Research Interests

1. Host-targeting antiviral development with a focus on metabolic/lipidomic reshaping.

2. Broad-spectrum antiviral development against emerging infectious viruses including Coronaviruses, and Influenza A viruses etc.

Honours & Awards:

1) HMRF Fellowship Scheme (2022)

2) Travel Award for the 35th International Conference on Antiviral Research (2022)

3) Highly Cited Researchers 2021 (‘Crossfield’) (Clarivate Analytics).

4) HKU Research Output Prize (2021, co-first author)

5) University of Hong Kong/China Medical Board Grants Award (2021)

6) Knowledge Exchange (KE) Award (2021, HKU Faculty of Science, team member).

7) MCE Award for Scientists Promoting Biology and Medicine Research (2021)

8) Top 10 Scientific News in Hong Kong (2020, first-author).

Selected publications:

1) Yuan S*, Yin X*, Meng X*, Chan JF*, Ye ZW*, 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 May;593(7859):418-423.

2) Riva L*, Yuan S* (co-first author), Yin X, Martin-Sancho L, Matsunaga N, Pache L, Burgstaller-Muehlbacher S, De Jesus PD, Teriete P, Hull MV, Chang MW, Chan JF, Cao J, Poon VK, Herbert KM, Cheng K, Nguyen TH, Rubanov A, Pu Y, Nguyen C, Choi A, Rathnasinghe R, Schotsaert M, Miorin L, Dejosez M, Zwaka TP, Sit KY, Martinez-Sobrido L, Liu WC, White KM, Chapman ME, Lendy EK, Glynne RJ, Albrecht R, Ruppin E, Mesecar AD, Johnson JR, Benner C, Sun R, Schultz PG, Su AI, García-Sastre A, Chatterjee AK#, Yuen KY#, Chanda SK#. Discovery of SARS-CoV-2 antiviral drugs through large-scale compound repurposing. Nature. 2020 Oct;586(7827):113-119.

3) Yuan S*, Ye ZW*, 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 Jun 23: eabn8939.

4) Chan JF*, Yuan S* (co-first author), Kok KH*, To KK*, Chu H*, Yang J, Xing F, Liu J, Yip CC, Poon RW, Tsoi HW, Lo SK, Chan KH, Poon VK, Chan WM, Ip JD, Cai JP, Cheng VC, Chen H, Hui CK, Yuen KY. A familial cluster of pneumonia associated with the 2019 novel coronavirus indicating person-to-person transmission: a study of a family cluster. Lancet. 2020 Jan 24. pii: S0140-6736(20)30154-9.

5) Yuan S*, Wang R*, Chan JF*, Zhang AJ, Cheng T, Chik KK, Ye ZW, Wang S, Lee AC, Jin L, Li H, Jin DY, Yuen KY#, Sun H#. Metallodrug ranitidine bismuth citrate suppresses SARS-CoV-2 replication and relieves virus-associated pneumonia in Syrian hamsters. Nat Microbiol. 2020 Nov;5(11):1439-1448.

6) Yuan S*, Chu H*, Chan JF*, Ye ZW, Wen L, Yan B, Lai PM, Tee KM, Huang J, Chen D, Li C, Zhao X, Yang D, Chiu MC, Yip C, Poon VK, Chan CC, Sze KH, Zhou J, Chan IH, Kok KH, To KK, Kao RY, Lau JY, Jin DY, Perlman S, Yuen KY. SREBP-dependent lipidomic reprogramming as a broad-spectrum antiviral target. Nat Commun. 2019 Jan 10;10(1):120.

7) Yuan S, Chu H, Huang J, Zhao X, Ye ZW, Lai PM, Wen L, Cai JP, Mo Y, Cao J, Liang R, Poon VK, Sze KH, Zhou J, To KK, Chen Z, Chen H, Jin DY, Chan JF#, Yuen KY#. Viruses harness YxxØ motif to interact with host AP2M1 for replication: A vulnerable broad-spectrum antiviral target. Sci Adv. 2020 Aug 28;6(35):eaba7910.

8) Yuan S*# (first and co-corresponding author), Yan B*, Cao J*, Ye ZW, Liang R, Tang K, Luo C, Cai J, Chu H, Chung TW, To KK, Hung IF, Jin DY, Chan JF#, Yuen KY#. SARS-CoV-2 exploits host DGAT and ADRP for efficient replication. Cell Discov. 2021 Oct 26;7(1):100.

9) Yuan S*# (first and co-corresponding author), Gao X*, Tang K*, Cai JP*, Hu M, Luo P, Wen L, Ye ZW, Luo C, Tsang JO, Chan CC, Huang Y, Cao J, Liang R, Qin Z, Qin B, Yin F, Chu H, Jin DY, Sun R, Chan JF#, Cui S#, Yuen KY#. Targeting papain-like protease for broad-spectrum coronavirus inhibition. Protein Cell. 2022 Apr 6:1-14.

10) Li M, Ye ZW, Tang K, Guo L, Bi W, Zhang Y, Tang YD, Rong G, Sawan M, Yin X, Sun R, Yuan S# (co-corresponding author), Dang B#. Enhanced trimeric ACE2 exhibits potent prophylactic and therapeutic efficacy against the SARS-CoV-2 Delta and Omicron variants in vivo. Cell Res. 2022 Apr 13:1-4.

Journal Editorial Positions:

1) 2022-present, Advisor, Pathogen Gateway, F1000Research

2) 2022-present, Editor, Pathogens

3) 2022-present, Guest Editor, Frontiers in Molecular Biosciences

4) 2021-present, Associate Editor, Frontiers in Microbiology

5) 2021-present, Editor, Genes

Joining our team:

We welcome motivated individuals to join us as research assistant, MPhil, PhD students or postdoc fellow. Interested candidates please send a cover letter detailing your research interests and CV to Dr. Yuan (yuansf@hku.hk).