Dr CHAN Wan Yi, Renee | reneewy@hku.hk
BSc (Hons), MPhil, PhD

Research Interest

Primary culture of human and swine respiratory tissue ex vivo and differentiation of human respiratory cells in vitro
Influenza virus tissue tropism in human and swine
Influenza virus receptor identification and discovery
Influenza virus interaction with host cells
Prophylactic and therapeutic drug trial against influenza virus

Awards and Honors

Visiting Scientist, Department of Infectious Diseases, St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, US (2011)
Visiting Scientist, Pulmonary Centre, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, US (2011)
Young Scientist Award (Life Sciences), The Hong Kong Institute of Science (2010)
Young Investigator Award, XII International Symposium on Respiratory Viral Infections (2010)
Faculty Outstanding Research Output Award, LKS Faculty of Medicine, HKU (2008)
Wong Ching Yee Medical Postgraduate Scholarship (2007)
The Best Presentation Award, The 12th Postgraduate Symposium, LKS Faculty of Medicine, HKU (2007)
Associate member of the American Society for Virology

Research Grants

Research Fund for the Control of Infectious Disease (RFCID) 2011 – Full grant (Principal Investigator) HK$875,948 - Neutrophil mediated host-responses during influenza A virus infection, an in vitro study”
RFCID 2011 –Full grant (Co-I) Ref: # 11100972 HK$978,704
RFCID 2010 – Full grant (Principal Investigator) HK$936,436 - “The biological and genetic determinants of seasonal influenza A virus replication in the lower respiratory tract”
RFCID 2010 – Full grant (Co-I) HK$909,862 - “Experimental models to study the impact of cigarette smoking on the tropism of avian influenza H5N1 virus in human respiratory tract”
RFCID 2009 – Commissioned study Lab-15, Part A2, (Co-I) - “Pathogenesis of swine-origin influenza H1N1 virus in humans: Studies of viral tropism and host response in primary differentiated human respiratory epithelial cell cultures in vitro and ex vivo.”
RFCID 2008 – Full grant (Co-I) HK$799,584 - “Effect of Vitamin B2 in the treatment of human influenza H5N1 virus infection: studies in vitro and in vivo”
Small Project Funding (Principal Investigator): Establishment of primary human conjunctival epithelial cell in vitro and conjunctiva ex vivo organ culture model to study human infection of influenza virus. (2009)
URC/CRCG - Conference Grants for Teaching Staff - 28th Annual Meeting of American Society for Virology (2009)

Recent Publication List

Hui KP, Lee SM, Cheung CY, Mao H, Lai AK, Chan RWY, Chan MC, Tu W, Guan Y, Lau YL, Peiris JS. (2011) H5N1 Influenza Virus-Induced Mediators Upregulate RIG-I in Uninfected Cells by Paracrine Effects Contributing to Amplified Cytokine Cascades. Journal of Infectious Diseases (in press)

Chan RWY, Alan CL Li, Lynsia LS Tang, Sara SR Kang, Wendy CL Yu, Kit M Yuen, Wico WH Lai, Dora LW Kwong, Alan DL Sihoe, Leo LM Poon, Yi Guan, HL Yen, John M Nicholls, JSM Peiris, Michael CW Chan (2011) Tissue tropism of swine influenza viruses and reassortants in ex vivo cultures of the human respiratory tract and conjunctiva. Journal of Virology, 85(22), 11581-7.

LY Chan, HH Kwok, Chan RWY, JSM Peiris, NK Mak, RNS Wong, MCW Chan, PYK Yue (2011) Dual functions of ginsenosides in protecting human endothelial cells against influenza H9N2-induced inflammation and apoptosis. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 137(3), 1542-6.

Yen HL, Liang CH, Wu CY, Forrest HL, Ferguson A, Choy KT, Jones J, Dik-Yan Wong D, Pak-Hang Cheung P, Hsu CH, Li OT, Yuen KM, Chan RWY, Poon LL, Chan MC, Nicholls JM, Krauss S, Wong CH, Guan Y, Webster RG, Webby RJ, Peiris M. (2011) Hemagglutinin-neuraminidase balance confers respiratory-droplet transmissibility of the pandemic H1N1 influenza virus in ferrets. PNAS, 108(34), 14264-9.

Wendy CL Yu, Chan RWY, Wang J, JSM Peiris, RJ Mason, MCW Chan (2010) Differential viral replication and innate host responses in human alveolar type I-like, type II epithelial cells and macrophaes infeted with influenza H5N1 and H1N1 virus. Journal of Virology 85:6844-55.

Chan RWY, Kit M Yuen, Wendy CL Yu, Lynsia LS Tang, Alan CL Li, W John M Nicholls, Michael CW Chan (2011) Replication of avian and seasonal influenza viruses in human bronchus and lung. Influenza and other respiratory viruses, 5, 425-426

Alan CL Li*, Chan RWY *, Celine FF Hui, Sara SR Kang, Wendy CL Yu, John M Nicholls, Michael CW Chan (2011) Replication and innate host response of influenza A virus in human lung microvascular endothelial cells: insights into systemic dissemination and pathogenesis. Influenza and other respiratory viruses, 5 (S1), 287-288. *equal contribution

Michael CW Chan*, Chan RWY*, Hui-ling Yen, Wendy CL Yu, Kit M Yuen, Lynsia LS Tang, Alan CL Li, Sara SR Kang, Celine FF Hui, Wico W Lai, Alan DL Sihoe, Yi Guan, John M Nicholls, JS Malik Peiris (2011) Tropism and innate host response of the 2009 pandemic H1N1 influenza virus compared with related swine influenza viruses and reassortants in ex vivo and in vitro cultures of the human respiratory tract and conjunctiva. Influenza and other respiratory viruses, 5 (S1), 54-55. *equal contribution

Celine FF Hui*, Chan RWY*, Kevin Fung, Wendy CL Yu, SW Tsao, Michael CW Chan, John M Nicholls (2011) The regional distribution of different types of influenza receptors in cultured human alveolar epithelial cells and correlation with in vitro infection. Influenza and other respiratory viruses, 5(S1), 436-437. *equal contribution

Kit M Yuen, Chan RWY, Chris KP Mok, Adam CN Wong, Sara SR Kang, John M Nicholls, Michael CW Chan (2011) Differential onset of apoptosis in avian influenza H5N1 and seasonal H1N1 virus infected human bronchial and alveolar epithelial cell, an in vitro and ex vivo study. Influenza and other respiratory viruses, 5 (S1), 437-438

Danlin Jia, Ramtin Rahbar, Chan RWY, Michael CW Chan, Suki Lee, Darren Baker, Bing Sun, JSM Peiris, John M Nicholls, Eleanor N Fish (2010) Influenza virus non-structural protein 1 (NS1) disrupts interferon signaling. PLoS ONE, 5: e13927

Suki MY Lee*, Chan RWY*, Jennifer L Gardy, CK Lo, Alan DL Sihoe, Sara SR Kang, Timothy KW Cheung, Y Guan, Michael CW Chan, Robert EW Hancock, JS Malik Peiris (2010) Systems-level comparison of host responses induced by pandemic and seasonal influenza A H1N1 viruses in primary human type I-like alveolar epithelial cells in vitro. Respiratory Research, 11: 147 *equal contribution

Chan MCW*, Chan RWY*, Yu WCL, Ho CCC, Yuen KM, Fong JHM, Tang LLS, Lai WW, Lo ACY, Chui WH, Sihoe ADL, Kwong DLW, Wong DSH, Tsao SW, Poon LLM, Guan Y, Nicholls JM, Peiris JSM. (2010) Tropism and innate host responses of the 2009 pandemic H1N1 influenza virus in ex vivo and in vitro cultures of human conjunctiva and respiratory tract. Am J Pathol., 176 (4): 1828-40 *equal contribution

Chan RWY, Yuen KM, Yu WCL, Ho CCC, Nicholls JM, Peiris JSM, Chan MCW (2010) Influenza H5N1 and H1N1 Virus Replication and Innate Immune Responses in Bronchial Epithelial Cells Are Influenced by the State of Differentiation. PLoS One, 5(1):e8713.

Triana-Baltzer GB, Babizki M, Chan MC, Wong AC, Aschenbrenner LM, Campbell ER, Li QX, Chan RWY, Peiris JS, Nicholls JM, Fang F. (2010) DAS181, a sialidase fusion protein, protects human airway epithelium against influenza virus infection: an in vitro pharmacodynamic analysis. J Antimicrob Chemother., 65(2):275-84.

Chan MC*, Chan RWY*, Yu WC, Ho CC, Chui WH, et al. (2009) Influenza H5N1 virus infection of polarized human alveolar epithelial cells and lung microvascular endothelial cells, Respiratory Research, 10: 102. *equal contribution

Gallen Triana-Baltzer, Larisa Gubareva, John Nicholls, Melissa Pearce, Vasiliy Mishin, Jessica Belser, Li-Mei Chen, Chan RWY, Michael Chan, Maria Hedlund, Ronald moss, Jacqueline Katz, Terrence Tumpey, Fang Fang (2009) Novel Swine-Origin A(H1N1) Influenza Viruses are Potently Inhibited by DAS181, a Sialidase Fusion Protein, PLoS One, 4(11):e7788.

Chan RWY, Chan M.C.W., Wong C.N., Karamanska R., Dell A., Haslam S.M., Sihoe A.D., Chui W.H., Triana-Baltzer G., Li Q., Peiris J.S.M., Fang F. and Nicholls J.M. (2009) DAS181 Inhibits H5N1 Influenza virus Infection of Human Lung Tissues. Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, 53, 3935-3941.

Li O.T.W., Chan M.C.W., Leung C.S.W., Chan RWY, Guan Y., Nicholls J.M. and Poon L.L.M. Full factorial analysis of Mammalian and avian influenza polymerase subunits suggests a role of an efficient polymerase for virus adaptation., PLoS One, 21;4(5), e5658.

JM Nicholls, Chan RWY, RJ Russell, GM Air, JSM Peiris (2008) Evolving complexities of influenza virus and its receptors. Trends in Microbiology 16(4): 149-157.

JM Nicholls, MCW Chan, Chan RWY, HK Wong, CY Cheung, DLW Kwong, MP Wong, H Chen, Y Guan, JSM Peiris (2007) Tropism of avian influenza A (H5N1) in the upper and lower respiratory tract. Nature Medicine, 13(2): 147 – 149.

MCW Chan, CY Cheung, WH Chui, SW Tsao, JM Nicholls, YO Chan, Chan RWY, HT Long, LL Poon, Y Guan, JSM Peiris (2005) Proinflammatory cytokine responses induced by influenza A (H5N1) viruses in primary human alveolar and bronchial epithelial cells. Respiratory Research 6: 135 -147

Oral Presentations

RWY Chan, Kit M Yuen, Wendy CL Yu, Lynsia LS Tang, Alan CL Li, W John M Nicholls, Michael CW Chan (2010) Replication of avian and seasonal influenza viruses in human bronchus and lung, Options for the Control of Influenza VII, 2010.

RWY Chan, Michael CW Chan, John M Nicholls, JS Malik Peiris (2010) Tropism and host responses of the 2009 pandemic H1N1 influenza virus in ex vivo and in vitro cultures of human conjunctiva and respiratory tract, XII International Symposium on Respiratory Viral Infections.

Chan RWY, Yuen K.M., Yu C.L., Ho C.C., Nicholls J.M., Peiris J.S.M. and Chan M.C.W. Differential Viral Replication Kinetics And Host Innate Immune Responses By Influenza A (H5N1) Virus In Human Bronchial Epithelial Cells At Different Differentiation Stages, The 28th Annual meeting of American Society for Virology, 2009

Chan RWY, Yu C.L., Yuen K.M., Fong J.H.M., Lo A.C.Y., Lai W.W.K., Wong D.S.H., Nicholls J.M., Peiris J.S.M. and Chan M.C.W. Infection of influenza A (H5N1) virus in human eye epithelium, an in vitro and ex vivo study, The 28th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Virology, 2009

Chan RWY, Yu C.L., Nicholls J.M., Tsao G.S.W., Peiris J.S.M. and Chan M.C.W. Innate immune response and virus replication in human nasopharyngeal epithelial cells infected with influenza A (H5N1) virus. , 108th American Society of Microbiology General Meeting, 2008

Selected Conference Papers

RWY Chan, Sara SR Kang, Wendy CL Yu, Michael CW Chan (2010) Effect of vitamin B2 in the treatment of human influenza H5N1 virus infection: studies in vitro and in vivo. Health Research Symposium 2010, 2010

Michael CW Chan, RWY Chan, Suki MY Lee, John M Nicholls and JS Malik Peiris (2010) Pathogenesis of swine-origin influenza H1N1 virus (S-OIV) in humans: studies of viral tropism and host response in primary differentiated human respiratory epithelial cell cultures in vitro and in ex vivo. Health Research Symposium 2010, 2010

Wendy CL Yu, RWY Chan, Jieru Wang, John M Nicholls, JS Malik Peiris, Robert J Mason, Michael CW Chan (2010) Avian influenza H5N1 and seasonal H1N1 virus infection and innate host responses in human alveolar type II epithelial cells and macrophages, Options for the Control of Influenza VII, 2010

RWY Chan, Celine FF Hui, Sara SR Kang, Wendy CL Yu, John M Nicholls, Michael CW Chan (2010) Replication and innate host response of influenza A virus in human lung microvascular endothelial cells: insights into systemic dissemination and pathogenesis (2010), Options for the Control of Influenza VII, 2010

Michael CW Chan*, RWY Chan*, Hui-ling Yen, Wendy CL Yu, Kit M Yuen, Lynsia LS Tang, Alan CL Li, Sara SR Kang, Celine FF Hui, Wico W Lai, Alan DL Sihoe, Yi Guan, John M Nicholls, JS Malik Peiris (2010) Tropism and innate host response of the 2009 pandemic H1N1 influenza virus compared with related swine influenza viruses and reassortants in ex vivo and in vitro cultures of the human respiratory tract and conjunctiva, Options for the Control of Influenza VII, 2010. *equal contribution

Celine FF Hui, RWY Chan, Kevin Fung, Wendy CL Yu, SW Tsao, Michael CW Chan, John M Nicholls (2010)The regional distribution of different types of influenza receptors in cultured human alveolar epithelial cells and correlation with in vitro infection, Options for the Control of Influenza VII, 2010

Kit M Yuen, RWY Chan, Chris KP Mok, Adam CN Wong, Sara SR Kang, John M Nicholls, Michael CW Chan (2010) Differential onset of apoptosis in avian influenza H5N1 and seasonal H1N1 virus infected human bronchial and alveolar epithelial cell, an in vitro and ex vivo study, Options for the Control of Influenza VII, 2010

Nicholls J.M., Chan M.C.W., Chan RWY, Peiris J.S.M., Malakhov M., Li H., Huang Y., Zaltash S., Hawley S., Haslam S., Karamanska R. and Fang F. The use of sialidase treatment in influenza virus infection, XI International Symposium on Respiratory Viral Infections, 2009

Chan M.C.W., Chan RWY, Ho C.C., Nicholls J.M., Cheung C.Y., Chui W.H., Guan Y. and Peiris J.S.M. Polarity of influenza H5N1 virus infection in respiratory epithelial cells and the impact of basolateral release of cytokines in disease pathogenesis, Options for the Control of Influenza VI, 2007

Chan RWY, Yu C.L., Nicholls J.M., Chui W.H., Guan Y., Peiris J.S.M. and Chan M.C.W. The use of in vitro and ex vivo model to study the tropism and pathogenesis of emerging respiratory viruses, Health Research Symposium 2007, 2007