Research Scope

An overview of research focus

We have research subject recruitment sites and laboratories located in the Prince of Wales Hospital (Shatin), Li Ka Shing Institue of Health Sciences and the Hong Kong Children’s Hospital (Kowloon Bay). We study the epidemiology, pathogenesis, and immunology of respiratory viruses in children.

A list of research topics

• Mucosal biomarkers in sleeping disorder, respiratory & allergic diseases

• Mucosal immunity in respiratory viral infections

• Functional grouping of rhinoviruses

• Host responses to respiratory viruses in vivo and in vitro

• Viral interference in population, individual and cellular levels

• Antiviral and immunomodulatory drug testing: toxicity and efficacy in primary epithelial cell and organoid cultures

Selected publications

1. Scheeff S, Wang Y, Lyu MY, Ahmadabadi BN, Hau SCK, Hui TKC, Zhang YF, Zuo Z, Chan RWY*, Ng BWL: Design and Synthesis of Bicyclo[4.3.0]nonene Nucleoside Analogues. American Chemical Society Organic Letters December 5 2023, 23(50), 9002–9007. Co-Corresponding author 

2. Liu S, Tsun JGS, Fung GPG, Lui GCY, Chan KYY, Chan PKS, Chan RWY*: Comparison of the mucosal and systemic antibody response in COVID19 recovered patients with one dose mRNA vaccine and healthy subjects with three doses of mRNA vaccines. Frontiers in Immunology Jan 31 2023 14:1127401 Corresponding author

3. Tao KP, Chong M, Chan KYY, Pun JC, Tsun JG, Chow SM, Ng CS, Wang MH, Chan Z, Chan PK, Li AM, Chan RWY*: Suppression of influenza virus infection by rhinovirus interference at the population, individual and cellular levels. Current Research in Microbial Sciences 2022 Jun 18,3:100147 *Corresponding author

4. Chan RWY*, Chan KC, Lui GC, Tsun JG, Chan KY, Yip JS, Liu S, Yu MW, Ng RW, Chong KK, Wang MH, Chan PKS, Li AM, Lam HS: Mucosal antibody response to SARS-CoV-2 in paediatric and adult patients: a longitudinal study. Pathogens 2022 Mar 24; 11(4):397

5. Chan RWY*, Tao KP, Ye Jiqing, Lui KKY, Yang Y, Ma C, Chan PKS: Inhibition of influenza virus replication by oseltamivir derivatives. Pathogens 2022 Feb 11; 11(2):237 *First and Co-corresponding author

6. Chan RWY, Liu S, Cheung JY, Tsun JG, Chan KC, Chan KY, Fung GP, Li AM, Lam HS (2021) Study on the mucosal and serological immune response to the Novel Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) vaccines. Frontiers in Immunology 2021 12:744887 First and corresponding author

7. Chan RWY, Chan KC, Chan KYY, Lui GCY, Tsun JGS, Wong RYK, Yu MWL, Wang MHT, Chan PKS, Lam HS, Li AM (2021) SARS-CoV-2 detection by nasal strips: A superior tool for surveillance of paediatric population. Journal of Infection 2021, 82:96-99. First author

8. Pun CS, Wang H, Tao KP, Tsun JGS, Yu WY, Chen XY, Wang MH, Chan PKS, Leung TF, Chan RWY (2020)  Discovering the molecular determinant in rhinoviruses by virus-genotype to disease-phenotype association in paediatrics patients in Hong Kong. European Respiratory Journal 2020 56: 1152. Corresponding author

9. Wang H, Tao K, Leung CY, Hon KL, Yeung CA, Chen Z, Chan KP, Leung TF, Chan RW (2019) Molecular epidemiological study of enterovirus D68 in hospitalised children in Hong Kong in 2014–2015 and their complete coding sequences. BMJ open respiratory research 6:e000437. Corresponding author

10. Bui CH*, Chan RW*, Ng MM, Cheung M, Ng K-c, Chan MP, Chan LL, Fong JH, Nicholls J, Peiris JM. 2019. Tropism of influenza B viruses in human respiratory tract explants and airway organoids. European Respiratory Journal 54. Equal contribution* Co-first author

11. Wai-san Ko F, Chan PK, Chan RW, Chan KP, Ip A, Kwok A, Ngai JC, Ng SS, On CT, Hui DS (2019) Molecular detection of respiratory pathogens and typing of human rhinovirus of adults hospitalized for exacerbation of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Respiratory research 20:210

Grants (as Principal-Investigator or CoPI) 

1. Study title: Study on the mucosal and serological immune response to the Novel Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) vaccine

Funding source: Food and Health Bureau - Health Medical Research Fund

Study period: Jun 2022 to Dec 2024

Reference number: 19200131

2. Study title: Development of a rapid test for SARS-CoV-2 mucosal antigen and antibody

Funding source: Innovation and Technology Fund - Partnership Research Programme

Study period: 1 Nov 2021 to 31 Oct 2023

Reference number: PRP/039/21FX

3. Study title: Optimization of clinical treatment of severe influenza to reduce morbidity and mortality – Study 3 Assessing the risk of seasonal influenza in children

Funding source: Food and Health Bureau - Health Medical Research Fund - Commissioned Programmes for Influenza Research

Study period: 1 Sep 2019 to 31 Aug 2026

Reference number: INF-CUHK-2

Grants (as Co-Investigator) 

1. Study title: Mucosal inflammation in children with OSA – potential biomarkers of OSA Complications

Funding source: Food and Health Bureau - Health Medical Research Fund - Commissioned Study

Study period: Jan 2023 to Dec 2025

Reference number: PR-CUHK-4

Collaborative works

1. Dr Alvin WF Hui, PICU, HKCH: The role of biomarkers and clinical parameters in acute kidney injury among critically ill  children

2. Drs Nicholas Chao, Dept of Surgery, HKCH: The establishment of paediatric respiratory epithelial culture models to assess the pathogenesis of respiratory virus infection in the upper, conducting and lower airways

3. Dr MingLiang He, Professor, Department of Biomedical Sciences, CityU: Role of viral proteases in rhinovirus pathogenesis

4. Dr Kirsty Short, Associate Professor, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Australia: Immune Debt in Children

5. Dr Angela Wu, Associate Professor, Division of Life Science, HKUST: Vaccination responses in a single cell RNA sequencing aspect

Patents

US Provisional Application No. 62/865,347. Invention Title: N-Substituted Oseltamivir Derivatives with Antimicrobial Activity

Commerical collaborations

Phase Scientific International Limited – SARS-CoV-2 diagnostics 

Govita Tech Limited – Antiviral and immunoregulatory drug

Rohto Advanced Research Hong Kong Ltd: COPD therapeutics