Prof. KWOK Chun Kit (郭駿傑)
PhD (Pennsylvania State University); Postdoc (University of Cambridge)
- Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry
Biography
Dr. Kit Kwok obtained his B.Sc. in Chemistry (2009) from the Chinese University of Hong Kong, after completing an exchange program at University of California, Los Angeles in 2007-2008. He completed his PhD in Pennsylvania State University (2014), mentored by Professor Philip C. Bevilacqua and Professor Sarah M. Assmann. In Apr 2014, Dr. Kwok worked as a Croucher Postdoctoral Fellow in University of Cambridge under Professor Sir Shankar Balasubramanian. In Oct 2016, Dr. Kwok's joined the City University of Hong Kong (CityU) as an Assistant professor and has been promoted to Associate professor in July 2021. Over the years, Dr. Kwok have received numerous awards, including CityU President Award (2019), Croucher Innovation Award (2019), Hong Kong Institute for Advanced Study Rising Star in Chemistry (2021), CityU Outstanding Research Award (2022), NSFC Excellent Young Scientist Fund (優青) (2022), RNA Society Early-Career Award (2024), and RGC Research Fellowship (2025). In 2022, he has been recognized as an elected member of Hong Kong Young Academy of Science (YASHK).
Dr. Kwok’s current research focus is to explore the roles of RNA structures and interactions in biology, especially the functions of G-quadruplex structures/interactions in diverse classes of RNAs, as well as characterizing their formation, dynamics, interactions, and functions in different species and their relevance to gene regulation, RNA metabolism and diseases. Two other ongoing research directions in the Kwok lab are to develop aptamer-based and peptide-based targeting tools for detection, imaging, intervention of these important RNA structures and interactions, as well as to invent innovative nucleic acid-based technologies for sensing chemical pollutants and pathogens.
To cultivate a stimulating learning environment for students and to establish the RNA community in Hong Kong, Dr. Kwok, together with Dr. Minh Le, has founded the Hong Kong RNA Club in Aug 2017 and organized RNA seminar and symposium events regularly (http://www.kitkwok.com/hk-rna-club.html). The Hong Kong RNA Club has been recognized and supported by the International RNA Society and various industrial companies. Dr. Kwok is currently one of the RNA Society’s Asia RNA research ambassadors.
Research Interests/Areas
- RNA Biology
- Chemical Biology
- Nucleic Acids
- G-Quadruplex
- Gene Regulation
- Aptamer
Research Vision
The discovery of new classes of RNA with regulatory functions have re-defined the central dogma of molecular biology and caused a paradigm shift in biological, medical, and agricultural research. RNA plays a crucial role in regulation of gene expression in normal and stress physiology; however, the RNA structure-function relationship and the underlying biochemical mechanism remain elusive.
Our research focuses are to develop (bio)chemical technologies to decipher the hidden layers of information in RNA such as RNA structure; identify the RNA binding partners and molecular basis of interactions; and elucidate the mechanistic roles of RNA in regulatory pathways, stress physiologies, cell differentiation, organism development, as well as disease pathology.
Our group’s long-term ambition is to uncover the central RNA players in stress physiologies and diseases that could reveal novel RNA-mediated gene regulations, as well as to develop innovative and high-throughput aptamer-based targeting strategies for manipulation of gene expression and potential biotechnological applications, bringing my research closer relevance to improving the quality of human life.
For more details about Dr. Kwok’s current research and team, please click here.
Activities
Selected Publications
Original Research
Zhang, K., Nie, Q., Lau, C. K., Kwok, C. K. Rational Design of L-RNA Aptamer-Peptide Conjugate for Efficient Cell Uptake and G-quadruplex-Mediated Gene Control. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 136 (9), e202310798 (2024).
Ji, D., Yuan, J., Chen, S., Tan, J., Kwok, C. K. Selective targeting of parallel G-quadruplex structure using L-RNA aptamer. Nucleic Acids Res. 51, 11439–11452 (2023).
Mou, X., Kwok, C. K. Peptides Selected by G4-mRNA Display-Seq Enable RNA G-Quadruplex Recognition and Gene Regulation. JACS. 145, 18693-18697 (2023).
Guo, W., Ji, D., Kinghorn, A. B., Chen, F., Pan, Y., Li, X., Li, Q., Huck, W. T. S., Kwok, C.K, Shum, H. C. Tuning Material States and Functionalities of G-Quadruplex-Modulated RNA-Peptide Condensates. JACS. 145, 2375-2385 (2023).
Lyu, K, Chen, S.B., Chow, E.Y., Zhao, H., Yuan, J.H., Cai, M., Shi, J., Chan, T.F., Tan, J.H., Kwok, C.K. An RNA G-Quadruplex Structure within the ADAR 5'UTR Interacts with DHX36 Helicase to Regulate Translation. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 61, e20203553 (2022).
Georgakopoulos-Soares, I., Parada, G.E., Wong, H.Y., Medhi, R., Furlan, G., Munita, R., Miska, E.A., Kwok, C.K. & Hemberg, M. Alternative splicing modulation by G-quadruplexes. Nat Commun 13, 2404 (2022).
Umar, M.I., Chan, CY. & Kwok, C.K. Development of RNA G-quadruplex (rG4)-targeting L-RNA aptamers by rG4-SELEX. Nat Protoc. 17, 1385-1414 (2022).
Mou, X., Liew, S. W. & Kwok, C.K. Identification and targeting of G-quadruplex structures in MALAT1 long non-coding RNA. Nucleic Acids Res. 50, 397- 410 (2022).
Dumetz, F., Chow, E.Y.C., Harris, L.M., Liew, S.W., Jensen, A., Umar, M.I., Chung, B., Chan, T.F., Merrick, C.J. & Kwok, C.K. G-quadruplex RNA motifs influence gene expression in the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. Nucleic Acids Res. 49, 12486–12501 (2021).
Chen, X., Yuan, J., Xue, G., Campanario, S., Wang, D., Wang, W., Mou, X., Liew, S.W., Umar, M.I., Isern, J., Zhao, Y., He, L., Li, Y., Mann, C.J., Yu, X., Wang, L., Perdiguero, E., Chen, W., Xue, Y., Nagamine, Y., Kwok, C.K., Sun, H., Muñoz-Cánoves, P. & Wang, H. Translational control by DHX36 binding to 5’UTR G-quadruplex is essential for muscle stem-cell regenerative functions. Nat Commun 12, 5043 (2021).
Ji, D., Lyu, K., Zhao, H. & Kwok, C.K. Circular L-RNA aptamer promotes target recognition and controls gene activity. Nucleic Acids Res. 49, 7280-7291 (2021).
Umar, M.I. & Kwok, C.K. Specific suppression of D-RNA G-quadruplex-protein interaction with an L-RNA aptamer. Nucleic Acids Res. 48, 10125-10141 (2020).
Yang, X., Cheema, J., Zhang, Y., Deng, H., Duncan, S., Umar, M. I., Zhao, J., Liu, Q., Cao, X., Kwok, C. K. & Ding, Y. RNA G-quadruplex structures exist and function in vivo in plants. Genome Biol 21, 226 (2020).
Chan, C. Y. & Kwok, C. K. Specific Binding of a D-RNA G-Quadruplex Structure with an L-RNA Aptamer. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 59, 5293 –5297 (2020).
Lyu, K., Chen, S. B., Chan, C. Y., Tan, J. H. & Kwok, C. K. Structural analysis and cellular visualization of APP RNA G-quadruplex. Chemical Science. 10, 11095 - 11102 (2019).
Invited Reviews or Featured Articles
*Ji, D., *Feng, H., *Liew, S. W., +Kwok, C. K. Modified nucleic acid aptamers: development, characterization, and biological applications. Trends Biotech. 41, 1360-1384 (2023).
*Lyu, K., *Chow, E.Y.C., *Mou, X., +Chan, T. & +Kwok, C.K. RNA G-quadruplexes (rG4s): genomics and biological functions. Nucleic Acids Res. 49, 5426-5450 (2021).
Zhao, H. & +Kwok, C.K. Bringing distant DNA together. Nature Chem. Bio. 17, 125-126 (2021).
*Zhao, J., *Qian, X., *Yeung, P.Y., +Zhang, Q.F.C., +Kwok, C.K., Mapping In Vivo RNA Structures and Interactions. Trends Biochem. Sci. 44, 555-556 (2019).
*Qian, X., *Zhao, J., *Yeung, P.Y., +Zhang, Q.F.C., +Kwok, C.K., Revealing LncRNA Structures and Interactions by sequencing-based approaches. Trends Biochem. Sci. 44, 33-52 (2019).
Ding, Y., +Kwok, CK. Emergence of Vascular Plants. Nature Plants 4, 325–326 (2018).
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