Rate My Professor Judy Yam

Professor Judy Yam Wai-ping is a Professor in the Department of Pathology, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, at the University of Hong Kong. She earned her BSc in Biochemistry (Cum Laude) from the University of Washington in 1992, MSc in Biotechnology from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology in 1995, and PhD in Biology from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology in 1999. Joining the Department of Pathology at HKU as a Postdoctoral Fellow in 2000, she advanced through the ranks: Research Assistant Professor (2004–2007), Assistant Professor (2007–2013), Associate Professor (2013–2023), and Professor since 2023. Currently, she serves as Assistant Dean (Postgraduate Studies) and Programme Director for the Master of Medical Sciences (MMedSc) programme. Her research focuses on the molecular mechanisms of cancer metastasis and tumor microenvironment, particularly in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), emphasizing the roles of extracellular vesicles (EVs) in driving metastasis, cancer stemness, angiogenesis, and therapeutic resistance. Notable discoveries include patient-derived pIgR-enriched EVs promoting HCC stemness and metastasis (Journal of Hepatology, 2022), Nidogen 1-enriched EVs facilitating extrahepatic metastasis via pulmonary fibroblasts (Advanced Science, 2020), and tumor EV-derived Complement Factor H inhibiting complement-dependent cytotoxicity (Journal of Extracellular Vesicles, 2020).

Professor Yam has received the Research Grants Council Research Fellow Award (2023–2024), Faculty Outstanding Research Output Award (2022), and HKU Outstanding Young Researcher Award (2008–2009). Key publications also encompass TPI1-reduced EVs promoting hepatocarcinogenesis (Journal of Extracellular Vesicles, 2021), suppression of ACADM-mediated fatty acid oxidation in HCC (Cancer Research, 2021), and Akt phosphorylation deregulating DLC1 tumor suppression (Gastroenterology, 2010). She holds a US non-provisional patent titled 'Nidogen 1 as a diagnostic marker and therapeutic target of hepatocellular carcinoma, composition and methods thereof.' Professor Yam contributes to editorial boards of The Innovation Medicine and Journal of Clinical and Translational Hepatology. Her work has significantly advanced understanding of EV-mediated intercellular communications in liver cancer, identifying novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets to improve patient outcomes.