Yong-Hui Zheng, PhD
Professor
Department of Microbiology and Immunology
Contact
Building & Room:
COMRB 8053
Address:
909 S Wolcott Ave, Chicago, IL 60612
Office Phone:
Fax:
Email:
Related Sites:
Lab
Building & Room:
COMRB 8160
Office Phone:
About
We study how major human viruses—including HIV-1, SARS-CoV-2, Ebola virus, and influenza A virus—enter cells, evade host defenses, and replicate. Our work focuses on viral class I fusion glycoproteins, the surface proteins that mediate receptor binding and membrane fusion during infection.
Using molecular virology, cell biology, and genetic approaches, we investigate:
- Host restriction of viral glycoproteins through ER, Golgi, and protein quality-control pathways
- Mechanisms of viral entry, including receptor usage and endosomal fusion pathways
- HIV-1 accessory proteins Nef and Vpr, which counteract host antiviral factors to enhance replication
- New therapeutic targets that can block infection by disrupting virus–host interactions
Our goal is to define fundamental mechanisms of viral infection and translate these discoveries into new antiviral strategies.
Education
PhD, Hokkaido University, 1998
Postdoc, Vanderbilt University, 1999
Postdoc, University of California at San Francisco, 2005