; University College London
Dr Alan Xiaodong Zhuang is a Principal Investigator and MRC Career Development Fellow at University College London, where he leads a multidisciplinary research group investigating the interplay between circadian rhythms, viral replication, and antiviral immunity. His team focuses on hepatitis B virus (HBV) and other clinically relevant pathogens, combining molecular virology, immunology, and chronobiology to uncover novel therapeutic strategies. Alan鈥檚 recent work has shown how the body鈥檚 internal clock influences both HBV replication in hepatocytes and HBV-specific T cell responses, revealing opportunities to optimise therapeutic vaccine timing and to suppress viral replication through pharmacological modulation of circadian pathways. Prior to joining UCL, Alan completed his postdoctoral training at the University of Oxford and earned his PhD from the University of Birmingham.
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) chronically infects over 250 million people worldwide and is a leading cause of liver cancer. Although current therapies can suppress viral replication, they rarely achieve a cure. Our recent work demonstrates that HBV replication in hepatocytes is under circadian control, showing time of day dependent variation in viral transcription. By pharmacologically targeting core clock regulators, we can suppress HBV replication both in vitro and in vivo. In parallel, we have found that the circadian clock also shapes HBV specific T cell responses. Using ex vivo synchronisation and in vivo vaccination models, we show that the timing of antigen exposure influences T cell activation and cytokine production. Together, these findings highlight the potential of chronotherapeutic approaches that optimise the timing of vaccination or antiviral treatment to enhance immune control and accelerate progress towards HBV cure strategies.
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