Dr Wong Wing-leung

PolyU Scholars Hub

Assistant Professor

Open Platform for University Scholars

ORCID ID

SCOPUS ID

Education and Academic Qualifications

Bachelor of Science in Chemical Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Doctor of Philosophy, City University of Hong Kong

Research Overview

We are interested in the development of novel and small-sized ligands that can function as fluorescent biosensors and stabilizers targeting the noncanonical nucleic acid secondary structure of DNA and RNA G-quadruplexes, and potent inhibitor targeting bacterial protein targets including NDM-1 and FtsZ for chemical biology study and drug discovery.

Research Interests

Achievements

US Patent granted: US9637384B2, Wing Leung Wong, Lai To Leung, Liang Zhang, Chi Mei Chow, Haojun Zhu, Lai Fan Lai, Kwok Keung Paul Ho, “Fullerene derivatives and their applications in organic photovoltaics”.
US Patent granted: US9583711B2, Paul Kwok Keung Ho, Wing Leung Wong, “New conductive and photosensitive polymers”.
US Patent granted: US8318498B2, Kwok-Yin Wong, Dik-Lung Ma, Wing Leung Wong, Wai-Hong Chung, Fung-Yi Chan, “Luminescent protein staining and method for detecting poly(amino acid) in a mixture”.

B.-X. Zheng, J. Yu, W. Long, K.H. Chan, A. S.-L. Leung, W.-L. Wong*. Structurally diverse G-quadruplexes as the noncanonical nucleic acid drug target for live cell imaging and antibacterial study. Chemical Communications, 2023, 59, 1415–1433. (Journal Cover) https://doi.org/10.1039/D2CC05945B
Y.-H. Zhang, X.-H. Huang, W.-L. Wong*, J.-R. Luo, X.-C. Guo, W. Liu, J. Hou, M.-T. She, W.-H. Jiang, N. Sun*, Y.-J. Lu*. A red fluorescent small-molecule for visualization of higher-order cyclic dimeric guanosine monophosphate (c-di-GMP) structure in live bacterial cells and real-time monitoring of biofilm formation on biotic and abiotic surfaces. Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical, 2023, 376, 132992. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.snb.2022.132992
W. Long, B.-X. Zheng, Y. Li, X.-H. Huang, D.-M. Lin, C.-C. Chen, J.-Q. Hou, T.-M. Ou, W.-L. Wong*, K. Zhang*, Y.-J. Lu*. Rational design of small-molecules to recognize G-quadruplexes of c-MYC promoter and telomere and the evaluation of their in vivo antitumor activity against breast cancer. Nucleic Acids Research, 2022, 50, 1829–1848. https://doi.org/10.1093/nar/gkac090
W. Long, B.-X. Zheng, X.-H. Huang, M.-T. She, A.-L. Liu, K. Zhang*, W.-L. Wong*, Y.-J. Lu*. Molecular recognition and imaging of human telomeric G-quadruplex DNA in live cells: a systematic advancement of thiazole orange scaffold to enhance binding specificity and inhibition of gene expression. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 2021, 64, 2125–2138. (Journal Cover) https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jmedchem.0c01656
J. Jin, J.-Q. Hou, W. Long, X. Zhang, Y.-J. Lu, D. Li, K. Zhang, W.-L. Wong*. Synthesis of fluorescent G-quadruplex DNA binding ligands for the comparison of terminal group effects in molecular interaction: phenol versus methoxybenzene. Bioorganic Chemistry, 2020, 99, 103821. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bioorg.2020.103821
B-X. Zheng, W. Long, Y.-H. Zhang, X.-H. Huang, C.-C. Chen, D.-X. Zhong, M.-T. She, Z.-X. Chen, D.-P. Cai, Y.-J. Lu*, W.-L. Wong*. Rational design of red fluorescent and selective G-quadruplex DNA sensing probes: the study of interaction signaling and the molecular structural relationship achieving high specificity. Sensors and Actuators: B. Chemical, 2020, 314, 128075. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.snb.2020.128075
C. Wang, Y.-J. Lu*, S.-Y. Cai, W. Long, Y.-Y. Zheng, J.-W. Lin, Y. Yan, X.-H. Huang, W.-L. Wong*, K. Zhang. Advancing small ligands targeting RNA for better binding affinity and specificity: a study of structural influence through molecular design approach. Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical, 2018, 262, 386–394. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.snb.2018.02.004
N. Sun, C. Wang, M.-H. Xu, Y.-J. Lu*, Y.-Y. Zheng, Y. Yan, X. L. Guo, J.-Q. Hou, K. Zhang, L. G. Luyt, W.-L. Wong*. The interaction of a structural flexible small molecule with nucleic acid structures: investigation of the origin of fluorescence signal discrimination in sensing and the utilization in live cell imaging. Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical, 2017, 250, 543–551. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.snb.2017.05.018
Y.-J. Lu*, D.-P. Hu, K. Zhang, W.-L. Wong*. New pyridinium-based fluorescent dyes: a comparison of symmetry and side-group effects on G-quadruplex DNA binding selectivity and application in live cell imaging. Biosensors and Bioelectronics, 2016, 81, 373–381. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bios.2016.03.012
Y.-J. Lu*, Q. Deng, J.-Q. Hou, D.-P. Hu, Z.-Y. Wang, K. Zhang, L. G. Luyt, W.-L. Wong*. Molecular engineering of thiazole orange dye: change of fluorescent signaling from universal to specific upon binding with nucleic acids in bioassay. ACS Chemical Biology, 2016, 11, 1019–1029. https://doi.org/10.1021/acschembio.5b00987