Hong You
Dr | Senior Research Officer
+61 7 3362 0406CAREER HISTORY
Dr Hong You is a molecular parasitologist and senior research officer (SRO-6) at QIMR Berghofer in the molecular parasitology laboratory. She is also an adjunct senior lecturer at the School of Veterinary Science, University of Queensland (UQ). After completing her PhD study at UQ in 2010, her research has been focused on the identification / characterisation of vaccine or drug targets against schistosome infections by exploiting new, cutting-edge technologies for gene functional studies including CRISPR-based systems (CRISPR/Cas9 and CRISPR interference/activation), transcriptomics, proteomics, and RNA interference. Her research also extended the development of next-generation point-of-care diagnostics tools (by using CRISPR-Cas12/13 system) for schistosomiasis and other helminthic diseases. Dr You has accumulated rich experience in schistosome developmental biology, immunology associated with parasite-host interactions and functional genomic studies of schistosomes. She has acquired skills in performing immunological assessments of vaccine efficacy in animal vaccine/challenge trials both in the laboratory and in the field.
CURRENT APPOINTMENTS
2014-current: Senior Research Officer at QIMR Berghofer;
2016-current: Adjunct Senior Lecturer at the School of Veterinary Science, University of Queensland
PREVIOUS APPOINTMENTS
2013-2017: NHMRC Early Career Fellowship
2010-2013: Research Officer, QIMR Berghofer
2006-2007: Associate Professor, Xinjiang Veterinary Research Institute, China
1994-2006: Assistant Research Fellow, Xinjiang Veterinary Research Institute, China
ORCID NUMBER
CURRENT AREA OF RESEARCH
Hong’s research has been focused on biology/molecular parasitology (Schistosomes, Echinococcus) in the areas of identification and characterization of novel/unknown genes as vaccine / drug targets, immunological assessment of vaccine/drug efficacy in animal models and natural hosts in the field. However, a major challenge in the schistosomiasis research community is the lack of suitable tools to effectively characterise schistosome gene products as potential new drug/vaccine targets. By introducing the CRISPR-mediated technology, a powerful gene editing tool, into schistosomes, Dr You recently developed a CRISPR/Cas9-based editing system for genomic functional study. For the first time, she has successfully established CRISPR interference/activation approaches in schistosome providing effective tools for improved gene functional study by selectively perturbing/enhancing gene expression, with the potential of the approach to be extended to the study of other parasitic helminths and used as a powerful drug screen system. By further exploring CRISPR-Cas12/13 diagnostic platforms, Dr You has also developed for the first time, new generation point-of-care diagnostics tools for schistosomiasis, which are sensitive, cost-effective, field-friendly diagnostics approaches for future wide-scale application to other parasitic neglected tropical diseases globally.
RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS
- First author of the most comprehensive report, accepted (in-press) by Clinical Microbiology Reviews, of mRNA vaccine technology era and the future control of parasitic infections.
- Lead author of the most advanced reports by utilizing the edge-cutting CRISPR based technologies in schistosomes.
- Top 1% of scholars writing about Schistosoma (ranking as 16) over the past 10 years (2001-2021), by Expertscape’s PubMed-based lgorithms https://expertscape.com/ex/schistosoma
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
2005-present: Australian Society for Parasitology.
2018 -present: QIMR Berghofer Postdoctoral Committee, member.
AWARDS RECOGNITION
- 2022: Award in recognition of outstanding contributions to the Molecular Parasitology Group and QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute.
- 2022: Australian Society for Parasitology Network for Parasitology Researcher Exchange Travel Award for visiting University of Würzburg, Institute of Hygiene and Microbiology, Germany for 1 week.
- 2019: Australian Society for Parasitology Network for Parasitology Researcher Exchange Travel Award for visiting Baylor University, Texas, USA for 4 weeks.
- 2017: Australian Society for Parasitology Network for Parasitology Researcher Exchange Travel Award for visiting George Washington University, USA for 6 weeks.
- 2017: Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre Travel Award.
- 2013: Cold Spring Harbor Asia fellowship.
- 2013: Chinese Academic visiting scholarship supported by State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs of China.
- 2013: Travel Bursary Funding supported by Queensland Emory Development Alliance for visiting Emory University US for 3 months.
- 2012: Australian Society for Parasitology Network for Parasitology Researcher Exchange Travel Award for visiting Emory University US for 3 months.
- 2011: Josephine Mackerras Training Fellowship Supported by Australian Centre for Vaccine Development for visiting Emory University in Atlanta, USA.
EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND
- 2005-2010: Doctor of Philosophy, University of Queensland, Australia
- 1999-2002: Master of Veterinary Science (Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, DVM), Xinjiang Agricultural University, China.
- 1990-1994: Bachelor of Veterinary Science, Shehezi University, Shihezi, China.