Current Research Group Members 
*Kenny as the primary supervisor 

​

Current Postdoctoral Researchers

​

Dr. Astudillo Placencia Juan Carlos*  
Position: Research Associate

Research area: Eco-shoreline trials 

Duration: Jan 2018 - Sep 2020 (HKU); Oct 2020 - Sep 2022 (SKLMP, CityU)

​

Dr. Racliffe W. S. Lai*

Position: Postdoctoral Research Fellow 

Research area: Marine ecotoxicology; Global Estuaries Monitoring Programme

Duration: Oct 2021 - Aug 2022 (SKLMP, CityU)

​

Dr. Diana Xiaoyu Xu*

Position: Postdoctoral Research Fellow 

Research area: Microplastics pollution

Duration: July 2022 - Jun 2023 (SKLMP, CityU)

​

Dr. Xuemei Mao (co-supervised with Prof. Tong Zhang at HKU)

Position: Postdoctoral Research Fellow 

Research area: Antibiotic resistome

Duration: June 2021 - June 2023 (SKLMP, CityU; HKU)

​

​

Current PhD Students

 

HKU

 

​​Ms. Katie Yeung*
Research area: Aquatic toxicology and advanced wastewater treatment
Duration: Sep 2017 - Aug 2022 (Submitted thesis in June 2022)
Co-supervisor and Mentor: Dr. Moriaki Yasuhara and Dr. Janet K. Y. Chan

 

Mr. Chi Chiu Lo*

Research area: Eco-engineered shorelines

Duration: Sep 2018 - Aug 2022

Co-supervisor and Mentor: Dr. Moriaki Yasuhara and Dr. Janet K. Y. Chan 

​

Mr. Jason Kin Chung Yau*

Research area: Effects of trawl-ban on the diversity and ecology of benthic organisms in Hong Kong

Duration: Sep 2015 - Present (Deferred)

Co-supervisor and Mentor: Dr. Moriaki Yasuhara and Dr. Janet K. Y. Chan

​

 

SKLMP (CityU) - ^ transferred from Prof. Paul Lam since April 2021

Ms. Yaru Cao, Kathy*^

Research area: Phthalate esters in the marine environment of the Pearl River Delta region

Duration: Sep 2019 - Aug 2023

Co-supervisors: Prof. Paul K. S. Lam and Dr. Kai Zhang

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Mr. Qi Wang*^

Research area: Fate and toxicity of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in the Pearl River Estuary

Duration: Sep 2019 - Aug 2023 (Submitted thesis in June 2022)

Co-supervisors: Prof. Paul K. S. Lam and Dr. Yuefei Ruan

​

Ms. Jiayong Lao, Wing*^ 

Research area: Characteristics of organophosphate esters in a heavily human-impacted estuary

Duration: Sep 2019 - Aug 2023

Co-supervisors: Prof. Paul K. S. Lam and Dr. Yuefei Ruan 

​

Ms. Nim Tung Calista Yuen*^

Research area: Oxidizable precursors of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances in marine environments 

Duration: Sep 2020 - Aug 2024

Co-supervisors: Prof. Paul K. S. lam and Dr. Yuefei Ruan 

​

Ms. Sunny Dan-yang Tao*^

Research area: Occurrence of liquid crystal monomers in marine environments

Duration: Sep 2020 - Aug 2024

Co-supervisor: Prof. Paul K. S. Lam and Dr. Henry He 

​

Ms. Thea Braford*

Position: Ph.D. Candidate, SKLMP, CityU

Research area: Eco-engineering of seawalls

Duration: Sep 2021 - Aug 2025

​

Ms. Demilade Adedipe*

Research area: Chemicals of emerging concern in estuaries

Duration: Sep 2021 - Aug 2025

​

Ms. Qiong Luo*

Research area: Chemicals of emerging concern in estuaries

Duration: Sep 2021 - Aug 2025

​

Mr. Shaopeng Xu*

Research area: Nano- and micro-plastic pollutants in estuaries

Duration: Sep 2021 - Aug 2025

​

Ms. Yali Huang*

Research area: Environmental policy in relation to ecosystem services

Duration: Sep 2021 - Aug 2025

Co-Supervisor: Prof. Xiaoling Zhang

​

Ms. Yingyu Bao

Research area: Environmental microbiomes 

Duration: Sep 2021 - Aug 2025

Primary Supervisor: Dr. Patrick Lee

​

Other PhD Students from University of Science and Technology of China:

Qianhe Liu (since 2020)^

Chengge Hu (since 2020)^ 

Mengchen Shen (since 2019)^

​

Co-supervised PhD Students from Department of Public Policy at CityU:

Yujia Xiao (since 2022) - Primary supervisor: Prof. Xiaoling Zhang

Wen Sun (since 2022) - Primary supervisor: Prof. Xiaoling Zhang

​

​

Current Research Assistant (at SKLMP, CityU)

​Ms. Grace H. Y. Chau (Project: Oysters Save Our Seas) (till Aug 2022)

Ms. Hiu Laam Tsoi (till Dec 2023)

Ms. Wing Sum Leung (till Aug 2024)

​

​

​

Former Research Group Members

​

PhD Graduates

​

CityU (Co-supervised with Prof. Paul Lam^; Joint degree with USTC*):

CityU-7: Dr. Li Zhou (July 2022)^*

CityU-6: Dr. Jing Jin (June 2022)^*

CityU-5: Dr. Li Wang (June 2022)^*

CityU-4: Dr. Huiju Lin (September 2021)^

CityU-3: Dr. Jiarui Gu (July 2021)^ 

CityU-2: Dr. Rongben Wu (June 2021)^

CityU-1: Dr. Jing Li (June 2021)^

​

HKU

HKU-20. Mr. Wa Tat Yan*

PhD Thesis: A Feasibility Study on Pearl Oyster Cultivation in Mariculture Zones in Hong Kong

Year of Graduation: 2021 

​

HKU-19. Dr. Qi Huang*

PhD Thesis: Microbiomes of Marine fish Gut and Sediments: Biodiversity and ARGs 

Year of Graduation: 2021

​

HKU-18. Dr. Racliffe W. S. Lai*

PhD Thesis: Quantitative hazard assessment of engineered zinc oxide nanoparticles: insights into their regulation 

Year of Graduation: 2020

Current Position: Postdoctoral Research Fellow at State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution (SKLMP), City University of Hong Kong (CityU), Hong Kong, China

​

HKU-17. Dr. Ronia Sham*

Ph.D. Thesis:  Occurrence and distribution of phenyltin compounds (PTs) in marine organisms in Hong Kong water

Year of Graduation: 2019

Current Position: Manager, Oceans Pollution, WWF-HK, Hong Kong, China

​

HKU-16. Dr. Shiru Tao*

Ph.D. Thesis: Effects of trawling ban on the diversity of demersal crustaceans (orders: Decapoda and 
Stomatopoda) in the marine environment of Hong Kong 

Year of Graduation: 2018

Current Position: Environmental Consultant, Mott MacDonald Ltd., Hong Kong, China 

​

HKU-15. Dr. Yanny Mak*
Ph.D. Thesis: Effects of the trawl ban on demersal fish communities in the marine environment of Hong Kong, South China
Year of Graduation: 2018
Current Position: Environmental Consultant, AECOM Ltd., Hong Kong, China

 

HKU-14. Dr. Mana Yung* 
Ph.D. Thesis: Influences of temperature and salinity on the physicochemical properties and toxicities of zinc oxide nanoparticles and toxicities to microalgae
Year of Graduation: 2016
Current Position: Research Officer (Health Promotion), Department of Health, HKSAR Government, Hong Kong, China

​

HKU-13. Dr. Astudillo Placencia Juan Carlos* 

Ph.D. Thesis: Assessment of nonnative marine invertebrates in fouling communities in Hong Kong

Year of Graduation: 2015

Current Position: Research Associate at SKLMP, CityU, Hong Kong, China​

​

HKU-12. Dr. Zhen Wang* 
Ph.D. Thesis: Comparison of the acute sensitivity to chemicals between tropical and temperate aquatic species through laboratory experiments and metadata analyses
Year of Graduation: 2015
Current Position: Professor, College of Science, Shantou University, China

​

HKU-11. Dr. Ryan Ho Leung Ip 
Ph.D. Thesis: On some topics in spatio-temporal modelling
Year of Graduation: 2015 
Current Position: Lecturer, School of Computing and Mathematics, Charles Sturt University, Australia

 

HKU-10. Dr. Edward Tak-Chuen Lau* 
Ph.D. Thesis: Interacting effects of temperature, an insecticide, and an invasive predator on larval amphibians in tropical Hong Kong
Year of Graduation: 2015
Current Position: Endangered Species Protection Officer, Agriculture Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD), Hong Kong, China

​

HKU-9. Dr. Elvis Gen-Bo Xu* 
Ph.D. Thesis: An integrated environmental risk assessment for marine protected areas in Hong Kong with a special reference to the ecological impacts of endocrine disrupting chemicals
Year of Graduation: 2015 (a Swire's James Henry Scott Scholar)
Current Position: Assistant Professor, University of Southern Denmark, Denmark

​

HKU-8. Dr. Adela Jing Li*
Ph.D. Thesis: Temperature-dependent toxic effects of selected chemicals on marine organisms
Year of Graduation: 2014
Current Position: Professor, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China

 

HKU-7. Dr. Andy Xian-liang Yi* 
Ph.D. Thesis: A comprehensive study on the ecological toxicity and risk of triphenylin to aquatic organisms 
Year of Graduation: 2014
Current Position: Associate Professor, School of Ocean Science and Technology, Dalian University of Technology (Panjin campus), Dalian, China 

 

HKU-6. Dr. Kevin K. Y. Ho*
Ph.D. Thesis: Ecological and human health risks associated with organotin contamination in the marine environment of Hong Kong and Zhenzhen, China 
Year of Graduation: 2014
Current Position: Nature Parks Officer, AFCD, Hong Kong, China

 

HKU-5. Dr. Alice K.Y. Chan
Ph.D. Thesis: Application of fatty acids profiles in field- and laboratory-based investigations of trophic relationships in Hong Kong wetlands
Year of Graduation: 2012
Current Position: Scientific Director, Labway Biotech Ltd., Hong Kong, China

 

HKU-4. Dr. Stella W. Y. Wong* 
Ph.D. Thesis: Ecotoxicological effects of selected engineered nanomaterials to aquatic organisms in relation to their physicochemical characteristics
Year of Graduation: 2012
Immediate Position after Graduation: Environmental Consultant, Mott McDonald Ltd., Hong Kong, China

HKU-3. Dr. Vivien W.W. Bao* 
Ph.D. Thesis: Toxicities and ecological risks of selected anti-fouling biocides to marine organisms in Hong Kong. 
Year of Graduation: 2009
Current Position: Environmental Protection Officer, Environmental Protection Department, Hong Kong, China 

HKU-2. Dr. Kevin W.H. Kwok* 
Ph.D. Thesis: On the derivation of water and sediment quality guidelines: some pressing issues and their resolutions
Year of Graduation: 2009
Current Position: Assistant Professor, Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China

​

HKU-1. Dr. Danny C. P. Lau 
Ph.D. Thesis: Applications of stoichiometry, stable isotopes, and fatty acids for elucidating the relative importance of allochthonous and autochthonous resources in Hong Kong streams
Year of Graduation: 2008
Current Position: Senior Research Engineer, Department of Ecology and Environmental Science, Umea University, Sweden

 

Other Co-supervised PhD Students (On paper):

Dr Archana Anand

Dr Chiu Yin Chan

Dr Jinlin Liu

Dr Stephen Robert Cartwright 

​

​

MPhil Graduates

​

Mr. Archer Tik Lung Wong*
M.Phil. Thesis: Ecology and biodiversity of benthic marine molluscs before and after the trawling ban in Hong Kong 
Year of Graduation: 2016
Current Position: Environmental Protection Inspector, Environmental Protection Department, Hong Kong

 

Dr. Jack Chi Ho Ip*
M.Phil. Thesis: Establishing transcriptomic platforms for two common marine molluscan biomonitoring species
Year of Graduation: 2016
Current Position: Senior Research Assistant, Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University

Ms. Jamius W. Y. Yeung* 
M.Phil. Thesis: Evaluation of RNA/DNA ratio in the green-lipped mussel Perna viridis as a potential biomonitoring tool
Year of Graduation: 2010
Immediate Position after Graduation: Environmental Consultant, ERM Ltd., Hong Kong

Ms. Amy Q. Zhang* 
M.Phil. Thesis: Ecotoxicities and ecological risks of Irgarol 1051 and its related s-triazine compounds in tropical marine ecosystems
Year of Graduation: 2009
Current Position: Director, Cost Analytics, Walmart, Shenzhen, China

 

Ms. Karen K.Y. Lui* 
M.Phil. Thesis: Ecology of commercially important stomatopods in Hong Kong
Year of Graduation: 2006
Current Position: Environmental Regulatory Adviser at CLP Power Hong Kong Limited, Hong Kong

 

Ms. Valerie C.M. Ho 
M.Phil. Thesis: Biology and fishery of the bartail flathead Platycephalus indicus
Year of Graduation: 2006
Current Position: Fisheries Officer, Agriculture Fisheries and Conservation Department, Hong Kong

Mr. Wolfie C.H. Lai* 
M.Phil. Thesis: Heat shock protein expression in tropical limpets
Year of Graduation: 2006
Immediate Position after Graduation: Technician, National University of Singapore, Singapore

Ms. Justine C.Y. Tsui* 
M.Phil. Thesis: Evaluation of telomere length as an age-marker in marine teleosts
Year of Graduation: 2005
Current Position: Health Inspector, Food and Environmental Hygiene Department, Hong Kong

​

​
 

Former Postdoctoral Researchers

 

Dr. Guang-Jie Zhou* 

Position: Research Associate (former Hong Kong Scholar)Research area: Aquatic toxicology; Advanced wastewater treatment on micro-pollutants' removal

Duration: Feb 2013 - Jul 2020 (HKU); Aug 2020 - Mar 2022 (SKLMP, CityU)

​

Dr. Peng Liu* 

Position: Postdoctoral Research Fellow (Hong Kong Scholar)

Research area: Marine ecology; Eco-engineered shorelines; Ecosystem services

Duration: Dec 2019 - Dec 2021 (HKU)

​

Dr. Shiru Tao* 

Position: Postdoctoral Research Fellow

Research area: Marine biodiversity and ecology; Fisheries management

Duration: Mar 2018 - Jul 2020 (HKU); Aug 2020 - Jun 2021 (SKLMP, CityU)

 

Dr. Ronia Sham*

Position: Postdoctoral Researcher

Research area: Marine ecotoxicology

Service duration: Sep 2019 - Dec 2019

 

Dr. Edward Lau* 
Position: Postdoctoral Researcher
Research area: Eco-shoreline designs for sustainable coastal development
Service duration: Oct 2016 - Oct 2018 

​

Dr. Kevin K. Y. Ho 
Position: Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Research area: Marine ecotoxicology and ecology; Ting Kok+ conservation project
Service duration: May 2014 - Mar 2018 

​

Dr. Mana Yung* 
Position: Postdoctoral Researcher
Research area: Aquatic ecotoxicology of engineered nanomaterials; Eco-shoreline designs
Service duration: Sep 2015 - Nov 2017 

Dr. Matthew Perkins* 
Postdoctoral projects: Stable isotope analysis; Effect of trawl-ban on ecosystem recovery
Service duration: July 2014 - July 2017
 

Dr. Stella W. Y. Wong* 
Postdoctoral projects: Aquatic ecotoxicology of engineered nanomaterials; Demersal fisheries
Service duration: Nov 2011 - Mar 2013
 

Dr. Vivien W. W. Bao* 
Postdoctoral projects: Marine ecotoxicology of antifouling biocides; Mixture toxicity; Antibiotics in fish farms' sediment
Service duration: Feb 2009 - Jul 2012

Dr. Apostolos Koutsaftis* 
Postdoctoral project: Marine ecotoxicology of antifoulant mixtures
Service duration: Jan 2008 - Dec 2008

 

Dr. Cheung Ma Shan* 
Postdoctoral project: Characterization of metallothioneins in marine invertebrates
Service duration: Sep 2007 - Sep 2008
 

Dr. Tak Cheung Wai* 
Postdoctoral project: Using stable isotope and fatty acids to reveal aquatic food webs and energy flows
Service duration: Oct 2004 - Aug 2007 and Nov 2010 - Apr 2012
​

Dr. Wai Chuen Ng* 
Postdoctoral project: Ecological risks of organotins on marine neogastropods in Hong Kong
Service duration: Jul 2005 - Dec 2005  

​

Dr. Priscilla T. Y. Leung* 
Postdoctoral projects: Molecular ecotoxicology; Marine fish ecology
Service duration: May 2004 - Jul 2004, Dec 2008 - Nov 2009 and Jan 2010 - Nov 2014

​

Dr. Alan S. L. Leung* 
Postdoctoral project: Biological indicators for monitoring marine pollution
Service duration: Jul 2002 - Dec 2003 
 

​