Professor LAU Wilson Chun Yu
Address
(Office): Room 184, Science Centre South Block
(Lab): Room 195, Science Centre South Block


Phone
(Office): (852) 3943 6253
(Lab): (852) 3943 1331


Email
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Education2012 Ph.D., University of Toronto
2006 H.B.Sc., University of Toronto
PositionAssistant Professor, School of Life Sciences
Research InterestsSingle-particle cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM)
Structure-function relationship of macromolecular machines
Drug and herbicide discovery through rational design
Representative PublicationsLai, L.T.F., Yu, C., Wong, J.S.K., Lo, H.S., Benlekbir, S., Jiang, L. and Lau, W.C.Y.^* (2020). Subnanomter resolution cryo-EM structure of Arabidopsis thaliana ATG9. Autophagy, 16, 575-583. (Recommended by Fulvio Reggiori; Recognized by F1000Prime)
Lai, L.T.F., Ye, H., Zhang, W., Jiang, L. and Lau, W.C.Y. ^* (2019). Structural biology and Electron Microscopy of the Autophagy Molecular Machinery. Cells, 8, pii: E1627.
Leung, K.P. and Lau, W.C.Y. ^* (2017). Isolation of the Plant Exocyst Complex. Methods in Molecular Biology, 1662, 243-255.
Lau, W.C.Y. ^#,*, Li, Y., Liu, Z., Gao, Y., Zhang, Q. and Huen, M.S.Y. (2016). Structure of the human dimeric ATM kinase. Cell Cycle, 15, 1117. (^#co-first and *co-corresponding author)
Lau, W.C.Y. ^#,*, Li, Y., Zhang, Q. and Huen, M.S.Y. (2015). Molecular architecture of the Ub-PCNA/Pol eta complex bound to DNA. Scientific Reports, 5, 15759. (^#co-first and *co-corresponding author)
Kasembeli, M., Lau, W.C.Y., Roh, S., Eckols, Frydman, J., Chiu, W. and Tweardy, D.J. (2014). Modulation of STAT3 Folding and Function by TRiC/CCT Chaperonin. PLOS Biology, 12(4):e1001844.
Lau, W.C.Y. and Rubinstein, J.L. (2013). Single particle electron microscopy. Methods in Molecular Biology, 955, 401-26.
Lau, W.C.Y. and Rubinstein, J.L. (2012). Subnanometer-resolution structure of the intact T. thermophilus H+-driven ATP synthase. Nature, 481, 214-218. (Recommended by Terrence Frey; Recognized by F1000Prime)
Lau, W.C.Y. and Rubinstein, J.L. (2009). Structure of intact Thermus thermophilus V-ATPase by cryo-EM reveals organization of the membrane-bound V(O) motor. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 107, 1367-72. (Recommended by Thomas Meier; Recognized by F1000Prime)
Lau, W.C.Y., Baker, L.A. and Rubinstein, J.L. (2008). Cryo-EM structure of the yeast ATP synthase. Journal of Molecular Biology, 382, 1256-1264. (Journal cover)
Research Grants
2021-2024, Research Grant Council – Collaborative Research Fund (Research), Vacuole Dynamics, Biogenesis and Functions in Plants, HK$6,400,000 (Co-PI)
2020-2022, Research Grant Council – Germany/Hong Kong Joint Research Scheme, Structure-function studies of the Chloroplast Chaperones in Chlamydomonas Reinhardtii by Cryo-EM, HK$89,600 (PI), HK$89,600
2020-2023, Research Grant Council – Collaborative Research Fund (Equipment), The First Integrated State-of-the-Art Sample Preparation System for Cryo-Electron Microscopy/Tomography Analysis to Promote Advanced Cellular and Structural Biology Research in Hong Kong, HK$7,439,308, (Co-PI) (*Major Contribution)
2019-2022, Research Grant Council – Collaborative Research Fund (Equipment), A state-of-of-the-art X-ray diffraction facility for structural biology research in Hong Kong, HK$2,306,960, (Co-PI)
2018-2021, Research Grant Council – Collaborative Research Fund, Molecular Mechanisms of Autophagy and Autophagosome in Plants, HK$7,209,550, (Co-PI)
2018, CUHK – Seed Fund Research Support, HK$200,000 (PI), HK$200,000
2017, CUHK – Internationalisation Faculty Mobility Scheme (Outbound) (PI)
2017, CUHK Faculty Strategic Development Fund, HK$200,000 (Co-PI)
2017-2020, Research Grant Council – General Research Fund, Unraveling the structure and mechanism of ATM kinase by cryo-EM, HK$871,688, (PI)
2017-2020, Research Grant Council – General Research Fund, Investigation of the interaction and phosphorylation mechanisms of Hepatitis B virus core protein by SR protein kinase 2 and the roles of their interactionin HBV replication, HK$1,086,742, (Co-PI)
2017-2018, Research Grant Council Direct Grant, Mechanism of ATM activation by oxidative stress, HK$150,000, (PI)
2017-2020, Research Grant Council – Collaborative Research Fund (Equipment), The First Integrated cryo-EM and cryo-ET Shared Facility for Life Sciences Research in Hong Kong, HK$9,500,000, (Co-PI) (*Major Contribution)
AwardsAXA Research Fund Postdoctoral Fellowship, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 2015-2017 (AR140003)
University of Hong Kong/China Medical Board Grants, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 2015
State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Sciences research fund, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 2015
Seed Funding Programme for Applied Research, The University of Hong Kong, 2015 (2)
URC/CRCG – Conference Support for Teaching Staff, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 2015 (2)
Small Project Fund, The University of Hong Kong, 2015-2016 (2)
Keck Center for Interdisciplinary Biosciences Training of the Gulf Coast Consortia, Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) postdoctoral Computational Cancer Biology training grant (RP101489), Baylor College of Medicine, United States of America, 2013-06 to 2014-06
Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) postdoctoral research training grant (RP101499), Baylor College of Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Training Program, Baylor College of Medicine, United States of America, 2012-06 to 2013-06
Professional Activities
Reviewer, Plant Science, Frontier in Plant Science
Member of the Student Life Committee (Chung Chi College)
Member of Non-Final-Year Big Scholarships Sub-Committee, Faculty of Science
Member of the Institute for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine (iTERM)
Member of the State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology