Shunbin Ning | Immunotherapy | Best Researcher Award

Dr. Shunbin Ning | Immunotherapy | Best Researcher Award

Professor, East Tennessee State University, United States

Professor Shunbin Ning is a renowned expert in viral oncology and immunology, with a passion for uncovering the intricate mechanisms of chronic viral infections and immune deregulation. ๐ŸŒ๐Ÿ” His groundbreaking work explores how viruses like EBV and HTLV1 disrupt immune checkpoints, DNA damage response, and metabolic pathways to establish latency and drive cancer progression. ๐Ÿงฌ๐Ÿ›ก๏ธ As a Professor at ETSUโ€™s Quillen College of Medicine and a Scientist at the Mountain Home VA Medical Center, he has led NIH- and DoD-funded research projects focused on long noncoding RNAs, selective autophagy, and oncogenic IRFs. ๐Ÿ“š๐Ÿงช With over 100 publications and editorial roles across several scientific journals, he is a respected voice in the field. ๐Ÿ“–๐Ÿง  His mentorship and leadership have significantly contributed to the advancement of viral immunopathology and novel immunotherapeutic strategies. ๐ŸŒŸ๐Ÿ‘จโ€๐Ÿ”ฌ

๐Ÿ’ Professional Profile

Google Scholar

๐ŸŽ“ Educationย 

Professor Ning began his academic journey at Wuhan University, China, earning his B.S. in Cell Biology in July 1996. ๐ŸŽ“๐Ÿ”ฌ He further pursued a Ph.D. in Cell Biology and Genetics at the same institution, which he completed in December 2001. ๐Ÿงฌ๐Ÿ“˜ Driven by a passion for research, he moved to the United States for postdoctoral training in Viral Oncology and Immunology at UNC Chapel Hill, completing it in March 2007. ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿงซ His academic path continued with roles as Research Associate and later as Research Assistant Professor at UNC, where he deepened his expertise in host-pathogen interactions, chronic infections, and immune system regulation. ๐Ÿง ๐Ÿงช His education set a strong foundation for a prolific research career at the intersection of virology, immunology, and cancer biology. ๐ŸŒ๐Ÿ“š

๐Ÿ’ผ Experienceย 

With over two decades of academic and research excellence, Professor Ning has held significant positions in top institutions. ๐Ÿ›๏ธ๐Ÿง‘โ€๐Ÿ”ฌ Since 2024, he has served as Professor in Internal Medicine at ETSUโ€™s Quillen College of Medicine and a Scientist at the Department of Veterans Affairs in Tennessee. ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธโš•๏ธ Previously, he held roles as Associate and Assistant Professor at ETSU and the University of Miami’s Sylvester Cancer Center. ๐Ÿงช๐Ÿ“ He also contributes as Affiliate Assistant Professor at the University of Central Florida. ๐Ÿง‘โ€๐Ÿซ His leadership extends into the VA system as a WOC employee, reflecting his dedication to veteran health. ๐Ÿช–โค๏ธ His academic journey spans teaching, mentorship, and pioneering research in viral oncology and immunopathogenesis, making him a pivotal figure in translational medicine. ๐Ÿ”„๐ŸŽ“

๐Ÿงช Research Focusย 

Professor Ningโ€™s research is anchored in viral immunology and oncogenesis, particularly chronic infections like EBV and HTLV1. ๐Ÿงซ๐Ÿงฌ He explores how these viruses manipulate host immunity via DNA damage response (DDR), autophagy, immune checkpoints, and non-coding RNAs. ๐Ÿ”๐Ÿง  His studies decode how these mechanisms foster viral latency, immune evasion, and cancer transformation. ๐Ÿฆ ๐Ÿ’ฅ Key areas include oxidative stress, interferon regulation, and ubiquitin-mediated signaling, revealing novel insights into inflammaging and tumor microenvironments. ๐ŸŒก๏ธ๐Ÿงช His translational work identifies new immunotherapeutic targets for virus-associated diseases, especially in hematological malignancies. ๐ŸŽฏ๐Ÿงฌ He also pioneers research into lncRNAsโ€™ role in lymphoma development and IRF4 regulation in oncogenesis. ๐Ÿ“Š๐Ÿงฌ Through innovative methodologies, including phosphoproteomics and transcriptomics, he advances understanding of virus-host interactions, helping bridge molecular mechanisms with therapeutic strategies. ๐Ÿงช๐Ÿ’ก

๐Ÿ… Awards and Honorsย 

Professor Ningโ€™s excellence has been recognized through numerous prestigious awards. ๐Ÿ†๐ŸŽ“ He is a two-time awardee of the American Society of Hematology (ASH), receiving both a Scholarship (2012) and Bridge Grant (2020) for his impactful research. ๐Ÿ”ฌ๐Ÿ’ฐ His accolades include the Leukemia Research Foundation Award (2010), Florida Department of Health New Investigator Award (2010), and an International Professorship Award from the ASM (2009). ๐ŸŒ๐Ÿ“œ Early in his career, he earned the Excellent PhD Thesis Award from both Wuhan University (2003) and Chinaโ€™s Ministry of Education (2005), as well as being named a top graduate student (2002). ๐Ÿง‘โ€๐ŸŽ“๐ŸŒŸ His commitment to mentoring and service has also been honored by ASM for outstanding contributions to online mentoring and international programs. ๐Ÿ’ป๐Ÿค These accolades reflect his scientific impact and dedication to global research advancement. ๐ŸŒ๐Ÿ’ก

๐Ÿ“˜ Publications Top Notes

Guidelines for the Use and Interpretation of Assays for Monitoring Autophagy (4th Edition)

Authors: D.J. Klionsky, A.K. Abdel-Aziz, S. Abdelfatah, M. Abdellatif, A. Abdoli, S. Abel, et al. (including S. Ning)
Journal: Autophagy, Volume 17, Issue 1, Pages 1โ€“382 (2021)
Summary:
This comprehensive and collaborative work offers updated guidelines for monitoring autophagy in both in vivo and in vitro systems. ๐Ÿงช๐Ÿ“š With contributions from hundreds of experts, including Dr. Ning, it covers key assays, markers, and interpretations critical for studying autophagy accurately. ๐Ÿ”๐Ÿงซ These standardized protocols ensure reproducibility across labs and support the effective application of autophagy-related research in fields such as cancer, neurodegeneration, and infectious diseases. ๐ŸŒ๐Ÿ”ฌ An essential resource, this publication has become the gold standard for autophagy research worldwide. ๐ŸŒŸ

IRF7: Activation, Regulation, Modification and Function

Authors: S. Ning, J.S. Pagano, G.N. Barber
Journal: Genes & Immunity, Volume 12, Issue 6, Pages 399โ€“414 (2011)
Summary:
This review article highlights the central role of IRF7, a key transcription factor in antiviral immunity. ๐Ÿ›ก๏ธ๐Ÿงฌ Dr. Ning and colleagues discuss its activation pathways, post-translational modifications, and regulatory networks, especially in the context of type I interferon production. โš™๏ธ๐Ÿ“Š The paper emphasizes IRF7’s importance in immune responses to viral infections like EBV, and its manipulation by viruses to evade immunity. ๐Ÿฆ โš ๏ธ A valuable resource for understanding host-virus interactions and the molecular immunology of viral pathogenesis. ๐Ÿงซ๐Ÿ“–

Salt Stress Induces Programmed Cell Death in Prokaryotic Organism Anabaena

Authors: S.B. Ning, H.L. Guo, L. Wang, Y.C. Song
Journal: Journal of Applied Microbiology, Volume 93, Issue 1, Pages 15โ€“28 (2002)
Summary:
This early study by Dr. Ning explores how salt stress triggers programmed cell death (PCD) in the cyanobacterium Anabaena. ๐Ÿง‚๐Ÿ”ฌ The research identifies morphological and molecular changes indicative of apoptosis-like pathways, suggesting that even prokaryotes possess regulated death mechanisms under stress. โšก๐Ÿงซ This foundational work contributes to the broader understanding of cell death evolution and microbial stress responses. ๐ŸŒฑ๐Ÿง 

TRAF6 and the Three C-terminal Lysine Sites on IRF7 Are Required for Its Ubiquitination-mediated Activation by the Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor Family Member Latent Membrane Protein 1

Authors: S. Ning, A.D. Campos, B.G. Darnay, G.L. Bentz, J.S. Pagano
Journal: Molecular and Cellular Biology, Volume 28, Issue 20, Pages 6536โ€“6546 (2008)
Summary:
This experimental study details how Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) protein LMP1 activates IRF7 via TRAF6-dependent ubiquitination. ๐Ÿงฌ๐Ÿ” Dr. Ning and co-authors show that three specific lysine residues on IRF7 are essential for its activation, linking viral oncogenesis with host immune signaling. ๐Ÿงชโš™๏ธ This discovery sheds light on viral immune evasion and provides targets for antiviral strategies. ๐Ÿฆ ๐Ÿ’ก

Interferon Regulatory Factor 7 Is Negatively Regulated by the Epstein-Barr Virus Immediate-Early Gene, BZLF-1

Authors: A.M. Hahn, L.E. Huye, S. Ning, J. Webster-Cyriaque, J.S. Pagano
Journal: Journal of Virology, Volume 79, Issue 15, Pages 10040โ€“10052 (2005)
Summary:
This research reveals that EBV gene BZLF-1 suppresses the expression and function of IRF7, undermining the hostโ€™s antiviral interferon response. ๐Ÿšซ๐Ÿงฌ Dr. Ning contributed to showing how BZLF-1 impairs IRF7-mediated signaling, helping the virus establish latency and avoid immune detection. ๐Ÿงซ๐Ÿ‘๏ธ This work provides crucial insight into the immune evasion tactics of herpesviruses and their impact on host immunity. ๐Ÿง ๐Ÿฆ 

Professor Shunbin Ning stands at the forefront of viral immunology and cancer biology, contributing transformative insights into virus-host interactions. ๐Ÿงฌ๐ŸŒ His pioneering research on EBV, immune regulation, and non-coding RNAs bridges fundamental biology with therapeutic potential. ๐ŸŽฏ๐Ÿง  His dedication to mentorship, global collaboration, and editorial leadership enriches the scientific ecosystem. ๐ŸŒฑ๐ŸŒ Through over 100 publications, continuous NIH/DoD-funded projects, and service on international boards and review panels, Professor Ning continues to inspire innovation and excellence in biomedical science. ๐Ÿ“š๐Ÿ… His work not only deepens our understanding of chronic viral infections but also charts new paths toward immunotherapeutic breakthroughs. ๐Ÿ’ก๐Ÿ’Š A true leader and visionary in his field, he exemplifies the synergy of scientific rigor and clinical relevance. ๐Ÿง‘โ€๐Ÿ”ฌโค๏ธ