Dr. ZHOU Jie, Jane

MBBS, MS, PhD (HKU)

Assistant Professor

Email: jiezhou@hku.hk

ORCID : https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2948-3873

HKU Scholars Hub: https://hub.hku.hk/cris/rp/rp01412

BIOGRAPHY

Dr. Zhou focuses on organoid-based virus research, including human respiratory viruses (influenza viruses, highly pathogenic coronaviruses) and enteric viruses. In the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak, she and her team developed the first bat intestinal organoid culture system. Bat organoids are fully susceptible to SARS-CoV-2, lending support to the bat origin of SARS-CoV-2. The bat organoids also open up a new avenue for isolating and cultivating numerous bat viruses, and assessing their zoonotic potential to humans. She also established the first two-phase, bipotential respiratory organoid culture system that allows scientists to reconstruct and expand the entire human respiratory epithelium in culture plates with excellent efficiency and stability. These physiologically-active respiratory organoids, including nasal organoids, airway organoids and alveolar organoids, are optimal experimental and preclinical models for diverse biomedical, translational and pharmaceutical applications, including but not limited to disease modeling, drug screening, and personalized medicine.

Her significant contributions have earned her recognition as a Clarivate Analytics Essential Science Indicators (ESI) highly cited scholar in 2023 and world’s top 1% Scholar since 2021.

Dr. Zhou has secured 9 competitive research grants in the capacity of PI, including CRF, GRF, and HMRF.

RESEARCH FOCUS

  1. Development of epithelial organoid models for biomedical research.
  2. Organoid-based investigation of virus-host interaction and viral pathogenesis.

selected publications

  1. Zhou J#, Li C. Liu X, Chiu MC, Zhao X, Wang D, Wei Y, Lee A, Zhang AJ, Chu H, Cai JP, Yip CC, Chan IHY, Wong KKY, Tsang OTY, Chan KH, Chan JF, To KK, Chen H, Yuen KY#. Infection of bat and human intestinal organoids by SARS-CoV-2. Nature Medicine. 2020 Jul;26(7):1077-1083.
  2. Li C, Huang J, Yu Y, Wan Z, Chiu MC, Liu X, Zhang S, Cai JP, Chu H, Li G, Chan JF, To KK, Yang Z, Jiang S, Yuen KY#, Clevers H#, Zhou J#. Human airway and nasal organoids reveal escalating replicative fitness of SARS-CoV-2 emerging variants. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2023 Apr 25;120(17).
  3. Chiu MC, Zhang S, Li C, Liu X, Yu Y, Huang J, Wan, Z, Zhu, X, Zhou J#. Apical-Out Human Airway Organoids Modeling SARS-CoV-2 Infection. Viruses 2023, 15, 1166.
  4. Liu X, Li C, Wan Z, Chiu MC, Huang J, Yu Y, Cai JP, Chu H, Jiang S#, Yuen KY#, Zhou J#. Analogous comparison unravels heightened antiviral defense in bat organoids and boosted viral infection upon immunosuppression. Signal Transduction & Targeted Therapy. 2022 Dec 19;7(1):392.
  5. Chiu MC, Cun Li, Xiaojuan Liu, Yifei Yu, Jingjing Huang, Zhixin Wan, Ding Xiao, Hin Chu, Jian-Piao Cai, Biao Zhou, Ko-Yung Sit, Wing-Kuk Au, Kenneth Kak-Yuen Wong, Gang Li, Jasper Fuk-Woo Chan, Kelvin Kai-Wang To, Zhiwei Chen, Shibo Jiang, Hans Clevers#, Kwok-Yung Yuen#, Zhou J#. 2022. A bipotential organoid model of respiratory epithelium recapitulates high infectivity of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant. Cell Discovery. 2022 Jun 17;8(1):57.
  6. Chiu MC, Li C, Liu X, Song W, Wan Z, Yu Y, Huang J, Chu H, Cai J, Kai-Wang To K, Yuen KY, Zhou J#. Human nasal organoids model SARS-CoV-2 upper respiratory infection and recapitulate the differential infectivity of emerging variants. 2022 Aug 30;13(4):e0194422 (Editor’s pick, 2023 Top papers submitted by ASM members)
  7. Wang D, Li C, Chiu MC, Yu Y, Liu X, Zhao X, Huang J, Cheng Z, Yuan S, Poon VK, Cai JP, Chu H, Chan JF, To KK, Yuen KY, Zhou J#. SPINK6 inhibits human airway serine proteases and restricts influenza virus activation. EMBO Mol Med. 2022 Jan 11;14(1):e14485.
  8. Zhao X, Li C, Chiu MC, Jiang S. Wang P, Zhou J#. Rock1 is a novel host dependency factor of human enterovirus A71: implication as a drug target. J Med Virol. 2022 Jul 5.
  9. Zhao X, Li C, Liu X, Chiu MC, Wang D, Wei Y, Chu H, Cai JP, Hau-Yee Chan, Kak-Yuen Wong K, Fuk-Woo Chan J, Kai-Wang To K, Yuen KY, Zhou J#. Human Intestinal Organoids Recapitulate Enteric Infections of Enterovirus and Coronavirus. Stem Cell Reports. 2021 Mar 9;16(3):493-504
  10. Li C, Chu H, Liu X, Chiu MC, Zhao X, Wang D, Wei Y, Hou Y, Shuai H, Cai J, Chan JF, Zhou J#, Yuen KY#. Human coronavirus dependency on host heat shock protein 90 reveals an antiviral target. Emerg Microbes Infect. 2020 Dec;9(1):2663-2672.
  11. Zhao X, Chu H, Wong BH, Chiu MC, Wang D, Li C, Liu X, Yang D, Poon VK, Cai J, Chan JF, To KK, Zhou J#, Yuen KY. Activation of C-type lectin receptor and (RIG)-I-like receptors contributes to proinflammatory response in MERS coronavirus infected macrophages. J Infect Dis. 2019 Sep 28.
  12. Zhang K, Li C, Luo Y, Wen L, Yuen S, Wang D, Wong BH, Zhao X, Chiu MC, Ye Z, Sun Z, Zhao H, Zhang X, Hu M, Yang D, Shuai H, Wang Y, He J, Bose ME, Henrickson KJ, Huang J, Zheng BJ, Chu H, Zhou J#. Establishment of a lethal aged mouse model of human respiratory syncytial virus infection. Antiviral Res. 2018 Nov 29;161:125-133.
  13. Zhou J, Wang Dong, Wong BH, Li Cun, Poon VK, Wen Lei, Zhao X, Chiu MC, Liu X, Ye Z, Yuan S, Sze K, Chan JF, Chu H, To KK, Yuen KY. Identification and characterization of GLDC as host susceptibility gene to severe influenza. EMBO Mol Med. 2018 Nov 28.
  14. Zhou J, Li C, Sachs N, Chiu MC, Wong BH, Chu H, Poon VK, Wang D, Zhao X, Wen L, Song W, Yuan S, Wong KK, Chan JF, To KK, Chen H, Clevers H, Yuen KY. Differentiated human airway organoids to assess infectivity of emerging influenza virus. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2018 Jun 26;115(26):6822-6827.
  15. Zhou J, Li C, Zhao G, Chu H, Wang D, Yan HH, Poon VK, Wen L, Wong BH, Zhao X, Chiu MC, Yang D, Wang Y, Au-Yeung RKH, Chan IH, Sun S, Chan JF, To KK, Memish ZA, Corman VM, Drosten C, Hung IF, Zhou Y, Leung SY, Yuen KY. Human intestinal tract serves as an alternative infection route for Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus. Sci Adv. 2017 Nov 15;3(11):eaao4966
  16. Zhou J, Chu H, Li C, Wong BH, Cheng ZS, Poon VK, Sun T, Lau CC, Wong KK, Chan JY, Chan JF, To KK, Chan KH, Zheng BJ, Yuen KY. Active replication of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus and aberrant induction of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines in human macrophages: implications for pathogenesis. J Infect Dis. 2014 May 1;209(9):1331-42.
  17. Zhou J, To KK, Dong H, Cheng ZS, Lau CC, Poon VK, Fan YH, Song YQ, Tse H, Chan KH, Zheng BJ, Zhao GP, Yuen KY. A functional variation in CD55 increases the severity of 2009 pandemic H1N1 influenza A virus infection. J Infect Dis. 2012 Aug 15;206(4):495-503.
  18. Zhou J, Tan T, Tian Y, Zheng B, Ou JH, Huang EJ, Yen TS. Krüppel-like factor 15 activates hepatitis B virus gene expression and replication. Hepatology. 2011; 54(1):109-21.
  19. Zhou J, Huang JD, Poon VK, Chen DQ, Chan CC, Ng F, Guan XY, Watt RM, Lu L, Yuen KY, Zheng BJ. Functional dissection of an IFN-alpha/beta receptor 1 promoter variant that confers higher risk to chronic hepatitis B virus infection. J Hepatol. 2009 Aug;51(2):322-32.
  20. Zhou J, Lu L, Yuen MF, Lam TW, Chung CP, Lam CL, Zhang B, Wang S, Chen Y, Wu SH, Poon VK, Ng F, Chan CC, Jiang S, Yuen KY, Zheng BJ. Polymorphisms of type I interferon receptor 1 promoter and their effects on chronic hepatitis B virus infection. J Hepatol. 2007 Feb;46(2):198-205.

join our team

Dr. Zhou is looking for motivated young scientists to join us as post-doctoral fellows, MPhil/PhD students, or research assistants. Interested candidates please send a cover letter and CV to Dr. Zhou (jiezhou@hku.hk).