Joseph Wong

Joseph Wong, MD, is a Professor In Residence in the Department of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) School of Medicine. He specializes in infectious diseases and internal medicine, with a clinical and research focus on HIV care and viral persistence mechanisms despite antiretroviral therapy. His work aims to understand and eliminate latent HIV reservoirs in tissues.

• Education: B.S. and M.D. from Northwestern University; residency at McGaw Medical Center; fellowship in Infectious Diseases at UC San Diego.
• Current Role: Faculty member in the School of Medicine, Department of Medicine, UCSF.

Dr. Wong's research interests center on HIV latency, viral reservoirs, and tissue-specific persistence of HIV. He investigates how HIV evades eradication through mechanisms in gut-associated lymphoid tissue, blood, and other anatomical compartments. His lab develops novel molecular assays to detect and quantify HIV transcription and latency, with a strong emphasis on translational applications. Recent work includes studying host gene expression in HIV-transcribing cells, latency-reversing agents, and the impact of HIV on cardiovascular outcomes such as sudden cardiac death.

His publication record spans over two decades, with recent articles (2021–2024) focusing on:

• HIV transcriptional profiling in suppressed vs. viremic individuals
• Role of splice factors and epigenetic modifications in latency
• Development of droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) assays for SARS-CoV-2 and HIV
• Tissue-specific differences in reservoir dynamics
• Cardiac complications in HIV, including fibrosis and sudden death
• Impact of antiviral agents like ABX464 and romidepsin on reservoir reduction

These works reflect a sustained focus on molecular virology, host-pathogen interactions, and clinical translation in HIV cure research.

Scientific Awards:

• No specific awards mentioned in the provided text.

Dr. Wong has served as Principal Investigator on multiple NIH-funded grants, including studies on HIV latency reversal, tissue reservoirs, and neurocognitive impacts in Ugandan children. He collaborates extensively with leading HIV researchers such as Steven Deeks and Satya Yukl. While no direct advisees are listed, his frequent co-authorship with junior scientists suggests a mentoring role. His lab likely involves a team focused on single-cell analysis, viral transcription, and tissue-based HIV research, although specific lab names or team structures are not detailed in the text.