Jim Hu, University of Toronto

Research

Cystic Fibrosis Gene Therapy Airway Diseases Gene Delivery Airway Epithelial Cells Genetic Diseases Lung

Latest papers

Nonviral delivery of chemically modified tRNA rescues nonsense mutations in cystic fibrosis.
Science (New York, N.Y.) · 2026
DNA-based vaccines: Advances, applications, and future prospects.
Genes & diseases · 2026 · senior author
Amino acid-derived ionizable lipids enable inhaled base editing for therapeutic gene correction in the lung.
Nature materials · 2026

All 69 publications

Latest funding

Nonviral Delivery of tRNA Therapeutics for Treating Cystic Fibrosis
CIHR · 2024 · Co-investigator
$1,136,026
Intranasal multivalent vaccines targeting COVID-19 variants of concern
CIHR · 2021 · Co-investigator
Harnessing the power of CRISPR-Cas guided transposition for high efficiency gene targeting in human cells
SSHRC · 2021 · Principal investigator
$250,000

All 12 grants and awards

69 publications.

01

Nonviral delivery of chemically modified tRNA rescues nonsense mutations in cystic fibrosis.

Chen J, Zhou M, Dong S, Gong F, Tennakoon R, Seto BY, Chen ZR, Zhou ZP, Pan J, Xu Y, Luozhong S, Macarios CM, Tijaro-Bulla S, Gonska T, Hu J, Cui H, Li B

Science (New York, N.Y.)2026

DOI: 10.1126/science.aeb0054 PMID: 42658930

02

DNA-based vaccines: Advances, applications, and future prospects.

Zhou ZP, Chen ZR, Bandara RA, Duan R, Cao H, Liu J, Hu J

Genes & diseases2026Senior author

DOI: 10.1016/j.gendis.2025.102025 PMID: 42491006

03

Amino acid-derived ionizable lipids enable inhaled base editing for therapeutic gene correction in the lung.

Gong F, Xu Y, Chen J, Zhang S, Dong S, Healy L, Seto B, Zhou M, Lu RXZ, Li G, Thomson T, Tang Y, Chen Z, Antonio K, Varley A, Chen DXW, Hodges CA, Wong AP, Hu J, Hubbard BP, Engelhardt JF, Yan Z, Li B

Nature materials2026

DOI: 10.1038/s41563-026-02555-0 PMID: 41922838

04

A novel method for the detection of Cas9 gRNAs using a fluorophore-labeled DNA oligo.

Bandara RA, Zhou ZP, Chen ZR, Duan R, Davidson AR, Wong AP, Hu J

Genes & diseases2025Senior author

DOI: 10.1016/j.gendis.2025.101636 PMID: 40687608

05

Intranasal HD-Ad-FS vaccine induces systemic and airway mucosal immunities against SARS-CoV-2 and systemic immunity against SARS-CoV-2 variants in mice and hamsters.

Zhou P, Watt J, Mai J, Cao H, Li Z, Chen Z, Duan R, Quan Y, Gingras AC, Rini JM, Hu J, Liu J

Frontiers in immunology2024

DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1430928 PMID: 39281669

06

CRISPR-Cas Genome Editing in Ex Vivo Human Lungs to Rewire the Translational Path of Genome-Targeting Therapeutics.

Mesaki K, Yamamoto H, Juvet S, Yeung J, Guan Z, Akhter A, Yao Y, Dickie C, Mangat H, Wang A, Wilson GW, Mariscal A, Hu J, Davidson AR, Kleinstiver BP, Cypel M, Liu M, Keshavjee S

Human gene therapy2024

DOI: 10.1089/hum.2023.223 PMID: 38717950

07

Immunomodulation of the donor lung with CRISPR-mediated activation of IL-10 expression.

Mesaki K, Juvet S, Yeung J, Guan Z, Wilson GW, Hu J, Davidson AR, Kleinstiver BP, Cypel M, Liu M, Keshavjee S

The Journal of heart and lung transplantation : the official publication of the International Society for Heart Transplantation2023

DOI: 10.1016/j.healun.2023.06.001 PMID: 37315746

08

The key piece of the airway remodeling puzzle revealed-LIGHT signaling in the lung.

Chen ZR, Hu J

Genes & diseases2023Senior author

DOI: 10.1016/j.gendis.2023.02.021 PMID: 37397546

09

Potential of helper-dependent Adenoviral vectors in CRISPR-cas9-mediated lung gene therapy.

Bandara RA, Chen ZR, Hu J

Cell & bioscience2021Senior author

DOI: 10.1186/s13578-021-00662-w PMID: 34301308

10

Gene therapy for cystic fibrosis: new tools for precision medicine.

Lee JA, Cho A, Huang EN, Xu Y, Quach H, Hu J, Wong AP

Journal of translational medicine2021

DOI: 10.1186/s12967-021-03099-4 PMID: 34717671

Nonviral Delivery of tRNA Therapeutics for Treating Cystic Fibrosis

Co-investigatorCIHR2024Project Grant

Principal investigators: Li, Bowen

Keywords: Cystic Fibrosis; Gene Therapy; Lipid Nanoparticles; Nonviral Gene Delivery; Rna Medicine; Trna Biology

$1,136,026

Intranasal multivalent vaccines targeting COVID-19 variants of concern

Co-investigatorCIHR2021Operating Grant: Emerging COVID-19 Research Gaps and Priorities - Vaccines

Principal investigators: Liu, Jun

Keywords: Animals; Covid-19; Hd-Ad; Sars-Cov-2 Variants; Vaccine

Harnessing the power of CRISPR-Cas guided transposition for high efficiency gene targeting in human cells

Principal investigatorSSHRC2021New Frontiers in Research Fund - Exploration

Principal investigators: Hu, Jim

Keywords: Gene therapy Genetic diseases Airway epithelial cells Gene editing Stem cells viral vector bacteria transposon Genetic engineering

$250,000

Engineering Next-Generation Nanoformulations for Bioresponsive CRISPR/Cas9 Delivery

Co-investigatorNSERC2021Alliance Grants

Principal investigators: Chen, Guojun

$135,000

COVID-19 Variant Supplement - Development of safe and effective vaccines against COVID-19

Co-investigatorCIHR2021Operating Grant: SARS-CoV-2 variants supplement stream 1

Principal investigators: Liu, Jun

Keywords: Bcg; Coronavirus; Covid-19; Hd-Ad; Vaccines

$50,000

Bi-locus gene replacement for enhancing permanent correction of genetic airway diseases

Nominated PICIHR2021Project Grant

Principal investigators: Hu, Jim

Keywords: Airway Diseases; Cystic Fibrosis; Gene Therapy

$937,125

Development of safe and effective vaccines against COVID-19

Co-investigatorCIHR2020Operating Grant: COVID-19 Rapid Research Funding Opportunity - Vaccines

Principal investigators: Liu, Jun

Keywords: Bcg; Coronavirus; Covid-19; Hd-Ad; Vaccines

$416,483

Targeting airway cells for gene-editing to correct genetic diseases

Nominated PICIHR2018Project Grant

Principal investigators: Hu, Jim

Keywords: Airway Diseases; Cystic Fibrosis; Gene Delivery

$940,950

Targeting airway stem cells for gene-editing to correct genetic diseases

Nominated PICIHR2016Project Grant

Principal investigators: Hu, Jim

Keywords: Airway; Epithelial Cells; Genetic Diseases; Lung

$100,000

Translating genetic discoveries into therapeutic strategies for inherited diseases

Nominated PICIHR2012Operating Grant

Principal investigators: Hu, Jim

Keywords: Cystic Fibrosis; Gene Regulation; Gene Therapy; Genetic Disease

$739,151

From CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC funding decisions: CIHR since 2008, NSERC since 1991 and SSHRC since 1998, including their latest published competition results.

Frequent collaborators

Thoracic Surgery
Department of Surgery
Medicine
Department of Molecular Genetics
Molecular Genetics
Mechanical Engineering
Pharmaceutical Sciences
Other

Co-authors at University of Toronto, colored by department. Thicker lines mean more shared papers; select anyone to open their profile and their own map.

Mingyao Liu

Department of Surgery

6 shared papers, latest 2024

Tanja Gonska

Faculty

4 shared papers, latest 2026

Marcelo Cypel

Thoracic Surgery

3 shared papers, latest 2024

Jun Liu

Molecular Genetics

3 shared papers, latest 2026

Shaf Keshavjee

Thoracic Surgery

2 shared papers, latest 2024

Ren-Ke Li

Cardiovascular Surgery

2 shared papers, latest 2015

Stephen Juvet

Toronto General Research Institute

2 shared papers, latest 2024

Zhengping Jia

Faculty

2 shared papers, latest 2013

Armand Keating

Mechanical Engineering

2 shared papers, latest 2013

Tianru Jin

Faculty

2 shared papers, latest 2021

Adrian Sacher

Faculty

2 shared papers, latest 2009

Xiao-Yan Wen

Medicine

2 shared papers, latest 2019

Bowen Li

Pharmaceutical Sciences

2 shared papers, latest 2026

Jonathan Yeung

Department of Surgery

2 shared papers, latest 2024

Nades Palaniyar

Physiology and Experimental Medicine

2 shared papers, latest 2012

Sergio Grinstein

Cell Biology

2 shared papers, latest 2012

Haibo Zhang

Anesthesia

1 shared papers, latest 2007

Samira Mubareka

Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology

1 shared papers, latest 2021

Arinjay Banerjee

Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization

1 shared papers, latest 2021

Aizhou Wang

Thoracic Surgery

1 shared papers, latest 2024

Mohit Kapoor

Orthopedics

1 shared papers, latest 2016

Rod Bremner

Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute

1 shared papers, latest 2011

Yonghong Wan

Medicine

1 shared papers, latest 2011

Martin Post

Pediatrics and Physiology

1 shared papers, latest 2008

Karen Mossman

Medicine

1 shared papers, latest 2021

Derek van der Kooy

Department of Molecular Genetics

1 shared papers, latest 2011

Anne-Claude Gingras

Department of Molecular Genetics

1 shared papers, latest 2024

Write to this professor

A short, specific email works best. This draft uses one of their recent papers; replace the parts in brackets with your own details before sending.

Applying for

Paper to mentionMention their SSHRC grant from 2021

Subject: Prospective PhD student: Cystic Fibrosis Dear Professor Hu, My name is [your name], and I am a [your current degree or role] at [your institution]. I am applying for a PhD position starting in [term and year]. I read your paper "Nonviral delivery of chemically modified tRNA rescues nonsense mutations in cystic fibrosis." (2026), and it connects closely to my own work on [your research topic]. [One or two sentences on what you did and what you learned.] I also saw your SSHRC-funded project "Harnessing the power of CRISPR-Cas guided transposition for high efficiency gene targeting in human cells" (2021), and I would be glad to contribute to work in that direction. Are you accepting new PhD students for [term and year]? I have attached my CV and transcripts, and I would be glad to talk at a time that suits you. Thank you for your time. Kind regards, [your name]