His research interests include enveloped viruses and molecular immunology.

Professor George F. Gao obtained his PhD (DPhil) degree from Oxford University, UK and did his postdoc work in both Oxford University and Harvard University (with a brief stay in Calgary University). His research interests include enveloped viruses and molecular immunology. His group research is mainly focusing on the enveloped virus entry and release, esp. influenza virus interspecies transmission (host jump), structure-based drug-design and structural immunology. He is also interested in virus ecology, esp. the relationship between influenza virus and migratory birds or live poultry markets and the bat-derived virus ecology and molecular biology. He has published more than 500 refereed papers (Including papers in Cell, Nature, Science, The Lancet, New England Journal of Medicine, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA etc.), 10 books or book chapters and holds more than 25 UK, US and Chinese patents. His research has recently expanded on public health policy and global health strategy. He led the China CDC team in 2014 (From September to November, when the disease went to its sky-high level) to work in Sierra Leone for fighting against Ebola and his heroic role there has made a great deal for the field work. He works hard now for establishing an Africa-based center for pathogens and tropical diseases.
Gao is a member (academician) of Chinese Academy of Sciences (elected in 2013), a fellow of The Third World Academy of Sciences (TWAS, also known as The World Academy of Sciences) (elected in 2014), a fellow of American Academy of Microbiology (AAM, elected in 2015); an associate (foreign) member of EMBO (European Molecular Biology Organization) (elected in 2016), a fellow of AAAS (American Association for the Advancement of Science) (elected in 2016), a fellow of RSE (Royal Society of Edinburgh) (elected in 2017), a fellow of AAS (African Academy of Sciences) (elected in 2017), a member (academician) of International Eurasian Academy of Sciences.

Director , CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbiology and Immunology
Director-General, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention
Professor, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences

2017
1.Alternate binding modes of anti-CRISPR viral suppressors AcrF1/2 to Csy surveillance complex revealed by cryo-EM structures
2.An unexpected N-terminal loop in PD-1 dominates binding by nivolumab
3.The crystal structure of Zika virus NS5 reveals conserved drug targets
4.Structural basis of nectin-1 recognition by pseudorabies virus glycoprotein D
5.Structural Biology of the Zika Virus
6.Cryo-EM structures of MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV spike glycoproteins reveal the dynamic receptor binding domains
7.Structures of phlebovirus glycoprotein Gn and identification of a neutralizing antibody epitope
2016
8.Structural basis of anti-PD-L1 monoclonal antibody avelumab for tumor therapy
9.Contribution of intertwined loop to membrane association revealed by Zika virus full-length NS1 structure
10.Zika virus NS1 structure reveals diversity of electrostatic surfaces among flaviviruses
11.Structural basis of collagen recognition by human osteoclast-associated receptor and design of osteoclastogenesis inhibitors
12.Ebola Viral Glycoprotein Bound to Its Endosomal Receptor Niemann-Pick C1
13.Zika Virus Causes Testis Damage and Leads to Male Infertility in Mice
14.Structures of the Zika Virus Envelope Protein and Its Complex with a Flavivirus Broadly Protective Antibody
15.Genesis, Evolution and Prevalence of H5N6 Avian Influenza Viruses in China
16.Intra-host dynamics of Ebola virus during 2014
17.A Bat-Derived Putative Cross-Family Recombinant Coronavirus with a Reovirus Gene
18.Structural and functional analysis of an anchorless fibronectin-binding protein FBPS from Gram-positive bacterium Streptococcus suis
19.Molecular determinants of human neutralizing antibodies isolated from a patient infected with Zika virus
20.Epidemiology, Genetic Recombination,and Pathogenesis of Coronaviruses
21.An Open Receptor-Binding Cavity of Hemagglutinin-Esterase-Fusion Glycoprotein from Newly-Identified Influenza D Virus: Basis for Its Broad Cell Tropism
2015
22.A humanized neutralizing antibody against MERS-CoV targeting the receptor-binding domain of the spike protein
23.Adaptation of avian influenza A (H6N1) virus from avian to human receptor-binding preference
24.MERS, SARS, and Ebola: The Role of Super-Spreaders in Infectious Disease
25.A potent broad-spectrum protective human monoclonal antibody crosslinking two haemagglutinin monomers of influenza A virus
26.Structural basis for preferential avian receptor binding by the human-infecting H10N8 avian influenza virus
27.Genetic diversity and evolutionary dynamics of Ebola virus in Sierra Leone
28.Bat-to-human: spike features determining ‘host jump’ of coronaviruses SARS-CoV,MERS-CoV, and beyond
2014
29.Poultry carrying H9N2 act as incubators for novel human avian influenza viruses.
30.Clinical and epidemiological characteristics of a fatal case of avian influenza A H10N8 virus infection: a descriptive study.
31.Dynamic reassortments and genetic heterogeneity of the human-infecting influenza A (H7N9) virus.
32.PILRa and PILAb have a siglec fold and provide the basis of binding to sialic acid.
33.Molecular basis of binding between novel human coronavirus MERS-CoV and its receptor CD26.
2013
34.Structures and Receptor Binding of Hemagglutinins from Human-Infecting H7N9 Influenza Viruses.
35.An airborne transmissible avian influenza H5 hemagglutinin seen at the atomic level.
36.Origin and diversity of novel avian influenza A H7N9 viruses causing human infection: phylogenetic, structural, and coalescent analyses.
37.Structure of measles virus hemagglutinin bound to its epithelial receptor nectin-4.
38.Influenza neuraminidase operates via a nucleophilic mechanism and can be targeted by covalent inhibitors.
39.Human infection with a novel avian-origin influenza A (H7N9) virus.
40.Characterization of two distinct neuraminidases from avian-origin human-infecting H7N9 influenza viruses.
2012 and before 2012
41.Structural and functional characterization of neuraminidase-like molecule N10 derived from bat influenza A virus.
42.Structural and functional analysis of laninamivir and its octanoate prodrug reveals group specific mechanisms for influenza NA inhibition.
43.Binding of herpes simplex virus glycoprotein D to nectin-1 exploits host cell adhesion.
44.The 2009 pandemic H1N1 neuraminidase N1 lacks the 150-cavity in its active site.
45.Streptococcal toxic shock syndrome caused by Streptococcus suis serotype 2.
46.Highly pathogenic H5N1 influenza virus infection in migratory birds.
47.TCR binding to peptide-MHC stabilizes a flexible recognition interface.
48.Crystal structure of the complex between human CD8αα and HLA-A2.