WEHI Special Structural Biology Seminar hosted by Professor Peter Czabotar

Professor Zihe Rao

Tsinghua University, China

Inherent symmetry and flexibility in hepatitis B virus subviral particles

 

Davis Auditorium

Join via TEAMS

Including Q&A session

Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection presents a significant global health challenge, characterized by substantial morbidity and mortality rates worldwide. Despite the existence of a preventive vaccine, current treatment options offer limited efficacy in clearing the virus, necessitating lifelong management. The diagnosis and prognosis of HBV heavily rely on its surface antigen (HBsAg). However, despite extensive research efforts, detailed high-resolution structures of HBsAg and its assembly on the virus envelope have remained elusive. We have employed sophisticated strategies and advanced computational tools to uncover the near-atomic resolution structure of HBsAg and its assembly.

Zihe Rao, Professor of Tsinghua University, Member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Member of the EMBO, Member of the Presidium of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Honorary President of Biophysics Society of China, Founding President of China Union of Life Science Societies. He was severed as President of Nankai University, Director-General of the Institute of Biophysics of CAS, and President of International Union for Pure and Applied Biophysics (IUPAB). He has revealed fundamental structure-function and mechanistic insights to the replication/transcription, assembly and host invasion of Coronavirus, Retrovirus, Hepatitis A virus, Hepatitis B virus, Influenza virus, Picornavirus, Herpesvirus, Africa-Swine-Fever-virus and other disease-causing viruses, and uncovered how Mycobacterium tuberculosis achieves metabolite/energy transport and drug resistance. This has led to new therapeutic targets and innovative drug designs. To date, Zihe Rao has published more than 450 peer reviewed research papers, including 30 papers in Science, Nature and Cell, with over 37,000 citations (retrieved from Google Scholar), H-index 91, i10-index 312. He also has 38 innovation patents. He and his team have been 3 times selected into the "Top Ten Scientific Achivements in China" and selected into the "Top Ten Advances in Chinese Life Science" for many times. He has been included in the Global List of Top Cited Scientists for many years. In recognition of his contributions to science, the International Astronomical Union Committee on Nomenclature of Small Objects officially named Asteroid 505906 "Raozihe Star" in the International Minor Planet Bulletin on October 3, 2022.

All Welcome!