- Scholarship in 2007 at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Chun-Ho has over 15 years of research experience in different chemistry areas including molecular design, chemical synthesis, materials sciences, and drug discovery. His research focuses on using a rational design approach to develop drug candidates for trinucleotide repeats-related diseases. The effort has led to the discovery of several promising drug candidates in multiple animal disease models for these incurable neurodegenerative diseases such as myotonic dystrophy and Huntington’s disease.
He received his first-class B.Sc. (Hons) in Chemistry in 2004 and M.Phil. in 2006 from the Chinese University of Hong Kong and his Ph.D. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2013.
After completing his Ph.D., Chun-Ho embarked on a translational career in the medical and healthcare industries. He possesses a diverse range of professional experiences, having worked in various corporate settings ranging from dynamic startups to NASDAQ-listed companies. Over the past decade, he has developed and commercialized various medical and healthcare products with regulatory approvals from different countries including China NMPA, US FDA, and CE from Europe.
In 2019, he spearheaded a team of chemists and engineers, in collaboration with various universities, to rapidly launch a series of healthcare products in response to the global COVID-19 pandemic. In 2022, through joining the HKSTP, he shifted gear to support the InnoHK initiative of the HKSAR Government to develop Hong Kong as the hub for translational research collaboration and commercialization.
Publications:
(1) Matthew Ho Yan Lau, Chun-Ho Wong, Ho Yin Edwin Chan, Ho Yu Au-Yeung* “Development of Fluorescent Turn-On Probes for CAG-RNA Repeats” Biosensors 2022, 12, 1080.
(2) Wen-Yi Wang, Sui-Lung Yim, Chun-Ho Wong, Chi-Wai Kan* “Development of Antiviral CVC (Chief Value Cotton) Fabric” Polymers 2021, 13, 2601.
(3) Wenyi Wang, Sui-Lung Yim, Chun-Ho Wong, Chi-Wai Kan* “Study on the Development of Antiviral Spandex Fabric Coated with Poly(hexamethylene biguanide) Hydrochloride (PHMB)” Polymers 2021, 13, 2122.
(4) Shaohong Peng, Pei Guo, Xiao Lin, Ying An, Kong Hung Sze, Matthew Ho Yan Lau, Zhefan Stephen Chen, Qianwen Wang, Wen Li, Jacquelyne Ka-Li Sun, Sum Yi Ma, Ting-Fung Chan, Kwok-Fai Lau, Jacky Chi Ki Ngo, Kin Ming Kwan, Chun-Ho Wong, Sik Lok Lam, Steven C. Zimmerman, Tiziano Tuccinardi, Zhong Zuo, Ho Yu Au-Yeung, Hei-Man Chow, Ho Yin Edwin Chan* “CAG RNAs induce DNA damage and apoptosis by silencing NUDT16 expression in polyglutamine degeneration” Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 2021, 118, e2022940118.
(5) Qianwen Wang, Tianjing Ren, Jiajia Zhao, Chun-Ho Wong, H. Y. Edwin Chan, Zhong Zuo* “Exclusion of unsuitable CNS drug candidates based on their physicochemical properties and unbound fractions in biomatrices for brain microdialysis investigations” Pharm. Biomed. Anal. 2020, 178, 112946.
(6) Qianwen Wang, Shaohong Peng, Yue Hu, Chun-Ho Wong, Kin Ming Kwan, H. Y. Edwin Chan, Zhong Zuo* “Efficient brain uptake and distribution of an expanded CAG RNA inhibitor DB213 via intranasal administration” Eur. J. Pharm. Sci. 2019, 127, 240–251.
(7) Huiling Hong, Alex Chun Koon, Zhefan Stephen Chen, Yuming Wei, Ying An, Wen Li, Matthew Ho Yan Lau, Kwok-Fai Lau, Jacky Chi Ki Ngo, Chun-Ho Wong, Ho Yu Au-Yeung, Steven C. Zimmerman, Ho Yin Edwin Chan* “AQAMAN, a bisamidine-based inhibitor of toxic protein inclusions in neurons, ameliorates cytotoxicity in polyglutamine disease models” J. Biol. Chem. 2019, 294, 2757–2770.
(8) Qianwen Wang, Chun-Ho Wong, H. Y. Edwin Chan, Wai-Yip Lee, Zhong Zuo* “Statistical Design of Experiment (DoE) based development and optimization of DB213 in situ thermosensitive gel for intranasal delivery” Int. J. Pharm. 2018, 539, 50–57.
(9) Qianwen Wang, Yufeng Zhang, Chun-Ho Wong, H. Y. Edwin Chan, Zhong Zuo* “Demonstration of Direct Nose-to-Brain Transport of Unbound HIV-1 Replication Inhibitor DB213 Via Intranasal Administration by Pharmacokinetic Modeling” AAPS J. 2018, 20:23.
(10) Long M. Luu, Lien Nguyen, Shaohong Peng, Ju Yeon Lee, Hyang Yeon Lee, Chun-Ho Wong, Paul J. Hergenrother, H. Y. Edwin Chan,* Steven C. Zimmerman* “A Potent Inhibitor of Protein Sequestration by Expanded Triplet (CUG) Repeats that Shows Phenotypic Improvements in a Drosophila Model of Myotonic Dystrophy” ChemMedChem 2016, 11, 1428–1435.
(11) Jun Wu,* Rui Xu, Rixing Zhan, Gaoxing Luo, Xihua Niu, Yi Liu, Benjamin T. K. Lee, Meinrad Flury, Chun-Ho Wong, Manson Fok, Johnson Yiu-Nam Lau, “Effective Symptomatic Treatment for Severe and Intractable Pruritus Associated with Severe Burn-Induced Hypertrophic Scars – A Prospective, Multicenter, Controlled Trial” Burns 2016, 42, 1059–1066.
(12) Qianwen Wang, Yufeng Zhang, Shuai Qian, Shaohong Peng, Qian Zhang, Chun-Ho Wong, H. Y. Edwin Chan, Zhong Zuo,* “Pharmacokinetics and Brain Uptake of HIV-1 Replication Inhibitor DB213 in Sprague-Dawley Rats” J. Pharm. Biomed. Anal.2016, 125, 41–47.
(13) Lien Nguyen, JuYeon Lee, Chun-Ho Wong, Steven C. Zimmerman,* “Small Molecules that Target the Toxic RNA in Myotonic Dystrophy Type 2” ChemMedChem 2014, 9, 2455–2462.
(14) Chun-Ho Wong, Lien Nguyen, Jessie Peh, Long M. Luu, Jeannette S. Sanchez, Stacie L. Richardson, Tiziano Tuccinardi, Ho Tsoi, Wood-Yee Chan, H. Y. Edwin Chan, Anne M. Baranger, Paul J. Hergenrother,* Steven C. Zimmerman,* “Targeting Toxic RNAs that Cause Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1 (DM1) with a Bisamidinium Inhibitor” J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2014, 136, 6355–6361.
(15) Cartney E. Smith, Artem Shkumatov, Sarah G. Withers, James F. Glockner, Sanjay Misra, Edward J. Roy, Chun-Ho Wong, Steven C. Zimmerman, and Hyunjoon Kong,* “A Polymeric Fastener Can Easily Functionalize Liposome Surfaces with Gadolinium for Enhanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging” ACS Nano 2013, 7, 9599–9610.
(16) Chun-Ho Wong and Steven C. Zimmerman,* “Orthogonality in organic, polymer, and supramolecular chemistry: from Merrifield to click chemistry” Chem. Commun. 2013, 49, 1679–1695.
(17) Chun-Ho Wong, Stacie L. Richardson, Yen-Jun Ho, Alex M. H. Lucas, Tiziano Tuccinardi, Anne M. Baranger, and Steven C. Zimmerman,* “Investigating the Binding Mode of an Inhibitor of the MBNL1⋅RNA Complex in Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1 (DM1) Leads to the Unexpected Discovery of a DNA-Selective Binder” ChemBioChem 2012, 13, 2505–2509.
(18) Chun-Ho Wong, Yuan Fu, Sreenivasa R. Ramisetty, Anne M. Baranger,* and Steven C. Zimmerman,* “Selective Inhibition of MBNL1-CCUG Interaction by Small Molecules Toward Potential Therapeutic Agents for Myotonic Dystrophy Type 2 (DM2)” Nucleic Acids Res. 2011, 39, 8881–8890.
(19) Simon P. Jones, Nathan P. Gabrielson, Chun-Ho Wong, Hak-Fun Chow, Daniel W. Pack, Paola Posocco, Maurizio Fermeglia, Sabrina Pricl, and David K. Smith,* “Hydrophobically Modified Dendrons – Developing Structure-Activity Relationships for DNA Binding and Gene Transfection” Mol. Pharmaceutics 2011, 8, 416–429.
(20) Chun-Ho Wong, Wing-Shong Chan, Chui-Man Lo, Hak-Fun Chow,* To Ngai, and Ka-Wai Wong “Synthesis and Self-Assembling Properties of Rod-Like, 2-Ureido-4-pyrimidinone-Based Main Chain Supramolecular Dendronized Polymers” Macromolecules2010, 43, 8389–8399.
(21) Chun-Ho Wong, Lai-Sheung Choi, Sui-Lung Yim, Kwun-Ngai Lau, Hak-Fun Chow,* Sin-Kam Hui, and Kong-Hung Sze, “The Effects of Microenvironment Polarity and Dendritic Branching of Aliphatic Hydrocarbon Dendrons on the Self-Assembly of 2-Ureido-4-pyrimidinones” Chem.–Asian J. 2010, 5, 2249–2257.
(22) Chun-Ho Wong, Hak-Fun Chow,* Sin-Kam Hui, and Kong-Hung Sze, “Generation-Independent Dimerization Behavior of Quadruple Hydrogen-Bond-Containing Oligoether Dendrons” Org. Lett. 2006, 8, 1811–1814.
(23) Hak-Fun Chow,* Ka-Fai Ng, Zhao-Yang Wang, Chun-Ho Wong, To Luk, Chui-Man Lo, and Yu-Ying Yang, “Synthesis of New Amphiphilic Dendrons Bearing Aliphatic Hydrocarbon Surface Sectors and a Monocarboxylic or Dicarboxylic Acid Focal Point”Org. Lett. 2006, 8, 471–474.
Patents and Patent Applications:
(1) Ho Yin Edwin Chan, Jacky Chi-Ki Ngo, Chun-Ho Wong, Qian Zhang, and Shaohong Peng, Small Molecule Inhibitors Targeting CAG-Repeat RNA Toxicity in Polyglutamine Diseases. U.S. Patent Application US20170181986 A1, Jun 29, 2017.
(2) Steven C. Zimmerman, Chun-Ho Wong, Paul J. Hergenrother, and Jessie Peh, Therapeutic Methods and Agents for Treating Myotonic Dystrophy. U.S. Patent 9,382,215 B2, Jul 5, 2016.
(3) Meinrad Flury, Benjamin Tak Kwong Lee, Wing Shong Thierry Chan, Chun-Ho Wong, Yi Ming Gan, Eye Swab Comprising Gel-Like Modeling Clay and Crosslinked Polymer Network. Eur. Pat. Appl. EP 2853248 A1, Apr 1, 2015.
(4) Jun Wu, Gaoxing Luo, Johnson Yiu-Nam Lau, Manson Fok, Chun-Ho Wong, Meinrad Flury, Benjamin Tak-Kwong Lee, Hydrogel Compositions, Methods For Preparing The Same And Uses Thereof. PCT Patent Application, PCT/CN2014/088001, Sep 30, 2014.
(5) Steven C. Zimmerman, Chun-Ho Wong, Paul J. Hergenrother, and Jessie Peh, Therapeutic Methods and Agents for Treating Myotonic Dystrophy. U.S. Patent 8,754,084 B2, Jun 17, 2014.