Announcements
25 June 2024
Interview with Dr. Shuofeng Yuan—Winner of the 2024 Early Career Investigator Award
Dr. Shuofeng Yuan trained as a veterinarian before pursuing his Ph.D. in virology and immunology. He now works as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Microbiology at the University of Hong Kong, China. By focusing on small-molecule and broad-spectrum antivirals that are essential for pandemic preparedness, his career goal is to reveal new targets, strategies, and lead compounds against infectious viral diseases through basic and applied research in the broad field of molecular virology. Dr. Yuan has filed more than 30 patents with novel antivirals for emerging infectious diseases including influenza, Zika, and COVID-19. He has been consistently recognized by Clarivate Analytics’ Essential Science Indicators as a top 1% scholar and global “Highly Cited Researcher” for three consecutive years since 2021. He has published more than 50 first/co-first/corresponding-authored original research articles in leading journals including Nature, Science, and The Lancet. He has received several prestigious research awards, including the Dalton Horizon Prize (The Royal Society of Chemistry, UK) and MIT Technology Review Innovators Under 35 (Asia Pacific).
We would like to congratulate Dr. Shuofeng Yuan on winning the Viruses 2024 Early Career Investigator Award!
The following is a short interview with Dr. Shuofeng Yuan:
- Could you briefly introduce yourself to our readers? What are you currently researching, and why did you choose this research field?
I was enrolled in a veterinary medicine program to study zoonotic diseases while receiving my undergraduate education. I then trained as a virologist with tremendous interaction with clinicians and scientists, shaping my way of thinking from bedside to bench and back. I am now an Assistant Professor at the University of Hong Kong and conduct antiviral research with broad relevance to different virus families. I believe that this is important for pandemic preparedness.
- Which research topics do you think will be of particular interest to the research community in the coming years?
Broad-spectrum antiviral development with the aid of artificial intelligence. This group of therapeutics may have a role in controlling emerging and remerging infectious viral diseases, which is particularly useful during the initial stage of a pandemic when vaccines, therapeutics, and even diagnostics are barely available.
- As a young researcher, what is the biggest challenge you have encountered in your research journey? How did you solve it?
The biggest challenge is to identify an experienced technician and a good lab manager who can help set up a new lab. Seeking mentorship from senior professors is important when coping with such challenges.
- Could you briefly describe the key to a happy laboratory life? Which qualities do you think young researchers need?
The freedom to pursue research topics of interest without too much of a burden on obtaining funding and dealing with human resources. An important quality is to think outside the box and interdisciplinary collaboration.
- As the winner of this award, is there something you would like to express or someone you would like to thank the most?
I would like to thank my mentors and family members for their continuous support and guidance when climbing the ladder.
- Do you have any suggestions for improving the awards?
More promotional activities at international conferences such as ASV, ICAR, etc.
- Do you have any suggestions for the journal Viruses?
(1) Reach out for high-quality research articles.
(2) Increase the number of review articles in each issue.
