Profile of the month
Justin Chu Jang Hann
BSc (Hons), PhD
Affliations:
Assistant Dean (Academic Affairs), Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, NUS
Director of NUS Medicine BSL-3& ABSL-3 Core Facility
Joint Senior Principal Investigator, IMCB A*STAR
Associate Professor
Department of Microbiology and Immunology
Email: miccjh@nus.edu.sg
Tel: 6516 3278
Research Interest
Molecular RNA Virology and Antiviral Strategies
Positive-strand RNA viruses encompass over one-third of all virus genera and include numerous human pathogens, such as dengue virus, West Nile virus, Enterovirus 71, Chikungunya virus, MERS and SARS CoV-2 coronaviruses and hepatitis C virus. Host factors participate in most, if not all steps of positive-strand RNA virus infection, including entry, viral gene expression, virion assembly and release. Moreover, host factors are targeted by positive-strand RNA viruses to modulate host gene expression and immune defenses. In our current study, SARS CoV-2, human Enterovirus 71, mosquito borne flaviviruses (Zika and Dengue) as well as Chikungunya virus are used as the virus models to decipher the interplay of essential host factors with positive-strand RNA viruses. Knowledge gained from these investigations has enabled us to facilitate the formulation of effective vaccine or therapeutic intervention against these medically important virus infections and possibly other pathogenic positive-strand RNA viruses.
High Content Imaging Platform Technology
We are also interested in the development of novel cellular and small animal-based imaging technologies to dissect host-pathogens interactions. High throughput and high content bio-imaging technology platforms are established for genomic and proteomic profiling as well as screening of anti-viral compound libraries.
Current Projects
- Human genome-wide siRNA screening platform for viral-host interactions
- High throughput anti-viral molecules screening platform
- Viral diagnostic approaches
- Immunopathogenesis of viral infection
- Nanotechnology as novel anti-viral therapy
- Next generation vaccine development