School of Public Health The University of Hong Kong
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Li ka Shing Faculty of Medicine
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Poon, Lit Man Leo
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BSc(HKBU), MPhil(CUHK), DPhil(Oxon)
Contact Information

5/F Laboratory Block
New Medical Complex
21 Sassoon Road
Hong Kong

Tel: (852) 2819 9943
Fax: (852) 2872 5782
Email: llmpoon@hku.hk

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Biography

Leo Poon received his doctoral training in Sir William Dunn School of Pathology in University of Oxford between 1996-1999. After his graduation, he returned to Hong Kong and worked as a postdoctoral fellow in the Chinese University of Hong. He joined The University of Hong Kong in 2001. Dr Poon has a diverse interests that are related to emerging viruses, ranging from studying very basic biology of RNA viruses to developing molecular diagnostic tools for infectious diseases. He is also interested in using molecular techniques to understand the pathogenesis of animal influenza viruses of zoonotic potential (e.g. H5N1).

In 2003, Dr Poon involved in the discovery of SARS coronavirus as the aetiology of the disease. He is one of the firsts who decoded the first SARS coronavirus sequence. These findings allowed him to develop several useful molecular tests for the diagnosis of SARS. The identification of SARS coronavirus in humans and animals also prompted him to hunt for novel viruses in wildlife and this leaded to the discovery of the first and many others coronaviruses in bats. In 2009, he played an active role in pandemic H1N1 researches. Recently, he identified a reassortant of pandemic H1N1/2009 virus in pigs. In addition, he is also currently focusing on developing new strategies for creating universal influenza vaccines. 

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Research Areas
Influenza Biology; Molecular Diagnosis; Emerging Animal Viruses and Vaccinology 
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Major Teaching Area(s)

CMED6105 Infectious Diseases in Public Health 

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Selected Publications (Pub Med Search)

Peiris JS, Poon LL, Guan Y. 2012.Public health. Surveillance of animal influenzafor pandemic preparedness. Science. 335:1173-4.

Mak PW, Wong CK, Li OT, Chan KH, Cheung CL, Ma ES, Webby RJ, Guan Y, Peiris JS, Poon LL. 2011. Rapid genotyping of Swine influenza viruses. Emerg Infect Dis. 17:691-4.

Chu DK, Leung CY, Gilbert M, Joyner PH, Ng EM, Tse TM, Guan Y, Peiris JS, Poon LL. 2011. Avian coronavirus in wild aquatic birds.J Virol. 85:12815-20.

Ekiert DC, Friesen RH, Bhabha G, Kwaks T, Jongeneelen M, Yu W, Ophorst C, Cox F, Korse HJ, Brandenburg B, Vogels R, Brakenhoff JP, Kompier R, Koldijk MH, Cornelissen LA,Poon LL, Peiris M, Koudstaal W, Wilson IA, Goudsmit J.2011. A Highly Conserved Neutralizing Epitope on Group 2 Influenza A Viruses. Science. 333:843-50.

Vijaykrishna D*, Poon LL*, Zhu HC, Ma SK, Li OTW, Cheung CL, Smith GJD, Peiris JSM, Guan Y. 2010. Reassortment of pandemic H1N1/2009 influenza A virus in swine. Science 328:1529. (* Co-first author)

Poon LL, Chan KH, Smith GJ, Leung CS, Guan Y, Yuen KY, Peiris JS. 2009. Molecular Detection of a Novel Human Influenza (H1N1) of Pandemic Potential by Conventional and Real-Time Quantitative RT-PCR Assays. Clin Chem. 55:1555-8.

Poon LL, Leung YH, Nicholls JM, Perera PY, Lichy JH, Yamamoto M, Waldmann TA, Peiris JS, Perera LP. 2009. Vaccinia virus-based multivalent H5N1 avian influenza vaccines adjuvanted with IL-15 confer sterile cross-clade protection in mice.J Immunol. 182:3063-71.

Li OT, Chan MC, Leung CS, Chan RW, Guan Y, Nicholls JM, Poon LL. 2009. Full factorial analysis of Mammalian and avian influenza polymerase subunits suggests a role of an efficient polymerase for virus adaptation. PLoS One 4:e5658.

Jayawardena1 S, Cheung CY, Barr I, Chan KH, Chen H, Guan Y, Peiris JSM, Poon LL. 2007. Use of reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification for molecular detection of highly pathogenic H5N1 influenza A viruses. Emerg Infect Dis. 13:899-901.

Poon LL, Wong BWY, Ma EH, Chan KH, Chow LM, Abeyewickreme W, Tangpukdee N, Yuen KY, Guan Y, Looareesuwan S, and Peiris JSM. 2006. A sensitive and inexpensive molecular test for falciparum malaria: detecting Plasmodium falciparum DNA directly from heat-treated blood by loop-mediated isothermal amplification. Clin Chem. 52:303-6.

Poon LL, Chu DK, Chan KH, Wong OK, Ellis TM, Leung YH, Lau SK, Woo PC, Suen KY, Yuen KY, Guan Y, Peiris JS. 2005. Identification of a novel coronavirus in bats. J Virol. 79:2001-2009.

Poon LL, Guan Y, Nicholls JM, Yuen KY, Peiris JS. 2004. The aetiology, origins, and diagnosis of severe acute respiratory syndrome. Lancet Infect Dis. 4:663-71.

Li KS, Guan Y, Wang J, Smith GJ, Xu KM, Duan L, Rahardjo AP, Puthavathana P, Buranathai C, Nguyen TD, Estoepangestie AT, Chaisingh A, Auewarakul P, Long HT, Hanh NT, Webby RJ, Poon LL, Chen H, Shortridge KF, Yuen KY, Webster RG, Peiris JS. 2004. Genesis of a highly pathogenic and potentially pandemic H5N1 influenza virus in eastern Asia. Nature. 430:209-13.

Poon LL, Wong OK, Luk W, Yuen KY, Peiris JSM and Guan Y. 2003. Rapid diagnosis of a coronavirus associated with severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). Clin. Chem. 49:953-5.

Guan Y, Zheng BJ, He YQ, Liu XL, Zhuang ZX, Cheung CL, Luo SW, Li PH, Zhang LJ, Guan YL, Butt KM, Wong KL, Chan KW, Lim W, Shortridge KF, Yuen KY, Peiris JSM and Poon LL. 2003. Isolation and characterization of viruses related to the SARS coronavirus from animals in southern China. Science 302:276-8.

Peiris JS, Lai ST, Poon LL, Guan Y, Yam LYC, Lim W, et al. 2003. A coronavirus is associated with Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). Lancet 361:1319-25.

Cheung CY, Poon LL, Lau ASY, Luk W, Lau YL, Shortridge KF, Gordon S, Guan Y and Peiris JSM. 2002. Influenza A (H5N1) viruses are potent inducers of pro-inflammatory cytokines in human macrophages: A mechanism for the unusual severity of human disease? Lancet 360:1831-7.

Poon LL, Leung NL, Lau TK and Lo YMD. 2000. Prenatal detection of fetal trisomy 21 from maternal plasma. Lancet 356:1819-29.

Poon LL, Leung NL, Lau TK and Lo YMD. 2000. Presence of fetal RNA in maternal plasma. Clin Chem.46:1832-3.

Poon LL, Pritlove DC, Fodor E and Brownlee GG. 1999. Direct evidence that the poly(A) tail of influenza A virus mRNA is synthesis by reiterative copying of a U-track in the vRNA template.J Virol. 73:3473-6. 

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