RESEARCH EXPERIENCE:

CHINA

2006.08-2010.11: Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences.

Main research work:

1. Sequencing of the internal transcribed spacers of ribosomal RNA gene of ovine piroplasms
2. Establishment of reverse line blotting technique of ovine Theileria and Babesia in China
3. Development of molecular diagnostic methods for Lyme disease
4. Study of new biological agents of the animals derived zoonosis spirochaetosis.
5. Isolation of one Borrelia garinii strain from field Dermacentor ticks, successfully.

2014.06-2017.3: Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences.

Main research work:

1. Functional analysis of RAP-1 protein of B. motasi-like Lintan and Babesia sp. Xinjiang in China;
2. The identification and distribution of aquaporins (AQPs) in Haemaphysalis qinghaiensis;
3. Metabonomic analysis of organs of BALB/c mice infected with Borrelia garinii

GERMANY

2007.10-2007.12: Visiting scholar at Munich University, Germany

Project: The culture of the Borrelia in vitro. Supervisor: Dr. V. Fingerle

FRANCE

2010.12-2014.04: ONIRIS-L’Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire, Agroalimentaire et de l’Alimentation Nantes-Atlantique, Biology. Epidemiology and Risk Analysis in Animal Health- BIOEPAR

PhD thesis: Comparison of sequences, organization and expression of the rhoptry-associated-protein-1 genes in Babesia isolates responsible for ovine babesiosis in China. Defended the 28^th April 2014 at Oniris.

Main work of PhD :

1. Determination of the rap-1 gene sequences, gene copy numbers as well as gene locus organization in two phylogenetically very distant ovine parasites, namely Babesia sp. BQ1 (Lintan) and Babesia sp. Xinjiang.
2. Evaluation of rap-1 genetic polymorphism among phylogenetically related (B. motasi-like group) but geographically distinct isolates in China. Polymorphism information on the selected rap-1 genes is a key information to select conserved region in the RAP-1 protein as a common vaccine candidate construction.
3. Evaluation of the expression of the different characterized rap-1 genes, in order to target the expressed copy of this multigene family and to study the function of the Babesia sp. BQ1 (Lintan) RAP-1 proteins in the invasion process of red blood cells.

U.S.A

2017.3-2019.6: The University of Texas Medical Branch, Department of Microbiology and Immunology

Main work of post-doc:

1. Investigation host-pathogen interactions and antiviral innate and adaptive immunity with a focus HIV/AIDS and the associated opportunistic infections.
2. A novel small molecule targeting BRD4 and transcription elongation to epigenetically suppress HIV.

COMMUNICATIONS IN INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES

ORAL COMMUNICATIONS

1. The Rhoptry-Associated-Protein 1 locus in the sheep parasite Babesia sp. BQ1 (Lintan) Many conserved features with B. bigemina. 2013. 10. Turkey

2. Babesiosis of small ruminants: Evaluation of Rhoptry-Associated-Protein-1 (RAP-1) as a vaccine candidate. 2012.11. Clermont, Saint-Gènes-Champanelle, France

POSTERS

1. Niu Q, Moreau E, Chauvin A, Malandrin L. Babesiosis of small ruminants: evaluation of the Rhoptry-associated-protein RAP-1 as a vaccine candidate. 2011.11. Talmont St Hilaire, France
2. Niu Q, Bonsergent C, Moreau E, Guan G, Yin H, Malandrin L. Babesia sp. BQ1 Lintan (B. motasi group) rap-1 locus. A target to vaccine development. 2012. Orvietto, Italy

Niu Q, Marchand J, Bonsergent C, Congshan Y, Guan G, Yin H, Malandrin L. The rhoptry-associated-protein 1 family in the sheep parasite Babesia sp. Xinjiang. 2013. Turkey

PROJECTS

1. National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. U24A20450), Molecular mechanism of tick transmission of African swine fever virus, 2025.01-2028.12, 2610 thousands CNY, PI;
2. National Key Research and Development Program of China (Grant No. 2021YFD1800101), ASFV pathogen ecology and genetic evolution patterns, 2021.05-2025.12, 1600 thousands CNY, PI;
3. National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 32072830), Study on the molecular mechanism of the regulation of African swine fever virus replication based on epigenetic factor BRD4, 2021.01-2024.12,580 thousands CNY, PI;
4. Gansu Provincial Major project for science and technology development, Study and development of vaccine, epidemiology, pathogenicity and immune mechanism of ASFV, 2021.01-2023.12, 3000 thousands CNY, PI;
5. Basic scientific research business expenses budget incremental project, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou veterinary research institute (Grant Nos. 1610312021002), Study on the molecular mechanism of  ATM/ATR/DAN-PK signal pathway regulating ASFV replication, 2021.01-2023.12, 300 thousands CNY, PI; 
6. State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (Grant Nos. SKLVEB2020CGPY02), Research on the immunosuppressive mechanism of African swine fever and guide the development of prevention and control products, 2021.01-2025. 12,79 thousands CNY, PI;
7. National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 31502054), The sub-genotype identification and biological function analysis of Aquaporins (AQPs) in Haemaphysalis qinghaiensis, 2016.01-2018.12, 240 thousands CNY, PI;
8. Basic scientific research business expenses budget incremental project, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (Grant Nos. 2015ZL009), Analysis of immune function of rhoptry-associated protein-1 (RAP-1) in Babesia sp. Xinjiang, 2015.01-2015.12, 200 thousands CNY, PI;

Gansu Provincial Youth Science and Technology Foundation (Grant Nos. 1007RJYA002), A new zoonotic infectious disease-Detection and risk assessment of Lyme disease, 2010.01-2012.12, 20 thousands CNY, PI

PUBLICATIONS

1.Sun H, Yang J, Zhang Z, Wu M,Tian Z, Liu Y, Zhang X, Zhong J, Yang S, Chen Y, Luo J, Guan G, Yin H, Niu Q. The African swine fever virus gene MGF_360-4L inhibits interferon signaling by recruiting mitochondrial selective autophagy receptor SQSTM1 degrading MDA5 antagonizing innate immune responses. mBio.2025; 16(4): e0267724.

2.Wu M, Yang J, Tian Z, Sun H, Zhang Z, Luo J, Guan G, Yin H, Niu Q, Hao R. Transcriptome profiling reveals that the host BRD4 protein facilitates African swine fever virus infection and suppresses inflammatory cytokine expression by downregulating transcriptional regulatory signaling pathways.Vet Microbiol. 2025; 305: 110498.

3.Geng S, Zhang Z, Fan J, Sun H, Yang J, Luo J, Guan G, Yin H, Zeng Q, Niu Q. Transcriptome Profiling Reveals That the African Swine Fever Virus C315R Exploits the IL-6 STAT3 Signaling Axis to Facilitate Virus Replication. Viruses. 2025; 17(3): 309.

4.Yang S, Wang Y, Yang J, Tian Z, Wu M, Sun H, Zhang X, Zhao Y, Luo J, Guan G, Yin H, Hao R, Niu Q. African swine fever virus RNA polymerase subunits C315R and H359L inhibition host translation by activating the PKR-eIF2a pathway and suppression inflammatory responses. Front Microbiol. 2024; 15:1469166.

5.Wu M, Guan G, Yin H, Niu Q. A review of the Bromodomain and Extraterminal Domain Epigenetic Reader Proteins: Function on Virus Infection and Cancer. Viruses. 2024; 16(7): 1096.

6.Sun H, Wu M, Zhang Z, Wang Y, Yang J, Liu Z, Guan G, Luo J, Yin H, Niu Q. OAS1 suppresses African swine fever virus replication by recruiting TRIM21 to degrade viral major capsid protein. J Virol. 2023;97(10):e0121723.

7.Fan J, Lv X, Yang S, Geng S, Yang J, Zhao Y, Zhang Z, Liu Z, Guan G, Luo J, Zeng Q, Yin H, Niu Q. OGG1 inhibition suppresses African swine fever virus replication. Virol Sin, 2023;38(1):96-107.

8.Zhao Y, Niu Q, Yang S, Yang J, Zhang Z, Geng S, Fan, J, Liu Z, Guan G, Liu Z, Zhou J, Hu H, Luo J, Yin H. Inhibition of BET Family Proteins Suppresses African Swine Fever Virus Infection. Microbiol Spectr, 2022;10(4): e0241921.

9.Sun H, Niu Q, Yang, J, Zhao Y, Tian Z, Fan J, Zhang Z, Wang Y, Geng S, Zhang Y, Guan G, Williams D, Luo J, Yin H, Liu Z. Transcriptome Profiling Reveals Features of Immune Response and Metabolism of Acutely Infected, Dead and Asymptomatic Infection of African Swine Fever Viruses in Pigs. Front Immunol,2021;12:808545.

10.Niu Q(#); Liu Z(#); Alamer E; Fan X; Chen H; Endsley J; Gelman B B.; Tian B; Kim J H.; Michael N L.; Robb M L.; Ananworanich J; Zhou J*; Hu H*,Structure-guided drug design identifies a BRD4- selective small molecule that suppresses HIV, J Cin Invest, 2019, 129: 3361-3373.

11.Auclair S, Liu F, Niu Q, Hou W, Churchyard G et al. Distinct susceptibility of HIV vaccine vector-induced CD4 T cells to HIV infection. PLoS Pathog, 2018; 14: e1006888.

12.Liu F, Niu Q, Fan X, Liu C, Zhang J, Wei Z et al. Priming and Activation of Inflammasome by Canarypox Virus Vector ALVAC via the cGAS/IFI16-STING-Type I IFN Pathway and AIM2 Sensor. J Immunol, 2017; 199: 3293-3305.

13.Niu Q, Yang J, Liu Z, Gao S, Pan Y, Guan G, et al. First molecular detection of piroplasm infection in pet dogs from Gansu, China. Front Microbiol, 2017; 8:1029.

14.Niu Q, Liu Z, Yang J, Gao S, Pan Y, Guan G,et al. Genetic characterization and molecular survey of Babesia sp. Xinjiang infection in small ruminants and ixodid ticks in China. Infect Genet Evol. 2017; 49: 330-335.

15.Niu Q, Guan G, Liu Z, Yang J, Yu P, Pan Y, et al. Molecular cloning, characterization and antigenicity of Babesia sp. BQ1 (Lintan) (Babesia cf. motasi) apical membrane antigen-1 (AMA-1). Parasitology, 2017; 144(5):641-649.

16.Niu Q, Liu Z, Yang J, Yu P, Pan Y, Zhai B, et al. Expression analysis and biological characterization of Babesia sp. BQ1 (Lintan) (Babesia motasi-like) rhoptry-associated protein 1 and its potential use in serodiagnosis via ELISA. Parasit & Vectors 2016, 9:313.

17.Niu Q, Liu Z, Yang J, Yu P, Pan Y, Zhai B, et al. Genetic diversity and molecular characterization of Babesia motasi-like in small ruminants and ixodid ticks from China. Infect Genet Evol (2016) 41:8-15.

18.Niu Q, Liu Z, Yang J, Yu P, Pan Y, Zhai B, et al. Expression of sheep pathogen Babesia sp. Xinjiang rhoptry associated protein 1 and evaluation of its diagnostic potential by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Parasitology (2016) 143:1990-1999.

19.Niu Q, Bonsergent C, Rogniaux H, Guan G, Malandrin L, Moreau E. RAP-1a is the main rhoptry-associated-protein-1 (RAP-1) recognized during infection with Babesia sp. BQ1 (Lintan) (B. motasi-like phylogenetic group), a pathogen of sheep in China. Vet Parasitol. (2016) 232:48-57.

20.Yu P*, Niu Q*, Liu Z, Yang J, Chen Z, Guan G, et al. Using molecular epidemiological surveillance to assess the emergence and re-emergence of tick-borne infections in China. Acta Trop (2016) 158: 181-188

21.Omar Abdallah M*, Niu Q*, Yu P, Guan G, Yang J, Chen Z, et al. Identification of piroplasm infection by RLB in questing tick species of China: A broad range extension of tick-borne piroplasm in China? Parasitol Res (2016) 115: 2035-2044

22.Niu Q, Liu Z, Yu P, Yang J, Omar Abdallah M, Guan G, et al. Genetic characterization and molecular survey of Babesia bovis, Babesia bigemina and Babesia ovata in cattle, dairy cattle and yaks in China. Parasit & Vectors (2015) 8:518.

23.Niu Q, Marchand J, Yang C, Bonsergent C, Guan G, Yin H, Malandrin L. Rhoptry-associated protein (rap-1) genes in the sheep pathogen Babesia sp. Xinjiang: Multiple transcribed copies differing by 3’ end repeated sequences. Vet Parasitol (2015) 211: 158-69.

24.Niu Q, Valentin C, Bonsergent C, Malandrin L. Strong conservation of rhoptry-associated-protein-1 (RAP-1) locus organization and sequence among Babesia isolates infecting sheep from China (Babesia motasi-like phylogenetic group). Inf Gen Evol (2014) 28: 21-32.

25.Niu Q, Bonsergent C, Guan G, Yin H, Malandrin L. Sequence and organization of the rhoptry-associated-protein-1 (rap-1) locus for the sheep hemoprotozoan Babesia sp. BQ1 Lintan (B. motasi phylogenetic group). Vet Parasitol (2013) 198: 24-38.

26.Niu Q, Guan G, Liu Z, Ma M, Li Y, Liu A, et al. Simultaneous detection of piroplasma infections in field Haemaphysalis qinghaiensis ticks by reverse line blotting. Exp Appl Acarol (2012) 56:123-32.

27.Niu Q, Luo J, Guan G, Liu Z, Ma M, Liu A, et al. Differentiation of two ovine Babesia based on the ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequences. Exp Parasitol (2009) 121: 64-8.

28.Niu Q, Luo J, Guan G, Ma M, Liu Z, Liu A, et al. Detection and differentiation of ovine Theileria and Babesia by reverse line blotting in China, Parasitol Res (2009) 104:1417-23.

29.Niu Q, Yang J, Guan G, Fu Y, Ma M, Li Y, et al. Identification and phylogenetic analysis of Lyme disease Borrelia spp. Isolated from Shangzhi Prefecture of Heilongjiang Province. Chinese Veterinary Science. (2010) 40(07):551-6. (In Chinese)

30.Niu Q, Guan G, Yang J, Fu Y, Ma M, Li Y, et al. Investigations on the infection of Borrelia burgdorferi in ticks in China using PCR method. Chinese Journal of Preventive Veterinary Medicine. (2010) 32(12): 984-7. (In Chinese)

31.Niu Q, Yin H, Luo J. Progress on Lyme disease in China. Progress in Veterinary Medicine. (2009) 30 (10): 89-93. (In Chinese)

32.Niu Q, Qiu J, Guan G, Ma M, Liu Z, Liu A, et al. Sequencing and phylogenetic evolution analysis of ITS gene of Theileria luwenshuni and T. uilenbergi isolated in China. Chinese Veterinary Science. (2008) 38(05):365-9. (In Chinese)

33.Niu Q, Luo J, Yin H. Advances and application of rDNA-ITS in the molecular taxonomy of parasite. Chinese Journal of Veterinary Parasitology. (2008) 16(4):41-7. (In Chinese)

34.Guan G, Niu Q, Yang J, Li Y, Gao J, Luo J, et al. Trypanosoma (Herpetosoma) grosi: first isolation from Chinese striped field mouse (Apodemus agrarius). Parasitol Int. (2011) 60:101-4.

35.Yang J, Guan G, Niu Q, Liu Z, Li Y, Liu J, et al. Development and application of a loop-mediated isothermal amplification assay for rapid detection of Borrelia burgdorferi s. l. in ticks. Transbound Emerg Dis. (2013) 60: 238-44.

36.Fu Y, Liu Z, Guan G, Niu Q, Li Y, Yang J, et al. Development of Real-Time PCR for Detection of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in China. Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases. (2012) 12:341-5.

AUTHORIZED PATENTS 

Niu Qingli, Liu Zhijie, Yang Jifei, Fan Jie, Lü Xinqian, Guan Guiquan, Yin Hong, New use of OGG1 small molecule inhibitors for treating African swine fever. 2023.04.07, China, ZL202110431405.0

Niu Qingli, Yang Jifei, Zhao Yaru, Liu Zhijie, Guan Guiquan, Luo Jianxun, Yin Hong, New use of compound ARV-825 for preparing drugs for preventing or treating African swine fever. 2021.06.08, China, ZL202010684043.1

Niu Qingli, Yang Jifei, Zhao Yaru, Liu Zhijie, Guan Guiquan, Luo Jianxun, Yin Hong, New use of compound I-BET-762 for preparing drugs for preventing or treating African swine fever. 2021.06.08, China, ZL202010684033.8

Niu Qingli, Yang Jifei, Zhao Yaru, Liu Zhijie, Guan Guiquan, Luo Jianxun, Yin Hong, New use of compound PLX51107 for preparing drugs for preventing or treating African swine fever. 2021.06.08, China, ZL202010684339.3

Niu Qingli, Yang Jifei, Zhao Yaru, Liu Zhijie, Guan Guiquan, Luo Jianxun, Yin Hong, New use of compound ZL0580 for preparing drugs for preventing or treating African swine fever. 2021.06.08, China, ZL202010684287.X

Niu Qingli, Liu Zhijie, Yang Jifei, Pan Yuping, Guan Guiquan, Luo Jianxun, Yin Hong, Diagnostic kit and detection method for the unnamed Babesia sp. of Xinjiang sheep. 2020.02.18, China, ZL201610905860.9

Niu Qingli, Liu Zhijie, Yang Jifei, Guan Guiquan, Li Youquan, Yin Hong, Luo Jianxun, An indirect ELISA method for detection of Xinjiang sheep babesiosis. 2018.10.16, China, ZL201610890348.1