Personal profile

Dr. Deng Kai, Professor and doctoral supervisor, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University. He is currently vice president of Zhongshan Medical College and director of the Department of Immunology. He received his bachelor's degree and master's degree from Sun Yat-sen University, and his doctorate degree from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Postdoctoral research at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) in the United States. In 2015, he was brought back to China by Sun Yat-sen University. Since 2015, Corresponding author or first author (including co-author) in Nature, Immunity, Cell Host & Microbe, Cell Metabolism, eLife, mBio, PLoS Pathogens, Journal of Virology, Signal Nearly 20 academic papers have been published in well-known journals such as Transduction and Targeted Therapy. He has presided over the National key research and development project, the National Natural Science Foundation project, the Guangdong Science and Technology Plan Base project, the Guangdong Outstanding Youth Science Fund and other scientific research projects. He was appointed as a Young Scholar of the Ministry of Education (2018) and a Young Pearl River Scholar of Guangdong Province (2016).

Research direction

The laboratory's current research focuses on several directions:
Mechanism of persistent virus infection
Mechanism of host immune response to viral infection
Novel immunotherapy for viral infection

Academic achievement

Important academic achievements and contributions:
The persistent infection of the virus is the main cause of incurable viral diseases and even other diseases (such as tumors, etc.). Dr. Dunkay has long studied the mechanisms by which viruses establish and maintain persistent infections in the host, and the rules of the host immune system response, and explored how to treat persistent viral infections through virus-specific immune strategies. Taking human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), influenza virus and novel coronavirus as research objects, the system reveals the mechanism of virus interaction with the immune system. The series of research work has been reviewed by journals such as Nature, Science, Immunity, Cell Host Microbe, and the published papers have been positively cited more than 3000 times. The relevant research results are of great significance in promoting the pathogenesis research and clinical treatment of AIDS and other major infectious diseases.

Textbook monograph

Published papers (corresponding author and first author papers only listed, * Co-corresponding author, # Co-first author) :

1. Minchao Li#, Jiasheng Zhou#, Kechun Zhang#, Yue Yuan, Jiacong Zhao, Mingting Cui, Di Yin, Ziyu Wen, Zhonghe Chen, Linghua Li, Huachun Zou*, Kai Deng*, Caijun Sun*. Characteristics of genotype, drug resistance, and molecular transmission network among newly diagnosed HIV-1 infections in Shenzhen, China. Journal of Medical Virology 2023; 95: e28973.
2. Ting Huang#, Jinfeng Cai#, Peipei Wang#, Jiasheng Zhou, Haitao Zhang, Ziqi Wu, Jiacong Zhao, Zhanlian Huang*, Kai Deng*. Ponatinib represses latent HIV-1 by inhibiting AKT-mTOR. Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy 2023; 67: e00067-23.
3. Xiaofei Wang#, Ao Hu#, Xiangyu Chen#, Yixin Zhang#, Fei Yu#, Shuai Yue, Arong Li, Junsong Zhang, Zhiwei Pan, Yang Yang, Yao Lin, Leiqiong Gao, Jing Zhou, Jing Zhao, Fang Li, Yaling Shi, Feng Huang, Xiaofan Yang, Yi Peng, Luoyang Tu, Huan Zhang, Huanying Zheng, Jun He, Hui Zhang, Lifan Xu, Qizhao Huang, Yongqun Zhu*, Kai Deng*, Lilin Ye*. A potent human monoclonal antibody with pan-neutralizing activities directly dislocates S trimer of SARS-CoV-2 through binding both up and down forms of RBD. Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy 2022; 7: 1-13.
4. Xiaofei Wang#, Xiangyu Chen#, Jiaxing Tan, Shuai Yue, Runhong Zhou, Yan Xu, Yao Lin, Yang Yang, Yan Zhou, Kai Deng*, Zhiwei Chen*, Lilin Ye*, Yongqun Zhu*. 35B5 antibody potently neutralizes SARS-CoV-2 Omicron by disrupting the N-glycan switch via a conserved Spike epitope. Cell Host & Microbe 2022; 30: 887-895.
5. Zilun Li#, Meixiu Peng#, Pin Chen#, Chenshu Liu#, Ao Hu#, Yixin Zhang, Jiangyun Peng, Jiang Liu, Yihui Li, Wenxue Li, Wei Zhu, Dongxian Guan, Yang Zhang, Hongyin Chen, Jiuzhou Li, Dongxiao Fan, Kan Huang, Fen Lin, Zefeng Zhang, Zeling Guo, Hengli Luo, Xi He, Yuanyuan Zhu, Linghua Li, Bingding Huang, Weikang Cai, Lei Gu, Yutong Lu, Kai Deng*, Li Yan*, Sifan Chen*. Imatinib and methazolamide ameliorate COVID-19-induced metabolic complications via elevating ACE2 enzymatic activity and inhibiting viral entry. Cell Metabolism 2022; 34: 424-440.
6. Xiaofan Yang, Ting Huang, Tiantian Wang, Hongbo Gao, Haitao Zhang, Wen Peng, Jiacong Zhao, Shujing Hu, Panpan Lu, Zhongsi Hong, Bo Li, Kai Deng. MAT2A-mediated S-Adenosylmethionine level in CD4+ T cells regulates HIV-1 latent infection. Frontiers in Immunology 2021; 12: 745784.
7. Shuai Yue#, Zhirong Li#, Yao Lin#, Yang Yang#, Mengqi Yuan, Zhiwei Pan, Li Hu, Leiqiong Gao, Jing Zhou, Jianfang Tang, Yifei Wang, Qin Tian, Yaxing Hao, Juan Wang, Qizhao Huang, Lifan Xu, Bo Zhu, Pinghuang Liu, Kai Deng*, Li Wang*, Lilin Ye*, Xiangyu Chen*. Sensitivity of SARS-CoV-2 variants to neutralization by convalescent sera and a VH3-30 monoclonal antibody. Frontiers in Immunology 2021; 12: 751584.
8. Jinfeng Cai, Hongbo Gao, Jiacong Zhao, Shujing Hu, Xinyu Liang, Yanyan Yang, Zhunaglin Dai, Zhongsi Hong, Kai Deng. Infection with a newly designed dual fluorescent reporter HIV-1 effectively identifies latently infected CD4+ T cells. eLife 2021; 10: e63810.
9. Hongbo Gao#, Ayşe N Ozantürk#, Qiankun Wang, Gray H Harlan, Aaron J Schmitz, Rachel M Presti, Kai Deng*, Liang Shan*. Evaluation of HIV-1 latency reversal and antibody-dependent viral clearance by quantification of singly spliced HIV-1 vpu/ env mRNA. Journal of Virology 2021; 95: e02124-20.
10. Jia-Cong Zhao and Kai Deng. Heterogeneity of HIV-1 latent reservoirs. Chinese Medical Journal 2020; 133: 2867-2873.
11. Wen Peng and Kai Deng. Cell models of HIV-1 latency. Scientia Sinica Vitae 2020; 50: 1025-1031.
12. Bingfeng Liu#, Yaling Shi#, Wanying Zhang#, Rong Li#, Zhangping He, Xiaofan Yang, Yuejun Pan, Xilong Deng, Mingkai Tan, Lingzhai Zhao, Fan Zou, Yiwen Zhang, Ting Pan, Junsong Zhang, Xu Zhang, Fei Xiao, Fang Li*, Kai Deng*, Hui Zhang*. Recovered COVID-19 patients with recurrent viral RNA exhibit lower levels of anti-RBD antibodies. Cellular and Molecular Immunology 2020; 17: 1098-1100.
13. Xiangyu Chen#, Zhiwei Pan#, Shuai Yue#, Fei Yu#, Junsong Zhang#, Yang Yang, Ren Li, Bingfeng Liu, Xiaofan Yang, Leiqiong Gao, Zhirong Li, Yao Lin, Qizhao Huang, Lifan Xu, Jianfang Tang, Li Hu, Jing Zhao, Pinghuang Liu, Guozhong Zhang, Yaokai Chen*, Kai Deng*, Lilin Ye*. Disease severity dictates SARS-CoV-2-specific neutralizing antibody responses in COVID-19. Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy 2020; 5: 1-6.
14. Junsong Zhang#, Jun Liu#, Yaochang Yuan, Feng Huang, Rong Ma, Baohong Luo, Zhihui Xi, Ting Pan, Bingfeng Liu, Yiwen Zhang, Xu Zhang, Yuewen Luo, Jin Wang, Meng Zhao, Gen Lu, Kai Deng*, Hui Zhang*. Two waves of pro-inflammatory factors are released during the influenza A virus (IAV)-driven pulmonary immunopathogenesis. PLoS Pathogens 2020; 16: e1008334
15. Wen Peng#, Zhongsi Hong#, Xi Chen, Hongbo Gao, Zhuanglin Dai, Jiacong Zhao, Wen Liu, Dan Li*, Kai Deng*. Thiostrepton reactivates latent HIV-1 through the p-TEFb and NF-κB pathways mediated by heat shock response. Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy 2020; 64: e02328-19.
16. Fei Yu#, Qijuan Li#, Xi Chen, Jun Liu, Linghua Li, Baojin Li, Bingfeng Liu, Junsong Zhang, Xu Zhang, Zhaoli Liu, Haihua Luo, Xiao-Ping Tang, Weiping Cai, Hui Zhang*, Kai Deng*. X4-tropic latent HIV-1 is enriched in peripheral follicular helper T cells and is correlated with disease progression. Journal of Virology 2020; 94: e01219-19
17. Xiaomin Li, Zhaoli Liu, Qijuan Li, Ronglin Hu, Lu Zhao, Yanyan Yang, Jiacong Zhao, Zhuoqiong Huang, Hongbo Gao, Linghua Li*, Weiping Cai*, Kai Deng*. CD161+ CD4+ T cells harbor clonally expanded replication-competent HIV-1 in antiretroviral therapy-suppressed individuals. mBio 2019; 10: e02121-19.
18. Liang Shan#, Kai Deng#, Hongbo Gao, Sifei Xing, Adam A Capoferri, Christine M Durand, S Alireza Rabi, Gregory M Laird, Michelle Kim, Nina N Hosmane, Hung-Chih Yang, Hao Zhang, Joseph B Margolick, Linghua Li, Weiping Cai, Ruian Ke, Richard A Flavell, Janet D Siliciano, Robert F Siliciano. Transcriptional reprogramming during effector-to-memory transition renders CD4+ T cells permissive for latent HIV-1 infection. Immunity 2017; 47: 766-775.
19. Kai Deng, Mihaela Pertea, Anthony Rongvaux, Leyao Wang, Christine M Durand, Gabriel Ghiaur, Jun Lai, Holly L McHugh, Haiping Hao, Hao Zhang, Joseph B Margolick, Cagan Gurer, Andrew J Murphy, David M Valenzuela, George D Yancopoulos, Steven G Deeks, Till Strowig, Priti Kumar, Janet D Siliciano, Steven L Salzberg, Richard A Flavell*, Liang Shan*, Robert F Siliciano*. Broad CTL response is required to clear latent HIV-1 due to dominance of escape mutations. Nature 2015; 517: 381-385.
20. Kai Deng and Robert F Siliciano. HIV: Early treatment may not be early enough. Nature 2014; 512: 35-36.
21. Kai Deng, M Christine Zink, Janice E Clements, Robert F Siliciano. A quantitative measurement of antiviral activity of anti-human immunodeficiency virus type 1 drugs against simian immunodeficiency virus infection: dose-response curve slope strongly influences class-specific inhibitory potential. Journal of Virology 2012; 86:11368-72.
     

Scientific research project

National Key Research and Development Plan, 2021-2024
National Natural Science Foundation of China, 2019-2026
National Natural Science Foundation of China, 2021-2024
National Natural Science Foundation of China, 2017-2020
Guangdong Science Foundation for Outstanding Young People, 2017-2021
Guangdong Science and Technology Planning Project, 2021-2024
Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province, 2016-2019
Advanced Medical Technology Center Project of Zhongshan Medical University-Zhongshan First Hospital, 2022-2024
Key Training Project for Young Teachers, Sun Yat-sen University, 2016-2018

Awards and Honors

2019 Guangdong Science and Technology Progress second prize, the fourth complete person
2018 National Major Talent Project (Youth Project)
2017 Pearl River Talent Plan in Guangdong Province introduced core members of the innovation and entrepreneurship team
2016 Young Pearl River Scholars in Guangdong Province

Academic part-time job

Vice President, Guangdong Immunology Society
Executive Member, Infectious Immunology Branch, Chinese Society of Immunology
Member, Virology Professional Committee, Chinese Society of Microbiology
Member of Youth Group, Chinese Medical Association, Branch of Medical Virology
Member of Basic Research Committee, Chinese Association of STD/AIDS Prevention and Control
China STD/AIDS Prevention and Control Association, Youth professional Committee standing member