Dr. YUAN Shuofeng

Shuofeng Yuan (袁碩峰), PhD, DVM

Associate Professor

Email: yuansf@hku.hk

ORCID : https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7996-1119

PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=shuofeng+yuan&sort=date

Biography

Dr. Yuan’s work leverages systems-based approaches and state-of-the-art technologies to examine the virus-host interface, identifying targets for antiviral intervention, with a focus on RNA viruses that pose a pandemic threat. Concepts established in his findings are harnessed to design and develop new antiviral drugs, as well as immunization with live attenuated and synthetic vaccines against viral diseases. Dr. Yuan has achieved breakthroughs in identifying novel cellular factors (e.g. SREBP, AP2M1, PMI) and lead compounds for broad-spectrum antiviral therapy. This provides a transformative solution to challenges such as drug resistance, limited coverage, and high costs that are inherent in the traditional “one drug-one bug” approach. His innovative application of click-chemistry and fragment-based techniques in virological study addresses the obstacle of the undruggable proteome in modern antiviral discovery. His pioneering integration of metabolic rewiring intervention with standard antiviral monotherapy represents a paradigm shift in patient management, particularly for those with delayed admission. His research endeavors are supported by notable funding bodies, including the NIH (USA), NSFC Excellent Young Scientist Fund (Hong Kong and Macau) and National Key Technologies R&D Program (China). Additionally, his team collaborates with prominent pharmaceutical and biotech companies on early-phase drug discovery and vaccine development.

research interests

  1. Virus-triggered host metabolic reprogramming.
  2. Druggable antiviral targets

Selected honors & awards

1) Young Scientist Award (Federation of Asian and Oceanian Biochemists and Molecular Biologists, FAOBMB) (2024)
2) Early Career Award (Hong Kong Research Grants Council) (2024)
3) Global ‘Highly Cited Researchers’ (Clarivate Analytics) (2021&2022&2023&24)
4) MIT Technology Review Innovators Under 35 Asia Pacific (2023)
5) Excellent Young Scientists Fund (Hong Kong and Macao) (China NSFC) (2023)
6) Gold Medal (48th International Exhibition of Inventions of Geneva) (2023)
7) Dalton Horizon Prize (Royal Society of Chemistry) (2023)
8) Young Investigator Awards (Pathogens Journal 2023) (Viruses Journal 2024)
9) Young Innovator Award (HKU) (2023)
10) Health and Medical Research Fund Research Fellowship Scheme (HKSAR) (2022)

Selected publications

1) Huang Y, Wang T, Zhong L, Zhang W, Zhang Y, Yu X, Yuan S# (co-corresponding author), Ni T#. Molecular Architecture of Coronavirus Double 1 Membrane Vesicle Pore Complex. Nature. 2024 Sep;633(8028):224-231.

2) Au MT, Ni J, Tang K, Wang W, Zhang L, Wang H, Zhao F, Li Z, Luo P, Lau LC, Chan PK, Luo C, Zhou B, Zhu L, Zhang CY, Jiang T, Lauwers M, Chan JF, Yuan S# (co-corresponding author), Wen C#. Blockade of endothelin receptors mitigates SARS-CoV-2-induced osteoarthritis. Nat Microbiol. 2024 Oct;9(10):2538-2552.

3) Liang R, Ye ZW, Qin Z, Xie Y, Yang X, Sun H, Du Q, Luo P, Tang K, Hu B, Cao J, Wong XH, Ling GS, Chu H, Shen J, Yin F, Jin DY, Chan JF, Yuen KY, Yuan S# (single corresponding author). PMI-controlled mannose metabolism and glycosylation determines tissue tolerance and virus fitness. Nat Commun. 2024 Mar 8;15(1):2144.

4) Chan CC, Guo Q, Chan JF, Tang K, Cao JP, Chik KK, Huang Y, Dai M, Qin B, Ong CP, Chu AW, Chan WM, Ip JD, Wen L, Tsang JO, Wang TY, Xie Y, Qin Z, Cao J, Ye ZW, Chu H, To KK, Ge XY, Ni T, Jin DY, Cui S, Yuen KY, Yuan S# (single corresponding author). Identification of novel small-molecule inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 by chemical genetics. Acta Pharm. Sin. B. 2024 Sep;14(9):4028-4044.

5) Yuan S*, Ye ZW*, Liang R*, Tang K*, Zhang AJ*, Lu G*, Ong CP*, Man Poon VK, Chan CC, Mok BW, Qin Z, Xie Y, Chu AW, Chan WM, Ip JD, Sun H, Tsang JO, Yuen TT, Chik KK, Chan CC, Cai JP, Luo C, Lu L, Yip CC, Chu H, To KK, Chen H, Jin DY, Yuen KY, Chan JF. Pathogenicity, transmissibility, and fitness of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron in Syrian hamsters. Science. 2022 Jun 23: eabn8939.

6) Yuan S*, Yin X*, Meng X*, Chan JF*, Ye ZW*, Riva L, Pache L, Chan CC, Lai PM, Chan CC, Poon VK, Lee AC, Matsunaga N, Pu Y, Yuen CK, Cao J, Liang R, Tang K, Sheng L, Du Y, Xu W, Lau CY, Sit KY, Au WK, Wang R, Zhang YY, Tang YD, Clausen TM, Pihl J, Oh J, Sze KH, Zhang AJ, Chu H, Kok KH, Wang D, Cai XH, Esko JD, Hung IF, Li RA, Chen H, Sun H, Jin DY, Sun R#, Chanda SK#, Yuen KY#. Clofazimine broadly inhibits coronaviruses including SARS-CoV-2. Nature. 2021 May;593(7859):418-423.

7) Yuan S*, Wang R*, Chan JF*, Zhang AJ, Cheng T, Chik KK, Ye ZW, Wang S, Lee AC, Jin L, Li H, Jin DY, Yuen KY#, Sun H#. Metallodrug ranitidine bismuth citrate suppresses SARS-CoV-2 replication and relieves virus-associated pneumonia in Syrian hamsters. Nat Microbiol. 2020 Nov;5(11):1439-1448.

8) Riva L*, Yuan S* (co-first author), Yin X, Martin-Sancho L, Matsunaga N, Pache L, Burgstaller-Muehlbacher S, De Jesus PD, Teriete P, Hull MV, Chang MW, Chan JF, Cao J, Poon VK, Herbert KM, Cheng K, Nguyen TH, Rubanov A, Pu Y, Nguyen C, Choi A, Rathnasinghe R, Schotsaert M, Miorin L, Dejosez M, Zwaka TP, Sit KY, Martinez-Sobrido L, Liu WC, White KM, Chapman ME, Lendy EK, Glynne RJ, Albrecht R, Ruppin E, Mesecar AD, Johnson JR, Benner C, Sun R, Schultz PG, Su AI, García-Sastre A, Chatterjee AK#, Yuen KY#, Chanda SK#. Discovery of SARS-CoV-2 antiviral drugs through large-scale compound repurposing. Nature. 2020 Oct;586(7827):113-119.

9) Chan JF*, Yuan S* (co-first author), Kok KH*, To KK*, Chu H*, Yang J, Xing F, Liu J, Yip CC, Poon RW, Tsoi HW, Lo SK, Chan KH, Poon VK, Chan WM, Ip JD, Cai JP, Cheng VC, Chen H, Hui CK, Yuen KY. A familial cluster of pneumonia associated with the 2019 novel coronavirus indicating person-to-person transmission: a study of a family cluster. Lancet. 2020 Jan 24. pii: S0140-6736(20)30154-9.

10) Yuan S*, Chu H*, Chan JF*, Ye ZW, Wen L, Yan B, Lai PM, Tee KM, Huang J, Chen D, Li C, Zhao X, Yang D, Chiu MC, Yip C, Poon VK, Chan CC, Sze KH, Zhou J, Chan IH, Kok KH, To KK, Kao RY, Lau JY, Jin DY, Perlman S, Yuen KY. SREBP-dependent lipidomic reprogramming as a broad-spectrum antiviral target. Nat Commun. 2019 Jan 10;10(1):120.

Key Grant Records

1) Collaborative Research Fund (C7002-23Y, RGC of HKSAR)
2) Developmental Research Project (1U19AI171443-01-5-55087, NIH of USA)
3) NSFC of China/RGC Joint Research Scheme (N_HKU767/22, RGC of HKSAR)
4) Mainland-Hong Kong Joint Funding Scheme (MHP/128/22, ITC of HKSAR)
5) InnoHK (Centre for Virology, Vaccinology and Therapeutics, Project 3A, ITC of HKSAR)
In total: HK$ 46.5 million≈ US$ 6millions, and from various funding agencies including NIH (USA), NSFC (China), MOST (China), RGC (HKSAR), HMRF (HKSAR), ITF (HKSAR) etc.

Media Coverage:

join our team

We welcome motivated individuals to join us as Postdoc Fellows, PhD students or Research Assistants. Interested candidates please send a cover letter detailing your research interests and CV to Dr. Yuan (yuansf@hku.hk).