Dr. Rong Rong received her Bachelor of Medicine degree in 1990 and earned both her M.D. and Ph.D. in Medicine in 1998. She served as a physician-in-charge at Shenzhen Red Cross Hospital before pursuing postdoctoral research at Emory University School of Medicine. She later held the position of Senior Research Associate at the Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, before joining Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU) as an Associate Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences.

Dr. Rong's research focuses on the molecular mechanisms underlying viral infections and oncogenesis, with a particular emphasis on the role of epitranscriptomic regulation in viral pathogenesis and cancer development. Specifically, her group investigates how host epitranscriptomic modifications—such as RNA methylation and other post-transcriptional modifications—are regulated to enhance viral replication, evade immune responses, and drive tumorigenesis. By elucidating these pathways, her research aims to uncover how cellular regulatory systems contribute to disease progression and malignant transformation, potentially leading to novel therapeutic strategies for both cancer and infectious diseases.

Dr. Rong has published over 50 journal and conference papers, including articles in high-impact journals such as Nature Neuroscience, Oncogene, and PNAS.

• Virus-Host Interaction Dynamics
• Virus Immune Evasion Strategies
• Host Immune Responses to Viral Infection
• Viral Infection and Oncogenesis
• Epitransgenetic Regulation in Viral Pathogenesis and Oncogenesis

Senior Associate Professor, XJTLU, 2024-present

Associate Professor, XJTLU, 2010-2024

Teaching modules:

BIO103 Cell Structure and Function

BIO102 Biochemical Methods and Analysis

BIO104 Molecular Biology Principles and Techniques

BIO205 Molecular and Cell Biology Techniques

BIO203 Microbiology and Virology

BIO113 Molecular Biology Techniques

BIO213 Fundamental Virology