School of Biomedical Sciences
生物醫學學院
The Chinese University of Hong Kong 香港中文大學

Prof. MOK Ka Pun Chris


Prof. MOK Ka Pun ChrisAssistant Professor

BSc (Chem) (HKUST), MPhil (HKU), PhD (HKU)

Telephone:   3943 5144

Email:   This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Address:

  107A, Lo Kwee-Seong Integrated Biomedical Sciences Building, Area 39, CUHK

ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0525-6772

 

 

  

Biography

Prof. MOK Ka Pun Chris (莫家斌) graduated from the University of Science and Technology with a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry. He then earned an MPhil from the Department of Paediatrics & Adolescent Medicine at The University of Hong Kong, where he was mentored by Allan SY Lau. He obtained a PhD from the Department of Microbiology at the University of Hong Kong, under the guidance of Malik Peiris.

 

The major objective of his research group is to understand the interplay between host adaptive immunity and the viral determinants of respiratory viruses, such as influenza viruses and coronaviruses, using a combination of clinical, virological, immunological, and structural approaches. He is particularly interested in the question of how adaptive immunity is regulated and sharpened by the evolution of respiratory viruses, which will help to further improve the efficacy of current vaccines.

  1. Pathogenicity of zoonotic viruses in human
  2. Viral immunology on respiratory diseases
  3. Prophylactic and treatment options for respiratory infection
  1. Lou J, Liang W, Cao L, Hu I, Zhao S, Chen Z, Chan RW, Cheung PPH, Zheng H, Liu C, Li Q, Chong MKC, Zhang Y, Yeoh EK, Chan PKS, Zee BCY, Mok CKP*, Wang MH*. Predictive evolutionary modelling for influenza virus by site-based dynamics of mutation. Nature Communications. 2024. (co-corresponding authors)
  2. Mok CKP, Chen C, Zhao S, Sun Y, Yiu K, Chan TO, Lai HL, Lai KC, Lau KM, Ling KC, Chan KKP, Ng SS, Ko FW, Peiris M, Hui DS. Omicron BA.1-specific T-cell responses in adults vaccinated with CoronaVac or BNT162b2 in Hong Kong: an observational cohort study. Lancet Microbe. 2023 Jun;4(6):e418-e430.
  3. Cheng SMS*, Mok CKP*, Leung YWY, Ng SS, Chan KCK, Ko FW, Chen C, Yiu K, Lam BHS, Lau EHY, Chan KKP, Luk LLH, Li JKC, Tsang LCH, Poon LLM, Hui DSC, Peiris M. (2022) Neutralizing antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant following homologous and heterologous CoronaVac or BNT162b2 vaccination. Nat Med. 28(3):486–489 (co-first authors)
  4. Mok CKP, Cheng SMS, Chen C, Yiu K, Chan TO, Lai KC, Ling KC, Sun Y, Ho LL, Peiris M, Hui DS. (2022) A Randomized Clinical Trial of a third dose CoronaVac or BNT162b2 vaccine in adults with two doses of CoronaVac. AJRCCM. 205(7):844-847
  5. Mok CKP, Zhu A, Zhao J, Lau EHY, Wang J, Chen Z, Zhuang Z, Wang Y, Wang W, Tan W, Liang W, Oladipo JO, Kuranga SA, Peiris M, Zhao J (2020) Specific T cell responses provide evidence of MERS coronavirus infection in people with occupational exposure to dromedary camels in Nigeria. Lancet Infect Dis 6:S1473-3099(20)30599-5.
  6. Arunachalam PS*, Wimmers F*, Mok CKP*, Perera M*, Scott M, Hagan T, Sigal N, Feng Y, Bristow L, Tsang OT, Wagh D, Coller J, Pellegrini KL, Kazmin D, Alaaeddine G, Leung WS, Chan JMC, Chik TSH, Choi CYC, Huerta C, McCullough MP, Lv H, Anderson E, Edupuganti S, Upadhyay AA, Bosinger SE, Maecker HT, Khatri P, Rouphael N, Peiris M, Pulendran B (2020). Systems biological assessment of immunity to severe and mild COVID-19 infections. Science. 369:1210-1220. (co-first authors).
  7. Yuan M, Wu NC, Zhu X, Lee CCD, So RTY, Lv H, Mok CKP*, Wilson IA* (2020) A highly conserved cryptic epitope in the receptor-binding 4 domains of SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV. Science 368:630-633 (*co-corresponding authors).
  8. Munnur D, Teo Q, Eggermont D, Lee HHY, Thery F, Ho J, van Leur SW, Ng WWS, Siu LYL, Beling A, Ploegh H, Pinto-Fernandez A, Damianou A, Kessler B, Impens F*, Mok CKP* and Sanyal S*. (2021) Altered ISGylation drives aberrant macrophage-dependent immune responses during SARS-CoV-2 infection. Nat Immunol. 22(11):1416-1427. (co-corresponding authors)
  9. Wu NC, Lv H, Thompson AJ, Wu DC, Ng WWS, Kadam RU, Lin CW, Nycholat CM, McBride R, Liang W, Paulson JC, Mok CKP*, Wilson IA* (2019) Preventing an antigenically disruptive mutation in egg-based H3N2 seasonal influenza vaccines by mutational incompatibility. Cell Host Microbe 25:836-844 (co-corresponding authors).
  10. Yang ZF*, Mok CKP*, Peiris JSM, Zhong NS (2015) Human infection with a novel avian influenza A(H5N6) virus. N Engl J Med 373:487-489 (co-first author).
  11. Chan MC*, Chan RW*, Chan LL*, Mok CKP*, Hui KPY, Fong JHM, Tao KP, Poon LL, Nicholls JM, Guan Y, Peiris JS (2013) Tropism and innate host responses of a novel avian origin influenza A (H7N9) virus in ex vivo and in vitro cultures of the human respiratory tract. Lancet Resp Med 1:534-542 (co-first authors).
  12. Lei R, Kim W, Lv H, Mou Z, Scherm MJ, Schmitz AJ, Turner JS, Tan TJC, Wang Y, Ouyang WO, Liang W, Rivera-Cardona J, Teo C, Graham CS, Brooke CB, Presti RM, Mok CKP*, Krammer F,* Dai X*, Ellebedy AH*, Wu NC*. Leveraging vaccination-induced protective antibodies to define conserved epitopes on influenza N2 neuraminidase. Immunity. 2023 Nov 14;56(11):2621-2634.e6. (co-corresponding authors)
  13. Lau RI, Su Q, Lau ISF, Ching JYL, Wong MCS, Lau LHS, Tun HM, Mok CKP, Chau SWH, Tse YK, Cheung CP, Li MKT, Yeung GTY, Cheong PK, Chan FKL, Ng SC. A synbiotic preparation (SIM01) for post-acute COVID-19 syndrome in Hong Kong (RECOVERY): a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Lancet Infect Dis. 2023 Dec 7:S1473-3099(23)00685-0.
  14. Liang W, Lv H, Chen C, Sun Y, Hui DS, Mok CKP. Lack of neutralizing antibodies against influenza A viruses in adults during the 2022/2023 winter season - a serological study using retrospective samples collected in Hong Kong. Int J Infect Dis. 2023 Oct;135:1-4.
  15. Luo Y, Lv H, Zhao S, Sun Y, Liu C, Chen C, Liang W, Kwok KO, Teo QW, So RT, Lin Y, Deng Y, Li B, Dai Z, Zhu J, Zhang D, Fernando J, Wu NC, Tun HM, Bruzzone R, Mok CKP*, Mu X*. Age-related seroprevalence trajectories of seasonal coronaviruses in children including neonates in Guangzhou, China. Int J Infect Dis. 2023 Feb;127:26-32. (co-corresponding authors)
  16. Liang W, Tan TJC, Wang Y, Lv H, Sun Y, Bruzzone R, Mok CKP*, Wu NC*. Egg-adaptive mutations of human influenza H3N2 virus are contingent on natural evolution. PLoS Pathog. 2022 Sep 26;18(9):e1010875. (co-corresponding authors)
  17. Cao L, Lou J, Chan SY, Zheng H, Liu C, Zhao S, Li Q, Mok CKP, Chan RWY, Chong MKC, Wu WKK, Chen Z, Wong ELY, Chan PKS, Zee BCY, Yeoh EK, Wang MH. (2022) Rapid evaluation of COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness against symptomatic infection with SARS-CoV-2 variants by analysis of genetic distance. Nat Med. 2022 Aug;28(8):1715-1722.
  18. Cheng SM*, Mok CKP*, Chan KC, Ng SS, Lam BH, Luk LL, Ko FW, Chen C, Yiu K, Li JK, Chan KK, Tsang LC, Poon LL, Hui DS, Peiris M (2022). SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant BA.2 neutralisation in sera of people with Comirnaty or CoronaVac vaccination, infection or breakthrough infection, Hong Kong, 2020 to 2022. Euro Surveill. 27(18). (co-first authors)
  19. Mok CKP, Cohen CA, Cheng SMS, Chen C, Kwok KO, Yiu K, Chan TO, Bull M, Ling KC, Dai Z, Ng SS, Lui GC, Wu C, Amarasinghe GK, Leung DW, Wong SYS, Valkenburg SA, Peiris M, Hui DS. (2021) Comparison of the immunogenicity of BNT162b2 and CoronaVac COVID-19 vaccines in Hong Kong. Respirology. 27(4):301-310
  20. Montague Z, Lv H, Otwinowski J, DeWitt WS, Isacchini G, Yip GK, Ng WW, Tsang OT, Yuan M, Liu H, Wilson IA, Peiris JSM, Wu NC, Nourmohammad A, Mok CKP (2021). Dynamics of B cell repertoires and emergence of cross-reactive responses in patients with different severities of COVID-19. Cell Rep. 35(8):109173.
  21. Zhou Z, Hui KPY, So RTY, Lv H, Perera RAPM, Chu DKW, Gelaye E, Oyas H, Abayneh T, Kuria W, Walelign E, Wanglia R, El-Masry I, Von Dobschuetz S, Kalpravidh W, Chevalier V, Miguel E, Fassi-Fihri O, Trarore A, Liang W, Wang Y, Nicholls JM, Zhao J, Chan MCW, Poon LLM, Mok CKP*, Malik Peiris* (2021). Phenotypic and genetic characterization of MERS coronaviruses from Africa to understand their zoonotic potential. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 118(25):e2103984118. (co-corresponding authors)
  22. Hachim A, Kavian N, Cohen CA, Chin AWH, Chu DKW, Mok CKP, Tsang OTY, Yeung YC, Perera RAPM, Poon LLM, Peiris JSM, Valkenburg SA (2020) ORF8 and ORF3b antibodies are accurate serological markers of early and late SARS-CoV-2 infection Nat Immunol 21(10):1293-1301
  23. Lv H, Wu NC, Tsang OT, Yuan M, Perera RAP, Leung WS, So RT, Chan JMC, Yip GK, Chik TSH, Wang Y, Choi CYC, Lin Y, Ng WW, Zhao J, Poon LLM, Peiris JSM, Wilson IA, Mok CKP (2020) Cross-reactive antibody response between SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV infections. Cell Rep, 31(9):107725.
  24. Guan W, Wu NC, Lee HHY, Li Y, Jiang W, Shen L, Wu DC, Chen R, Zhong N, Wilson IA, Peiris M, Yang Z, Mok CKP (2018) Clinical correlations of transcriptional profile in patients infected with avian influenza H7N9 Virus. J Infect Dis 218:1238-1248.
  25. Ke C*, Mok CKP*, Zhu W*, Zhou H, He J, Guan W, Wu J, Song W, Wang D, Liu J, Lin Q, Chu DKW, Yang L, Zhong N, Yang Z, Shu Y, Peiris JSM (2017) Human infection with highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H7N9) virus, China. Emerg Infect Dis 23:1332-1340 (*co-first authors).
  26. Mok CKP, Guan WD, Liu XQ, Lamers MM, Li XB, Wang M, Zhang TJS, Zhang QL, Li ZT, Huang JC, Lin JY, Zhang YH, Zhao P, Lee HHY, Chen L, Li YM, Peiris JSM, Chen RC, Zhong NS, Yang ZF. (2015) Genetic characterization of a highly pathogenic avian influenza A H5N6 virus isolated from a human patient in Guangdong, China. Emerg Infect Dis 21:2268-2271.
  27. Mok CKP, Lee HH, Lestra M, Nicholls JM, Chan MC, Sia SF, Zhu H, Poon LL, Guan Y, Peiris JS (2014) Amino-acid substitutions in polymerase basic protein 2 gene contributes to the pathogenicity of the novel A/H7N9 influenza virus in mammalian hosts. J Virol 88:3568-3576.
  28. Mok CKP, Lee HH, Chan MC, Sia SF, Lestra M, Nicholls JM, Zhu H, Guan Y, Peiris JS (2013) Pathogenicity of the novel A/H7N9 influenza virus in mice. mBio 4:e00362-13.
  29. Mok CKP, Yen HL, Yu MY, Yuen KM, Sia SF, Chan MC, Qin G, Tu WW, Peiris JS (2011) Amino acid residues 253 and 591 of the PB2 protein of avian influenza virus A H9N2 contribute to mammalian pathogenesis. J Virol 85:9641-9645.


    Principle/Co-Principle Investigator:

  1. Identification of monoclonal antibodies targeting to the spike protein for the therapeutic treatment of Omicron BA.1 and BA.2 infections (Principal Investigator; Health and Medical Research Fund - Ends: 8/2025); HKD$1,500,00.
  2. Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Joint laboratory for Infectious Diseases (Principal Investigator; Department of Science and Technology of Guangdong Province, Ends: 12/2022); RMB$1,000,000
  3. Long-term longitudinal comparisons of immune responses in Vaccinated cohorts in Hong Kong (Principal Investigator; Commission grant of Guangzhou Laboratory – Ends: 12/2023); RMB$6,000,000.
  4. Preclusion of an antigenically disruptive mutation in egg-based H3N2 seasonal influenza vaccines by mutational incompatibility (Principal Investigator; Health and Medical Research Fund – Ends: 04/2022); HKD$1,488,520.
  5. From Structural to Genomic Biology: A Multi-scale Approach Tightly Integrating Structural Biology and Novel Genomics Platform to Quantitatively Analyze the Transcription and its Regulation of SARS-CoV-2 Viral RNA Polymerase (Co-Principal Investigator; Collaborative Research Fund – Ends: 09/2025); HK$6,000,000.
  6. Investigation on a pinanamine derivative as an antiviral agent against influenza A virus infection (Principal Investigator; Health and Medical Research Fund – Ends: 12/2020); HK$996,376.
  7. Long-term longitudinal comparisons of health status and immune responses in convalescent COVID-19 and vaccinated cohorts in Hong Kong(Co-Investigator; Health and Medical Research Fund - Ends: 04/2025); HK$24,000,000
  8. Development of Simeprevir Analogues as Anti-coronavirus Drugs (Co-Investigator; Health and Medical Research Fund – Ends: 08/2025); HK$1,500,000
  9. Investigation on the immunological cross-protection between different human coronaviruses (Co-Investigator; National Natural Science Foundation of China/Research Grants Council Joint Research Scheme 2018/19 – Ends: 12/2022); HK$1,000,000.
  10. Evaluation of anti-influenza properties of antrafenine and its analogs (Co-Investigator; Health and Medical Research Fund – Ends: 05/2021); HK$1,500,000.
  11. Screening and characterization of anti-influenza virus components of Hong Kong Ilex species (Co-Investigator; Health and Medical Research Fund – Ends: 2/2023); HK$1,500,000