Faculty Profiles - LAI Yong | The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

Yong LAI
賴勇

PhD in Microbiology
The University of Hong Kong, 2016

Assistant Professor
Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering

(852) 2358 7237
yonglai@ust.hk
Room CYT2006A
Personal Web

Google Scholar

aDUTdMsAAAAJ

ORCID

0000-0003-0208-4351

Scopus ID

57215285073

Research Interest Publications Projects Teaching Assignment RPG Supervision

Research Interest

Synthetic biology
Microbiome engineering
Living therapeutics and diagnostics
Genome engineering
Functional metagenomics

Publications

All Years 19 2026 0 2025 2 2024 2 2023 2 2022 3 2021 2 2020 8

2025 2

CRISPR-based genetic tools for the study of host-microbe interactions

Infection and Immunity, v. 93, (9), p. e00510-24
ECHAVARRIA GALINDO, Martin; LAI, Yong
Article

Proteomic study of Akkermansia muciniphila and Bifidobacterium species co-culture under different carbon sources

Frontiers in Microbiology, v. 16, p. 1-15, article number 1666747
Sulaiman, Jordy Evan; Zhan, Yuewei; Wang, Shuchen; Lai, Ka Lun; Li, James Ho Wa; Yutong, Daniel Ye; Tsim, Karl Wah Keung; Cheng, Kenneth King Yip; Lai, Yong; Lam, Henry
Article

2024 2

Cas9-assisted biological containment of a genetically engineered human commensal bacterium and genetic elements

Nature Communications, v. 15, (1), article number 2096
Hayashi, Naoki; Lai, Yong; Fuerte-Stone, Jay; Mimee, Mark; Lu, Timothy K.
Article

Engineering Microbial Consortia as Living Materials: Advances and Prospectives

ACS Synthetic Biology, v. 13, (9), p. 2653-2666
Wang, Shuchen; Zhan, Yuewei; Jiang, Xue; Lai, Yong
Article

2023 2

A systems-level mass spectrometry-based technique for accurate and sensitive quantification of the RNA cap epitranscriptome

Nature Protocols, v. 18, (9), p. 2671-2698
Wang, Jin; Chew, Bing Liang Alvin; Lai, Yong; Dong, Hongping; Xu, Luang; Liu, Yu; Fu, Xin Yuan; Lin, Zhenguo; Shi, Pei Yong; Lu, Timothy K.; Luo, Dahai; Jaffrey, Samie R.; Dedon, Peter C.
Article

Sub-1.4 cm³ capsule for detecting labile inflammatory biomarkers in situ

Nature, v. 620, (7973), p. 386-392
Inda-Webb, M. E.; Jimenez, M.; Liu, Q.; Phan, N. V.; Ahn, J.; Steiger, C.; Wentworth, A.; Riaz, A.; Zirtiloglu, T.; Wong, K.; Ishida, K.; Fabian, N.; Jenkins, J.; Kuosmanen, J.; Madani, W.; McNally, R.; Lai, Y.; Hayward, A.; Mimee, M.; Nadeau, P.; Chandrakasan, A. P.; Traverso, G.; Yazicigil, R. T.; Lu, T. K.
Article

2022 3

A synthetic transcription platform for programmable gene expression in mammalian cells

Nature Communications, v. 13, (1), article number 6167
Chen, William C.W.; Gaidukov, Leonid; Lai, Yong; Wu, Ming Ru; Cao, Jicong; Gutbrod, Michael J.; Choi, Gigi C.G.; Utomo, Rachel P.; Chen, Ying Chou; Wroblewska, Liliana; Kellis, Manolis; Zhang, Lin; Weiss, Ron; Lu, Timothy K.
Article

Engineered Living Hydrogels

Advanced Materials, v. 34, (26), article number 2201326
Liu, Xinyue; Inda, Maria Eugenia; Lai, Yong; Lu, Timothy K.; Zhao, Xuanhe
Article

Engineering the human gut commensal Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron with synthetic biology

Current Opinion in Chemical Biology, v. 70, article number 102178
Lai, Yong; Hayashi, Naoki; Lu, Timothy K.
Article

2021 2

High-Throughput CRISPR Screens to Dissect Macrophage-Shigella Interactions

mBio, v. 12, (6), article number e02158-21
Lai, Yong; Cui, Liang; Babunovic, Gregory H.; Fortune, Sarah M.; Doench, John G.; Lu, Timothy K.
Article

Zero-Crossing-Based Bio-Engineered Sensor

2021 IEEE Custom Integrated Circuits Conference, CICC 2021 - Proceedings, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc., 2021, article number 9431409
Liu, Qijun; Riaz, Arslan; Zirtiloglu, Timur; Inda, Maria Eugenia; Jimenez, Miguel; Lai, Yong; Steiger, Christoph; Diamond, Elizabeth; Traverso, Giovanni; Lu, Timothy; Chandrakasan, Anantha; Nadeau, Phillip; Yazicigil, Rabia Tugce
Conference paper

2020 1

Illuminating Host-Mycobacterial Interactions with Genome-wide CRISPR Knockout and CRISPRi Screens

Cell Systems, v. 11, (3), p. 239-251.e7
Lai, Yong; Babunovic, Gregory H.; Cui, Liang; Dedon, Peter C.; Doench, John G.; Fortune, Sarah M.; Lu, Timothy K.
Article

2019 1

Quantifying the RNA cap epitranscriptome reveals novel caps in cellular and viral RNA

Nucleic Acids Research, v. 47, (20)
Wang, Jin; Alvin Chew, Bing Liang; Lai, Yong; Dong, Hongping; Xu, Luang; Balamkundu, Seetharamsingh; Cai, Weiling Maggie; Cui, Liang; Liu, Chuan Fa; Fu, Xin Yuan; Lin, Zhenguo; Shi, Pei Yong; Lu, Timothy K.; Luo, Dahai; Jaffrey, Samie R.; Dedon, Peter C.
Article

2017 2

A novel regulatory circuit to control indole biosynthesis protects Escherichia coli from nitrosative damages during the anaerobic respiration of nitrate

Environmental Microbiology, v. 19, (2), p. 598-610
Lai, Yong; Xu, Zeling; Yan, Aixin
Article

Comparative genome and transcriptome analysis reveals distinctive surface characteristics and unique physiological potentials of Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853

BMC Genomics, v. 18, (1), article number 459
Cao, Huiluo; Lai, Yong; Bougouffa, Salim; Xu, Zeling; Yan, Aixin
Article

2016 1

Transcriptional regulation of the outer membrane porin gene ompw reveals its physiological role during the transition from the aerobic to the anaerobic lifestyle of Escherichia coli

Frontiers in Microbiology, v. 7, (MAY), article number 799
Xiao, Minfeng; Lai, Yong; Sun, Jian; Chen, Guanhua; Yan, Aixin
Article

2014 1

Cloning and functional analysis of the Gβ gene Mgb1 and the Gγ gene Mgg1 in Monascus ruber

Journal of Microbiology, v. 52, (1), p. 35-43
Li, Li; He, Lu; Lai, Yong; Shao, Yanchun; Chen, Fusheng
Article

2012 1

Metabolic reprogramming under microaerobic and anaerobic conditions in bacteria

Subcellular Biochemistry, v. 64, p. 159-179
Shan, Yue; Lai, Yong; Yan, Aixin
Article

2011 1

Effects of cyclic AMP on development and secondary metabolites of Monascus ruber M-7

Letters in Applied Microbiology, v. 52, (4), p. 420-426
Lai, Y.; Wang, L.; Qing, L.; Chen, F.
Article

Article 2

CRISPR-based genetic tools for the study of host-microbe interactions

Infection and Immunity, v. 93, (9), p. e00510-24
ECHAVARRIA GALINDO, Martin; LAI, Yong

Proteomic study of Akkermansia muciniphila and Bifidobacterium species co-culture under different carbon sources

Frontiers in Microbiology, v. 16, p. 1-15, article number 1666747
Sulaiman, Jordy Evan; Zhan, Yuewei; Wang, Shuchen; Lai, Ka Lun; Li, James Ho Wa; Yutong, Daniel Ye; Tsim, Karl Wah Keung; Cheng, Kenneth King Yip; Lai, Yong; Lam, Henry

Article 2

Cas9-assisted biological containment of a genetically engineered human commensal bacterium and genetic elements

Nature Communications, v. 15, (1), article number 2096
Hayashi, Naoki; Lai, Yong; Fuerte-Stone, Jay; Mimee, Mark; Lu, Timothy K.

Engineering Microbial Consortia as Living Materials: Advances and Prospectives

ACS Synthetic Biology, v. 13, (9), p. 2653-2666
Wang, Shuchen; Zhan, Yuewei; Jiang, Xue; Lai, Yong

Article 2

A systems-level mass spectrometry-based technique for accurate and sensitive quantification of the RNA cap epitranscriptome

Nature Protocols, v. 18, (9), p. 2671-2698
Wang, Jin; Chew, Bing Liang Alvin; Lai, Yong; Dong, Hongping; Xu, Luang; Liu, Yu; Fu, Xin Yuan; Lin, Zhenguo; Shi, Pei Yong; Lu, Timothy K.; Luo, Dahai; Jaffrey, Samie R.; Dedon, Peter C.

Sub-1.4 cm³ capsule for detecting labile inflammatory biomarkers in situ

Nature, v. 620, (7973), p. 386-392
Inda-Webb, M. E.; Jimenez, M.; Liu, Q.; Phan, N. V.; Ahn, J.; Steiger, C.; Wentworth, A.; Riaz, A.; Zirtiloglu, T.; Wong, K.; Ishida, K.; Fabian, N.; Jenkins, J.; Kuosmanen, J.; Madani, W.; McNally, R.; Lai, Y.; Hayward, A.; Mimee, M.; Nadeau, P.; Chandrakasan, A. P.; Traverso, G.; Yazicigil, R. T.; Lu, T. K.

Article 3

A synthetic transcription platform for programmable gene expression in mammalian cells

Nature Communications, v. 13, (1), article number 6167
Chen, William C.W.; Gaidukov, Leonid; Lai, Yong; Wu, Ming Ru; Cao, Jicong; Gutbrod, Michael J.; Choi, Gigi C.G.; Utomo, Rachel P.; Chen, Ying Chou; Wroblewska, Liliana; Kellis, Manolis; Zhang, Lin; Weiss, Ron; Lu, Timothy K.

Engineered Living Hydrogels

Advanced Materials, v. 34, (26), article number 2201326
Liu, Xinyue; Inda, Maria Eugenia; Lai, Yong; Lu, Timothy K.; Zhao, Xuanhe

Engineering the human gut commensal Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron with synthetic biology

Current Opinion in Chemical Biology, v. 70, article number 102178
Lai, Yong; Hayashi, Naoki; Lu, Timothy K.

Article 1

High-Throughput CRISPR Screens to Dissect Macrophage-Shigella Interactions

mBio, v. 12, (6), article number e02158-21
Lai, Yong; Cui, Liang; Babunovic, Gregory H.; Fortune, Sarah M.; Doench, John G.; Lu, Timothy K.

Conference paper 1

Zero-Crossing-Based Bio-Engineered Sensor

2021 IEEE Custom Integrated Circuits Conference, CICC 2021 - Proceedings, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc., 2021, article number 9431409
Liu, Qijun; Riaz, Arslan; Zirtiloglu, Timur; Inda, Maria Eugenia; Jimenez, Miguel; Lai, Yong; Steiger, Christoph; Diamond, Elizabeth; Traverso, Giovanni; Lu, Timothy; Chandrakasan, Anantha; Nadeau, Phillip; Yazicigil, Rabia Tugce

Article 1

Illuminating Host-Mycobacterial Interactions with Genome-wide CRISPR Knockout and CRISPRi Screens

Cell Systems, v. 11, (3), p. 239-251.e7
Lai, Yong; Babunovic, Gregory H.; Cui, Liang; Dedon, Peter C.; Doench, John G.; Fortune, Sarah M.; Lu, Timothy K.

Article 1

Quantifying the RNA cap epitranscriptome reveals novel caps in cellular and viral RNA

Nucleic Acids Research, v. 47, (20)
Wang, Jin; Alvin Chew, Bing Liang; Lai, Yong; Dong, Hongping; Xu, Luang; Balamkundu, Seetharamsingh; Cai, Weiling Maggie; Cui, Liang; Liu, Chuan Fa; Fu, Xin Yuan; Lin, Zhenguo; Shi, Pei Yong; Lu, Timothy K.; Luo, Dahai; Jaffrey, Samie R.; Dedon, Peter C.

Article 2

A novel regulatory circuit to control indole biosynthesis protects Escherichia coli from nitrosative damages during the anaerobic respiration of nitrate

Environmental Microbiology, v. 19, (2), p. 598-610
Lai, Yong; Xu, Zeling; Yan, Aixin

Comparative genome and transcriptome analysis reveals distinctive surface characteristics and unique physiological potentials of Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853

BMC Genomics, v. 18, (1), article number 459
Cao, Huiluo; Lai, Yong; Bougouffa, Salim; Xu, Zeling; Yan, Aixin

Article 1

Transcriptional regulation of the outer membrane porin gene ompw reveals its physiological role during the transition from the aerobic to the anaerobic lifestyle of Escherichia coli

Frontiers in Microbiology, v. 7, (MAY), article number 799
Xiao, Minfeng; Lai, Yong; Sun, Jian; Chen, Guanhua; Yan, Aixin

Article 1

Cloning and functional analysis of the Gβ gene Mgb1 and the Gγ gene Mgg1 in Monascus ruber

Journal of Microbiology, v. 52, (1), p. 35-43
Li, Li; He, Lu; Lai, Yong; Shao, Yanchun; Chen, Fusheng

Article 1

Metabolic reprogramming under microaerobic and anaerobic conditions in bacteria

Subcellular Biochemistry, v. 64, p. 159-179
Shan, Yue; Lai, Yong; Yan, Aixin

Article 1

Effects of cyclic AMP on development and secondary metabolites of Monascus ruber M-7

Letters in Applied Microbiology, v. 52, (4), p. 420-426
Lai, Y.; Wang, L.; Qing, L.; Chen, F.

2020 1

Illuminating Host-Mycobacterial Interactions with Genome-wide CRISPR Knockout and CRISPRi Screens

Cell Systems, v. 11, (3), p. 239-251.e7
Lai, Yong; Babunovic, Gregory H.; Cui, Liang; Dedon, Peter C.; Doench, John G.; Fortune, Sarah M.; Lu, Timothy K.
Article

2019 1

Quantifying the RNA cap epitranscriptome reveals novel caps in cellular and viral RNA

Nucleic Acids Research, v. 47, (20)
Wang, Jin; Alvin Chew, Bing Liang; Lai, Yong; Dong, Hongping; Xu, Luang; Balamkundu, Seetharamsingh; Cai, Weiling Maggie; Cui, Liang; Liu, Chuan Fa; Fu, Xin Yuan; Lin, Zhenguo; Shi, Pei Yong; Lu, Timothy K.; Luo, Dahai; Jaffrey, Samie R.; Dedon, Peter C.
Article

2017 2

A novel regulatory circuit to control indole biosynthesis protects Escherichia coli from nitrosative damages during the anaerobic respiration of nitrate

Environmental Microbiology, v. 19, (2), p. 598-610
Lai, Yong; Xu, Zeling; Yan, Aixin
Article

Comparative genome and transcriptome analysis reveals distinctive surface characteristics and unique physiological potentials of Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853

BMC Genomics, v. 18, (1), article number 459
Cao, Huiluo; Lai, Yong; Bougouffa, Salim; Xu, Zeling; Yan, Aixin
Article

2016 1

Transcriptional regulation of the outer membrane porin gene ompw reveals its physiological role during the transition from the aerobic to the anaerobic lifestyle of Escherichia coli

Frontiers in Microbiology, v. 7, (MAY), article number 799
Xiao, Minfeng; Lai, Yong; Sun, Jian; Chen, Guanhua; Yan, Aixin
Article

2014 1

Cloning and functional analysis of the Gβ gene Mgb1 and the Gγ gene Mgg1 in Monascus ruber

Journal of Microbiology, v. 52, (1), p. 35-43
Li, Li; He, Lu; Lai, Yong; Shao, Yanchun; Chen, Fusheng
Article

2012 1

Metabolic reprogramming under microaerobic and anaerobic conditions in bacteria

Subcellular Biochemistry, v. 64, p. 159-179
Shan, Yue; Lai, Yong; Yan, Aixin
Article

2011 1

Effects of cyclic AMP on development and secondary metabolites of Monascus ruber M-7

Letters in Applied Microbiology, v. 52, (4), p. 420-426
Lai, Y.; Wang, L.; Qing, L.; Chen, F.
Article

No Publications

Teaching Assignment

2026-27 Fall 1 2025-26 Summer 0 2025-26 Spring 2 2025-26 Winter 0 2025-26 Fall 1 2024-25 Summer 0

BIEN1610

Engineering Life: Synthetic Biology and Innovations for Human Health

BEHI5006	Synthetic Biology
BIEN4930	Bioengineering Thesis Research

BIEN1610

Engineering Life: Synthetic Biology and Innovations for Human Health

No Teaching Assignments

Research Postgraduate (RPG) Supervision

From January 2023 to December 2026 (As of 19 September 2026)

All Supervisions Current RPGs Graduated RPGs

Current RPGs

Doctor of Philosophy

CHAU, Cheuk Yui Sherman
Bioengineering
LO, Lok Tung
Bioengineering
CHEN, Yutian
Bioengineering
QIN, Ziqing
Bioengineering
ECHAVARRIA GALINDO, Martin
Bioengineering
ZHAN, Yuewei
Bioengineering

Master of Philosophy

WANG, Shuying
Bioengineering

Graduated RPGs

Doctor of Philosophy

WANG, Shuchen
Bioengineering( Completed in 2026 )

Master of Philosophy

CHAU, Cheuk Yui Sherman
Bioengineering( Completed in 2026 )
ZHAO, Yicheng
Bioengineering( Completed in 2026 )

Projects

From January 2024 to December 2026

All Projects 2

No Projects.
Engineering a site-specific and multiplex genome integration system in probiotic Lactiplantibacillus plantarum using CRISPR-directed integrases

利用CRISPR介導的整合酶體系在植物乳桿菌中構建具有位點特異性的多重基因組整合系統 Leading

RGC - General Research Fund
Project Team (HKUST)
LAI Yong (Lead)
2026 -
Genome-wide CRISPR-Cas9 screen and synthetic gene circuits for inflammatory bowel disease therapy

整合CRISPR-Cas9全基因組篩選與合成基因環路用於炎癥性腸病的治療 Leading

RGC - Early Career Scheme
Project Team (HKUST)
LAI Yong (Lead)
2024 -

Research Interest

Publications

2025 2

2024 2

2023 2

2022 3

2021 2

2020 1

2019 1

2017 2

2016 1

2014 1

2012 1

2011 1

Article 2

Article 2

Article 2

Article 3

Article 1

Conference paper 1

Article 1

Article 1

Article 2

Article 1

Article 1

Article 1

Article 1

2020 1

2019 1

2017 2

2016 1

2014 1

2012 1

2011 1

Teaching Assignment

Research Postgraduate (RPG) Supervision

From January 2023 to December 2026 (As of 19 September 2026)

Current RPGs

Graduated RPGs

Projects

From January 2024 to December 2026

Your browser is out of date!