Cheng Huang, PhD

Cheng Huang, PhD
Assistant Professor

Department of Pathology

Phone: (409) 266-6681
Email: chhuang@utmb.edu

One of my main research interests is to investigate the virus-host interaction and the pathogenesis of highly pathogenic arenavirus viruses. Experiments with highly pathogenic arenaviruses are required to be performed in BSL4 facilities. Many important aspects regarding the host response to pathogenic arenavirus infection are not understood. Currently I study the innate immune response to human pathogenic arenavirus Junin virus, Machupo virus and Lassa fever virus in infected cells in BSL2 and BSL4 facilities. Our studies reveal distinct host immune responses to pathogenic NW and OW arenaviruses. The NW arenavirus Junin virus and Machupo virus infection stimulates strong type I interferon response, while the OW arenavirus Lassa fever virus infection generally suppresses type I interferon response. Our goal is to determine the mechanistic basis for differential innate immune response to these arenaviruses, enhance our understanding of viral pathogenesis, and facilitate vaccine and therapeutics development.

I am also interested in the development of vaccines and therapeutics against pathogenic arenaviruses. Based on our knowledge of the virulence determinants of arenaviruses, we aim to rationally design and develop vaccine candidates by utilizing the reverse genetics systems for arenaviruses.

BS	FUDAN University, Shanghai, China	Genetic and Genetic Engineering	1990
PhD	Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan	Virology	2000
Postdoctoral	Univ. of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX	Virology

2006	American Society for Virology Postdoctoral Fellow Travel Grant
2005	American Society for Virology Postdoctoral Fellow Travel Grant
2004-2006	UTMB James W. McLaughlin Postdoctoral Fellowship
1998-1999	Japan-China Sasakawa Medical Fellowship, Japan

- American Society for Virology
1. Cheng Huang, Olga A Kolokoltsova, Nadezhda E Yun, Alexey V Seregin, Shannon Ronca, Takaaki Koma, Slobodan Paessler (2015) Highly Pathogenic New World and Old World Human Arenaviruses Induce Distinct Interferon Responses in Human Cells. J. Virology. 89:7079-7088
2. Cheng Huang, Aida G Walker, Ashley M Grant, Olga A Kolokoltsova, Nadezhda E Yun, Alexey V Seregin, Slobodan Paessler (2014) Potent Inhibition of Junin Virus Infection by Interferon in Murine Cells. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases 8(6):e2933.

3. Jennifer L Hyde, Christina L Gardner, Taishi Kimura, James P White, Gai Liu, Derek W Trobaugh, Cheng Huang, Marco Tonelli, Slobodan Paessler, Kiyoshi Takeda, William B Klimstra, Gaya K Amarasinghe, Michael S Diamond (2014) A Viral RNA Structural Element Alters Host Recognition of Nonself RNA. Science 343: 783-787.

4. Cheng Huang, Olga Kolokoltsova, Nadezhda Yun, Alexey Seregin, Allison Poussard, Aida G. Walker, Allan R. Brasier, Yingxin Zhao, Bing Tian, Juan Carlos de la Torre, Slobodan Paessler (2012) Junin Virus Infection Activates the Type I Interferon Pathway in a RIG-I-Dependent Manner. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 6(5): e1659.

5. Cheng Huang, Kumari G. Lokugamage, Janet M. Rozovics, Krishna Narayanan, Bert L. Semler and Shinji Makino (2011) SARS coronavirus nsp1 protein induces template-dependent endonucleolytic cleavage of mRNAs: virus-specific mRNAs are resistant to nsp1-induced RNA cleavage. PLoS Pathog 7(12): e1002433 This work has been recommended by the Faculty of 1000 as the top 2% of published articles in biology and medicine in F1000 library. http://f1000.com/prime/13411073 .

6. Cheng Huang, Kumari G. Lokugamage, Janet M. Rozovics, Krishna Narayanan, Bert L. Semler and Shinji Makino. (2011) Alphacoronavirus transmissible gastroenteritis virus nsp1 protein suppresses protein translation in expressed cells and in cell-free HeLa extract, but not in rabbit reticulocyte lysate. J. Virology. 85: 638-643

7. Wataru Kamitani*, Cheng Huang*, Krishna Narayanan, Kumari G Lokugamage and Shinji Makino. (2009) A two-pronged strategy to suppress host protein synthesis by SARS coronavirus Nsp1 protein. Nature Structural & Molecular Biology, 16:1134-1140 * Authors contributed equally to this study.

8. Krishina Narayanan*, Cheng Huang*, Kumari Lukogamage*, Wataru Kamitani, Tetsuro Ikegami, Chien-Te K. Tseng, and Shinji Makino. (2008) Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus nsp1 suppresses host gene expression, including that of type I Interferon in infected cells. J. Virology. 82: 4471-4479** *Authors contributed equally to this study. ** This study is selected as articles of significant interest selected from this issue by editor.

9. Cheng Huang, C. J. Peters and Shinji Makino. (2007) Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus accessory protein 6 is a virion-associated protein and is released from 6 protein-expressing cells. J. Virology. 81:5423-5426

10. Cheng Huang, Naoto Ito, Chien-Te K. Tseng and Shinji. Makino. (2006) Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 7a accessory protein is a viral structural protein. J. Virology. 80:7287-7294.

11. Cheng Huang , Krishna Narayanan, Naoto Ito, C. J. Peters and Shinji Makino. (2006) SARS Coronavirus 3a Protein Is Released in Membrane Vesicles from 3a Protein-Expressing Cells and Infected Cells. J. Virology. 80:210-217

12. Cheng Huang, Katsuhiro Kiyotani, Yutaka Fujii, Noriko Fukuhara, Atsushi Kato, Yoshiyuki Nagayi, Tetsuya Yoshida and Takemasa Sakaguchi (2000) Involvement of the Zinc-Binding Capacity of Sendai Virus V Protein in Viral Pathogenesis. J. Virology 74:7834-7841

Cheng Huang, PhDAssistant Professor

Cheng Huang, PhDAssistant Professor

Cheng Huang, PhD
Assistant Professor