Swee Hoe Ong

Papers

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About

Swee Hoe Ong is a molecular virologist whose research focuses on the genomics and evolution of HIV-1, with a particular emphasis on understanding viral virulence and transmission. As a key contributor to the BEEHIVE (Bridging the Evolution and Epidemiology of HIV in Europe) project, Ong has been instrumental in developing and optimizing methods for extracting and sequencing HIV-1 RNA from clinical samples. His most cited work, "From clinical sample to complete genome: Comparing methods for the extraction of HIV-1 RNA for high-throughput deep sequencing" (2016, 25 citations), addresses a critical technical challenge in viral genomics—how to reliably obtain high-quality, near-complete viral genomes from patient samples for large-scale evolutionary studies. This methodological contribution has enabled the analysis of over 3,000 HIV-1 genomes from infected Europeans, helping to unravel the genetic determinants of viral pathogenicity. Ong’s work bridges the gap between clinical virology and high-throughput sequencing, providing essential tools for tracking viral evolution and informing public health strategies. His research continues to advance our understanding of how viral genetic variation influences disease progression and transmission dynamics.