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Prof. Dongyan ZHOU
周冬燕教授

Prof. Dongyan ZHOU
B.Med (CCMU), MMedSc (CCMU), PhD (HKU)
Research Assistant Professor
dongyanzhou@cuhk.edu.hk

Research Links

ORCID: 0000-0001-7480-8772

Bio

Dr. Dongyan Zhou is a bioengineering specialist with deep expertise in antibody discovery and bacteriophage technologies. She received her PhD training at the AIDS Institute of the University of Hong Kong and subsequently gained four years of postdoctoral experience at the Centre for Virology, Vaccinology, and Therapeutics (CVVT).

During her doctoral training, Dr. Zhou established a phage‑display platform to identify SARS‑CoV‑2–neutralizing antibodies and assessed their protective efficacy using a hamster infection model. She subsequently advanced a therapeutic antibody candidate, which she successfully humanized and optimized through integrated phage‑display and mammalian cell‑display technologies.

Her current research focuses on engineering bacteriophages for translational therapeutic applications. She aims to develop phage‑derived products—such as engineered endolysins—leveraging a combination of AI‑driven design and high‑throughput display platforms.

Research Interest

  • Phage biology and engineering
  • Humoral immunity in viral transmission and infection
  • Antibody discovery and engineering
  • AI-driven protein design and high‑throughput display platforms

Selected Publications

  1. Liu L*, Bai J*, Zhou R*, Ma Y*, Zhou D*, Liu W, Lai PM, Yu W, Duan J, Ye J, Liu X, Gong N, Kwan KY, Lee TT, Du Z, et al. Human Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2-Specific Benzothiazole Allosteric Inhibitor against Pan-Sarbecoviruses. Nat Commun. 2025 (under revision) (*Co-first author)
  2. Liu L, Fang J, Gong R, Peng J, Cao T, Peng Q, Yue M, Kwan KY, Lim CY, Zhou D, Cheng L, Tan Z, Lee SS, Wang H, Chen Z. Isoformic PD-1 impedes B cell activation and function in HIV-1 infection. Cell Rep. 2025;44(10):116341.
  3. Tan Z, Chiu MS, Yue M, Kwok HY, Tse MH, Wen Y, Chen B, Yang D, Zhou D, Song YQ, Man K, Chen Z. Enhancing the efficacy of vaccinia-based oncolytic virotherapy by inhibiting CXCR2-mediated MDSC trafficking. J Leukoc Biol. 2024;115(4):633-646.
  4. Tan Z, Chiu MS, Yang X, Yue M, Cheung TT, Zhou D, Wang Y, Chan AW, Yan CW, Kwan KY, Wong YC, Li X, Zhou J, To KF, Zhu J, Lo CM, et al. Isoformic PD-1-mediated immunosuppression underlies resistance to PD-1 blockade in hepatocellular carcinoma patients. Gut. 2023;72(8):1568-80.
  5. Zhou B, Zhou R, Chan JF, Zeng J, Zhang Q, Yuan S, Liu L, Robinot R, Shan S, Liu N, Ge J, Kwong HY, Zhou D, Xu H, Chan CC, Poon VK, et al. SARS-CoV-2 hijacks neutralizing dimeric IgA for nasal infection and injury in Syrian hamsters. Emerg Microbes Infect. 2023;12(2):2245921.
  6. Zhou D, Zhou R, Chen Z. Human neutralizing antibodies for SARS-CoV-2 prevention and immunotherapy. Immunother Adv. 2022;2(1):ltab027.
  7. Zhou D, Chan JF, Zhou B, Zhou R, Li S, Shan S, Liu L, Zhang AJ, Chen SJ, Chan CC, Xu H, Poon VK, Yuan S, Li C, Chik KK, Chan CC, et al. Robust SARS-CoV-2 infection in nasal turbinates after treatment with systemic neutralizing antibodies. Cell Host Microbe. 2021;29(4):551-63 e5.
  8. Chu H, Hu B, Huang X, Chai Y, Zhou D, Wang Y, Shuai H, Yang D, Hou Y, Zhang X, Yuen TT, Cai JP, Zhang AJ, Zhou J, Yuan S, To KK, et al. Host and viral determinants for efficient SARS-CoV-2 infection of the human lung. Nat Commun. 2021;12(1):134.
  9. Chu H, Hu B, Huang X, Chai Y, Zhou D, Wang Y, Shuai H, Yang D, Hou Y, Zhang X, Yuen TT, Cai JP, Zhang AJ, Zhou J, Yuan S, To KK, et al. Host and viral determinants for efficient SARS-CoV-2 infection of the human lung. Nat Commun. 2021;12(1):134.
  10. Zhou D, Zhang X, Li W, Xu XN, Nilu G, Yang HB, Dong T, and Yan HP. Broader T cell Responses directed against Human Immunodeficiency Virus type 1 in infected Chinese individuals through blood-borne transmission in comparison with mucosal transmission. AIDS Res Hum Retroviruses. 2013;29(1):89.