Hin Chu

2005-2012 Ph.D. in Microbiology and Molecular Genetics. Emory University, GA, USA

2001-2005 B.S. in Biochemistry. University of Wisconsin – Madison. Madison, WI, USA

2021-now Assistant Professor. Department of Microbiology, LKS Faculty of Medicine, HKU, HK

2016-2021 Research Assistant Professor. Department of Microbiology, LKS Faculty of Medicine, HKU, HK

2013-2015 Post-doctoral Fellow. Department of Microbiology, LKS Faculty of Medicine, HKU, HK

Our group focuses on investigating the pathogenic mechanisms and host and viral determinants of emerging viral pathogens, with an emphasis on highly pathogenic coronaviruses. Specific questions that we ask include: (1) What host factors can coronaviruses use for virus entry; (2) What host factors can coronaviruses use to promote virus replication; (3) What are the mechanisms that allow certain coronaviruses to spread more efficiently than others; (4) How do the highly pathogenic coronaviruses cause severe diseases in humans; and (5) What are the mechanisms behind the differential pathogenicity between highly pathogenic coronaviruses and seasonal coronaviruses.

1. Shuai H et al, …, Chu H (last corresponding author). Attenuated replication and pathogenicity of SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.529 Omicron. Nature. 2022 Mar;603(7902):693-699. PMID: 35062016. Impact factor: 64.8; JCR ranking of journal in “Multidisciplinary Sciences”: 1/73 (Q1, top 1.4%); “Hot Paper”: top 0.1% of papers in the academic field of “Microbiology” according to Clarivate Analytics’ Essential Science Indicators.

2. Chu H (first and co-corresponding author) et al, …, Yuen KY. Coronaviruses exploit a host cysteine-aspartic protease for replication. Nature. 2022 Sep;609(7928):785-792. PMID: 35922005. Impact factor: 64.8; JCR ranking of journal in “Multidisciplinary Sciences”: 1/73 (Q1, top 1.4%)

3. Chu H (first author) et al, …, Yuen KY. Comparative tropism, replication kinetics, and cell damage profiling of SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV with implications for clinical manifestations, transmissibility, and laboratory studies of COVID-19: an observational study. Lancet Microbe. 2020 May;1(1):e14-e23. PMID: 32835326. Impact factor: 38.2; JCR ranking of journal in “Microbiology”: 2/135 (Q1, top 1.5%); “Highly Cited Paper”: top 1% of papers in the academic field of “Clinical Medicine” according to Clarivate Analytics’ Essential Science Indicators. 

4. Chu H (first author) et al, …, Yuen KY. Host and viral determinants for efficient SARS-CoV-2 infection of the human lung. Nat Commun. 2021 Jan 8;12(1):134. PMID: 33420022. Impact factor: 16.6; JCR ranking of journal in “Multidisciplinary Sciences”: 6/73 (Q1, top 8.2%); “Highly Cited Paper”: top 1% of papers in the academic field of “Microbiology” according to Clarivate Analytics’ Essential Science Indicators.

5. Chu H (first author) et al, …, Yuen KY. Comparative replication and immune activation profiles of SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV in human lungs: an ex vivo study with implications for the pathogenesis of COVID-19. Clin Infect Dis. 2020 Sep 12;71(6):1400-1409. PMID: 32270184. Impact factor: 11.8; JCR ranking of journal in “Microbiology”: 12/135 (Q1, top 8.9%); “Highly Cited Paper”: top 1% of papers in the academic field of “Immunology” according to Clarivate Analytics’ Essential Science Indicators.

6. Chu H (first author) et al, …, Yuen KY. Targeting highly pathogenic coronavirus-induced apoptosis reduces viral pathogenesis and disease severity. Sci Adv. 2021 Jun 16;7(25):eabf8577. PMID: 34134991. Impact factor: 13.6; JCR ranking of journal in “Multidisciplinary Sciences”: 7/73 (Q1, top 9.6%)

7. Chan JF et al, …, Chu H (sole last corresponding author). Virological features and pathogenicity of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.2. Cell Rep Med. 2022 Sep 20;3(9):100743. PMID: 36084644. Impact factor: 14.3; JCR ranking of journal in “Medicine, Research & Experimental”: 5/136 (Q1, top 3.6%)

8. Chan JF et al, …, Chu H (sole last corresponding author). Altered host protease determinants for SARS-CoV-2 Omicron. Sci Adv. 2023 Jan 20;9(3):eadd3867. PMID: 36662861. Impact factor: 13.6; JCR ranking of journal in “Multidisciplinary Sciences”: 7/73 (Q1, top 9.6%); “Highly Cited Paper”: top 1% of papers in the academic field of “Microbiology” according to Clarivate Analytics’ Essential Science Indicators.

9. Shuai H et al, …, Chu H (last corresponding author). Emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants expand species tropism to murines. EBioMedicine. 2021 Oct 21;73:103643. PMID: 34689086. Impact factor: 11.1; JCR ranking of journal in “Medicine, Research & Experimental”: 10/136 (Q1, top 7.4%); “Highly Cited Paper”: top 1% of papers in the academic field of “Clinical Medicine” according to Clarivate Analytics’ Essential Science Indicators.

10. Hu B et al, …, Chu H (sole last corresponding author). Spike mutations contributing to the altered entry preference of SARS-CoV-2 omicron BA. 1 and BA. 2. Emerg Microbes Infect. 2022 Dec;11(1):2275-2287. PMID: 36039901. Impact factor: 13.2; JCR ranking of journal in “Microbiology”: 9/135 (Q1, top 6.7%);“Highly Cited Paper”: top 1% of papers in the academic field of “Clinical Medicine” according to Clarivate Analytics’ Essential Science Indicators.

Full publication list link:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=hin+chu&sort=date&size=200

2024 Geneva International Exhibition of Inventions Silver medal

2023 HKU Outstanding Young Researcher Award

2023 HKU Research Output Prize (for the best research output in HKU LKS Faculty of Medicine in 2022 as the last corresponding author)

2023 Clarivate Analytics’ Essential Science Indicators (ESI) Highly Cited Researcher 

- One of 238 scholars named in two fields in 2023 globally (“Microbiology” and “Immunology”)

2023 “A familial cluster of pneumonia associated with the 2019 novel coronavirus indicating person-to-person transmission: a study of a family cluster” selected as 1 of 34 articles highlighted in the “200 years of The Lancet” timeline (as co-first author)

2023 Clarivate Analytics Essential Science Indicators (ESI) top 1% cited scholar

2022 HKU Research Output Prize (for the best research output in HKU LKS Faculty of Medicine in 2021 as co-author)

2022 Clarivate Analytics’ Essential Science Indicators (ESI) Highly Cited Researcher 

- One of 38 scholars at HKU in 2022

2022 Clarivate Analytics’ Essential Science Indicators (ESI) Top 1% Cited Scholar

2022 World’s Top 2% most-cited scientists by Stanford University/Elsevier

2021 National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) Excellent Young Scientists Fund (Hong Kong and Macau) 

- The only scholar at HKUMed in 2021 

2021 HKU Research Output Prize (for the best research output in HKU LKS Faculty of Medicine in 2020 as co-first author)

2021 Clarivate Analytics’ Essential Science Indicators (ESI) Highly Cited Researcher 

- One of 31 scholars at HKU in 2021

2021 Clarivate Analytics’ Essential Science Indicators (ESI) Top 1% Cited Scholar

2021 World's Top 2% most-cited scientists by Stanford University/Elsevier

2021 Emerging Microbes & Infections 2020 Best Paper Award (1st Place) (as co-first author)

2020 World's Top 2% most-cited scientists by Stanford University/Elsevier