Director

Professor

Chan, Ho Yin Edwin 陳浩然
Biochemical and genetic studies of human diseases
Chan, Michael Kenneth 陳文博
Protein Crystallography and Chemical Biology
Chen, Zhenyu 陳振宇
Food and nutrition
Cheung, Chi Keung Peter 張志強
Structure-function of cell wall polysaccharides/dietary fiber; Fungal/mushroom bioactive substances; Prebiotics, probiotics and gut microbiome
Chu, Ka Hou 朱嘉濠
Molecular systematics and ecology; Marine biotechnology and genomics; Crustacean biology; Seafood allergy
Fong, Wing Ping 方永平
Structure and function study of antiquitin; and Anti-cancer activities of novel photosensitizers
Jiang, Liwen 姜里文
Plant cell and molecular biology; Protein targeting and trafficking in plant cells; Organelle biogenesis and function in plants; and Plant biotechnology
Kong, Siu Kai 江紹佳
CBiol; MIBiol; Mitochondria as regulators of cell death; Erythropoiesis and apoptosis; Cancer biochemistry; and Development of biosensors
Lam, Hon Ming 林漢明
Plant and agricultural biotechnology
Lee, Shing Yip Joe 李成業
Ecology and biogeochemistry of estuarine wetlands such as mangroves and saltmarshes; Application of stable isotopes in marine environmental research; Marine ecosystem dynamics, rehabilitation and restoration
Shaw, Pang Chui 邵鵬柱
Protein structure and function study; and Quality control and authentication of Chinese medicinal material
Wong, Po Keung 王保強
Environmental biotechnology/microbiology; Ecotoxicology; and Environmental technology/management

Associate Professor

Au, Wing Ngor Shannon 區詠娥
Molecular and structural biology
Chan, King Ming 陳竟明
Fish endocrinology and Aquatic toxicology
Chan, Ting Fung 陳廷峰
RNomics and bioinformatics in biological processes and diseases; Platform development for structural variation detection and comparative analysis of complex genomic variation
Chu, Lee Man 朱利民
Industrial ecology; Restoration ecology; Pollution studies
Chung, Hau Yin 鍾厚賢
Food flavor; Food quality; Bioactive components from food and herb in health; and Food by-product utilization
Guo, Dianjing 郭殿京
Computational and systems biology; and Plant genomics and metabolomics
Kang, Byung Ho 姜秉昊
Plant Cell Biology; 3D electron microscopy
Kwan, Kin Ming 關健明
Genetic Control of Organogenesis in Development
Lau, Kwok Fai 劉國輝
Molecular neuroscience
Leung, Lai Kwok 梁禮國
Food toxicology
Ngai, Sai Ming 倪世明
Bioinformatics and proteomics; Protein/Peptide biochemistry; PTMs, structural and functional studies; and Research and development on modern Chinese medicine
Tsang, Suk Ying Faye 曾淑瑩
Stem cell biology and Cardiovascular physiology

Assistant Professor

He, Junxian 何軍賢
Hormone signal transduction in plants; Nitrogen signaling and nitrogen use efficiency of plants; Functional genomics of pant stress resistance
Hui, Ho Lam Jerome 許浩霖
microRNA biology; animal evolution; comparative endocrinology; genomics and transcriptomics; and arthropods, marine and freshwater invertebrates
Laura, Falkenberg
Global change biology – particularly ocean acidification and warming; Marine ecosystem dynamics, shifts, and resistance/resilience; Herbivore-autotroph ecophysiology, behaviour, and interactions; Socio-economic consequences of environmental change
Luo, Haiwei 羅海偉
Microbial evolution and ecology; genomics; bioinformatics
Ngo, Chi Ki Jacky 敖志祺
Structural biology
Tsang, Ling Ming 曾令銘 
Biogeography and conservation genetictructural biology; Evolution and phylogeny of crustaceans; and Molecular ecology of marine animals
Wong, Wing Tak Jack 黃永德
Vascular and metabolic biology; Stem cell biology; and Cardiovascular regeneration
Zhong, Silin 鍾思林
Epigenetics and genomics; Hormone signaling network; Fruit ripening; and Sequencing technology

Research Professor

Kwan, Hoi Shan 關海山
Food safety, microbiology, chemistry and biotechnology; Fungal and crustacean genetics; Molecular biology and genomics; and Molecular analysis of Chinese medicine and food

Research Associate Professor

Ang, Put O Jr. 伍澤賡
Marine Benthic Ecology and Phylogeography; Coral Reef Ecology and Biology; Seaweed Ecology, Eco-physiology and application; and Conservation biology

Research Assistant Professor

Chen, Liyuan 陳麗媛
Investigate the versatile functions of Plant E3 ligases; Determine the dynamic functions of stem cells expressed proteins in plants; and Identify the transcription regulatory networks of plant hormone signal pathways
Koon, Chun Alex 管進
Synaptic plasticity; Neurodegenerative diseases; Neurobiology; Developmental biology
Lau, Wilson Chun Yu 劉振宇
Cryo-electron microscopy; Structural biology
Qin, Jing 覃靜
Bioinformatics; Integrative omics approaches for gene regulation studies; Gene regulatory networks; Marine genomics; Stem cell and cancer multi-omics
Zhang, Shoudong 張守棟
Plant mobile macromolecules, Plant epigenetics and alternative splicing, plant adaptive mechanisms to harsh environments

Senior Lecturer

Chiu, Chi Ming Lawrence 招志明
Cell signaling in apoptosis; Reversal of drug resistance in cancer cells by targeting their apoptosis signaling pathways with bioactive molecules; and Applications of flow cytometry

Lecturer

Chow, Cheung Ming Cherry 周祥明
Plant cell biology; and Membrane trafficking
Chui, Pui Yi Apple 崔佩怡
Reproductive and larval ecology of corals; Coral recruitment dynamics; Reef restoration using sexually reared corals
Lo, Fai Hang 羅輝恒
Molecular cell biology, cancer Research; natural product research
Ngai, Hung Kui 魏雄鉅
Protein biochemistry; Metabolic diseases
Pang, Kok Shuen Iris 彭珏琁
Immunology; Innate activation of adaptive immunity; Pathogen recognition by innate receptors; Influenza virus infection; Immune regulation by commensal bacteria
Siow, Lam Nina 蕭琳
Molecular and cellular neuroscience; cell signaling and gene regulation
Yam, Kwan Mei 任君美
Molecular biology; Endocrinology; Popular science promotion; and Learning & teaching methodologies
Yip, Pui Sze Peggy 葉珮詩
Community nutrition; Public health; and Nutrition education and promotion

Assistant Lecturer

Chu, Kin Kan Astley 朱建勤
Food Processing Technology and Product Development; and Teaching Material Development in Food Science

Part-time Lecturer

Chung, Kwok Cheong 鍾國昌
Aquaculture, Systematics and reproduction of teleost fish; and Recirculated aquaculture systems

Address	(Office): Rm 102A, Simon F.S. Li Marine Science Laboratory (Lab): Rm 102, Simon F.S. Li Marine Science Laboratory
Phone	(Office): (852) 3943 3268 (Lab): (852) 3943 3212
Fax	(852) 2603 5391
Email	This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Web	https://www.joesylee.org/
Curriculum Vitae	>> Download (PDF)

Education

Positions

• 2017 to 2022: Professor and Director, Simon F S Li Marine Science Laboratory, School of Life Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong; Director, Institute of Environment, Energy and Sustainability, CUHK
• 1997-2017: Griffith University, Australia (Lecturer – Professor)
• 1989-1997: The University of Hong Kong (Lecturer – Associate Professor)

Research Interests

• Ecology and biogeochemistry of estuarine wetlands such as mangroves and saltmarshes
• Application of stable isotopes in marine environmental research
• Marine ecosystem dynamics, rehabilitation and restoration 

Publications

Publication record: Total of 216 full-length refereed publications: 16 edited books, 11 book chapters, 3 special issues of journals, 167 refereed journal papers, 19 refereed proceedings papers. Career h-index = 54, >11,400 cites (Google Scholars). Since 2015: 1 edited book, 8 book chapters, 2 edited special issues of journal, 61 journal papers (total=72)

Five most representative publications since 2015 (*corresponding author):

1. Cannicci S., Lee S.Y.*, Bravo H., Cantera Kintz J.R., Dahdouh-Guebas F., Fratini S., Fusi M., Jimenez P.J., Nordhaus I., Porri F., Diele K. 2021. Extremely low functional redundancy in global mangrove invertebrate fauna. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA (accepted 5/21).
   
   
2. Waltham NJ, Elliott M, Lee SY, Lovelock C, Duarte CM, Buelow C, Simenstad C, Nagelkerken I, Claassens L, Wen CCK, Barletta M, Connolly RM, Gillies C, Mitsch WJ, Ogburn MB, Purandare J, Possingham H, Sheaves M. 2020. UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration 2021-2030 – what chance for success in restoring coastal ecosystems? Frontiers in Marine Science 7:71 (35 cites, an ISI “Highly-cited paper”)
   
   
3. Ouyang X, Lee SY*. 2020. Improved estimates of global carbon stock and carbon pool in tidal wetlands. Nature Communications 11: 317. (29 cites)
   
   
4. Lee, SY*, Hamilton S, Barbier EB, Primavera JH, Lewis III RR. 2019. Better restoration policies are needed to conserve mangrove ecosystems. Nature Ecology and Evolution 3:870-872 (69 cites)
   
   
5. Serrano O, Lovelock C, Atwood T, Macreadie P, Canto R, Phinn S, Arias-Ortiz A, Bai L, Baldock J, Bedulli C, Carnell P, Connolly R, Donaldson P, Esteban A, Lewis CE, Eyre B, Hayes M, Horwitz P, Hutley L, Kavazos C, Kelleway J, Kendrick G, Kilminster K, Lafratta A, Lee SY (25 of 45 authors), Lavery P, Maher D, Marba N, Masque P, Mateo M, Mount R, Ralph P, Roelfsema C, Rozaimi M, Ruhon R, Salinas C, Samper-Villarreal J, Sanderman J, Sanders C, Santos I, Sharples C, Steven A, Cannard T, Trevathan-Tackett S, Duarte C. 2019 Australian vegetated coastal ecosystems as global hotspots for climate change mitigation. Nature Communications 10: 4313 (46 cites)

Five most representative publications before 2015:

1. Kamal S, Lee SY*, Warnken J. 2014. Investigating three-dimensional meso-scale habitat complexity and its ecological implications using low-cost RGB-D sensor technology. Methods in Ecology and Evolution 5:845-853. (‘editor’s pick’; finalist for the Robert May prize in Ecology) (23 cites)
   
   
2. Lee SY*, Primavera JH, Dahdouh-Geubas F, McKee K, Bosire JO, Cannicci S, Diele K, Koedam N, Marchand C, Mendelssohn I, Mukherjee N, Record S. 2014. Ecological role and services of tropical mangrove ecosystems: a reassessment. Global Ecology and Biogeography 23:726-743. (439 cites; a “highly-cited paper”, ISI Web of Science)
   
   
3. Ouyang X, Lee SY. 2014. Updated estimates of carbon accumulation rates in coastal marsh sediments. Biogeosciences 11: 5057-5071. (161 cites)
   
   
4. Bouillon S, Connolly RM, Lee SY. 2008. Carbon exchange and cycling in mangrove ecosystems: recent insights from stable isotope studies. Journal of Sea Research 59: 44- 58 (380 cites)
   
   
5. Bouillon S, Borges AV, Diele K, Dittmar T, Duke NC, Kristensen E, Lee SY, Marchand C, Middelburg JJ, Rivera-Monroy VH, Smith III TJ, and Twilley RR. 2008. Mangrove production and carbon sinks: a revision of global budget estimates. 2008. Global Biogeochemical Cycles 22, GB2013. (851 cites)

 
Research Grants

(2014 - ):

• Securing mangrove ecosystem services from restored mangroves – lessons from the managed Matang forests, Malaysia. IRU-MRUN Collaborative Grant
• The seasonal dynamics of persistent organic pollutants in coastal Antarctic waters from a coupled, vertically resolved fugacity food web model. Australia Antarctic Science Program
• Marine and Coastal Carbon Biogeochemistry Cluster. CSIRO Cluster Collaboration Fund Cluster. 

Awards

• Visiting Professor, Area of Excellence in Marine Science, University of Malaysia Terengganu
• Sir Kirby Laing Visiting Fellow, Bangor University, UK
• Visiting Scientist, University of Georgia Marine Institute, Sapelo Island, USA (3 occasions)
• USA Information Agency International Visitorship – Wetlands in the USA
• Croucher Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship
• John Swire Scholarship in Wetland Ecology
  

Professional Activities

• Founding Co-chair (2013-6), Chair (2017-date) IUCN Mangrove Specialist Group
• Keynote/plenary/invited lectures at international conferences since 2014: 10 keynotes, 2 plenaries, 13 invited lectures (all fully funded by organiser)
• Grant reviewer: Australian Research Council; NOAA, and National Geographic Society (USA); BBSRC and NERC (UK); WOTRO and KNAW (The Netherlands); Flanders (Belgium); ECF and RGC (Hong Kong); French National Research Agency; NSFC (China); National Research Foundation (South Africa); Qatar Foundation (Qatar)
• External PhD examiner: Theses from Hong Kong*, Australia*, India, Tanzania, New Caledonia*, Singapore*, Germany, South Africa, Malaysia* (* >1 occasions)
• Supervision of MPhil/PhD research students (total = 43; 40 completed, 3 on-going)

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Address	(Office): Rm 621, Mong Man Wai Building
Phone	(Office): (852) 3943 6772
Fax	(852) 2603 5391
Email	This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Web	-

Education

Positions

• Professor Emeritus, School of Life Sciences
• Honorary Fellow, New Asia College
• Visiting Professor, Education University of Hong Kong
• Visiting Scholar, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

Research Interests

1. Molecular marine biology and biotechnology
   a) Molecular systematics and ecology
   b) Molecular and immunological studies on seafood allergy
2. Biology of crustaceans
   a) Crustacean genomics
   b) Larval development, growth and reproduction
   c) Fisheries, aquaculture and pollution biology

Representative Publications

• Cui Z, Liu Y, Yuan J, Zhang X, Ventura T ……….. Li F, Chu KH: The Chinese mitten crab genome provides insights into adaptive plasticity and developmental regulation. Nat Commun 2021, 12:2395
• Wai, CYY, Leung NYH, Leung, PSC, Chu KH: Immunotherapy of food allergy: a comprehensive review. Clin Rev Allergy Immunol 2019, 57:55-73 (Invited review)
• Zhang X, Yuan J, Sun Y, Li S, Gao Y, Yu Y, …… Chu KH, Liu B,  Li F, Xiang J: Penaeid shrimp genome provides insights into benthic adaptation and frequent molting. Nature Commun 2019, 10:356.
• Leung NYH, Wai CYY, Ho MHK, Liu RW, Lam KS, Wang JJ, Shu SA, Chu KH, Leung PSC: Screening and identifying mimotopes of the major shrimp tropomyosin using one-bead-one-compound combinatorial peptide libraries. Cell Mol Immunol 2017, 14:308-318.
• Liao Y, De Grave S, Ho TW, Ip BHY, Tsang LM, Chan T-Y, Chu KH: Molecular phylogeny of Pasiphaeidae (Decapoda, Caridea) reveals systematic incongruence of the current classification. Mol Phylogenet Evol 2017, 115:171-180.
• Wai CYY, Leung NYH, Leung PSC, Chu KH: T-cell epitope immunotherapy ameliorates allergenic responses in a murine model of shrimp allergy. Clin Exp Allergy 2016, 46:491-503.
• Tsang LM, Schubart CD, Ahyong ST, Lai J, Au E, Ng PKL, Chan TY, Chu KH: Evolutionary history of the true crabs (Crustacea, Decapoda, Brachyura), including the origin of the freshwater crabs. Mol Biol Evol 2014, 31:1173-1187.
• Tsang LM, Chan TY, Ahyong S, Chu KH: Hermit to king, or hermit to all: multiple transitions to crab-like forms from hermit crab ancestors. Syst Biol 2011, 60: 616-629.
• Xu J, Chan T.Y, Tsang LM, Chu KH: Phylogeography of the mitten crab Eriocheir sensu stricto in East Asia: Pleistocene isolation, population expansion and secondary contact. Mol Phylogenet Evol 2009, 52:45-56.
•  Tsang LM, Chan BKK, Ma KY, Chu KH: Genetic differentiation, hybridization and adaptive significance in two subspecies of the acorn barnacle, Tetraclita japonica, in NW Pacific. Mol Ecol 2008, 17:4136-4148. 
• Tsang LM, Ma KY, Ahyong ST, Chan TY, Chu KH: Phylogeny of Decapoda using two nuclear protein-coding genes: Origin and evolution of the Reptantia. Mol Phylogenet Evol 2008, 48:359-368.
• Chu KH, Li CP, Qi J: Ribosomal RNA as molecular barcodes: A simple correlation analysis without sequence alignment. Bioinformatics 2006, 22:1690-1701.
• Chu KH, Qi J, Yu ZG, Anh V: Origin and phylogeny of chloroplasts revealed by a simple correlation analysis of complete genomes. Mol Biol Evol 2004, 21:70-76.
• Lavery S, Chan TY, Tam YK, Chu KH: Phylogenetic relationships and evolutionary history of the shrimp genus Penaeus s.l. derived from mitochondrial DNA. Mol Phylogenet Evol 2004, 31:39-49.
• Leung PSC, Chow WK, Duffy S, Kwan HS, Gershwin ME, Chu KH: IgE reactivity against a cross-reactive allergen in Crustacea and Mollusca: Evidence for tropomyosin as the common allergen. J Allergy Clin Immunol 1996, 98:954-961

Research Grants

• 2021-2022, Hong Kong Branch of the Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou) Open Collaborative Research Fund, Evolution of decapod- micorbiome symbiosis in deep-sea biomes, HK$800,000
• 2020-2023, Research Grants Council (RGC) General Research Fund, On the origin of Southwest China biodiversity hotspot: a biogeographical study of atyid shrimps, HK$996,285
• 2018-2021, Research Grants Council (RGC) General Research Fund, Phylophysiology of caridean shrimps: Uncovering osmoregulatory innovations underlying marine-freshwater transitions, HK$965,925
• 2017-2020, Research Grants Council (RGC) General Research Fund, Understanding the evolutionary ecology of brachyuran crabs: a transcriptomic approach, HK$970,371
• 2016-2018, Environment and Conservation Fund, Genetic diversity and population structure of freshwater Caridina and Neocaridina shrimps in Hong Kong, HK$1,651,200 
• 2015-2018, Research Grants Council (RGC) Collaborative Research Fund, Marine genomics: crustacean evolution and aquaculture, $7,200,000
• 2015-2018, National Science Foundation of China, Phylogenetics of higher taxa (families and superfamilies) in Caridea based on nuclear protein-coding genes and mitochondrial genomes, RMB940,000
• 2015-2017, Environment and Conservation Fund, Genetic diversity and population structure of freshwater fish in Hong Kong and South China, $1,016,460
• 2015-2017, Health and Medical Research Fund, Immunotherapy and modulatory mechanisms of hypoallergen DNA vaccines for shellfish allergy, $999,657 
• 2013-2016, Research Grants Council (RGC) General Research Fund, Comparative phylogeography of East Asian crabs using a multi-locus approach: The role of adult habitat specificity in shaping genetic structure of coastal fauna, $848,712
• 2011-2014, Research Grants Council (RGC) General Research Fund, Gene therapy of shellfish allergy, $1,035,000
• 2010-2013, Research Grants Council (RGC) General Research Fund, A multi-locus approach to the origin and phylogeny of thoracotreme crabs, the most diversified of all brachyurans, $963,815
• 2010-2013, Environment and Conservation Fund, Genetic diversity and population differentiation of freshwater fish in Hong Kong, $854,440
• 2009-2012, Research Grants Council (RGC) General Research Fund, Diversity, distribution and genetic differentiation of two barnacle species complexes: dissecting the driving forces of biogeographic patterns in the Asian intertidal zone, $543,203
• 2004-2008, Research Grants Council (RGC) Earmarked Grant, Molecular barcodes of decapod crustaceans: the development of a DNA-based taxonomic identification system, $1,406,920
• 2003-2007, Research Grants Council (RGC) Earmarked Grant, Gene expression in ovarian maturation of penaeid shrimp, $1,679,600
• 2002-2005, Research Grants Council (RGC) Earmarked Grant, Development of an animal model of shrimp allergy, $816,000
• 2001-2005, Research Grants Council (RGC) Earmarked Grant, Molecular population structure of penaeid shrimp in the Indo-West Pacific, $1,182,000
• 2000-2003, Research Grants Council (RGC) Earmarked Grant, Isolation, characterization, and molecular cloning of the androgenic hormone of the mud crab Scylla spp.: Development of monosex crab aquaculture, $763,200
• 1999-2002, Research Grants Council (RGC) Earmarked Grant, Evolutionary and population genetics of the mitten crabs, Eriocheir spp, $822,080
• 1998-2001, Research Grants Council (RGC) Earmarked Grant, Development of molecular markers for genome mapping in penaeid shrimp, $600,000
• 1997-1999, Research Grants Council (RGC) Earmarked Grant, Molecular studies on shellfish allergens: Cloning, expression and immunological responses, $686,880
• 1996-1999, Research Grants Council (RGC) Earmarked Grant, Evolutionary and population genetics of penaeid shrimp in the Indo-West Pacific: Allozyme and mitochondrial DNA analyses, $692,000
• 1994-1997, Research Grants Council (RGC) Earmarked Grant, Fisheries biology and population genetics of brachyuran crabs in the Zhujiang estuary, $603,000
• 1994-1996, Croucher Foundation, Molecular cloning and expression of crustacean allergens, $600,000
• 1991-1994, Croucher Foundation, Diversity, distribution and production of penaeid shrimp in the Zhujiang River Estuary, $800,000 

Awards

• 2015, Outstanding Fellow, Faculty of Science, CUHK
• 2012, Higher Education Outstanding Scientific Research Output Award (Science and Technology) in the category of Natural Sciences (Second Class), Ministry of Education, PRC
• 2007-2008, Research Excellence Award, CUHK
• 2005, Exemplary Teaching Award, Faculty of Science, CUHK

Professional Activities

• Associate Editor, Journal of Crustacean Biology
• Associate Editor, Zoological Studies
• Associate Editor, Marine and Freshwater Behaviour and Physiology
• Member, Editorial Board of the Journal of Marine Science and Engineering
• Member, Editorial Board of the journal Marine Biotechnology
• Li Dak Sum Chair Professor, Ningbo University
• Honorary Professor, Shanghai Ocean University, China
• Adjunct Professor, Xiamen University, China
• Adjunct Professor, Jimei University, Xiamen, China
• Visiting Scientist, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences
• Scientific Advisor, International Foundation for Science, Sweden