Research
CHEUNG, Pak Hang Peter

Name : CHEUNG, Pak Hang Peter 張栢恒
Title :
Assistant Professor
Home Department :  Chemical Pathology
Email : ppcheung@cuhk.edu.hk
Phone Number:  (852) 3763 6049
Fax Number:  (852) 2636 5090
Address:
 Room 306F, 3/F, Li Ka Shing Medical Sciences Building, Prince of Wales Hospital,
30-32 Ngan Shing Street, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong
Website:  https://www.cuhk.edu.hk/med/cpy/Research/PeterCheung.htm

Biography:

Present Employment:

2021 - Present: Assistant Dean (Research), Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong

2021 - Present: Assistant Professor at Department of Chemical Pathology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong


Previous Employment:

2018 - 2021: Research Assistant Professor at Department of Chemistry, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

2016 - 2018: Research Assistant Professor at Division of Biomedical Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

2015 - 2016: Postdoctoral Fellow at Division of Biomedical Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

2013 - 2015: Research Associate at School of Public Health, University of Hong Kong


Academic Qualifications:

2009 - 2013 Doctor of Philosophy: The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China

2005 - 2007 Master of Science in Pathology: Western University, London, Ontario, Canada

2001 - 2005 Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Life Sciences: Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada (first class honor)


Prizes and Awards:

2019: Silver Award, HKUST - Sino One Million Dollar Entrepreneurship Competition

2015: Finalist, Young Scientist Awards

2012: Graduate Student Travel Scholarship, Tech Dragon Limited

2010: Croucher-Butterfield Studentship, Croucher Foundation


Leading Grants and Projects:

1.   RGC - Collaborative Research Fund

      CHEUNG Pak Hang Peter (Lead)

      2022 - Present

2.   RGC - General Research Fund

      CHEUNG Pak Hang Peter (Lead)

      2018 - Present

3.   RGC - General Research Fund

      CHEUNG Pak Hang Peter (Lead)

      2019 - Present


Specialised Research Area(s):

My current interests lie in the gene transcription of RNA viruses, with emphasis on influenza and coronaviruses. RNA viruses encode their RNA polymerases to replicate the viral genome. The error-prone transcription process of RNA polymerases is the main driving force for viral genetic diversity essential for adaption to and infection of the host. However, the accuracy of virus transcription must be maintained at a certain threshold for faithful gene expression and protein production. I am interested in understanding the structural basis of how viral polymerases regulate transcription accuracy in RNA viruses and the biological consequences of transcriptional errors during infection by developing a novel genomics platform and using Cryogenic Electron Microscopy (Cryo-EM). These fundamental insights are essential in the basic understanding of gene transcription and virus evolution and the biomedical research for the development of antiviral drugs and vaccines for infectious diseases.

Selected Publications:

1. Au, W. Y., Ye, C., Briner S.L., Suarez, G.D., Han, J., Xu, X., Park, J.G., Brindley, M.A., Martinez-Sobrido*, L., Cheung, P.P.H*. Systematic comparison between BNT162b2 and CoronaVac in the seroprotection against SARS-CoV-2 Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Delta variants, Journal of Infection, DOI: 10.1016/j.jinf.2022.02.030, (2022)

2. Suarez, G.D., Suarez D.A., Tang Y.Y.K., Zhang J.-X., Li, J., Nagl, S., Cheung P.P.H.*. Uncovering Mechanisms of RT-LAMP Colorimetric SARS-CoV-2 Detection to Improve Assay Reliability, Analytical Methods, DOI: 10.1039/D1AY01395E, (2022)

3. Au, W.Y., Cheung, P.P.H.*, Diagnostic performances of common nucleic acid tests for SARS-CoV-2 in hospitals and clinics: a systematic review and meta-analysis. The Lancet Microbe, DOI:10.1016/S2666-5247(21)00214-7, (2021)

4. Xu, X., Zhang, L.*, Chu J.T.S., Wang, Y. Chin, A.W.H., Dai, Z., Poon, L.L.M., Cheung, P.P.H.*, Huang, X.*. A Novel Mechanism of Enhanced Transcription Activity and Fidelity for Influenza A Viral RNA-dependent RNA Polymerase, Nucleic Acids Research, 49 (15), 8796, (2021)

5. Wang, Y., Yuan, C., Xu, X., Chong, T.H., Zhang, L., Cheung P.P.H.*, Huang, X.*. The mechanism of action of T-705 as a unique delayed chain terminator on influenza viral polymerase transcription, Biophysical Chemistry, 277, 106652, (2021)

6. Zhang, L., Zhang, D., Wang X., Yuan, X., Li, Y., Jia, X., Gao, X., Yen, H.L., Cheung, P.P.*, Huang, X.*, 1’-Ribose Cyano Substitution Allows Remdesivir to Effectively Inhibit both Nucleotide Addition and Proofreading during SARS-CoV-2 Viral RNA Replication, Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 23, 5852 (2021)

7. Wang, Y.*, Chong, T.H.*, Unarta, I.C.*, Xu, X., Suarez, G.D., Wang, J., Lis, J.T., Huang, X., Cheung, P.P.H.*, EmPC-Seq: Accurate RNA-sequencing and Bioinformatics Platform to Map RNA Polymerases and Remove Background Error, Bio-Protocol, 11, 4, (2021)

8. Cheung, P.P.H., Jiang, B., Booth, G.T., Chong, T.H., Unartar, I.C., Wang, Y., Suarez, G.D., Wang, J., Lis, J.T., Huang, X., Identifying Transcription Error-Enriched Genomic Loci Using Nuclear Run-On Circular-Sequencing Coupled with Background Error Modeling, Journal of Molecular Biology, S0022-2836(20)30284-9, (2020)

9. Tse, K.M., Xu, J., Xu, L., Sheong, F.K., Wang, S., Chow, H.Y., Gao, X., Li, X., Cheung, P.P.H.*, Wang, D.*, Zhang, Y.*, Huang, X*. Intrinsic cleavage of RNA polymerase II adopts a nucleobase-independent mechanism assisted by transcript phosphate, Nature Catalysis, 2, 228–235, (2019)

10. Cheung, P.P., Rogozin, I.B., Choy, K.T., Ng, H.Y., Peiris, J.S., and Yen, H.L Comparative mutational analyses of influenza A viruses. RNA 21, 36 (2015)

11. Cheung, P.P., Watson, S.J., Choy, K.T., Fun Sia, S., Wong, D.D., Poon, L.L., Kellam, P., Guan, Y., Malik Peiris, J.S., and Yen, H.L. Generation and characterization of influenza A viruses with altered polymerase fidelity. Nature Communications 5, 4794.  (2014)

12. Cheung, P.P., Leung, Y.H., Chow, C.K., Ng, C.F., Tsang, C.L., Wu, Y.O., Ma, S.K., Sia, S.F., Guan, Y., and Peiris, J.S., Identifying the species-origin of faecal droppings used for avian influenza virus surveillance in wild-birds. Journal of Clinical Virology 46, 90,  (2009)