Renowned Microbiologist Yuen Kwok-yung and Virologist David Ho initiate Global Pandemic Research Alliance

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 14 July 2023 – Acclaimed Columbia College virologist Professor David Ho and The College of Hong Kong (HKU) microbiologist Professor Kwok-yung Yuen are teaming as much as create a worldwide alliance for conducting analysis in rising infectious illnesses.

“We’re trying ahead to deeper collaboration with HKU and several other main establishments on the earth by establishing a ‘Pandemic Analysis Alliance’”, mentioned Professor Ho, who’s visiting Hong Kong after spending every week in mainland China. Professor Ho at present holds the positions of Professor of Microbiology & Immunology and Director of the Aaron Diamond AIDS Analysis Middle at Columbia College.

Different companions in dialogue embrace Tsinghua College and Doherty Institute/College of Melbourne. Professor Ho acknowledged that the alliance will pursue “a complete set of analysis initiatives on surveillance, diagnostics, antiviral medicine & monoclonal antibodies, viral evolution and resistance to therapeutics, antibody engineering, vaccine growth and pathogenesis.” The alliance is predicted to concentrate on respiratory viruses that may be straight transmitted individual to individual.

“Many rising infectious illnesses begin on the Pacific Rim. It’s essential to have a cross Pacific alliance. In case one other pandemic comes, we may carry out a lot better. I do consider that the alliance can play an important function,” Professor Yuen remarked.

“I really feel very enthusiastic about this initiative, which is able to undoubtedly break new grounds in scientific analysis and save lives. By harnessing the mixed experience of distinguished establishments globally, we purpose to create transformative options to guard the wellbeing of humanity,” mentioned Professor Xiang Zhang, HKU President and Vice-Chancellor.

Professor Ho is amongst the primary scientists to find HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) and to unravel the dynamics of this virus in contaminated individuals. He’s additionally the primary scientist to reveal the efficacy of cocktail antiretroviral therapy for AIDS, now able to attaining a close to regular lifespan for a beforehand incurable illness.

Professors Ho and Yuen first collaborated in 2003 on the usage of small molecule inhibitors and recombinant modified vaccinia virus Ankara in opposition to the SARS coronavirus.

Following his first profitable collaboration with HKU’s Division of Microbiology, Professor Ho based the AIDS Institute at HKU to conduct primary and utilized analysis that facilitates the understanding of AIDS pathogenesis and the event of efficient AIDS vaccines. The various years of collaboration have resulted in technological breakthroughs on B and T cell immunity, resulting in the discoveries of broadly neutralizing antibodies and potent vaccines in opposition to HIV. Professor Zhiwei Chen, Director of the AIDS Institute and Professor of Microbiology at HKUMed, who’s a key member of the crew, mentioned that these discoveries are present process section 1 or 2 medical trials.

In the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, the HKU and Columbia analysis teams revealed eight collaborative articles on SARS-CoV-2 in main scientific journals, together with three articles in Nature, one in Immunity, and one in Science Translational Drugs. The pandemic analysis alliance will likely be constructed on prime of this strong basis of worldwide collaboration.

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