Associate Professor Sylvie Alonso

Biography

Dr Alonso obtained her PhD degree in Microbiology and Molecular Biology from the University Claude Bernard Lyon I (France) in 1998. She subsequently moved to Pasteur Institute of Lille (France) for a 4-year post-doctoral training where she developed bacterial vaccine delivery systems. Dr Alonso then spent 2 years at Cornell University (NY, USA) as a Research Fellow where she worked on Tuberculosis. In 2004, she was awarded the Lee Kuan Yew post-doctoral fellowship and joined the Department of Microbiology at NUS. She was recruited as an Assistant Professor in 2007 and promoted to Associate Professor with tenure in 2013.

Research Interest

Our research interests revolve around host-pathogen interactions through the identification of viral determinants and host factors that drive the fitness and virulence of RNA viruses, including dengue virus, Zika virus, and Enteroviruses. The lab has established relevant symptomatic pre-clinical models, which has led to many collaborations and partnerships with academic and private sectors both locally and internationally. In collaboration with Monash University (Australia), we have also pursued the development of a promising dendritic cell targeting vaccine platform to protect against influenza, dengue and coronaviruses.

Current Projects

• Host-pathogen interactions in dengue and HFMD
• Dendritic cell targeting vaccine candidates

Recent Publications

1. Cheang YZN, Tan KS, Tan PS, Purushotorma K, Yap MC, Tullett MK, Chua YLB, Yeoh YYA, Tan QHC, Qian X, Chen H, Tay JWD, Caminschi I, Tan YJ, Macary PA, Tan CW, Lahoud MH, and Alonso S (2024). Single shot dendritic cell targeting SARS-CoV-2 vaccine candidate induces broad, durable and protective systemic and mucosal immune responses in mice. Mol Ther doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ymthe.2024.05.003
2. Kavishna R, Kang TY, Vacca M, Chua YL, Park HY, TAN PS, Chow VTK, Lahoud M, Alonso S (2022). A Single Shot Vaccine Approach for the Universal Influenza A Vaccine Candidate M2e- Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 119 (13) e2025607119 doi 10.1073/pnas.2025607119
3. Yeo H, Chong WC, Chen WE, Lim ZQ, Ng QY, Yan B, Chu JJH, Chow VTK, Alonso S (2022). A single amino acid substitution in structural protein VP2 abrogates the neurotropism of Enterovirus A-71 in mice. Front Microbiol 17 March 2022 https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2022.821976
4. Foo J, Bellot G, Pervaiz S, S Alonso (2022). Mitochondria-mediated oxidative stress during viral infection. Trends in Microbiology - Jan18:S0966-842X(21)00318-8 doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tim.2021.12.01
5. Ang Pei Yi, Chong WHC, Alonso S (2021). Viral determinants that drive Enterovirus-A71 fitness and virulence. Emerg Microbes Infect 10(1):713-724. doi: 10.1080/22221751.2021.1906754
6. Lim ZQ, Ng QY, OO Y, Chu JJH, Ng SY, Sze SK, Alonso S (2021). Enterovirus-A71 exploits peripherin and Rac1 to invade the central nervous system. EMBO Rep 22(6):e51777. doi: 10.15252/embr.202051777
7. Lee PX, Ting DHR, Boey CPH, Tan ETX, Chia JZH, Idris F, Oo Y, Ong LC, Chua YL, Hapuarachchi C, Ng LC, Alonso S (2020). Relative contribution of non-structural protein 1 in dengue pathogenesis. J. Exp. Med. 217(9):e20191548. doi:10.1084/jem.20191548
8. Kavishna R, Kang TY, Vacca M, Chua YL, Park HY, TAN PS, Chow VTK, Lahoud M, Alonso S (2022). A Single Shot Vaccine Approach for the Universal Influenza A Vaccine Candidate M2e- Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci USA 119 (13) e2025607119 doi 10.1073/pnas.2025607119
9. Yeo H, Chong WC, Chen WE, Lim ZQ, Ng QY, Yan B, Chu JJH, Chow VTK, Alonso S (2022). A single amino acid substitution in structural protein VP2 abrogates the neurotropism of Enterovirus A-71 in mice. Frontiers in Microbiology 17 March 2022 https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2022.821976
10. Foo J, Bellot G, Pervaiz S, S Alonso (2022). Mitochondria-mediated oxidative stress during viral infection. Trends in Microbiology- Jan18:S0966-842X(21)00318-8 doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tim.2021.12.01
11. Cheang YZN, Ting DHR, Koh HQV, Alonso S (2021). In vitro and in vivo efficacy of Metformin against dengue. Antiviral Res. 195:105186. doi: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2021.105186.
12. Ang Pei Yi, Chong WHC, Alonso S (2021). Viral determinants that drive Enterovirus-A71 fitness and virulence. Emerg. Microbes Infect. 10(1):713-724. doi : 10.1080/22221751.2021.1906754
13. Lim ZQ, Ng QY, OO Y, Chu JJH, Ng SY, Sze SK, Alonso S (2021). Enterovirus-A71 exploits peripherin and Rac1 to invade the central nervous system. EMBO Rep 22(6):e51777. doi: 10.15252/embr.202051777