Educational Background

  • B.Sc., The University of Hong Kong
  • M.Phil., The Chinese University of Hong Kong
  • Ph.D., Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

Current Research Interests

  • Research integrates advanced mass spectrometry (MS)-based spatial multi-omics, including imaging (MSI), spatially resolved proteomics, and post-translational modification (PTM) analysis, to advance environmental toxicology and molecular virology. I investigate functional heterogeneity within tissues to decipher mechanisms of disease progression and organ dysfunction, ultimately identifying biomarkers and therapeutic targets for precision interventions.
  • Current projects include:
  • 1. Developing an integrative MSI and spatial proteomics platform to map joint heterogeneity in osteoarthritis, uncovering markers for patient stratification and potential therapeutic targets;
  • 2. Investigating tissue-specific bioaccumulation of environmental toxins and defining mechanisms of chronic organ dysfunction;
  • 3. Deciphering PTM networks (e.g., phosphorylation, glycosylation, redox) within tissues to pinpoint drivers of environmental toxin/virus-induced organ damage and resilience, enabling early intervention strategies.

Selected Publications

  1. Qianya Wan#, Lin Zhu#, Cien Chen#, Li Zhong, Houying Leung, Wei Li, Chang Xu, Xi Yao, Huan Hu, Mandi Wu, Yuxin Hou, Yiran Wang, Sheng Chen, Mingyu Pan*, Zongwei Cai*, Ming-liang He*. PIM1 Attenuates Innate Immunity to Foster Coronavirus Replication through Ubiquitin Ligase b-TrCP Mediated IFNAR1 Degradation. Advanced Science, 2025, Accepted.
  2. Wanlin Guo, Yanhao Zhang, Yawei Wang, Lin Zhu,* Zongwei Cai.* A comprehensive, simple, robust, and solvent-free method covering ultrashort- to long-chain PFAS in atmospheric samples. Analytical Chemistry, 2025, Accepted.
  3. Rui Shi,# Yanyan Chen,# Wenlong Wu,# Xin Diao, Leijian Chen, Xingxing Liu, Haijiang Wu, Jianing Wang, Lin Zhu,* Zongwei Cai.* Mass Spectrometry-Based Spatial Multiomics Revealed Bioaccumulation Preference and Region-Specific Responses of PFOS in Mice Cardiac Tissue. Environmental Science & Technology, 2025, 59, 4, 1957–1968.
  4. Shiyan Wang,# Yong Zeng,# Lin Zhu, Min Zhang, Lei Zhou, Weixiong Yang, Weishan Luo, Lina Wang, Yanming Liu, Helen Zhu, Xin Xu, Peiran Su, Xinyue Zhang, Musaddeque Ahmed, Wei Chen, Moliang Chen, Sujun Chen, Mykhaylo Slobodyanyuk, Zhongpeng Xie, Jiansheng Guan, Wen Zhang, Aafaque Ahmad Khan, Shingo Sakashita, Ni Liu, Nhu-An Pham, Paul C Boutros, Zunfu Ke, Michael F Moran, Zongwei Cai, Chao Cheng, Jun Yu, MingS Tsao, HoushengH He. The N6-methyladenosine Epitranscriptomic Landscape of Lung Adenocarcinoma. Cancer Discovery, 2024, 14 (11): 2279–2299.
  5. Yingyan Zhou, Cun Li, Yanyan Chen, Yifei Yu, Xin Diao, Raymond Chiu, Jiacheng Fang, Yuting Shen, Jianing Wang, Lin Zhu,* Jie Zhou,* Zongwei Cai.* Human Airway Organoids and Multimodal Imaging-based Toxicity Evaluation of 1-Nitropyrene. Environmental Science & Technology, 2024, 58, 14, 6083–92.
  6. Guangshan Xie#, Lin Zhu#,* Siwen Liu#, Cun Li, Xin Diao, Yanhao Zhang, Xiuli Su, Yingyan Zhou, Yuanyuan Song, Guodong Cao, Li Zhong, Pui Wang, Xiaojuan Liu, Bobo Mok, Shusheng Zhang, Dong-Yan Jin, Jie Zhou, Honglin Chen, Zongwei Cai*. Multi-omics analysis of attenuated variant reveals potential evaluation marker of host damaging for SARS-CoV-2 variants. SCIENCE CHINA Life Sciences, 2024, 67(1): 83-95.
  7. Siwen Liu#, Lin Zhu#, Guangshan Xie#, Bobo Wing-Yee Mok, Zhu Yang, Shaofeng Deng; Siu-Ying Lau; Pin Chen; Pui Wang; Honglin Chen*; Zongwei Cai*. Potential antiviral target for SARS-CoV-2: key early responsive kinase during viral entry. CCS Chemistry, 2022, 1, 112-121.
  8. Xin Diao, Chengyi Xie, Guangshan Xie, Yuanyuan Song, Yanshan Liang, Ruijin Li, Chuan Dong, Lin Zhu*, Jianing Wang*, Zongwei Cai*. Mass Spectrometry Imaging Revealed Sulfatides Depletion in Brain Tissues of Rats Exposed in Real Air with High Fine Particulate Matter. Environmental Science & Technology Letters, 2022, 9, 10, 856–862.
  9. Guangshan Xie#, Lin Zhu#, Yanhao Zhang, Yuanyuan Song, Hongna Zhang, Zhu Yang, Zongwei Cai*. Sulfinylation on Superoxide Dismutase 1 Cys111: Novel Mechanism for 1-Nitropyrene to Promote Acute Reactive Oxygen Species Generation. Small Structures, 2021, 2, 2000123.
  10. Man Ting Au, Junguo Ni, Kaiming Tang, Wei Wang, Lanlan Zhang, Hantang Wang, Fangyi Zhao, Zhan Li, Peng Luo, Lawrence Chun-Man Lau, Ping-Keung Chan, Cuiting Luo, Bo Zhou, Lin Zhu, Charlie Yuli Zhang, Tianshu Jiang, Marianne Lauwers, Jasper Fuk-Woo Chan, Shuofeng Yuan, Chunyi Wen. Blockade of endothelin receptors mitigates SARS-CoV-2-induced osteoarthritis. Nature Microbiology, 2024, 9, 2538–2552.
  11. Shiyan Wang,# Shanshan Gao,# Yong Zeng#, Lin Zhu, YYulin Mo, Chichun Wong, Yi Bao, Peiran Su, Jianning Zhai, Lina Wang, Fraser Soares, Xin Xu, Huarong Chen, Kebria Hezaveh, Xinpei Ci, Aobo He, Tracy McGaha, Catherine O’Brien, Robert Rottapel, Wei Kang, Jianfeng Wu, Gang Zheng, Zongwei Cai, Jun Yu, Housheng Hansen He*. N6-methyladenosine reader YTHDF1 promotes ARHGEF2 translation and RhoA signaling in colorectal cancer. Gastroenterology, 2021, 162(4).
  12. Man Lung Yeung, Jade Lee Lee Teng, Lilong Jia, Chaoyu Zhang, Chengxi Huang, Jian-Piao Cai, Runhong Zhou, Kwok-Hung Chan, Hanjun Zhao, Lin Zhu, Kam-Leung Siu, Sin-Yee Fung, Susan Yung, Tak Mao Chan, Kelvin Kai-Wang To, Jasper Fuk-Woo Chan, Zongwei Cai, Susanna Kar Pui Lau, Zhiwei Chen, Dong-Yan Jin, Patrick Chiu Yat Woo, Kwok-Yung Yuen. Soluble ACE2-mediated cell entry of SARS-CoV-2 via interaction with proteins related to the renin-angiotensin system. Cell, 2021, 184 (8), 2212-2228. E12.