• Genome engineering
• CRISPR technology
• Protein engineering
• Synthetic biology
• Functional genomics
• Combinatorial genetics
• Combination therapy
• Cancer therapeutics development

• Postdoctoral Fellow/Associate, MIT Synthetic Biology Center, Research Laboratory of Electronics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA (2012-2016)
• Ph.D., The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong (2007-2011)
• M.Phil., The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong (2005-2007)
• B.Sc., The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong (2002-2005)

We aim to develop and apply enabling technologies in CRISPR-based genome engineering, protein engineering, high-throughput screening, synthetic biology, etc to interrogate and understand complex biological systems, as well as design and engineer therapeutics to provide new biomedical and biotechnological solutions. Interested candidates are encouraged to contact Dr. Wong and our lab webpage (https://awhku.github.io) for more details.

Image credit: John Fong and Athena Chu

Research Articles

1. Chan, C.W.F. *, Wang, B. *, Nan, L. *, Huang, X. *, Mao, T., Chu, H.Y., Luo, C., Chu H.#, Choi G.C.G.#, Shum, A.H.C.#, Wong, S.L.A.# High-throughput screening of genetic and cellular drivers of syncytium formation induced by the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2. Nature Biomedical Engineering 8, 291-309 (2024) (*Equal contributions; #Corresponding authors)

2. Chu, H.Y., Fong, J.H.C., Thean, T.G.L.,  Zhou, P., Fung, F.K.C., Huang, Y., Wong, S.L.A.# Accurate top protein variant discovery via low-N pick-and-validate machine learning. Cell Systems 15(2), 193-203.E6 (2024) (#Corresponding author)

3. Zheng, W. Fong, J.H.C., Wan Y.K., Chu, H.Y., Huang, Y., Wong, S.L.A., Ho J.W.K. Discovery of regulatory motifs in 5’ untranslated regions using interpretable multi-task learning models. Cell Systems 14(12), 1103-1112 (2023)

4. Fong J.H.C., Chu, H.Y., Zhou, P. , Wong, S.L.A.#. Parallel engineering and activity profiling of a base editor system. Cell Systems 14(5): 392-403.e4. (2023) (#Corresponding author)

5. Thean, D.*, Chu, H.Y.*, Fong J.H.C., Chan, K.C.B., Zhou, P., Kwok, C.C.S., Chan, Y.M., Mak, S.Y.L., Choi, G.C.G., Ho, J.W.K., Zheng, Z., Wong, S.L.A.# Machine learning-coupled combinatorial mutagenesis enables resource-efficient engineering of CRISPR-Cas9 genome editor activities. Nature Communications 13(1), 2219 (2022) (* Equal contributions; #Corresponding author)
6. Yuen, C*., Thean, D.G.*, Chan, B.K.C.*, Zhou, P.*, Kwok, C.S.C.*, Chu, H.Y., Cheung, M., Wang, B., Chan, Y.M. ,Mak, S., Leung, A.Y.L., Choi, G.C.G., Zheng, Z., Wong, S.L.A.#. High-fidelity KKH variant of Staphylococcus aureus Cas9 nucleases with improved base mismatch discrimination. Nucleic Acids Research 50(3): 1650-1660 (2022) (* Equal contributions; #Corresponding author)
7. Wang, T, Long, K., Zhou, Y., Jiang, X., Liu, J., Fong, J.H.C., Wong, S.L.A., Ng, W.L., Wang, W. Optochemical control of mTOR signaling and mTOR-dependent autophagy. ACS Pharmacology & Translational Science 5(3), 149-155 (2022).
8. Xu, F.*, Tong, M.*, Tong, S.W.C., Chan, K.C.B., Chu, H.Y., Wong, T.L., Fong, H.C.J., Cheung S.H.M., Mak, H.M.K., Pardeshi, L., Huang, Y., Wong, K.H., Choi, C.G.G., Ma, S.#, Wong, S.L.A.#. A combinatorial CRISPR-Cas9 screen identifies ifenprodil as an adjunct to sorafenib for liver cancer treatment. Cancer Research 81(24):6219-6232 (2021) (* Equal contributions; #Corresponding authors)
9. Cao, J., Novoa, E.M., Zhang, Z., Chen, W.C.W., Liu, D., Choi, G.C.G, Wong, S.L.A., Wehrspaun, C., Kellis, M., Lu, T.K. High-throughput 5′ UTR engineering for enhanced protein production in non-viral gene therapies. Nature Communications 12: 4138 (2021)
10. Zhou, P., Chan, K.C.B., Wan, Y.K., Yuen, T.L.C., Choi, C.G.G., Li, X., Tong, S.W.C., Zhong, S.W.S., Sun, J., Bao, Y., Mak, Y.L.S., Chow, Z.Y.M., Khaw, J.V., Leung, S.Y., Zheng, Z., Cheung, W.T.L., Tan, K., Wong, K.H., Chan, H.Y.E., Wong, S.L.A.# Three-way combinatorial CRISPR screen for analysing interactions among druggable targets. Cell Reports 32(6), 108020 (2020) (#Corresponding author)
11. Li, X., Yang, K.Y., Chan, V., Leung, K.T., Zhang, X.B., Wong, S.L.A., Chong, C., Wang, C.C., Ku, M., Lui, K.O.. Single cell RNA-Seq reveals that CD9 is a negative marker of glucose-responsive pancreatic beta-like cells derived from human pluripotent stem cells. Stem Cell Reports S2213-6711(20): 30384-2 (2020)
12. Choi, C.G.G., Zhou, P., Yuen, T.L.C., Chan, K.C.B., Xu, F., Bao, S., Chu, H.Y., Thean, D., Tan, K., Wong, K.H., Zheng, Z., Wong, S.L.A.# Combinatorial mutagenesis en masse optimizes SpCas9’s genome-editing activities. Nature Methods 16(8), 722-730 (2019) (#Corresponding author)
13. Leung, C.S., Li ,J., Xu, F., Wong, S.L.A., Lui, K.O. Ectopic expression of recipient CD47 inhibits mouse macrophage-mediated immune rejection against human stem cell transplants. FASEB J. 33(1): 484-493 (2019).
14. Wong, S.L.A.*, Choi, C.G.G.*, Cui, C.H.*, Pregernig, G., Milani, P., Adam, M., Perli, S.D., Kazer, S.W., Gaillard, A., Hermann, M., Shalek, A.K., Fraenkel, E., Lu, T.K. Multiplexed barcoded CRISPR-Cas9 screening enabled by CombiGEM. Proceedings of National Academy of Sciences 113(9), 2544-2549 (2016). (*Equal contributions)
15. Wong, S.L.A., Choi, C.G.G., Cheng, A.A., Purcell, O., Lu, T.K. Massively parallel high-order combinatorial genetics in human cells. Nature Biotechnology 33(9), 952-961 (2015).
16. Lai, K.O., Wong, S.L.A., Cheung, M.C., Xu, P., Liang, Z., Lok, K.C., Xie, H., Palkos, M.E., Yung, W.H., Tessarollo, L., Cheung, Z.H., Ip, N.Y. TrkB phosphorylation by Cdk5 is required for activity-dependent structural plasticity and spatial memory. Nature Neuroscience 15(11), 1506-1515 (2012).
17. Wong, S.L.A., Lee, R.H.K., Cheung, A.Y., Yeung, P.K., Chung, S.K., Cheung, Z.H. and Ip, N.Y. Cdk5-mediated phosphorylation of endophilin B1 is required for induced autophagy in models of Parkinson’s disease. Nature Cell Biology 13(5), 568-579 (2011).
18. Wong, S.L.A., Chan, W. M. and Chan, H.Y.E. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-insoluble oligomers are involved in polyglutamine degeneration. FASEB J. 22(9), 3348-3357 (2008).
19. Wong, S.L.A., Chen, Y.W., Chan, C.M., Chan, C.S.M., Chan, P.K.S., Chui, Y.L., Fung, K.P., Waye, M.M.Y., Tsui, S.K.W. and Chan, H.Y.E. In vivo functional characterization of the SARS Coronavirus 3a protein in Drosophila. Biochem. Biophy. Res. Comm. 337, 720-729 (2005).

Book Chapters/ Reviews/ Protocols/ Commentaries 

1. Fong J.H.C., Wong, S.L.A.#. Advancing CRISPR/Cas gene editing with machine learning. Current Opinion in Biomedical Engineering 28: 100477. (2023) (#Corresponding author

2. Kellogg E.H., Gootenberg J., Abudayyeh O., Wong, S.L.A., Dahlman J., Lapinaite A., Myhrvoid C., Liu C.C., Hsu P.D., Mali P., Qi L.S. What are the current bottlenecks in development and applying CRISPR technologies? Cell Systems 13(8): 589-593 (2022)

3. Wang, B., Wong, S.L.A. CRISPR screening in cancer stem cells. Essays in Biochemistry EBC20220009 (2022)

4. Chu, H.Y. Wong, S.L.A.# Facilitating Machine Learning-Guided Protein Engineering with Smart Library Design and Massively Parallel Assays. Advanced Genetics 2100038 (2021) (#Corresponding author)
5. Thean D.G.L., Wong, S.L.A#. Combinatorial genetics methods for discovering high-order regulatory combinations and engineering genetic drivers for neural differentiation. Neural Regeneration Research 16, 2403-2404 (2021) (#Corresponding author)
6. Zhou P., Wan Y.K., Chan K.C., Choi C.G.G., Wong S.L.A#. Extensible combinatorial CRISPR screening in mammalian cells. STAR Protocols, 2(10): 100255 (2021) (#Corresponding author)
7. Wan Y.K., Choi C.G.G., Wong, S.L.A#. High-Throughput Protein Engineering by Massively Parallel Combinatorial Mutagenesis. In: Chen Y.W., Yiu CP.B. (eds) Structural Genomics. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 2199. Humana, New York, NY. (2021) (#Corresponding author)
8. Wong, S.L.A., Choi, C.G.G., Lu, T.K. Deciphering combinatorial genetics. Annual Review of Genetics 50, 515-538 (2016).
9. Wong, S.L.A., Cheung, Z.H. and Ip, N.Y. Molecular machinery of macroautophagy and its deregulation in diseases. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta – Molecular Basis of Disease 1812(11), 1490-1479 (2011).
10. Huen, N.Y.M., Wong, S.L.A. and Chan, H.Y.E. Transcriptional malfunctioning of heat shock protein gene expression in spinocerebeller ataxias. The Cerebellum 6(2), 111-117 (2006).

• HKU Bulletin: “Measure of the Mutations” (https://bulletin.hku.hk/research/measure-of-the-mutations/) (May 2024)
• Perspectives on ’ChatGPT for CRISPR’ creates new gene-editing tools @ Nature 629(8011): 272 (https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-01243-w) (April 29, 2024)
• News coverage: "港大研創新篩選系統 快速分析新冠病毒變異 較傳統快39 倍" in i-cable news, RTHK, CRHK, Metro Radio, 明報, 星島日報, 東方日報,經濟日報,成報, 大公報, TOPick.hket.com, TKWW.hk, HKCD, Bastille Post, HKCNA, Sina HK, Yahoo news, Orange News, SingTao USA, MingPao Canada, Medical Xpress, Eurek Alert, Mirage News, News Beezer, HKEJ Health, Gene Online,京港學術交流中心, HKU and HKUMed press releases (April 4-18, 2024)
• News coverage: "专访香港大学副教授黄兆麟：中国在基因编辑工具创新上仍有很大机会" in 每日经济新闻 (December 18, 2023)
• News coverage: "回流生物工程師 研平台助基因治療, 快速篩選編輯工具 助改造基因抗惡疾" in 經濟日報 (December 11, 2023)
• News coverage: "基因工具中「眾裏尋它」 生物工程師尋克服疾病鑰匙" in TOPick.hket.com (December 11, 2023)
• News coverage: "3港校6科學家膺中銀科創獎, 嘉許傑出學者5領域為港科研獻力" in RTHK, 文匯報, 大公報, 星島日報, 香港商報, 巴士的報, 點新聞, 中国新闻网, 香港中通社, 京港學術交流中心 (November 1, 2, 2023 and December 15-16, 2023)
• News coverage: "人工智能改良基因手術刀 助治療遺傳疾病” in am730 (November 6, 2023)
• News coverage: “香港大學開發全球首個篩選精確基因編輯工具平台” in TVB news, 信報, 大公報, 文匯報, 東方日報,東網, 大公文匯網,巴士的報, TOPick.hket.com, Labiotech, Phys.org, finance.sina.com.cn, 中国新闻网, 人民日報, 南美侨报网, bj.crtntt.com, 京港學術交流中心, HKU and HKUMed press releases (June 19-29, 2023)
• Medium.com/HKUMed: “Collaborative and Eager for Diverse Skills – HKUMed Supervisors on the Traits They Seek in PhD candidates” (September 28, 2022)
• HKU Research Magazine: “New drug combination offers hope for liver cancer outcomes” (July 6, 2022)
• News coverage: “港大研結合人工智能與蛋白質工程技術 提 升基因編輯效率” in 星島日報, 頭條日報, HK01, AlphaGalileo, Mirage News, News Medical, HKU and HKUMed press releases (June 20, 2022)
• am730 健康專欄: “CRISPR基因編輯技術 改良基因手術刀” (May 23, 2022)
• News coverage: “港大醫學院成功研發具有可分辨單鹼基突變的CRISPR-Cas9基因編輯酶 可用於精準基因治療” in 大公報, Topick.hket.com, Mirage News, Croucher Foundation News, HKU and HKUMed press releases (March 9-13, 2022)
• News coverage: “ 港大醫學院成功開發治療新肝癌藥物組合療法” in 有線新聞, 星島日報, 信報, 頭條日報, 東網即時, Healthy:D, HKU and HKUMed press releases (December 20-21, 2021)
• HKUMed press releases: “港大醫學院研究團隊通過CRISPR-Cas9多基因剔除技術平台成功篩選出治療肝癌的新藥物組合療法”(December 20, 2021)
• (星島日報) – 《透視未來醫學》基因編輯系列 - [專題] 基因編輯掀科學革命, 遺傳病人迎曙光改 (Dec 23, 2020) 
• Feature Story of Research and Innovation: “HKUMed researchers create a screening platform to discover new combination therapies for ovarian cancer and Parkinson’s disease”, School of Biomedical Sciences (SBMS) Newsletter Issue 02, LKS Faculty of Medicine, HKU (Dec, 2020)
• Croucher Foundation News: “Accelerating next-generation protein engineering” (August 9, 2019)
• 成報 -港聞:“港大開發蛋白質優化平台節省成本⋯” (July 18, 2019)
• HKU and HKUMed press releases: “香港大學開發首個蛋白質優化平台,提升基因編輯酶的準確性和效率” (July 17, 2019)    
• Story of Research and Innovation: Across the divide - “Straddling Medicine and Engineering”, The Review 2017, HKU (2017)
• 東網即時–: “研治癌及改善骨質疏鬆新技術, 學者獲嘉許⋯” (Oct 26, 2016)
• 大公報 – 教育: “15人奪「傑青學者」獎⋯” (Oct 27, 2016)
• 星島日報– 教育: “⋯學者探索治療卵巢癌⋯” (Oct 27, 2016)
• 文匯報 - 新聞透視眼: “⋯黃兆麟快找治癌藥『最佳組合』⋯”  (Oct 27, 2016)
• Croucher Foundation News: “Looking for treatments in the gene: Dr Alan Wong decodes disease genetics” (August 20, 2016)

• RGC – Theme-based Research Scheme 2024/2025 (Co-PI)
• RGC – General Research Fund (GRF) 2024/25 (PI)
• RGC – General Research Fund (GRF) 2024/25 (Co-I)
• RGC – Collaborative Research Fund (CRF) Young Collaborative Research Grant (YCRG) 2022/23 (PC)
• RGC – General Research Fund (GRF) 2022/23 (PI)
• RGC – General Research Fund (GRF) 2022/23 (Co-I)
• Health@InnoHK - Centre for Oncology and Immunology, Innovation and Technology Commission of the HKSAR, 2020 (Team Leader in Functional Genomics)
• RGC - Research Impact Fund (RIF) 2020/21 (Co-PI)
• RGC – Theme-based Research Scheme 2020/2021 (Co-PI)
• RGC – General Research Fund (GRF) 2020/21 (PI)
• RGC – General Research Fund (GRF) 2019/20 (PI)
• CRF – Collaborative Research Fund (CRF) 2019/2020 (Co-PI)
• Karolinska Institutet – MWLC Associate Membership Fund 2019, Karolinska Institutet, HK (PI)
• CRF – Collaborative Research Fund (CRF) 2018/2019 (Co-PI)
• ITF – Innovation and Technology Fund (ITF) Tier 3 2018/2019 (PI)
• RGC – General Research Fund (GRF) 2018/2019 (PI)
• RGC – General Research Fund (GRF) 2018/2019 (Co-I)
• RGC – Theme-based Research Scheme 2016/2017 (Co-I)
• RGC – Early Career Scheme (ECS) 2016/2017 (PI)
• Health and Medical Research Fund (HMRF) 2015 (PI)
• Croucher Startup Allowance (PI)

• BOCHK Science and Technology Innovation Prize (STIP) in Life and Health (2023)
• HKU Outstanding Young Researcher Award (2023)
• Faculty Outstanding Research Output Award 2020, LKS Faculty of Medicine, HKU
• NSFC Excellent Young Scientists Fund (Hong Kong and Macau) 2020 (PI)
• Early Career Award, Research Grant Council, Hong Kong (2016/2017)
• Croucher Fellowship (2012-2014)
• Young Scientist Award in Life Science, Hong Kong Institution of Science (2011)
• Postgraduate Achievement Award, Division of Life Science, HKUST (2010)
• Best Teaching Assistant Award in Biochemistry of Nucleic Acid, HKUST (2009/2010)
• Croucher Research Studentship (2008-2010)
• Butterfield-Croucher Studentship (2008/2009)
• Sir Edward Youde Memorial Fellowship (2008/2009)
• Essex Bio-Technology Limited Scholarship (2007/2008)
• Kwok Ching Tong Scholarship (2004/2005)
• Wu Chung Scholarship (2003/2004)
• Ho Tim Scholarship (2002/2003)
• United College Endowment Fund Prize, CUHK (2002/2003)

• Dr. Peng ZHOU (Research Officer)
• Ms. Maggie CHEUNG (Senior Technical Officer)
• Mr. Frederic FUNG (Technical Officer)
• Dr. Becky CHAN (PDF)
• Dr. Charles CHAN (PDF)
• Dr. Don CHAN (PDF)
• Dr. Singuang CHEN (PDF)
• Dr. Athena CHU (PDF)
• Dr. Helena LAM (PDF) 
• Dr. Ricky POON (PDF)
• Dr. Chu ZHANG (PDF)
• Dr. Bei WANG (PDF)
• Ms. Liz CHENG (Research Assistant) 
• Mr. Jiaxing PENG (PhD student)
• Ms. Charmaine CHAN (MPhil student)
• Ms. Marie LEE (MPhil student)
• Mr. Yuanbiao MOU (MPhil student)

• Advisory Board Member, Cell Systems (Cell Press) (2022-Present)
• Team Leader in Functional Genomics, Centre for Oncology and Immunology Limited, Health@InnoHK (2020-Present)
• Associate Member, Karolinska Institutet MWLC for Reparative Medicine (2019-2022)