Academic Experience  

2023-present, Principal Investigator, Shanghai Institute of Immunity and infection, CAS
2019-2023, Research Associate, Johns Hopkins University
2015-2019, Postdoctoral fellow, Johns Hopkins University (Johns Hopkins Malaria Institute Fellowship)

2014-2015, Postdoctoral fellow, Rutgers University

Education

2008-2014, Ph.D., Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, CAS
2004-2008, B.S., Huazhong Agricultural University

Our lab is dedicated to the study of mosquitoes, investigating their interactions with mosquito-borne pathogens such as Plasmodium or arboviruses, mosquito symbiotic bacteria, and humans. Building upon this foundation, our primary objectives include the development of strategies to combat mosquito-borne diseases. This encompasses the creation of preventive measures, vaccines, and pharmaceutical treatments for diseases transmitted by mosquitoes.

Our research team employs a combination of biochemistry and molecular biology techniques to delve into the following areas:

1. Development of strategies to prevent mosquito-borne diseases, which includes examining the role of symbiotic bacteria and genetically modified mosquitoes in disease control.

2. Investigation of the infection process involving mosquitoes, mammals, and other hosts by mosquito-borne pathogens, along with the exploration of host defense mechanisms.

3. Research aimed at the development of highly effective vaccines and therapeutic drugs to combat mosquito-borne pathogens.

4. Exploration of biological control strategies to reduce mosquito populations.

Selected publications

1.      Huang W., Rodrigues J^*., Tormo J., Bilgo E., Challenger J., Cozar-Gallardo C., Pérez-Victoria I., Reyes F., Gnambani E., Hien D., Konkobo M., Ruano M., Casta？eda -Casado P., Coppens I., Mendoza-Losana A., Ballell L., Diabate A., Churcher T., Jacobs-Lorena M^*. (2023). Delftia tsuruhatensis TC1 symbiont suppresses malaria transmission by anopheline mosquitoes. Science(accepted).

2.      Huang W., Vega-Rodriguez J., Kizito C., Jacobs-Lorena M^*. (2022). Combining transgenesis with paratransgenesis to fight malaria. Elife.

3.      Huang, W^*., Fu, K., Gao, Q., Tejo, R. P., Floeter-Winter, L. M., & Gutierrez, A. P. (Eds.). (2022). Host-microbe interaction and coevolution. Frontiers Media SA (Editorial for Frontiers in Microbiology and Frontiers in Genetics).

4.      Huang W, Cha S J, Jacobs‐Lorena M^*. New weapons to fight malaria transmission: A historical view. Entomological Research, 2022.

5.      Huang W., Wang S., Jacobs-Lorena M^*. (2020). Self-limiting Paratransgenesis. PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases

6.      Huang, W., Wang, S., & Jacobs-Lorena, M^*. (2020). Use of Microbiota to Fight Mosquito-Borne Disease. Frontiers in Genetics, 11.

7.      Huang, W., Hong, S., Tang, G., Lu, Y., & Wang, C^*. (2019). Unveiling the function and regulation control of the DUF3129 family proteins in fungal infection of hosts. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B, 374(1767), 20180321.

8.      Huang, W^#., Liao, G^#., Baker, G. M^#., Wang, Y., Lau, R., Paderu, P., ... & Xue, C^*. (2016). Lipid Flippase Subunit Cdc50 Mediates Drug Resistance and Virulence in Cryptococcus neoformans. mBio, 7(3), e00478-16.

9.      Huang W., Shang Y. F., Chen P. L., Cen K., & Wang, C. S^*. (2015). Basic leucine zipper (bZIP) domain transcription factor MBZ1 regulates cell wall integrity, spore adherence, and virulence in Metarhizium robertsii. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 290(13), 8218-8231.

10.   Huang W., Shang Y. F., Chen P. L., Gao Q., Wang C. S^*. (2015). MrpacC regulates sporulation, insect cuticle penetration and immune evasion in Metarhizium robertsii. Environmental Microbiology, 17(4), 994-1008.

11.   Huang W., Zhang Y. H., Chen D. Q., Hu H. Q^*., Zhuang G. Q. (2009). Degradation and Remaining of the Bt Protein in Several Soils. Journal of Huazhong Agricultural University, 28(2): 169-173. (In Chinese)

12.   Godoy, R. S. M., Barbosa, R. C., Huang, W., Secundino, N. F. C., Pimenta, P. F. P., Jacobs-Lorena, M., & Martins, G. F^*. (2023). The larval midgut of Anopheles, Aedes, and Toxorhynchites mosquitoes (Diptera, Culicidae): a comparative approach in morphophysiology and evolution. Cell and Tissue Research, 1-24.

13.   Pascini, T. V., Jeong, Y. J., Huang, W., Pala, Z. R., Sá, J. M., Wells, M. B., ... & Vega-Rodríguez, J^*. (2022). Transgenic Anopheles mosquitoes expressing human PAI-1 impair malaria transmission. Nature communications, 13(1), 1-16.

14.   Gao, H., Bai, L., Jiang, Y., Huang, W., Wang, L., Li, S., ... & Wang, S^*. (2021). A natural symbiotic bacterium drives mosquito refractoriness to Plasmodium infection via secretion of an antimalarial lipase. Nature Microbiology, 1-12.

15.   Wang, S., Dos-Santos, A. L., Huang, W., Liu, K. C., Oshaghi, M. A., Wei, G., ... & Jacobs-Lorena, M^*. (2017). Driving mosquito refractoriness to Plasmodium falciparum with engineered symbiotic bacteria. Science, 357(6358), 1399-1402.

16.   Gao, Q., Lu, Y., Yao, H., Xu, Y. J., Huang, W., & Wang, C. S^*. (2016). Phospholipid homeostasis maintains cell polarity, development and virulence in Metarhizium robertsii. Environmental Microbiology, 18(11), 3976-3990.

17.   Duan Z.B., Chen Y. X., Huang W., Shang Y. F., Chen P. L., Wang C. S^*. (2013). Linkage of autophagy to fungal development, lipid storage and virulence in Metarhizium robertsii. Autophagy, 9(4), 538-549.

18.   Gao Q*., Shang Y. F*., Huang W., Wang C. S^*. (2013). Glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase contributes to triacylglycerol biosynthesis, lipid droplet formation and host invasion in Metarhizium robertsii. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 79, 7646-7653.

19.   Shang Y. F., Duan Z. B., Huang W., Gao Q., Wang C. S^*. (2012). Improving UV resistance and virulence of Beauveria bassiana by genetic engineering with an exogenous tyrosinase gene. Journal of Invertebrate Pathology, 109(1), 105-109.

20.   Gao Q., Jin K., Ying S. H., Zhang Y. J., Xiao G. H., Shang Y. F., Duan Z. B., Hu X., Xie X. Q., Zhou G., Peng G. X., Luo Z. B., Huang W., Wang B., Fang W. G., Wang S. B., Zhong Y., Ma L.J., St. Leger R. J., Zhao G. P., Pei Y., Feng M. G., Xia Y. X. and Wang C. S^*. (2011). Genome sequencing and comparative transcriptomics of the model entomopathogenic fungi Metarhizium anisopliae and M. acridum. PLoS Genetics, 7(1), e1001264.

21.   Fu, Q. L., Zhang, Y. H., Huang, W., Hu, H. Q^*., Chen, D. Q., & Yang, C. (2012). Remaining dynamics of Cry1Ab proteins from transgenic Bt corn in soil. Journal of Food, Agriculture & Environment, 10(1), 294-298.

22.   Zhang Y. H., Huang W., Hu H. Q^*., Liu Y. R., Chen D. Q. (2007). Remaining Dynamics of Cry1Ab Proteins from Transgenic Bt Corn in Soils. Journal of Huazhong Agricultural University, 26(2), 485-490. (In Chinese)

Principal Investigator: HUANG Wei