Biography:

Jun YU is a professor in Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK). She completed her MD and PhD at Tongji Medical University and then she embarked on gastrointestinal specialist in Beijing University in 1994-1998, followed by a postdoctoral fellowship in the Department of Gastroenterology at the University of Dresden, Germany, University of Magdeburg, Germany and CUHK, Hong Kong, respectively in 1998-2002. She worked as a Senior Research Officer at University of Sydney in 2003-2005. She has been a CUHK faculty member since 2005 and currently as a Professor at Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, director of the Research Laboratory of Institute of Digestive Disease, and associate director of State Key Laboratory of Digestive Disease, CUHK. She has published over 260 peer-reviewed papers (45 papers with impact factor > 10) and 7 book or book chapters particularly in the areas of gastrointestinal cancers. She has obtained 11 research-related prizes/awards including First-class of Ministry of Education (MOE) Higher Education Outstanding Scientific Research Output Awards (Natural science) (2010); First-class of MOE Higher Education Outstanding Scientific Research Output Awards (Scientific and Technological Progress Award) (2012); National Award for Science and Technology Progress 2012 (2012); First-class of MOE Higher Education Outstanding Scientific Research Output Awards (Natural science) (2014).

Specialised Research Area(s):

- Identification of the genomic and epigenomic alterations in relation to the mechanisms of pathogenesis and diagnostic biomarker of gastrointestinal cancers (gastric, colon and liver)

- Non-alcohol steatohepatitis (NASH) in relation to the mechanisms of development of experimental steatohepatitis, and treatment response

1. Zhang X, Shen JY, Man K, Chu ESH, Yau TO, Sung JCY, Go MYY, Deng J, Lu LW, Wong VWS, Sung JJY, Farrell G, Yu J. Cxcl10 plays a key role as an inflammatory mediator and a non-invasive biomarker of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. Journal of Hepatology 2014; 61: 1365-1375.

2. Liang QY, Yao XT, Tang SW, Zhang JW, Yau TO, Li XX, Tang CM, Kang W, Lung RWM, Li JW, Chan TF, Xing R, Lu YY, Lo KW, Wong N, To KF, Yu C, Chan FKL, Sung JJY, Yu J. Integrative identification of epstein-barr virus-associated mutations and epigenetic alterations in gastric cancer. Gastroenterology 2014; 147: 1350-+. 

3. Yu J, Wu WKK, Li XC, He J, Li XX, Ng SSM, Yu C, Gao ZB, Yang J, Li M, Wang QX, Liang QY, Pan Y, Tong JH, To KF, Wong N, Zhang N, Chen J, Lu YY, Lai PBS, Chan FKL, Li YR, Kung HF, Yang HM, Wang J, Sung JJY. Novel recurrently mutated genes and a prognostic mutation signature in colorectal cancer. Gut 2015; 64: 636-645. 

4. Xu L, Li X, Cai M, Chen J, Li X, Wu WKK, Kang W, Tong J, To K-F, Guan X-Y, Sung JJY, Chan FKL, Yu J. Increased expression of solute carrier family 12 member 5 via gene amplification contributes to tumour progression and metastasis and associates with poor survival in colorectal cancer. Gut 2015. [Epub ahead of print].

5. Zhang J, Tsoi H, Li X, Wang H, Gao J, Wang K, Go MY, Ng SC, Chan FK, Sung JJ, Yu J. Carbonic anhydrase iv inhibits colon cancer development by inhibiting the wnt signalling pathway through targeting the wtap–wt1–tbl1 axis. Gut 2015. [Epub ahead of print].

6. Wang SY, Cheng YD, Du W, Lu LN, Zhou L, Wang HT, Kang W, Li XX, Tao Q, Sung JJY, Yu J. Zinc-finger protein 545 is a novel tumour suppressor that acts by inhibiting ribosomal rna transcription in gastric cancer. Gut 2013; 62: 833-841. 

7. Wang XJ, Yu J, Wong SH, Cheng ASL, Chan FKL, Ng SSM, Cho CH, Sung JJY, Wu WKK. A novel crosstalk between two major protein degradation systems regulation of proteasomal activity by autophagy. Autophagy 2013; 9: 1500-1508. 

8. Wu CW, Ng SSM, Dong YJ, Ng SC, Leung WW, Lee CW, Wong YN, Chan FKL, Yu J, Sung JJY. Detection of mir-92a and mir-21 in stool samples as potential screening biomarkers for colorectal cancer and polyps. Gut 2012; 61: 739-745. 

9. Xu LX, Li XX, Chu ESH, Zhao GJ, Go MNYY, Tao Q, Jin HC, Zeng ZR, Sung JJY, Yu J. Epigenetic inactivation of bcl6b, a novel functional tumour suppressor for gastric cancer, is associated with poor survival. Gut 2012; 61: 977-985. 

10. Liu, W., Li, X., Chu, E. S., Go, M. Y., Xu, L., Zhao, G., Li, L., Dai, N., Si, J., Tao, Q., Sung, J. J., & Yu, J.* (2011). Paired box gene 5 is a novel tumor suppressor in hepatocellular carcinoma through interaction with p53 signaling pathway. Hepatology, 53(3), 843-853. 

11. Yu J, Chu ESH, Wang RZ, Wang SY, Wu CW, Wong VWS, Chan HLY, Farrell GC, Sung JJY. Heme oxygenase-1 protects against steatohepatitis in both cultured hepatocytes and mice. Gastroenterology 2010; 138: 694-U360. 

12. Yu J, Shen B, Chu ESH, Teoh N, Cheung KF, Wu CW, Wang SY, Lam CNY, Feng H, Zhao JH, Cheng ASL, To KF, Chan HLY, Sung JJY. Inhibitory role of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma in hepatocarcinogenesis in mice and in vitro. Hepatology 2010; 51: 2008-2019. 

13. Yu J, Cheng YY, Tao Q, Cheung KF, Lam CNY, Geng H, Tian LW, Wong YP, Tong JHM, Ying JM, Jin H, To KF, Chan FKL, Sung JJY. Methylation of protocadherin 10, a novel tumor suppressor, is associated with poor prognosis in patients with gastric cancer. Gastroenterology 2009; 136: 640-651. 

14. Yu J, Tao Q, Cheung KF, Jin H, Poon FF, Wang X, Li HY, Cheng YY, Rocken C, Ebert MPA, Chan ATC, Sung JJY. Epigenetic identification of ubiquitin carboxyl-terminal hydrolase l1 as a functional tumor suppressor and biomarker for hepatocellular carcinoma and other digestive tumors. Hepatology 2008; 48: 508-518. 

15. Shen B, Yu J, Wang S, Chu ESH, Wong VWS, Zhou X, Lin G, Sung JJY, Chan HLY. Phyllanthus urinaria ameliorates the severity of nutritional steatohepatitis both in vitro and in vivo. Hepatology 2008; 47: 473-483.