Yip CC, Lau SK, Woo PC. Clinical characteristics and molecular epidemiology of hepatitis E in Shenzhen, China: a shift toward foodborne transmission of hepatitis E virus infection. Emerg Microbes Infect. 2017 Dec 20;6(12):e115. doi: 10.1038/emi.2017.107. PMID: 29259325; PMCID: PMC5750461.