Vijaykrishna Dhanasekaran
B.Sc., M.Sc., M.Phil., Ph.D
Associate Professor
Division of Public Health Laboratory Sciences
Contact Information
Tel: +852 2831 5516
Email: veej@hku.hk
Address: 7/F Hong Kong Jockey Club Building for Interdisciplinary Research, 5 Sassoon Road, Hong Kong
Academic Information
Biography
Professor Vijaykrishna Dhanasekaran is a faculty member at the School of Public Health (SPH) at HKU, where he leads the Pathogen Evolution Lab. Prior to joining SPH in 2020, he held faculty positions at Duke-NUS Medical School in Singapore from 2010 and Monash University in Australia, as well as postdoctoral fellowship at HKU’s Department of Microbiology. Professor Dhanasekaran earned his BSc, MSc, and MPhil from the University of Madras (1994-2000), and his PhD in microbial ecology and evolution from the University of Hong Kong (2002-2005).
His research focuses on the ecology, evolution and epidemiology of rapidly evolving viruses such as SARS-CoV-2, influenza, and RSV. Combining epidemiological studies across the Eurasian and Pacific regions with the integration of genomic, clinical and immunological data, his lab investigates the genetic and ecological factors driving the emergence and distribution of infectious diseases. Professor Dhanasekaran has authored over 100 research articles with more than 15,000 citations (h-index 56). His recent work on the resurgence of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 viruses earned the HKU Research Output Prize 2023-2024. He has also served on the editorial boards of Journal of Virology, Communication Medicine, PLoS Global Public Health.
Main Objectives and Strategy
Professor Vijay Dhanasekaran's laboratory conducts advanced research at the intersection of infectious disease ecology, evolution and epidemiology, aiming to uncover the mechanisms driving disease emergence and transmission. The lab’s work is rooted in fundamental biological sciences, encompassing virology, immunology, evolutionary biology, and animal and public health. This multidisciplinary approach is complemented by modern computational techniques, including artificial intelligence, to enhance the understanding of pathogen diversity, host adaptation, and interspecies transmission.
In collaboration with national and international health organizations, the lab conducts comprehensive virus surveillance across animal, human, and environmental reservoirs. The lab employs a comprehensive suite of methods by integrating cutting-edge diagnostics, advanced sequencing technologies, and molecular biology with ecological and evolutionary models. These include computational genomics, machine learning, and AI-driven models, which are used to synthesize virus and host data. These approaches, including population genetics and phylogenetics, allow us to identify trends, predict pathogen behaviour, and unravel evolutionary dynamics at both the molecular and population levels. This approach provides critical insights into population-level dynamics and informs strategies for pandemic preparedness, outbreak mitigation, and containment of emerging infectious diseases.
While the lab broadly investigates pathogens with pandemic potential, it primary focus is on rapidly evolving Influenza and Coronaviruses, which have wide host ranges and pose significant threats to both animal and human health through pandemics and seasonal outbreaks. Additionally, the lab’s ongoing projects investigate a diverse range of One Health pathogens, including those affecting wildlife and livestock, as well as insect-borne viruses such as Dengue and Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF), which are expanding due to climate change. Research into these pathogens addresses the complex interplay between environmental factors and pathogen dynamics, offering vital insights that shape future research, guide public health strategies, and inform global pandemic preparedness.
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