Leo Poon received his doctoral training in Sir William Dunn School of Pathology in University of Oxford. After his graduation, he returned to Hong Kong and worked as a postdoctoral fellow in the Chinese University of Hong Kong. He joined the University of Hong Kong as a Research Assistant Professor in 2001. He currently serves as Chair Professor in the School of Public Health, HKU, Director of the Center for Immunology & Infection, HKSTP and Co-Director of the HKU-Pasteur Research Pole. His lab has focused for years on the biology of emerging viruses and has contributed molecular diagnostic tools for influenza virus and coronavirus. He has published over 200 peer-reviewed articles.