Professor Zeng Musheng is currently Deputy Director/Vice President of Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center. He is also President of International Association for Research on Epstein-Barr Virus and Related Diseases, Chairman of the 2024 Gordon Research Conference on Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma, Chairman of Tumor Microenvironment Committee of Chinese Anti-Cancer Association, and Director of Tumor Immunity and Vaccine Engineering Technology Research Center of Guangdong Province. He was selected as the Distinguished Professor of Changjiang Scholars, the "Top 100 of Southern Guangdong" and the ninth Young and middle-aged experts with Outstanding Contributions to National Health. He has been funded by the National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars, two National Key Research and Development Programs and a number of National Natural Key Projects. He has published more than 60 papers as corresponding or co-corresponding author in international mainstream journals such as Nat Microbiol, Cell Host & Microbe, Cell Res, Cancer Cell, Lancet DH, PNAS, J Clin Invest, etc. He was selected as the Elsevier highly cited Scholar with H-Index of 70. As the first complete author, he has won the second Prize of National Natural Science (2023), the Science and Technology Award of the Ministry of Education (2022), the Natural Science Award of Guangdong Province (2018 and 2023) and the first prize of the Science and Technology Award of the Chinese Anti-Cancer Association, respectively. Three his studies were included in international virology textbooks. He has discovered the first epithelial cell receptor of EBV, elucidated novel infection and carcinogenic mechanism of EBV, established an innovative EBV vaccine system, developed a number of candidate EBV vaccines and identified an epithelial-immune dual-feature tumor cell new subtypes in EBV-related nasopharyngeal carcinoma(NPC). 

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is the first human oncogenic virus discovered, which causes 265,000 new tumors and more than 5 million cases of non-tumor patients every year. EBV is closely related to nasopharyngeal carcinoma, some lymphomas and gastric cancer, and is also the cause of infectious mononucleosis in adolescents, which seriously harms people's health, but there are no vaccines and specific antiviral drugs available for more than 50 years. Prof. Zeng made outstanding contributions to the pathogenesis and intervention of EBV, answering an international conundrum: EBV usually infects only lymphocytes, why can it infect nasopharyngeal epithelial cells in South China and some Southeast Asian countries, and how to prevent nasopharyngeal cancer? 

Professor Zeng has long focused on the scientific and technological bottleneck of accurate prevention and control of carcinogenic virus EBV-related nasopharyngeal carcinoma, and achieved the successful transformation of theoretical source innovation and vaccine achievements. 1). Aiming at the half-century mystery of how EBV enters nasopharyngeal epithelial cells, a model of EBV highly efficient infection of precancerous cells has been established, and key receptors EphA2, NRP1, etc., have been found. He elucidated the molecular mechanism of key nodes such as multi-receptor synergistic mediating virus adhesion, invasion and membrane fusion, which was included in the international textbook of Virology (Fields Virology, 7th edition). The top level journal of "Cell" and other reviews emphasized that this study found the key receptors for EBV entry into cells, laying the molecular theoretical basis for EBV infection of epithelial cells. 2). He found a new epithelial-immune dual feature cell type in nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Tumor cells with this feature could enhance the depletion of CD8+ T cells and promote the tumor progression of nasopharyngeal carcinoma, laying a theoretical foundation for the study of new immunotherapy schemes for nasopharyngeal carcinoma. 3). He reported the complete atomic structure of EBV nucleocapsid, providing a key structural basis for the research and development of drugs that block the maturation of viral capsid. 4). He identified the carcinogenic EBV high-risk subtypes, and developed EBV prophylactic self-assembled nanoparticles vaccine platform and EBV therapeutic mRNA vaccine platform. Preclinical studies showed that the vaccine could block EBV infection and related diseases. He has completed the patent transformation of EBV mRNA and protein vaccines, with a contract value of more than 500 million yuan. Now his research team cooperate with biomedical companies to promote the fundamental and translational research on EBV prophylactic and therapeutic vaccines. Leveraging strong cross-company partnerships and expertise, he worked together with company to advance research and bring this groundbreaking vaccine closer to reality, offering new hope to patients battling these challenging diseases. He achieved major theoretical breakthroughs in the field of pathogenesis and prevention of EBV related diseases, providing key basic support for vaccine and drug research and development, and promoting the development of the field. 

1988   College Degree in Clinical Medicine

Jiangxi Medical College in Fuzhou, Jiangxi, China

1994  M.M. in Oncology

Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China

1998  Ph.D. in Microbiology

Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China

1999-2000  Postdoc in Biology

Tennessee State University, USA

2000-2003  Postdoc in Radiation Oncology

New England Medical Center, Tufts University, USA

1. Ephrin receptor A2 is an epithelial cell receptor for Epstein-Barr virus entry. Hua Zhang^#, Yan Li^#, Hong-Bo Wang^#, Ao Zhang, Mei-Ling Chen, Zhi-Xin Fang, Xiao-Dong Dong, Shi-Bing Li, Yong Du, Dan Xiong, Jiang-Yi He, Man-Zhi Li, Yan-Min Liu, Ai-Jun Zhou, Qian Zhong, Yi-Xin Zeng, Elliott Kieff, Zhiqiang Zhang, Benjamin E. Gewurz, Bo Zhao* & Mu-Sheng Zeng*. Nat Microbiol. 2018 Feb;3(2):1-8. doi: 10.1038/s41564-017-0080-8. Epub 2018 Jan 1. 

2. 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.

3. Single-cell transcriptomic analysis defines the interplay between tumor cells,viral infection, and the microenvironment in nasopharyngeal carcinoma.Shanzhao Jin^#, Ruoyan Li^#, Ming-Yuan Chen^#, Chao Yu^#, Lin-Quan Tang^#, Yan-Min Liu, Jiang-Ping Li, Yi-Na Liu, Yi-Ling Luo, Yifan Zhao, Yu Zhang, Tian-Liang Xia, Shang-Xin Liu, Qi Liu, Guan-Nan Wang, Rui You, Jing-Yun Peng, Jiang Li, Feng Han, Jianwei Wang, Qiu-Yan Chen, Li Zhang, Hai-Qiang Mai, Benjamin E Gewurz, Bo Zhao, Lawrence S Young, Qian Zhong*, Fan Bai*, Mu-Sheng Zeng*. Cell Res. 2020 Nov;30(11):950-965. doi: 10.1038/s41422-020-00402-8. Epub 2020 Sep 8.

4. Genomic and Transcriptomic Profiling of Combined Hepatocellular and Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma Reveals Distinct Molecular Subtypes. Ruidong Xue^#, Lu Chen^#, Chong Zhang^#, Masashi Fujita^#, Ruoyan Li, Shu-Mei Yan, Choon Kiat Ong, Xiwen Liao, Qiang Gao, Shota Sasagawa, Yanmeng Li, Jincheng Wang, Hua Guo, Qi-Tao Huang, Qian Zhong, Jing Tan, Lisha Qi, Wenchen Gong, Zhixian Hong, Meng Li, Jingmin Zhao, Tao Peng, Yinying Lu, Kiat Hon Tony Lim, Arnoud Boot, Atushi Ono, Kazuaki Chayama, Zemin Zhang, Steve George Rozen, Bin Tean Teh, Xin Wei Wang, Hidewaki Nakagawa, Mu-Sheng Zeng*, Fan Bai*, Ning Zhang*. Cancer Cell. 2019 Jun 10;35(6):932-947.e8. doi: 10.1016/j.ccell.2019.04.007. Epub 2019 May 23.

5. Nonmuscle myosin heavy chain IIA mediates Epstein-Barr virus infection of nasopharyngeal epithelial cells. Dan Xiong^#, Yong Du^#, Hong-Bo Wang^#, Bo Zhao, Hua Zhang, Yan Li, Li-Juan Hu, Jing-Yan Cao, Qian Zhong, Wan-Li Liu, Man-Zhi Li, Xiao-Feng Zhu, Sai Wah Tsao, Lindsey M Hutt-Fletcher, Erwei Song, Yi-Xin Zeng, Elliott Kieff*, Mu-Sheng Zeng*.  Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2015 Sep 1;112(35):11036-41. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1513359112. Epub 2015 Aug 19.

6. Highly sensitive detection platform-based diagnosis of oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma in China: a multicentre, case-control, diagnostic study. Yu Wang^#, Shan Xing^#, Yi-Wei Xu^#, Qing-Xia Xu^#, Ming-Fang Ji^#, Yu-Hui Peng^#, Ya-Xian Wu, Meng Wu, Ning Xue, Biao Zhang, Shang-Hang Xie, Rui-Dan Zhu, Xin-Yuan Ou, Qi Huang, Bo-Yu Tian, Hui-Lan Li, Yu Jiang, Xiao-Bin Yao, Jian-Pei Li, Li Ling, Su-Mei Cao*, Qian Zhong*, Wan-Li Liu*, Mu-Sheng Zeng*. Lancet Digit Health. 2024 Oct;6(10):e705-e717. doi: 10.1016/S2589-7500(24)00153-5.

7. The polycomb group protein Bmi-1 represses the tumor suppressor PTEN and induces epithelial-mesenchymal transition in human nasopharyngeal epithelial cells. Li-Bing Song^#, Jun Li^#, Wen-Ting Liao^#, Yan Feng, Chun-Ping Yu, Li-Juan Hu, Qing-Li Kong, Li-Hua Xu, Xing Zhang, Wan-Li Liu, Man-Zhi Li, Ling Zhang, Tie-Bang Kang, Li-Wu Fu, Wen-Lin Huang, Yun-Fei Xia, Sai Wah Tsao, Mengfeng Li, Vimla Band, Hamid Band, Qing-Hua Shi, Yi-Xin Zeng, Mu-Sheng Zeng*. J Clin Invest. 2009 Dec;119(12):3626-36. doi: 10.1172/JCI39374. Epub 2009 Nov 2.

8. Neuropilin 1 is an entry factor that promotes EBV infection of nasopharyngeal epithelial cells. Hong-Bo Wang^#, Hua Zhang^#, Jing-Ping Zhang, Yan Li, Bo Zhao, Guo-Kai Feng, Yong Du, Dan Xiong, Qian Zhong, Wan-Li Liu, Huamao Du, Man-Zhi Li, Wen-Lin Huang, Sai Wah Tsao, Lindsey Hutt-Fletcher, Yi-Xin Zeng, Elliott Kieff, Mu-Sheng Zeng*. Nat Commun. 2015 Feb 11:6:6240. doi: 10.1038/ncomms7240.

9. AXIN1 boosts antiviral response through IRF3 stabilization and induced phase separation. Dan-Ling Dai^#, Chu Xie^#, Lan-Yi Zhong^#, Shang-Xin Liu, Le-Le Zhang, Hua Zhang, Xing-Ping Wu, Zhou-Ming Wu, Kexin Kang, Yan Li, Ya-Meng Sun, Tian-Liang Xia, Chen-Song Zhang, Ao Zhang, Ming Shi, Cong Sun, Mei-Ling Chen, Ge-Xin Zhao, Guo-Long Bu, Yuan-Tao Liu, Kui-Yuan Huang, Zheng Zhao, Shu-Xin Li, Xiao-Yong Zhang, Yun-Fei Yuan, Shi-Jun Wen, Lingqiang Zhang, Bin-Kui Li*, Qian Zhong*, Mu-Sheng Zeng*. Signal Transduct Target Ther. 2024 Oct 9;9(1):281. doi: 10.1038/s41392-024-01978-y.

10. mRNA-based Vaccines Targeting the T-cell Epitope-rich Domain of Epstein Barr Virus Latent Proteins Elicit Robust AntiTumor Immunityin Mice. Ge-Xin Zhao, Guo-Long Bu, Gang-Feng Liu, Xiang-Wei Kong, Cong Sun, Zi-Qian Li, Dan-Ling Dai, Hai-Xia Sun, Yin-Feng Kang, Guo-Kai Feng*, Qian Zhong*, Mu-Sheng Zeng*. Adv Sci (Weinh). 2023 Dec;10(35):e2302116. doi: 10.1002/advs.202302116. Epub 2023 Oct 27.