Otolaryngology & Communication Sciences

Wenzhou Hong, PhD
Assistant Professor
Department of Otolaryngology and Communications Sciences

Dr. Hong’s research is focused on the microbial interactions in polymicrobial infections such as otitis media. Using in vitro and in vivo models, he has been investigating the interaction between Streptococcus pneumoniae and nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae, two common commensals and opportunistic pathogens in human upper airway.

As a co-investigator collaborating with Dr. Kerschner, Dr. Hong is also investigating gel-forming mucin productions in the middle ear in relationship to the bacterial bioflm formation and polymicrobial infections.

In addition, Dr. Hong is interested in vaccine development and immunization against otitis media and other airway infections.

Research Interests:

• Bacterial pathogenesis
• Microbial interaction
• Pathogen-host interaction
• Vaccine and immunization

• Bachelor degree in veterinary medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China, 1996
• Doctor of Microbiology and Immunology (Animal Genetics), Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China, 2002
• Visiting Fellow, Vaccine Research Section, National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, National Institutes of Health,   Rockville, Maryland, 2005
• Research Fellow, Dept. Microbiology & Immunology, Wake Forest University Health Sciences, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, 2008

• The American Society for Microbiology
• Sigma Xi