Chong Wang, PhD

Chong Wang, Ph.D., is currently an assistant professor in the Department of Diagnostic and Biological Sciences at the School of Dentistry. Dr. Wang earned his Ph.D. at Fudan University, China, then completed his postdoc training at the Harvard Medical School/Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, MA. 

Cancer development is a complex process involving numerous genetic and epigenetic changes. Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is the first known tumor virus that contributes to the developing of several types of cancer, including Burkitt's lymphoma, Hodgkin's lymphoma, nasopharyngeal carcinoma, gastric carcinomas etc. To gain a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying EBV-associated carcinogenesis, my lab is conducting research to investigate how EBV infection leads to cancer development. Our research utilizes a range of techniques, including conventional molecular biology, epigenetics, 3D genome organization, and genome-wide CRISPR screening etc. Currently, we focus on three aspects to gain insight into how EBV infection contributes to the development of cancer:

1. We investigate how EBV-encoded transcription factors EBNA2/EBNALP alter host epigenetic modification (Histone modifications and DNA methylation) to regulate gene expression. Through this research, we aim to uncover the specific mechanisms by which EBV manipulates host epigenetic modifications to promote cancer development.
2. We explore how EBV manipulates host 3D genome organization and the potential consequences this has for disease progression. By studying the changes in 3D genome organization caused by EBV infection, we can better understand the mechanisms behind EBV-associated carcinogenesis.
3. We examine how EBV and other viruses or bacteria co-infection may contribute to cancer development. By investigating the interplay between different pathogens and how they interact with the host, we hope to uncover novel pathways that contribute to cancer development. 

Overall, our research aims to deepen our understanding of how EBV infection contributes to cancer development and identify potential therapeutic targets. By using a range of techniques to investigate different aspects of EBV-associated carcinogenesis, we hope to uncover new avenues for cancer prevention and treatment.

Wang C*, Liang J*, Jiang SZ*, Narita Y*, Ding WY*, Li DF, Zhang LY, Wang HB, Leong MML, Hou I, Gerdt C, Jiang C, Zhong Q, Tang ZH, Weirauch M, Gewurz BE, Zeng MS, Teng MX, Zhao B. A DNA tumor virus globally reprograms host 3D genome architecture to achieve immortal growth. Nature Communications. (2023) (Accepted).

Chong Wang, Manlong Leong, Weiyue Ding, Yohei Narita, Hongbo Wang, Stefanie PT Yiu, Jessica Lee, Katelyn RS Zhao, Amy Cui, Benjamin Gewurz, Wolfgang Hammerschmidt, Mingxiang Teng, Bo Zhao. Epstein-Barr virus nuclear antigen leader protein manipulates YY1 to alter host 3D genome organization and promote B cell proliferation. (2023) PNAS (Under revision)

Weiyue Ding*, Chong Wang*, Yohei Narita*, Hongbo Wang, Manlong Leong, Alvin Huang, Yifei Liao, Liu Xuefeng, Benjamin Gewurz, Mingxian Teng, Shuilin Jin, Yoshitaka Sato, Bo Zhao. The Epstein-Barr virus enhancer interaction landscapes in virus associated cancers. J Virol. 2022 Sep. jvi.00739-22 (*co-first author)

Bingyu Yan*, Chong Wang*, Srishti Chakravorty*, Zonghao Zhang*, Simran D. Kadadi*, Isabella Sirit, Yonghua Hu, Subhransu Sahoo, Luopin Wang, Kunming Shao, Nicole L. Anderson, Jorge L. Trujillo-Ochoa, Xing Liu, Matthew R. Olson, Behdad Afzali, Bo Zhao, Majid Kazemian. Single cell transcriptomics reveals determinant of Epstein-Barr virus lytic cycle in lymphoblastoid cells. J Med Virol. 2022;e28362. (*co-first author)

Liang, J. -H., Wang, C., Tung Yiu, S. P., Zhao, B., Guo, R., Gewurz, B. Epstein-Barr Virus Induced Cytidine Metabolism Roles in Transformed B-cell Growth and Survival. mBio. 2021 Aug 31;12(4):e0153021

Wang C, Zhang LY, Ke LR, Ding WY, Jiang SZ, Li DF, Narita Y, Hou I, Liang J, Li SJ, Xiao HP, Gottwein E, Kaye KM, Teng MX, Zhao B. Primary effusion lymphoma enhancer connectome links super-enhancers to dependency factors. Nature Communications. (2020) 11:6318

Wang Y*, Du S*, Zhu C*, Wang C*, Nuoya Yu, Ziqi Lin, Jin Gan, Yi Guo, Xinxin Huang, Yuping He, Erle Robertson, Di Qu, Fang Wei, Qiliang Cai. (2020) STUB1 is targeted by the SUMOinteracting motif of EBNA1 to maintain Epstein-Barr Virus latency. PLoS Pathogens. 2020 Mar 16;16(3):e1008447 (*co-first author)

Chakravorty S, Yan B, Wang C, Wang L, Quaid JT, Lin CF, Briggs SD, Majumder J, Canaria DA, Chauss D, Chopra G, Olson MR, Zhao B, Afzali B, Kazemian M. Integrated Pan-Cancer Map of EBV-Associated Neoplasms Reveals Functional Host-Virus Interactions. Cancer Res. 2019 Dec 1;79(23):6010-6023

Wang C, Jiang S, Zhang L, Li D, Liang J, Narita Y, Hou I, Zhong Q, Gewurz BE, Teng M, Zhao B. TAF family proteins and MEF2C are essential for Epstein-Barr virus super-enhancer activity. J Virol. 2019 Aug 15;93(16)

Jiang C, Trudeau SJ, Cheong TC, Guo R, Teng M, Wang LW, Wang Z, Pighi C, Gautier-Courteille C, Ma Y, Jiang S, Wang C, Zhao B, Paillard L, Doench JG, Chiarle R, Gewurz BE. CRISPR/Cas9 Screens Reveal Multiple Layers of B cell CD40 Regulation. Cell Rep. 2019 Jul 30;28(5):1307-1322.e8

Zhu Q, Ding L, Zi Z, Gao S, Wang C, Wang Y, Zhu C, Yuan Z, Wei F, Cai Q. Viral-Mediated AURKB Cleavage Promotes Cell Segregation and Tumorigenesis. Cell Rep. 2019 Mar
26;26(13):3657-3671.e5

Wang C, Jiang S, Ke L, Zhang L, Li D, Liang J, Narita Y, Hou I, Chen C, Wang L, Zhong Q, Ling Y, Lv X, Xiang Y, Guo X, Teng M, Tsao S, Benjamin E, Zeng M, Zhao B. Genome-wide CRISPR
screens reveal nasopharyngeal carcinoma dependency factors. The journal of Biological Chemistry. 2019 May 9. pii: jbc.RA119.008793

Wang C, Li D, Zhang L, Jiang S, Liang J, Narita Y, Hou I, Zhong Q, Zheng Z, Xiao H, Gewurz BE1, Teng M4, Zhao B. RNA-seq analyses of gene expression during Epstein-Barr virus 3 infection of primary B lymphocytes. J Virol. 2019 Apr 24. pii: JVI.00226-19

Feng Gu*, Chong Wang*, Fang Wei, Yuyan Wang, Qing Zhu, Ling Ding, Wenjia Xu, Caixia Zhu, Cankun Cai, Zhikang Qian, Zhenghong Yuan, Erle Robertson, Qiliang Cai. STAT6 degradation and ubiquitylated TRIML2 are essential for activation of human oncogenic herpesvirus. PLoS Pathogens. 2018 Dec 10;14(12):e1007416. (*co-first author)

Wang C, Zhou H, Xue Y, Liang J, Narita Y, Gerdt C, Zheng AY, Jiang R, Trudeau S, Peng CW, Gewurz BE, Zhao B. Epstein-Barr Virus Nuclear Antigen Leader Protein Coactivates EP300. J Virol. 2018 Apr 13;92(9) (Featured in the website of Harvard Medical School)

LW Wang, SJ Trudeau, C Wang, C Gerdt, S Jiang, B Zhao, BE Gewurz. Modulating Gene Expression in Epstein‐Barr Virus (EBV)‐Positive B Cell Lines with CRISPRa and CRISPRi. Current protocols in molecular biology. 2018 Jan 16;121:31.13.1-31.13.18

Jiang S, Zhou H, Liang J, Gerdt C, Wang C, Ke L, Schmidt SCS, Narita Y, Ma Y, Wang S, Colson T, Gewurz B, Li G, Kieff E, Zhao B. The Epstein-Barr Virus Regulome in Lymphoblastoid Cells. Cell Host Microbe. 2017 Oct 11;22(4):561-573. (Featured in the website of Harvard Medical School)

Ke L, Zhou H, Wang C, Xiong G, Xiang Y, Ling Y, Khabir A, Tsao GS, Zeng Y, Zeng M, Busson P, Kieff E, Guo X, Zhao B. Nasopharyngeal carcinoma super-enhancer-driven ETV6 correlates with prognosis. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2017 Sep 5;114(36):9683-9688. (Featured in the website of Harvard Medical School)

Wang C, Zhu C, Wei F, Gao S, Zhang L, Li Y, Feng Y, Tong Y, Xu J,Wang B, Yuan Z, Robertson ES, Cai Q. Nuclear Localization and Cleavage of STAT6 Is Induced by Kaposi’s SarcomaAssociated Herpesvirus for Viral Latency. PLoS Pathogens. 2017 Jan 18;13(1):e1006124

Mo X, Zhu C, Gan J, Wang C, Wei F, Gong W,Cai Q*. Prevalence and correlates of Mycoplasma genitalium infection among prostatitis patients in Shanghai, China. Sexual health.(2016) doi: 10.1071/SH15155

Wang C, Fang Wei, Qiliang Cai. Deregulation of IL-4/IL-13-induced STAT6 signaling in viral oncogenesis. Oncology communications. 2016, 1: e1131

Wei F, Gan J, Wang C, Zhu C and Cai Q*. Cell cycle regulatory functions of the KSHV oncoprotein LANA. Frontiers in Microbiology. 2016, 7(334): doi 103389

Wang C, Zhu C, Wei F, Zhang L, Mo X, Feng Y, Xu J, Yuan Z, Robertson E, Cai Q. Constitutive activation of IL-13/STAT6 contributes to KSHV-associated PEL cell proliferation and survival. J Virol. 2015 Aug 5. 89:10416-26

Gan J*, Wang C*, Jin Y, Guo Y, Xu F, Zhu Q, Ding L, Shang H, Wang J, Wei F, Cai Q, Robertson ES. Proteomic profiling identifies the SIM-associated complex of KSHV-encoded LANA. Proteomics. 2015 Jun; 15(12): 2023-37 (*co-first author)

Li MF, Wang C, Sun L. Edwardsiella tarda MliC, a lysozyme inhibitor that participates in pathogenesis in a manner that parallels Ivy. Infect Immun. 2015 Feb; 83(2): 583-90

Wang C, Hu YH, Sun BG, Li J, Sun L. Edwardsiella tarda Ivy, a lysozyme inhibitor that blocks the lytic effect of lysozyme and facilitates host infection in a manner that is dependent on the conserved cysteine residue. Infect Immun. 2013 Oct; 81(10): 3527-33

Wang C, Hu YH, Chi H, Sun L. The major fimbrial subunit protein of Edwardsiella tarda: vaccine potential, adjuvant effect, and involvement in host infection. Fish Shellfish Immunol. 2013 Sep;
35(3): 858-654

C Wang, Y Hu, B Sun, H Chi, J Li, L Sun. Environmental isolates P1SW and V3SW as a bivalent vaccine induce effective cross-protection against Edwardsiella tarda and Vibrio anguillarum. Diseases of aquatic organisms. 2013 Mar 13;103(1):45-53