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OUR MEMBER INSTITUTIONS

The founding members of PRA come from China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia and the United States. 

The Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center (ADARC) of The Columbia University, New York, United  States

  • ADARC: Largest private research center for HIV/AIDS

  • Joined Columbia University Irving Medical Center (CUIMC) on January 1, 2020

  • Led by Prof David Ho and dedicated to understanding, treating, and preventing HIV/AIDS

  • Multidisciplinary approach: Virology, immunology, molecular and structural biology, translational and clinical medicine, and implementation science

  • Aims to find scientific solutions to end the HIV/AIDS pandemic

  • Combining strengths of basic, clinical, and translational scientists

  • Focus not only on HIV/AIDS but also SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 and future pandemics

The Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center (ADARC) of The Columbia University
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The Doherty Institute of The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia

  • The Doherty Institute is an unincorporated joint venture of the University of Melbourne and Royal Melbourne Hospital.

  • It was established in 2014 and is named after Nobel Laureate Peter Doherty.

  • Focuses on infectious diseases and immunology through research, education, and public health.

  • It is home to over 900 staff members.

  • Houses the Victorian Infectious Diseases Laboratory (VIDRL) and the Microbiology Diagnostic Unit (MDU).

  • It has BSL3 and BCL-4 facilities in Australia.

  • In January 2020, the institute became the first outside of China to isolate SARS-CoV-2 and share it globally.

  • Canadian philanthropist Geoff Cumming recently donated $250 million to establish the Cumming Global Centre for Pandemic Therapeutics at the institute.

The Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore

  • Duke-NUS is Singapore's flagship graduate entry medical school.

  • It was established in 2005 through a strategic partnership between Duke University School of Medicine and the National University of Singapore (NUS).

  • Duke-NUS has gained international recognition for its five signature research programs (SRPs) and eight centers.

  • One of the prominent SRPs is the Emerging Infectious Diseases (EID) Program.

  • The EID Program aims to establish a world-class regional infectious disease center for reference and research in the Asia-Pacific region.

  • The mission of the EID Program is to pioneer the development and discovery of new and more effective methods for the detection, treatment, prevention, and control of new and emerging pathogens.

The Duke-NUS Medical School
The Guangzhou National Laboratory

The Guangzhou National Laboratory, Guangzhou, China

  • The Guangzhou Laboratory focuses on respiratory health and tackles scientific and technological challenges related to respiratory diseases.

  • It conducts research on the pathogenesis of emergent respiratory infections and chronic respiratory diseases.

  • Developed an AI model called "UniBind" during the COVID-19 pandemic to predict the pathogenic variants of COVID-19.

  • Substantiated the role of pangolins as intermediate and adaptive hosts in the cross-species transmission of COVID-19.

  • It confirmed the effectiveness of various vaccines and drugs, including Leritrelvir and Lianhuaqingwen, during the pandemic.

  • Aims to bridge the gap between laboratory discoveries and clinical applications in the field of respiratory health.

The Department of Microbiology of The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China

  • Ranked as Asia's #1 for Microbiology by the U.S. News & World Report

  • Actively involved in teaching, clinical service, and scientific research

  • Houses The Centre for Virology, Vaccinology and Therapeutics, AIDS Institute, and The State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases

  • Internationally recognized for significant contributions:

    • Reported the first cluster of human infection by avian influenza A H5N1 in 1997

    • Identified the causative agent of SARS in 2003

    • Reported person-to-person transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in a family cluster in 2020

  • Developed the first intranasal COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use in mainland China

  • Created hamster and organoid models for studying vaccines, drugs, neutralizing antibodies, and viral pathogenesis.

The Department of Microbiology of The University of Hong Kong
The Tsinghua University

The Tsinghua University, Beijing, China

  • Tsinghua University is dedicated to the well-being of Chinese society and global development.

  • The university's motto is "Self-discipline and Social Commitment" and its spirit is "Actions Speak Louder Than Words".

  • The research team combines expertise from microbiology, immunology, structural biology, and AI-based design and evaluation.

  • Focuses on researching the pathogenesis of viral and bacterial infections.

  • Aims to translate scientific breakthroughs into clinical applications, including diagnostic tools, therapeutics, and vaccines.

  • Successfully solved the crystal structure of SARS-CoV-2.

  • Developed an antibody combination that has 80% efficacy in reducing hospitalization and deaths.

  • Focused on developing novel vaccines to prevent the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 and emerging pathogens.

KEY PERSONS

Prof KY Yuen

Prof KY Yuen
PRA Chairperson Designate
The University of Hong Kong (HKSAR, China)

  • Professor Yuen, a microbiologist, and his laboratory were the first to report on person-to-person transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in a Shenzhen family cluster in 2020.

  • The team also reported on the unusual severity of influenza A(H5N1)/1997.

  • They were the first to discover the bat SARS-related coronavirus in Chinese horseshoe bats in 2005.

Professor David Da-I Ho
Columbia University (USA)

  • Professor Ho has been a leading figure in AIDS research for 40 years.

  • His studies revealed the dynamic nature of HIV replication in vivo and revolutionized our understanding of the disease.

  • He championed combination antiretroviral therapy, leading to unprecedented control of HIV in patients.

  • This transformed HIV from an automatic death sentence into a manageable disease.

  • Professor Ho's research team is currently focused on vaccine and antibody research to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.

Professor David Da-I Ho
Prof Sharon Lewin

Prof Sharon Lewin
The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity (Australia)

  • Professor Lewin is an infectious diseases physician and basic scientist.

  • She is internationally renowned for her research on all aspects of HIV disease, with a focus on strategies to achieve an HIV cure.

  • She leads a laboratory consisting of 25 scientists and clinicians.

  • The laboratory is engaged in basic and translational research as well as early-phase clinical trials.

  • The primary goal of the research is to find a cure for HIV.

  • Professor Lewin has published over 360 papers in her field.

  • She has been recognized as a Clarivate hi-citation researcher since 2019, indicating the high impact and influence of her work.

Prof Linfa Wang
Duke-NUS Medical School (Singapore)

  • Professor Wang is an international leader in the field of emerging zoonotic viruses and virus-host interaction.

  • He played a key role in identifying bats as the natural host of SARS-like viruses.

  • He has served or is currently serving on multiple WHO committees for COVID-19.

  • This includes his involvement in the WHO International Health Regulations (2005) Emergency Committee.

  • Professor Wang has authored over 500 scientific publications.

  • His work has been published in prestigious journals such as Science, Nature, NEJM (New England Journal of Medicine), and Lancet.

Prof Linfa Wang
Prof Nanshan Zhong

Prof Nanshan Zhong
Guangzhou Laboratory (China)

  • Professor Zhong has been involved in the development of Chinese guidelines for various respiratory conditions, including bronchial asthma, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), chronic cough, SARS, highly pathogenic avian influenza, and COVID-19.

  • He has played a significant role in managing and diagnosing these respiratory conditions.

  • Professor Zhong has shouldered responsibilities during three coronavirus outbreaks in this century.

  • His efforts have been focused on clinical diagnosis, medication, scientific research, and governmental strategies.

Prof Linqi Zhang
Tsinghua Medicine (China)

  • Professor Zhang was ranked No. 1 among the most cited Chinese Researchers in the field of microbiology and immunology according to Elsevier surveys in 2014, 2015, and 2016.

  • He has served as a member of national expert and advisory boards to the Chinese government and multiple international organizations on HIV/AIDS and infectious diseases.

  • Professor Zhang has recently been elected as a foreign fellow of the African Academy of Sciences.

Prof Linqi Zhang
Prof Zhiwei Chen

Prof Zhiwei Chen
PRA Secretary Designate
The University of Hong Kong (HKSAR, China)

  • Professor Chen holds the position of Chair Professor of Immunology and Immunotherapy in the Department of Microbiology, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine at HKU (University of Hong Kong).

  • He is also the Director of the HKU AIDS Institute.

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