Dr. Lou’s research is focused on understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying the life cycle of virus, and in the development of novels antiviral inhibitors. As a molecular virologist, he has revealed fundamental mechanistic insights into the structure and the function of the replication-transcription complexes of coronaviruses (including SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2), assembly and function of ribonucleoprotein complex of highly pathogenic bunyavirus (including CCHFV, BUNV, SFTSV, hantavirus) and influenza virus, as well as the receptor recognition rule engaged for adeno-associated virus and picornavirus infections. Since the early days of COVID-19 pandemic, he has been dedicated to the systematic study of the assembly and the working mechanisms of SARS-CoV-2 Replication-Transcription Complex, leading to the in-depth understanding of the life cycle of SARS-CoV-2 and the discovery of new therapeutic targets and inhibitors. To date, he has published more than 150 peer reviewed research papers in the scientific journals (including Cell, Nature, Science, Nature Microbiology, Nature Communications, PNAS and etc), with more than 15,300 citations (retrieved from Google Scholar). His H-index is 57 in Jan 2024 (retrieved from Google Scholar).

➢ 2023 Prize for Scientific and Technological Innovation, the Ho Leung Ho Lee Foundation

➢ 2021 10-Major Scientific Progress, Ministry of Science and Technology

➢ 2021 10-Major Scientific Progress in Life Sciences, Association for Science and Technology

➢ 2020 The C.C. Tan Life Science Award

➢ 2018 Science & Technology Award for Young Talent, Crystallography Society of China

➢ 2016 MOE 10-Major Scientific Progress

➢ 2016 10-Major Scientific Progress in Life Sciences, Association for Science and Technology

➢ 2014 ShuLan Award in Medical Sciences

➢ 2011 Beijing science and Technology Award

(1)A mechanism for SARS-CoV-2 RNA capping and its inhibition by nucleotide analogue inhibitors. Yan L, Huang Y, Ge J, Liu Z, Lu P, Huang B, Gao S, Wang J, Tan L, Ye S,Yu F, Lan W, Xu S, Zhou F, Shi L, Guddat L. W, Gao Y*, Rao Z*, Lou Z*, Cell 2022 Nov 10; 185(23): 4347-4360.e17. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2022.09.037.

(2)Coupling of N7-methyltransferase and 3'-5' exoribonuclease with polymerase reveals mechanisms for capping and proofreading. Yan L, Yang Y, Li M, Zhang Y, Zheng L, Ge J, Huang Y, Liu Z, Wang T, Gao S, Zhang R, Huang Y, Guddat LW, Gao Y*, Rao Z*, Lou Z*. Cell. 2021 May 24; 184(13): 3474-3485

(3)Cryo-EM Structure of an Extended SARS-CoV-2 Replication and Transcription Complex Reveals an Intermediate State in Cap Synthesis. Yan L, Ge J, Zheng L, Zhang Y, Gao Y, Wang T, Huang Y, Yang Y, Gao S, Li M, Liu Z, Wang H, Li Y, Chen Y, Guddat LW, Wang Q, Rao Z*, Lou Z*. Cell. 2020 Nov 14:S0092-8674(20)31533-6. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2020.11.016.

(4)Structure of the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase from COVID-19 virus. Gao Y, Yan L, Huang Y, Liu F, Zhao Y, Cao L, Wang T, Sun Q, Ming Z, Zhang L, Ge J, Zheng L, Zhang Y, Wang H, Zhu Y, Zhu C, Hu T, Hua T, Zhang B, Yang X, Li J, Yang H, Liu Z, Xu W, Guddat LW, Wang Q*, Lou Z*, Rao Z*. Science. 2020 Apr 10. pii: eabb7498. doi: 10.1126/science.abb7498.

(5)DWARF14 is a non-canonical hormone receptor for strigolactone. Yao R, Ming Z, Yan L, Li S, Wang F, Ma S, Yu C, Yang M, Chen L, Chen L, Li Y, Yan C, Miao D, Sun Z, Yan J, Sun Y, Wang L, Chu J, Fan S, He W, Deng H, Nan F, Li J, Rao Z*, Lou Z*, Xie D*. Nature. 2016 Aug 1. doi: 10.1038/nature19073.

(6)The Life of SARS-CoV-2 Inside Cells: Replication-Transcription Complex Assembly and Function. Lou Z*, Rao Z*, Annual Review Biochemistry. 2022 Jun 21;91:381-401. doi: 10.1146/ annurev-biochem-052521-115653.

(7)Structure of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus L protein elucidates the mechanisms of viral transcription initiation. Wang P, Liu L, Liu A, Yan L, He Y, Shen S, Hu M, Guo Y, Liu H, Liu C, Lu Y, Wang P, Deng F*, Rao Z*, Lou Z*. Nature Microbiology. 2020 Apr 24.

(8)Architecture of a SARS-CoV-2 mini replication and transcription complex. Yan L, Zhang Y, Ge J, Zheng L, Gao Y, Wang T, Jia Z, Wang H, Huang Y, Li M, Wang Q, Rao Z*, Lou Z*. Nature Commun. 2020 Nov 18;11(1):5874. doi: 10.1038/s41467-020-19770-1.

(9)Divergent engagements between adeno-associated viruses with their cellular receptor AAVR. Zhang R, Xu G, Cao L, Sun Z, He Y, Cui M, Sun Y, Li S, Li H, Qin L, Hu M, Yuan Z, Rao Z, Ding W, Rao Z, Lou Z*. Nature Commun. 2019 Aug 21;10(1):3760. doi: 10.1038/s41467-019-11668-x.

(10)Adeno-associated virus 2 bound to its cellular receptor AAVR. Zhang R, Cao L, Cui M, Sun Z, Hu M, Zhang R, Stuart W, Zhao X, Yang Z, Li X, Sun Y, Li S, Ding W*, Lou Z*, Rao Z. Nature Microbiol. 2019 Apr;4(4):675-682. doi: 10.1038/s41564-018-0356-7. Epub 2019 Feb 11.

(11)Development of an Inactivated Vaccine Candidate, BBIBP-CorV, with Potent Protection against SARS-CoV-2. Wang H, Zhang Y, Huang B, Deng W, Quan Y, Wang W, Xu W, Zhao Y, Li N, Zhang J, Liang H, Bao L, Xu Y, Ding L, Zhou W, Gao H, Liu J, Niu P, Zhao L, Zhen W, Fu H, Yu S, Zhang Z, Xu G, Li G, Lou Z^$, Xu M, Qin C, Wu G, Gao GF^*, Tan W^*, Yang X^*. Cell. June 06, 2020 doi://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2020.06.008 (Leading Contact)

(12)Bunyamwera virus possesses a distinct nucleocapsid protein to facilitate genome encapsidation. Li B., Wang Q., Pan X., Fernández de Castro, I., Sun Y., Guo Y., Tao X., Risco C., Sui S.F. and Lou Z.* Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 2013 May 28;110(22):9048-53

(13)Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus nucleoprotein reveals an endonuclease activity in the Bunyaviruses. Guo Y., Wang W., Ji W., Deng M., Sun Y., Zhou H., Yang C., Deng F., Wang H., Hu Z.*, Lou Z.* and Rao Z*. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 2012 Mar 27;109(13):5046-51.

(14)Cyclophilin A associates with enterovirus-71 virus capsid and plays an essential role in viral infection as an uncoating regulator. Qing J, Wang Y, Sun Y, Huang J, Yan W, Wang J, Su D, Ni C, Li J, Rao Z, Liu L*, Lou Z*. PLoS Pathog. 2014 Oct 2;10(10):e1004422.

(15)Structural basis for GTP hydrolysis and conformational change of MFN1 in mediating membrane fusion. Yan L, Qi Y, Huang X, Yu C, Lan L, Guo X, Rao Z, Hu J*, Lou Z*. Nat Struct Mol Biol. 2018 Mar;25(3):233-243. doi: 10.1038/s41594-018-0034-8. Epub 2018 Feb 26.

(16)Structures of human mitofusin 1 provide insight into mitochondrial tethering Qi Y., Yan L., Yu C., Guo X., Zhou X., Hu X., Huang X., Rao Z., Lou Z.*, Hu J*. J Cell Biol. 2016 Nov 14

(17)Structures of the yeast dynamin-like GTPase Sey1p provide insight into homotypic ER fusion. Yan L, Sun S, Wang W, Shi J, Hu X, Wang S, Su D, Rao Z, Hu J*, Lou Z.* J Cell Biol. 2015 Sep 14;210(6):961-72.

(18)Crystal structure of an avian influenza polymerase PA(N) reveals an endonuclease active site. Yuan P.^$, Bartlam M.^$, Lou Z.^$, Chen S., Zhou J., He X., Lv Z., Ge R., Li X., Deng T., Fodor E., Rao Z. and Liu Y. Nature. 2009 Apr 16; 458(7240):909-13. (共同第一作者)

(19)Formation and working mechanism of the picornavirus VPg uridylylation complex. Sun Y, Guo Y, Lou Z*. Curr Opin Virol. 2014 Dec;9:24-30. doi: 10.1016/j.coviro.2014.09.003. (invited review)

(20)Current progress in antiviral strategies. Lou Z*, Sun Y, Rao Z*. Trends Pharmacol Sci. 2014 Feb;35(2):86-102. (invited review)

Structural perspective on the formation of ribonucleoprotein complex in negative-sense single-stranded RNA viruses. Zhou H, Sun Y, Guo Y, Lou Z*. Trends Microbiol. 2013 Sep;21(9):475-84. (invited review)

Complete list of publications: https://scholar.google.cz/citations?hl=zh-CN&user=4X8K29EAAAAJ