Date: Wednesday, 6 January 2021

Venue: Cheung Kung Hai Lecture Theatre 2, G/F, William M.W. Mong Block, Faculty of Medicine Building, 21 Sassoon Road, Pokfulam, Hong Kong (Mixed mode: Face-to-Face and Zoom)

Time: 5:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Zoom Link: https://bit.ly/2WRDEoh

Meeting ID: 943 4003 0878

Password: 400189

Time: 5:00 p.m.
Speaker: Dr. Chi Ping Chan (Research Assistant Professor)
Primary Supervisor: Prof. D Jin
Presentation Title: Roles of double-stranded RNA-binding protein PACT in innate antiviral response against Influenza A virus infection
Abstract: 
The outcome of Influenza A virus (IAV) infection and the severity of disease are governed by the interaction between IAV and host immunity. IAV is known to be sensed by RIG-I, which is counteracted by NS1 protein and polymerase subunits. We have previously shown that optimal function of RIG-I and MDA5 in viral RNA sensing requires a double-stranded RNA (dsRNA)-binding protein PACT. We have further demonstrated the dual anti-IAV activity of PACT mediated through coactivation of RIG-I and suppression of viral polymerase. A new class of influenza small immunostimulatory RNAs named mini viral RNAs (mvRNAs) has recently been identified as the principal agonists of RIG-I to induce type I interferons (IFNs) during IAV infection. Since PACT is an essential coactivator of RIG-I, we ask whether PACT might be involved in the RIG-I-mediated recognition of influenza mvRNAs. We found that PACT could potently potentiate RIG-I-induced IFN response triggered by influenza mvRNAs. Our findings support a critical role for PACT in mvRNA sensing during IAV infection.

Time: 5:30 p.m. 
Speaker: Dr. Tin Lok Wong (Post-doctoral Fellow)
Primary Supervisor: Dr. SKY Ma
Presentation Title: Modeling Liver Cancer and Therapy Response using Driver-Dependent Tumor Organoids Derived from Primary Mouse Liver Tumors
Abstract: 
Liver cancer (Hepatocellular Carcinoma, HCC) is a particularly prevalent and deadly disease in Hong Kong and China. Despite definite improvements in the outcome of patients with HCC, the overall prognosis of this cancer is still unsatisfactory. To date, treatment for HCC has still followed a traditional “one-size-for-all” strategy where stratification of patients is only based on disease stage; and therapy are often inefficient or ineffective for many individuals. HCC is a biologically complex and highly heterogenous disease. Distinguishing drivers from passenger alterations is of crucial importance. In an era of precision medicine, monitoring clinically relevant driver-dependent genetic alterations is important for stratifying patients for targeted therapies. This talk will cover our laboratory’s latest endeavor to combine hydrodynamic tail vein delivery of oncogenic plasmids and 3D organoid culture to establish driver-dependent HCC models for disease modeling and therapy response predictions.

ALL ARE WELCOME

Should you have any enquiries, please feel free to contact Miss River Wong at 3917 9216.