Name：WEI, min

Professional Title：Professor 

Department/Institute：Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Nankai University

Email: weimin@nankai.edu.cn

Biography 

1. Research Areas (HIV/AIDS)

    Since the year 2000, I have been focused on HIV/AIDS research, including HIV molecular epidemiology, immunology, and virology. I have studied and worked abroad for many years. Until now, AIDS has killed millions of people globally. The current combined antiretroviral therapy can not completely cure HIV/AIDS patients. We are trying to find the new target or new therapy to cure HIV/AIDS. Now our group works in two directions: 

1) The anti-HIV host factors. HIV utilizes host cellular factors to complete its life cycle; on the other hand, the host cells also produce factors to prevent virus replication. In the previous work, we found a new host factor coiled-coil domain containing protein 8 (CCDC8) that can strongly inhibit HIV replication. The related protein complex CCDC8-Obsl-Cul7 can induce HIV Gag polyubiquitination and degradation. The relevant mechanisms and implications are under study.

2) In 2009, the German doctor reported that “Berlin patient”, who was suffered from HIV/AIDS and acute leukemia, received allogeneic bone marrow transplantation. The donor was homozygous CCR5 Δ32 deletion. CCR5 is important co-receptor for HIV entry into human CD4+ cells, and the cells with homozygous CCR5 Δ32 deletion is resistant to CCR5-tropic HIV infection. The Berlin patient is very healthy after ten years of stopping anti-retroviral therapy, and no viral rebound. This is the world first cured case. However, only 0-0.19% people in China have homozygous CCR5Δ32 deletion. Using the latest genome editing technology (CRISPR- Cas9, Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats and associated protein 9), we successfully induced CCR5Δ32 deletion in lymphocyte Jurkat cell line and primary CD4+ cells. Next, we will push forward to the animal tests and clinical trials.  

2. Education

2000.7-2003.7, Doctoral Degree in Medicine, Major in Molecular Virology and Immunology, National Center for AIDS/STD Prevention and Control, Chinese Center for Disease Prevention and Control (Original China Academy of Preventive Medicine), Beijing, China 

1994.9-1997.7, Master Degree in Medicine, Major in Microbiology and Immunology, Department of Microbiology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China

1989.9-1994.7, Bachelor Degree in Medicine, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China

3. Professional Experience

2014.9- Present, Professor in School of Medicine, Nankai University 

2008.10-2013.3, Research Associate in Lady Davis Institute, Jewish General Hospital, McGill AIDS Center, McGill University, Montreal, Canada

2004.1-2008.9, Postdoctoral Fellow in Lady Davis Institute, Jewish General Hospital, McGill AIDS Center, McGill University, Montreal, Canada

1997.7-2000.7, Lecturer in Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China

4. Awards

[1]  2007.2, Young Investigator Award, 14^th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections, Los Angeles, USA. 

[2] 2006.7-2008.9, Postdoctoral Fellow Award, Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) HIV/AIDS Initiative Fellowship, $40,000/year, plus allowance $5,000/year. 

[3] 2003.10, Excellent Doctoral Thesis, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Research & Achievements

Research Achievements

Peer-Reviewed Journal Papers (Representative publications, full publications can get from PubMed. * represents corresponding author) 

1.     Four decades of HIV/AIDS: history and prospects. Wei M^*. Infectious Microbes & Diseases. 2024: 6(3):103-105.

2.     Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type-1 Genetic Diversity and Drugs Resistance Mutations among People Living with HIV in Karachi, Pakistan. Rashid A, Kang L, Yi F, Chu Q, Shah SA, Mahmood SF, Getaneh Y, Wei M, Chang S, Abidi SH^*, Shao Y^*.Viruses. 2024 Jun 14;16(6):962. doi: 10.3390/v16060962.

3.     Establishment of the 3M syndrome animal model in CCDC8 knockout mice. Zhang L, Ren D, Hu X, Sun J, Qi C, Wang Y, Lu L^*, Wei M^*. Mol Biomed. 2023 Aug 14;4(1):24. doi: 10.1186/s43556-023-00136-0.

4.     Inference of HIV-1 transmission direction between men who have sex with men (MSM) and their wives in China. Zhou Z, Feng Y, Ou W, Zhang D, Su R, Cao Y, Zheng H, Ma P, Wei M^＊, Shao Y^＊.  AIDS. 2023; 37(6):1015-1017. doi: 10.1097/QAD.0000000000003522.

5.     Unique profile of predominant CCR5-tropic in CRF07_BC HIV-1 infections and discovery of an unusual CXCR4-tropic strain. Hu X, Feng Y, Li K, Yu Y, Rashid A, Xing H, Ruan Y, Lu L, Wei M^＊, Shao Y^＊. Front Immunol. 2022; 13: 911806. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.911806.

6.     Transient CD4-cell-depletion therapy for HIV/AIDS cure. Wei M^＊, Shao YM^＊. Chin Med J (Engl). 2021; 134(16): 1930-1932. doi: 10.1097/CM9.0000000000001654.

7.     The inference of HIV-1 transmission direction between a man who has sex with men and his heterosexual wife based on the sequences of HIV-1 quasi-species. Zhou Z, Ma P, Feng Y, Ou W, Wei M^＊, Shao Y^＊. Emerg Microbes Infect. 2021; 10(1):1209-1216. doi: 10.1080/22221751. 2021.1938693.

8.     CRF01_AE and CRF01_AE cluster 4 are associated with poor immune recovery in Chinese patients under cART. Ge Z, Feng Y, Li K, Lv B, Zaongo SD, Sun J, Liang Y, Liu D, Xing H, Wei M^＊, Ma P^＊, Shao Y^＊.  Clin Infect Dis. 2021; 72(10): 1799-1809. doi: 10.1093/cid/ciaa380. 

9.     Overexpressed coiled-coil domain containing protein 8 (CCDC8) mediates newly synthesized HIV-1 Gag lysosomal degradation. Jiang X, Jia X, Sun J, Qi C, Lu L, Wang Y, Zhang L, Wei M^＊. Sci Rep. 2020; 10(1):11416. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-68341-3.

10.  Another Near Full-Length Sequence of an HIV-1 CRF01_AE/CRF07_BC Recombinant Virus from a Man Who Has Sex with Men in Tianjin, China. Zhou Z, Ma P, Feng Y, Ou W, Shao Y, Wei M^＊. AIDS Res Hum Retroviruses. 2019; 35(9):865-869. doi: 10.1089/AID.2019.0071. 

11.  Inducing CCR5 Δ32/Δ32 homozygotes in the human Jurkat CD4+ cell line and primary CD4+ cells by CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing technology. Qi C, Li D, Jiang X, Jia X, Lu L, Wang Y, Sun J, Shao Y, Wei M^*. Mol Ther Nucleic Acids. 2018; 12:267-274.doi: 10.1016/j.omtn. 2018.05.012. Epub 2018 Jun 17.

12.  Identification of a novel broadly HIV-1-neutralizing antibody from a CRF01_AE-infected Chinese donor. Ju B, Li D, Ren L, Hou J, Hao Y, Liang H, Wang S, Zhu J, Wei M^*, Shao Y^*. Emerg Microbes Infect. 2018; 7(1):174. doi:10.1038/s41426-018-0175-1.

13.  Characterization of a New HIV-1 CRF01_AE/ CRF07_BC recombinant virus in Tianjin, China. Zhou Z, Ma P, Feng Y, Ou W, Qian J, Gao L, Zhang D, Shao Y, Wei M^*. AIDS Res Hum Retroviruses. 2018; 34(8): 705-708. doi: 10.1089/AID.2018.0077.

14.  Management of Hepatotoxicity in HIV-Infected Patients Treated with Combined Antiretroviral Therapy (cART): A Retrospective Cohort Study in Tianjin, China. Ma P, Qian J, Gao L, Zhang D, Yu A, Qiu C, Wei M^*. J AIDS Clin Res. 2017: 8: 723. doi: 10.4172/2155-6113.1000723

15.  Improved safety of a replication-competent poxvirus-based HIV vaccine with the introduction of the HSV-TK/GCV suicide gene system. Zhang Q, Liu Z, Hou J, Wang S, Liu C, Wei M, Liu Y, Shao Y. Vaccine. 2016; 34 (30): 3447-3453.

16.  HEK293T cells are heterozygous for CCR5 delta 32 mutation. Qi C, Jia X, Lu L, Ma P, Wei M^*. PLoS One. 2016; 11(4): e0152975. doi:10.1371/journal. pone.0152975 

17.  Export of precursor tRNA^Ile from the nucleus to the cytoplasm in human cells. Wei M^*, Zhao X, Liu M, Niu M, Seif E, Kleiman L. PLos One. 2016; 11(4):e0154044. doi:10.1371/journal.pone. 0154044.

18.  Inhibition of HIV-1 assembly by coiled-coil domain containing protein 8 in human cells. Wei M, Zhao X, Liu M, Huang Z, Xiao Y, Niu M，Shao Y, Kleiman L. Sci Rep. 2015; 5:14724. doi:10.1038/ srep14724.

19.  Estimating HIV-1 transmission routes for patients with unknown-risk histories by viral sequence phylogenetic analyses. Wei M, Xing H, Feng Y, Hsi JH, Liu P, Shao Y. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr (JAIDS). 2015; 70(2): 195-203. doi:10.1097/ QAI. 0000000000000735.

20.  Near full-length genome identification of a novel HIV-1 recombinant form (CRF01_AE/B'/C) among heterosexuals in Jilin, China. Li X, Ning C, Chen Y, Feng Y, Wei M, Xing H, Shao Y. AIDS Res Hum Retroviruses. 2014; 30(7):695-700. doi: 10.1089/AID.2013.0278.  

21.  Dual role for motif 1 residues of human lysyl-tRNA synthetase in dimerization and packaging into HIV-1. Dewan V, Wei M, Kleiman L, Musier-Forsyth K. J Biol Chem. 2012; 287(50): 41955-41962. doi: 10.1074/jbc. M112.421842.

22.  Profiling non-lysyltRNAs in HIV-1. Pavon-Eternod M, Wei M, Pan T, Kleiman L. RNA. 2010; 16(2): 267-273.

23.  Inability of HIV-1 produced in murine cells to selectively incorporate primer tRNA^Lys3. Wei M, Yang Y, Niu M, Desfosse L, Kennedy R, Musier-Forsyth Karin, Kleiman L. J Virol. 2008; 82(24): 12049-12059.

24.  Defective replication in human immunodeficiency virus type 1 when non-primers are used for reverse transcription. Wei M, Cen S, Niu M, Guo F, Kleiman L. J Virol. 2005; 79(14): 9081-9087. 

25.  Characterization of five nearly full-length genomes of early HIV type 1 strains in Ruili city: implications for the genesis of CRF07_BC and CRF08_BC circulating in China. Qiu Z, Xing H, Wei M, Duan Y, Zhao Q, Xu J, Shao Y. AIDS Res Hum Retroviruses. 2005; 21(12): 1051-1056.  

26.  Biased G-to-A hypermutation in HIV-1 proviral DNA from a long-term non-progressor. Wei M, Xing H, Hong K, Huang H, Tang H, Qin G, Shao Y. AIDS. 2004; 18(13): 1863-1865.

27.  Simple subtyping assay for human immunodeficiency virus type 1 subtypes B, C, CRF01-AE, CRF07-BC, and CRF08-BC. Wei M, Guan Q, Liang H, Chen J, Chen Z, Hei F, Feng Y, Hong K, Huang H, Xing H, Shao Y. J Clin Microbiol. 2004; 42(9): 4261-4267.

Patents：

1. Inhibition of HIV-1 by coiled-coil domain containing 8 and its application. Wei M，Shao Yiming，Lawrence Kleiman. State intellectual property office of the P.R.China. 201510090585.5

2.  Method of inducing CCR5Δ32 mutation by genome editing technology CRISPR-Cas9. Wei M, Qi C. State intellectual property office of the P.R.China. 201610028603.1;  International Patent application PCT/CN2016/079007.  US patent No. 10988777B2. 

Projects 

Projects

[1]   2016-2020, USA National Institute of Health (NIH)，R01AI129698, A comparative B cell program for rational HIV-1 vaccine design.

[2]  2016.1-2019.12. National Natural Science Foundation of China, 81571991, Discovery and mechanism exploration of a new host factor --- coiled-coil domain protein 8 against HIV.  

[3]  2014.11-2018.12. Starting fund of Nankai University. 

Teaching 

Teaching

[1] Undergraduate: Medical Microbiology, Molecular Microbiology

[2] Master students: Human critical diseases

[3] Doctoral students: Literature report and project design