Education
| 1984 | Ph. D. (Biological Oceanography), Massachusetts Institute of Technology / Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Joint Program in Oceanography, USA |
| 1976 | A. B. (Biological Sciences, with specialisation in Marine Biology), University of California at Berkeley, USA |
Positions
- Professor Emeritus, School of Life Sciences
- Honorary Fellow, New Asia College
- Visiting Scholar, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
Research Interests
- Molecular marine biology and biotechnology
a) Molecular systematics and ecology
b) Molecular and immunological studies on seafood allergy - 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
- 2023, Excellence in Research Award, The Crustacean Society
- 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