Biography

Dr.Yuchen Xia, is a professor at Wuhan University, School of Basic Medical Sciences, and the director of the Institute of Medical Virology. After graduating with a bachelor's degree in Biotechnology from Wuhan University in 2005, he obtained master's and doctoral degrees from the Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and the Technical University of Munich. He subsequently completed postdoctoral research at the National Institutes of Health in the United States.

He has been engaged in research related to viral hepatitis for a long time and has conducted a series of work on the establishment of experimental models for hepatitis B virus, the mechanism of virus-host interactions, and new antiviral treatment methods. His main research findings have been published in journals such as Science, Gastroenterology, Journal of Hepatology, Hepatology, PLOS Pathogens, Journal of Virology, and several of his papers have been highly cited according to the Essential Science Indicators (ESI).

He currently serves as a member of the Hepatitis B Foundation’s Emerging Scholars Science and Medical Advisory Board (eSAMB), a member of the Medical Virology Branch of the Chinese Medical Association, a standing member of the Professional Committee of Viral Oncology of the Chinese Research Hospital Association, and a young member of the Professional Committee of Virology of the Chinese Society for Microbiology. He also serves as a reviewer for journals such as Science, Gastroenterology, Gut, Hepatology, Journal of Hepatology, eLIFE, and Journal of Virology.

Research

Viral infections pose a serious threat to human health. Our research team primarily focuses on the study of hepatitis B virus and novel coronavirus. Despite the widespread vaccination against hepatitis B virus, there are still nearly 300 million chronic infection cases worldwide, with one-third of these cases in China. Due to the lack of effective curative methods, there is a high risk of patients developing liver cirrhosis and liver cancer.

Our research team is primarily engaged in basic and translational research related to hepatitis B virus and novel coronavirus, with the goal of addressing clinical issues through fundamental research. Our current research directions include:

1. Construction of animal models for novel virus infections.

2. Molecular mechanisms of virus-host interactions.

3. Mechanisms of virus-induced carcinogenesis and targeted therapies.

4. Screening and mechanism research of novel antiviral drugs.

5. Application of precision medicine in late-stage liver disease research.

Representative  Publications

1. Zheng Y, Wang M, Li S, Bu Y, Xu Z, Zhu G, Wu C, Zhao K, Li A, Chen Q, Wang J, Hua R, Teng Y, Zhao L, Cheng X, Xia Y*.

Hepatitis B virus hijacks TSG101 to facilitate egress via multiple vesicle bodies.

PLoS Pathogens. 2023 May 24;19(5):e1011382.

2. Yi J, Lei X, Guo F, Chen Q, Chen X, Zhao K, Zhu C, Cheng X, Lin J*, Yin H*, Xia Y*.

Co-delivery of Cas9 mRNA and guide RNAs edits hepatitis B virus episomal and integration DNA in mouse and tree shrew models.

Antiviral Research. 2023 Jul;215:105618.

3. Li A, Zhang B, Zhao K, Yin Z, Teng Y, Zhang L, Xu Z, Liang K, Cheng X*, Xia Y*.

SARS-CoV-2 nsp13 Restricts Episomal DNA Transcription without Affecting Chromosomal DNA.

Journal of Virology. 2023 Jun 22:e0051223.

4. Zhao K, Guo F, Wang J, Zhong Y, Yi J, Teng Y, Xu Z, Zhao L, Li A, Wang Z, Chen X, Cheng X, Xia Y*.

Limited disassembly of cytoplasmic hepatitis B virus nucleocapsids restricts viral infection in murine hepatic cells.

Hepatology. 2023 Apr 1;77(4):1366-1381.

5. Zhong Y, Wu C, Xu Z, Teng Y, Zhao L, Zhao K, Wang J, Wang W, Zhan Q, Zhu C, Chen X, Liang K, Cheng X, Xia Y*.

Hepatitis B Virus Core Protein Is Not Required for Covalently Closed Circular DNA Transcriptional Regulation.

Journal of Virology. 2022 Nov 9;96(21):e0136222.

6. Xu Z, Zhao L, Zhong Y, Zhu C, Zhao K, Teng Y, Cheng X, Chen Q, Xia Y*.

A Novel Mouse Model Harboring Hepatitis B Virus Covalently Closed Circular DNA.

Cell Mol Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2022;13(4):1001-1017.

7. Teng Y, Xu Z, Zhao K, Zhong Y, Wang J, Zhao L, Zheng Z, Hou W, Zhu C, Chen X, Protzer U, Li Y*, Xia Y*.

Novel function of SART1 in HNF4α transcriptional regulation contributes to its antiviral role during HBV infection.

Journal of Hepatology. 2021 Nov;75(5):1072-1082.

8. Li A, Zhao K, Zhang B, Hua R, Fang Y, Jiang W, Zhang J, Hui L, Zheng Y, Li Y, Zhu C, Wang PH, Peng K, Xia Y*.

SARS-CoV-2 NSP12 Protein Is Not an Interferon-β Antagonist.

Journal of Virology. 2021 Aug 10;95(17):e0074721.

9. Liu R, Zhao L, Cheng X, Huan H, Li C, Li D, Liu A, Gao G, Zhou F, Liu F, Jiang Y*, Zhu C*, Xia Y*.

Clinical Characteristics of COVID-19 Patients with Hepatitis B Virus Infection - a Retrospective Study.

Liver International. 2021 Apr;41(4):720-730. doi: 10.1111/liv.14774.

10. Han H, Ma Q, Li C, Liu R, Zhao L, Wang W, Zhang P, Liu X, Gao G, Liu F, Jiang Y, Cheng X, Zhu C*, Xia Y*. Profiling serum cytokines in COVID-19 patients reveals IL-6 and IL-10 are disease severity predictors.

Emerging Microbes & Infection. 2020 Dec;9(1):1123-1130.

11. Xia Y, Liang TJ. Development of Direct-acting Antiviral and Host-targeting Agents for Treatment of HBV Infection.

Gastroenterology. 2019 Jan;156(2):311-324.

12. Xia Y, Carpentier A, Cheng X, Block PD, Zhao Y, Zhang Z, Protzer U, Liang TJ.  Human stem cell-derived hepatocytes as a model for hepatitis B virus infection, spreading and virus-host interactions.

Journal of Hepatology. 2017 Mar;66(3):494-503.  

13. Xia Y#, Stadler D#, Lucifora J, Reisinger F, Webb D, Hösel M, Michler T, Wisskirchen K, Cheng X, Zhang K, Chou WM, Wettengel JM, Malo A, Bohne F, Hoffmann D, Eyer F, Thimme R, Falk CS, Thasler WE, Heikenwalder M, Protzer U.

Interferon-γ and Tumor Necrosis Factor-α Produced by T Cells Reduce the HBV Persistence Form,  cccDNA, Without Cytolysis.

Gastroenterology. 2016 Jan;150(1):194-205.

14. Lucifora J#, Xia Y#, Reisinger F, Zhang K, Stadler D, Cheng X, Sprinzl MF, Koppensteiner H, Makowska Z, Volz T, Remouchamps C, Chou WM, Thasler WE, Hüser N, Durantel D, Liang TJ, Münk C, Heim MH, Browning JL, Dejardin E, Dandri M, Schindler M, Heikenwalder M, Protzer U.

Specific and nonhepatotoxic degradation of nuclear hepatitis B virus cccDNA.

Science. 2014 Mar 14;343(6176):1221-8.