The Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, warmly congratulates Yang Qianxu on the successful completion of her Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) viva voce defence on 14 August 2026.
Her thesis, entitled “Challenges in Schistosoma japonicum Vaccine Development and Its Perceived Acceptance in China”, addresses an important global public health challenge by bringing together two essential dimensions of vaccine development: the scientific search for a promising vaccine candidate and the social factors that may ultimately determine whether such a vaccine is accepted by communities.
Bridging Vaccine Discovery and Community Acceptance
Schistosomiasis remains a significant neglected tropical disease, affecting populations across more than 78 countries and placing nearly 800 million people at risk. In China, Schistosoma japonicum is the predominant species, with infection potentially leading to severe liver fibrosis, chronic illness and disability. Despite decades of control efforts, no licensed vaccine currently exists.
Yang’s doctoral research approached this challenge from both biomedical and public health perspectives.
The first part of the thesis focused on identifying potential vaccine targets associated with S. japonicum-induced liver fibrosis. Using an innovative in-silico pipeline integrating single-cell transcriptomics, parasite antigen screening and structure-based modelling, the research identified FYN, BCL2 and AKT3 as important fibrosis-related regulatory proteins. Among the parasite antigens evaluated, DRE2_SCHJA emerged as a promising candidate.
Notably, molecular docking predicted a particularly strong interaction between DRE2_SCHJA and FYN, with a binding energy of −14.9 kcal/mol. The findings suggest that DRE2_SCHJA may interact with FYN through a mechanism distinct from conventional FYN inhibition, highlighting its potential as a candidate for further investigation to prevent S. japonicum-associated liver fibrosis and limit fibrosis progression.
The second part of the thesis recognised an equally important reality: a successful vaccine must not only work scientifically, but it must also be accepted by the people it is intended to protect.
A video-based educational intervention was therefore evaluated in Eryuan, China, to determine whether improving knowledge about S. japonicum and vaccines could influence acceptance of a hypothetical S. japonicum vaccine. Of the 453 participants recruited at baseline, 421 completed the one-month follow-up.
The results were encouraging. Knowledge of S. japonicum and vaccines improved significantly following the intervention, while hypothetical vaccine acceptance increased from 63.9% to 84.1%. The study further demonstrated how knowledge influenced vaccine acceptance through the 5C psychological antecedents of vaccination: confidence, complacency, constraints, calculation and collective responsibility.
Together, these findings demonstrate the importance of addressing both vaccine discovery and vaccine acceptance when developing future strategies against schistosomiasis.
An Outstanding Doctoral Achievement
Yang’s successful viva voce marks the culmination of a doctoral journey that brought together advanced computational biology, infectious disease research, behavioural science and public health.
A particularly noteworthy achievement of this thesis is its interdisciplinary approach. Rather than considering vaccine development solely as a laboratory or biomedical challenge, the research extends the pathway from identifying a potential antigen to understanding whether communities would be psychologically and socially prepared to accept a future vaccine.
The work demonstrates Yang’s ability to navigate diverse research methodologies, from single-cell RNA sequencing analysis, reverse vaccinology and molecular modelling to community-based intervention research and path analysis. This breadth represents an important achievement and reflects the increasingly multidisciplinary nature of contemporary public health research.
Contribution to Public Health
Yang’s research makes an important contribution to the prevention and control of schistosomiasis and, more broadly, to research on neglected tropical diseases.
Scientifically, identifying DRE2_SCHJA as a promising vaccine candidate provides a foundation for future experimental investigation into vaccines targeting S. japonicum-associated liver fibrosis. From a population health perspective, the findings show that well-designed educational interventions can improve disease and vaccine knowledge, influence psychological determinants of vaccination, and substantially increase willingness to accept a potential vaccine.
Importantly, the thesis reinforces a key lesson for public health: innovation does not end with discovering an effective biomedical intervention. Successful disease prevention also depends on confidence, accessibility, understanding, collective responsibility and community readiness.
By integrating antigen discovery with research on vaccine attitudes and acceptance, Yang’s thesis offers a valuable framework that may inform future vaccine strategies not only for schistosomiasis but also for other neglected diseases where biomedical innovation and community acceptance must progress together.
Acknowledgement
We wish to acknowledge the invaluable guidance and mentorship provided by Yang Qianxu’s supervisors, Professor Dr Wong Li Ping and Associate Professor Dr. Lee Hai Yen, whose expertise and support were instrumental in the completion of her thesis.
We extend our sincere gratitude to the External Examiners, Professor Dr Uwem Friday Ekpo, Akwa Ibom State University, Nigeria, and Professor Dr. Malcolm Jones, The University of Queensland, Australia, and the Internal Examiner, Professor Dr Rafdzah Ahmad Zaki, Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya.
We would also like to thank the Committee of Examiners for their thorough evaluation and insightful feedback, including Professor Dr Tan Maw Pin, the Chairperson of the viva voce session, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya; and Professor Dr Victor CW Hoe, Head of the Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya.
Congratulations and Looking Ahead
Heartiest congratulations once again to Yang Qianxu on successfully completing her PhD viva voce defence. This achievement represents not simply the completion of a doctoral degree, but an important milestone in a research journey dedicated to addressing a disease that continues to affect vulnerable communities.
We look forward to seeing Yang build on this work, particularly through further validation of promising vaccine candidates and continued research into effective approaches to improving vaccine knowledge, confidence, and acceptance.
May this achievement open the way to new collaborations, impactful publications and further contributions to infectious disease prevention, vaccine research and global public health.
Congratulations, Dr Yang Qianxu, and best wishes for the next chapter of your academic and professional journey!
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