• Molecular virology
• Virus-host interaction
• Innate antiviral response
• Novel vaccine and adjuvant development

Infectious diseases are responsible for a significant portion of global deaths, and viruses play a major role in this. Over the past two decades, viruses like influenza viruses, coronaviruses and flaviviruses have emerged and re-emerged, posing significant threats to public health worldwide. Viruses are obligate intracellular parasites that depend on host cells to replicate. To succeed in this mission, pathogenic viruses have developed various strategies to defeat our sophisticated immune system. This leads to constant molecular arm race between the virus and host, ultimately deciding the disease outcome. Dr Ye’s laboratory is dedicated to study the host innate antiviral response triggered by various viruses. We are particularly interested in uncovering the factors that influence viral infection and pathogenesis. Building upon our findings on SARS-CoV-2, we are developing novel live attenuated vaccines by removing certain viral components or inserting built-in adjuvants into the SARS-CoV-2/influenza recombinant clones. We are also developing effective antivirals that target virus-host interaction. Our goal is to gain new knowledge that can guide disease diagnosis, prevention and control.

• RGC GRF 2023/2024 (PI)
• NSFC-Young Scientist Fund 2023 (PI)
• HMRF 2023 (PI)
• HMRF 2023 (Co-I)
• HMRF Research Fellowship Scheme 2023 (PI)
• HMRF 2022 (PI)
• HMRF 2021 (Co-I)
• CRF 2020 (Co-PI)
• HMRF 2019 (PI)
• NSFC-RGC JRS 2019 (Co-I)
• HMRF 2017 (Co-I)

We are actively recruiting research assistants to join our lab. Please email Dr. ZW Ye directly for potential projects. 

1. Ye ZW, Ong CP, Cao H, Tang K, Gray V, Cheung PHH, Wang J, Li W, Zhang H, Luo P, Ni T, Chan CP, Zhang M, Zhang Y, Ling GS, Yuan S, Jin DY. A Live attenuated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine constructed by dual inactivation of NSP16 and ORF3a. EBioMedicine. 2025; doi: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2025.105662
2. Wang C, Xie Y, Li W, Ong CP, Ding H, Yuan S, Cheng G, Jin DY, Ye ZW (corresponding author). Activation of PD-1/PD-L1 immune checkpoint by Zika virus. PLOS Pathogens. 2025; doi: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1013457
3. Ye ZW, Ong CP, Tang K, Fan Y, Luo C, Zhou R, Luo P, Cheng Y, Gray VS, Wang P, Chu H, Chan JF, To KK, Chen H, Chen Z, Yuen KY, Ling GS, Yuan S, Jin DY. Intranasal administration of a single dose of a candidate live attenuated vaccine derived from an NSP16-deficient SARS-CoV-2 confers sterilizing immunity in animals. Cellular & Molecular Immunology. 2022; doi: 10.1038/s41423-022-00855-4.
4. Yuan S, Ye ZW (co-first author), Liang R, Tang K, Zhang AJ, Lu G, Ong CP, Man Poon VK, Chan CC, Mok BW, Qin Z, Xie Y, Chu AW, Chan WM, Ip JD, Sun H, Tsang JO, Yuen TT, Chik KK, Chan CC, Cai JP, Luo C, Lu L, Yip CC, Chu H, To KK, Chen H, Jin DY, Yuen KY, Chan JF. Pathogenicity, transmissibility, and fitness of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron in Syrian hamsters. Science. 2022, doi: 10.1126/science.abn8939
5. Liang R, Ye ZW (co-first author), Qin Z, Xie Y, Yang X, Sun H, Du Q, Luo P, Tang K, Hu B, Cao J, Wong XH, Ling GS, Chu H, Shen J, Yin F, Jin DY, Chan JF, Yuen KY, Yuan S. PMI-controlled mannose metabolism and glycosylation determines tissue tolerance and virus fitness. Nature Communications. 2024; doi: 10.1038/s41467-024-46415-4.
6. Ong CP, Tang K, Cheung PH, Zhang H, Tang TT, Xue Y, Wang J, To KK, Yuan S, Ye ZW (co-corresponding author), Jin DY. Monovalent vaccination with inactivated SARS-CoV-2 BA.5 protects hamsters against Omicron but not non-Omicron variants. NPJ Vaccines. 2023. 20;8(1):177. doi: 10.1038/s41541-023-00776-x.
7. Ruan D, Ye ZW (co-first author), Yuan S, Li Z, Zhang W, Ong CP, Tang K, Ka Ki Tam TT, Guo J, Xuan Y, Huang Y, Zhang Q, Lee CL, Lu L, Chiu PCN, Yeung WSB, Liu F, Jin DY, Liu P. Human Early Syncytiotrophoblasts Are Highly Susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 Infection. Cell Reports Medicine. 2022, doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xcrm.2022.100849.S
8. Ye ZW, Fan Y, Tang K, Ong CP, Luo C, Chung HL, Leong TL, Liang R, Lui WY, Zhou R, Cheng Y, Lu L, Cheung PH, Chan JF, Chen Z, Yuen KY, Yuan S, To KK, Jin DY. Cross-variant protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection in hamsters immunized with monovalent and bivalent inactivated vaccines. International Journal of Biological Sciences. 2022; doi: 10.7150/ijbs.72109.
9. Ye ZW, Yuan S, Chan JF, Zhang AJ, Yu CY, Ong CP, Yang D, Chan CC, Tang K, Cao J, Poon VK, Chan CC, Cai JP, Chu H, Yuen KY, Jin DY. Beneficial effect of combinational methylprednisolone and remdesivir in hamster model of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Emerging Microbes & Infections, 2021, doi: 10.1080/22221751.2021.1885998.
10. Yuan S, Yin X, Meng X, Chan JF, Ye ZW (co-first author), Riva L, Pache L, Chan CC, Lai PM, Chan CC, Poon VK, Lee AC, Matsunaga N, Pu Y, Yuen CK, Cao J, Liang R, Tang K, Sheng L, Du Y, Xu W, Lau CY, Sit KY, Au WK, Wang R, Zhang YY, Tang YD, Clausen TM, Pihl J, Oh J, Sze KH, Zhang AJ, Chu H, Kok KH, Wang D, Cai XH, Esko JD, Hung IF, Li RA, Chen H, Sun H, Jin DY, Sun R, Chanda SK, Yuen KY. Clofazimine broadly inhibits coronaviruses including SARS-CoV-2. Nature, 2021, doi: 10.1038/s41586-021-03431-4.
11. Li M, Ye ZW (co-first author), Tang K, Guo L, Bi W, Zhang Y, Tang YD, Rong G, Sawan M, Yin X, Sun R, Yuan S, Dang B. Enhanced trimeric ACE2 exhibits potent prophylactic and therapeutic efficacy against the SARS-CoV-2 Delta and Omicron variants in vivo. Cell Research. 2022; https://doi.org/10.1038/s41422-022-00656-4
12. Liang R, Ye ZW (co-first author), Ong CP, Qin Z, Xie Y, Fan Y, Tang K, Poon VK, Chan CC, Yang X, Cao H, Wang K, Sun H, Hu B, Cai JP, Luo C, Chik KK, Chu H, Zheng Y, Yuen KY, Chan JF, Jin DY, Yuan S. The spike receptor-binding motif G496S substitution determines the replication fitness of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron sublineage. Emerging Microbes & Infections, 2022, doi: 10.1080/22221751.2022.2111977.
13. Chan P, Ye ZW (co-first author), Zhao W, Ong CP, Sun XY, Cheung PH, Jin DY. Mpox virus poxin-schlafen fusion protein suppresses innate antiviral response by sequestering STAT2. Emerging Microbes & Infections, 2025, doi: 10.1080/22221751.2025.2477639.
14. Wong LR, Ye ZW (co-first author), Lui PY, Zheng X, Yuan S, Zhu L, Fung SY, Yuen KS, Siu KL, Yeung ML, Cai Z, Woo PC, Yuen KY, Chan CP, Jin DY. Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus ORF8b Accessory Protein Suppresses Type I IFN Expression by Impeding HSP70-Dependent Activation of IRF3 Kinase IKKε. Journal of Immunology, 2020, doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.1901489.
15. Ye ZW, Yuan S, Poon KM, Wen L, Yang D, Sun Z, Li C, Hu M, Shuai H, Zhou J, Zhang MY, Zheng BJ, Chu H, Yuen KY. Antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity epitopes on the hemagglutinin head region of pandemic H1N1 Influenza virus play detrimental roles in H1N1-infected mice. Frontiers in Immunology, 2017, 8:317. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2017.00317. 

Total > 60 (20 as first/co-first/corresponding author) publications in SCI-indexed journals.
Link to full publication list: https://pubmed-ncbi-nlm-nih-gov.eproxy.lib.hku.hk/?term=zi-wei+ye&sort=date

• 2024, Bau Tse Zung Bau Kwan Yeu Hing Research and Clinical Fellowship (HKU)
• 2024, Health and Medical Research Fund Research Fellowship, HKSAR
• 2024, Travel award, 37th International Conference on Antiviral Research (ICAR)
• 2024, Silver Medal, 49th International Exhibition of Inventions of Geneva
• 2024, Research Output Award (HKUMed)
• 2023, Dalton Horizon Prize (Royal Society of Chemistry)
• 2023, Research Output Award (HKU)
• 2023, Travel award, China Medical Board/HKU
• 2021, The Best Poster Award (Health Research Symposium, HMRF)
• 2018, Travel Award, 2018 World Science Life Conference