Research Area
Prof. Yu’s research interests are molecular pathogenesis, microbiome, diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets of gastrointestinal cancers (colon, stomach, and liver) and fatty liver disease. She has published 559 peer-reviewed publications (205 papers IF>10 and 101 papers IF>30), including Nature, Nat Biotechnol, Nat Microbiol, Cancer Cell, Cell Res, Cell Metab, J Clin Oncol, Ann Oncol, Gastroenterology, Gut, J Hepatol, Sci Transl Med, etc; ISI citation 38,645, ISI h-index 99. Prof. Yu is dedicated to translating basic discoveries into commercial products, with 29 patents approved and 48 filed in US, Europe and China. Two biomarkers for the non-invasive early-detection of colorectal cancer (miR-92a) and gastric cancer (methylated RNF180) have been approved by China NMPA (#20183400108, #20203400447). A stool bacterial marker (M3-CRCTM) has been applied in Hong Kong for diagnosis of adenoma and colorectal cancer.
Team Description
The State Key Laboratory of Digestive Disease at the Chinese University of Hong Kong was established in 2013 with a focus on basic scientific discoveries and translating insights into clinical applications for digestive diseases and gastrointestinal cancers. According to the U.S. News & World Report 2023 World University Ranking, our department ranked 3th globally and 1st in the Asia-Pacific in the field of Gastroenterology & Hepatology.
Team Members
Team Show
Publications
(3 books, 16 book chapters, 559 peer-reviewed publications (205 papers IF>10 and 101 papers IF>30), ISI citation 38,713, ISI h-index 99; Google Scholar Citation 55,160, h-index 117; *corresponding author):
1. Wei W, Wong CC, Jia Z, Liu W, Liu C, Ji F, Pan Y, Wang F, Wang G, Zhao L, Chu ESH, Zhang X, Sung JJ, Yu J*. Parabacteroides distasonis uses dietary inulin to suppress NASH via its metabolite pentadecanoic acid. Nat Microbiol. 2023 in press. [IF: 30.964].
2. Zhai J, Chen H, Wong CC, Peng Y, Gou H, Zhang J, Pan Y, Chen D, Lin Y, Wang S, Kang W, To KF, Chen Z, Nie Y, He HH, Sung JJ, Yu J*. ALKBH5 Drives Immune Suppression via targeting AXIN2 to Promote Colorectal Cancer and is a Target for Boosting Immunotherapy. Gastroenterology. 2023 May 9:S0016-5085(23)00701-1. Online ahead of print. [IF: 33.883].
3. Wong CC, Yu J*. Gut microbiota in colorectal cancer development and therapy. Nat Rev Clin Oncol. 2023 May 11. Online ahead of print. [IF: 65.013].
4. Lin Y, Lau HC, Liu Y, Kang X, Wang Y, Ting NL, Kwong TN, Han J, Liu W, Liu C, She J, Wong SH, Sung JJ, Yu J*. Altered mycobiota signatures and enriched pathogenic Aspergillus rambellii are associated with colorectal cancer based on multi-cohort fecal metagenomic analyses. Gastroenterology. 2022 Oct;163(4):908-921. [IF: 33.883].
5. Zhao L, Shi Y, Lau HCH, Liu W, Luo G, Wang G, Liu C, Pan Y, Zhou Q, Ding Y, Sung JJ, Yu J*. Uncovering 1,058 novel human enteric DNA viruses through deep long-read third-generation sequencing and their clinical impact. Gastroenterology. 2022 Sep;163(3):699-711. [IF: 33.883].
6. Bai X, Wei H, Liu W, Coker OO, Gou H, Liu C, Zhao L, Li C, Zhou Y, Wang G, Kang W, Ng EK, Yu J*. Cigarette smoke promotes colorectal cancer through modulation of gut microbiota and related metabolites. Gut. 2022 Apr 6:71(12):2439-2450 [IF: 31.793].
7. Yang J, Wei H, Zhou Y, Szeto CH, Li C, Lin Y, Coker OO, Lau HCH, Chan AW, Sung JJ, Yu J*. High-Fat Diet Promotes Colorectal Tumorigenesis through Modulating Gut Microbiota and Metabolites. Gastroenterology. 2022 Jan;162(1):135-149.e2. [IF: 33.883].
8. Liu D, Wong CC, Zhou Y, Li C, Chen H, Ji F, Go MY, Wang F, Su H, Wei H, Cai Z, Wong N, Wong VW, Yu J*. Squalene epoxidase induces nonalcoholic steatohepatitis via binding to carbonic anhydrase 3 and is a therapeutic target. Gastroenterology. 2021 Jun;160(7):2467-2482.e3. [IF: 33.883].
9. Zhang X, Coker OO, Chu ES, Fu K, Lau HCH, Wang YX, Chan AWH, Wei H, Yang X, Sung JJ, Yu J*. Dietary cholesterol drives fatty liver-associated liver cancer by modulating gut microbiota and metabolites. Gut. 2021 Apr;70(4):761-774. [ESI Highly Cited Paper] [IF: 31.793].
10. Chen H, Gao S, Liu W, Wong CC, Wu J, Wu J, Liu D, Gou H, Kang W, Zhai J, Li C, Su H, Wang S, Soares F, Han J, He HH, Yu J*. RNA m6 A methyltransferase METTL3 facilitates colorectal cancer by activating m6 A-GLUT1-mTORC1 axis and is a therapeutic target. Gastroenterology 2021 Mar;160(4):1284-1300.e16. [ESI Highly Cited Paper] [IF: 33.883].
11. Zhao R, Coker OO, Wu J, Zhou Y, Zhao L, Nakatsu G, Bian X, Wei H, Chan AW, Sung JJ, Chan FK, El-Omar E, Yu J*. Aspirin Reduces Colorectal Tumor Development in Mice and Gut Microbes Reduce its Bioavailability and Chemopreventive Effects. Gastroenterology. 2020 Sep;159(3):969–983. e4. [IF: 33.883].
12. Liang JQ*, Li T, Nakatsu G, Chen YX, Yau TO, Chu E, Wong S, Szeto CH, Ng SC, Chan FKL, Fang JY, Sung JJ, Yu J*. A novel faecal Lachnoclostridium marker for the non-invasive diagnosis of colorectal adenoma and cancer. Gut. 2020 Jul;69(7):1248-1257. [ESI Highly Cited Paper] [IF: 31.793].
13. Long X, Wong CC, Li T, Chu E, Szeto CH, Go MMY, Coker O, Chan A, Chan F, Sung JJ, Yu J*. Peptostreptococcus anaerobius promotes colorectal carcinogenesis and modulates tumor-immunity by activating PI3K/Akt signaling via its PCWBR2 adhesin. Nat Microbiol. 2019 Dec;4(12):2319-2330. [ESI Highly Cited Paper] [IF: 30.964].
14. Zhang X, Fan L, Wu J, Xu H, Leung WY, Fu K, Wu J, Liu K, Kwan M, Yang X, Han J, Ren J, Yu J*. Macrophage p38α promotes nutritional steatohepatitis through M1 polarization. J Hepatol. 2019 Jul;71(1):163-174. [IF: 30.083].
15. Coker OO, Nakatsu G, Dai RZ, Wu WKK, Wong SH, Ng SC, Chan FKL, Sung JJ, Yu J*. Enteric fungal microbiota dysbiosis and ecological alterations in colorectal cancer. Gut. 2019 Apr;68(4):654-662. [ESI Highly Cited Paper] [IF: 31.793].
16. Nakatsu G, Zhou H, Wu WKK, Wong SH, Coker OO, Dai Z, Li X, Szeto CH, Sugimura N, Lam YTT, Yu ACS, Wang X, Chen Z, Wong MCS, Ng SC, Chan MTV, Chan PKS, Chan FKL, Sung JJ, Yu J*. Alterations in Enteric Virome Associate With Colorectal Cancer and Survival Outcomes. Gastroenterology. 2018 Aug;155(2):529-541.e5. [ESI Highly Cited Paper] [IF: 33.883].
17. Coker OO, Dai Z, Nie Y, Zhao G, Cao L, Nakatsu G, Wu WK, Wong SH, Chen Z, Sung JJ, Yu J*. Mucosal microbiome dysbiosis in gastric carcinogenesis. Gut. 2018 Jun;67(6):1024-1032. [ESI Highly Cited Paper] [IF: 31.793].
18. Liu D, Wong CC, Fu L, Chen H, Zhao L, Li C, Zhou Y, Zhang Y, Xu W, Yang Y, Wu B, Cheng G, Lai PB, Wong N, Sung JJ, Yu J*. Squalene epoxidase drives NAFLD-induced hepatocellular carcinoma and is a pharmaceutical target. Sci Transl Med. 2018 Apr 18;10(437). [Cover Story and with Editorial] [IF: 17.1610].
19. Tsoi H, Chu ES, Zhang X, Sheng J, Nakatsu D, Ng SC, Chan AW, Chan FK, Sung JJ, Yu J*. Peptostreptococcus anaerobius Induces Intracellular Cholesterol Biosynthesis in Colon Cells to Induce Proliferation and Causes Dysplasia in Mice. Gastroenterology. 2017 May;152(6):1419-1433.e5. [ESI Highly Cited Paper] [IF: 33.883].
20. Liang Q, Chiu J, Chen Y, Huang Y, Higashimori A, Fang JY, Brim H, Ashktorab H, Ng SC, Ng SS, Zheng S, Chan FK, Sung JJ, Yu J*. Fecal Bacteria Act as Novel Biomarkers for Non-Invasive Diagnosis of Colorectal Cancer. Clin Cancer Res. 2017 Apr 15;23(8):2061-2070. [ESI Highly Cited Paper] [IF: 13.801].