Professor Mu-Sheng Zeng is currently serving as the Dean of Zhongshan School of Medicine, SYSU since May 2026, and Deputy Director/Vice President of Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center since June 2013. In 2024, he was elected President of the International Association for Research on Epstein-Barr Virus and Related Diseases. In 2025, he was elected as an Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (Academician of CAS). He primarily conducts research on the carcinogenic mechanisms of Epstein-Barr virus and its interventions.

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) was the first human oncogenic virus to be discovered. It is responsible for approximately 265,000 new cancer cases and more than 5 million non-tumor-related cases annually. EBV is closely linked to nasopharyngeal carcinoma, certain lymphomas, and gastric cancer. It is also the causative agent of infectious mononucleosis in adolescents, presenting a significant health threat. Despite its widespread impact, no vaccines or specific antiviral drugs have been developed for EBV in over 50 years. Professor Zeng’s team has made groundbreaking contributions to understanding EBV's pathogenesis and developing interventions. Professor Zeng’s team has focused on overcoming scientific and technological bottlenecks in the prevention and control of EBV-related nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Their work has successfully translated theoretical innovations into tangible vaccine achievements. Key milestones include:

1. Unraveling the Mechanism of EBV Entry into Nasopharyngeal Epithelial Cells: After decades of mystery, Professor Zeng's team established a model of highly efficient EBV infection in precancerous cells. They identified key receptors, including EphA2 and NRP1, and elucidated the molecular mechanisms underlying virus adhesion, invasion, and membrane fusion. These findings were included in Fields Virology, the premier virology textbook (7th edition), and have been highlighted in reviews by leading journals, such as Cell. This work lays the molecular foundation for understanding how EBV infects epithelial cells.

2. Discovery of a New Epithelial-Immune Dual-Feature Cell Type in NPC: Professor Zeng’s team identified a novel subset of tumor cells in nasopharyngeal carcinoma that exhibits both epithelial and immune features. These cells contribute to the depletion of CD8+ T cells and promote tumor progression, providing a theoretical basis for the development of new immunotherapy strategies for NPC.

3. Atomic Structure of EBV Nucleocapsid: He and his collaborators have reported the complete atomic structure of the EBV nucleocapsid, offering critical structural insights that could inform the development of drugs aimed at blocking viral capsid maturation.

4. Development of EBV Vaccines: Professor Zeng’s team identified high-risk EBV subtypes associated with carcinogenesis and developed two vaccine platforms: a prophylactic self-assembled nanoparticle vaccine and a therapeutic mRNA vaccine. Preclinical studies demonstrated the vaccines' ability to block EBV infection and related diseases. His team has also completed the patent transformation of EBV mRNA and protein vaccines, with a contract value exceeding 500 million yuan. Currently, his research team collaborates with biomedical companies to advance both fundamental and translational research on EBV vaccines, moving closer to making these groundbreaking vaccines a reality. These efforts offer new hope to patients affected by EBV-related diseases.
Professor Zeng's work has led to significant theoretical breakthroughs in understanding the pathogenesis and prevention of EBV-related diseases, providing essential support for the development of vaccines and antiviral drugs and advancing the field.

1. A broadly protective antibody targeting gammaherpesvirus gB. Cong Sun#, Chu Xie#, Bing-Zhen Cheng#, Zi-Ying Jiang, Pei-Huang Wu, Xin-Yan Fang, Peng-Lin Li, Xian-Shu Tian, Hang Zhou, Yan-Lin Yang, Jing Wang, Sen-Fang Sui, Zheng Liu*, Mu-Sheng Zeng*. Nature.  2026 Feb 2. doi: 10.1038/s41586-026-10192-5.
2. R9AP is a common receptor for EBV infection in epithelial cells and B cells. Yan Li #, Hua Zhang #, Cong Sun #, Xiao-Dong Dong #, Chu Xie, Yuan-Tao Liu, Ruo-Bin Lin, Xiang-Wei Kong, Zhu-Long Hu, Xiao-Yan Ma, Dan-Ling Dai, Qian-Ying Zhu, Yu-Chun Li, Ying Li, Shang-Xin Liu, Li Yuan, Peng-Hui Zhou, Song Gao, Ya-Ping Tang, Jin-Ying Yang, Ping Han, Andrew T McGuire, Bo Zhao, Jin-Xin Bei, Erle Robertson, Yi-Xin Zeng, Qian Zhong*, Mu-Sheng Zeng*. Nature. 2025 Aug;644(8075):205-213. doi: 10.1038/s41586-025-09166-w. Epub 2025 Jun 18.
3. Desmocollin 2 is a dominant entry receptor for Epstein-Barr virus infection of epithelial cells. Hua Zhang #*, Yu-Chun Li #, De Pang #, Chu Xie #, Ting Zhang, Ying Li, Yan Li, Zi-Ying Jiang, Guo-Long Bu, Meng-Meng Liu, Ying-Rou Chen, Han-Xiao Fei, Ruo-Bin Lin, Pei-Huang Wu, Wen-Ting Du, Ge-Xin Zhao, Yi-Ling Luo, Ping Han, Qian Zhong, Cong Sun*, Mu-Sheng Zeng*. Nature Microbiology. 2025 Jul 25. doi: 10.1038/s41564-025-02067-8. 
4. A large-scale population-based study reveals that gp42-IgG antibody is protective against Epstein-Barr virus-associated nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Xiang-Wei Kong#, Guo-Long Bu#, Hua Chen#, Yu-Hua Huang#, Zhiwei Liu, Yin-Feng Kang, Yan-Cheng Li, Xia Yu, Biao-Hua Wu, Zi-Qian Li, Xin-Chun Chen, Shang-Hang Xie, Dong-Feng Lin, Tong Li, Shu-Mei Yan, Run-Kun Han, Nan Huang, Qian-Yu Wang, Yan Li, Ao Zhang, Qian Zhong, Xiao-Ming Huang, Weimin Ye, Ming-Fang Ji*, Yong-Lin Cai*, Su-Mei Cao*, Mu-Sheng Zeng*. Journal of Clinical Investigation. 2024 Nov 26:e180216. doi: 10.1172/JCI180216.
5. A gB nanoparticle vaccine elicits a protective neutralizing antibody response against EBV. Cong Sun#, Yin-Feng Kang#, Xin-Yan Fang#, Yi-Na Liu#, Guo-Long Bu, Ao-Jie Wang, Yan Li, Qian-Ying Zhu, Hua Zhang, Chu Xie, Xiang-Wei Kong, Yong-Jian Peng, Wen-Jie Lin, Ling Zhou, Xin-Chun Chen, Zheng-Zhou Lu, Hui-Qin Xu, Dong-Chun Hong, Xiao Zhang, Ling Zhong, Guo-Kai Feng, Yi-Xin Zeng, Miao Xu, Qian Zhong*, Zheng Liu*, Mu-Sheng Zeng*. Cell Host & Microbe. 2023 Nov 8;31(11):1882-1897.e10. doi: 10.1016/j.chom.2023.09.011.