Rate My Professor Richard Yu

Associate Professor Richard Yu is a researcher in environmental science at the University of Newcastle, Australia, affiliated with the School of Environmental and Life Sciences in the discipline of Environmental Science and Management. He obtained his PhD in Molecular Biology from City University of Hong Kong in 2002. Subsequently, he served as a Postdoctoral Fellow at City University of Hong Kong from 2003 to 2007 and as a Lecturer there from 2007 to 2009. In 2009, he joined the University of Newcastle as a Lecturer and progressed to Associate Professor.

Yu's primary research interests center on the molecular toxicology of environmental stressors and chemicals, particularly estrogenic endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in coastal waterways and their effects on reproductive biology in aquatic species. His investigations include vitellogenin as a biomarker for estrogenic EDCs in molluscs, estrogen receptor function in molluscs, mechanisms of estrogen-induced gene expression, metal uptake and partitioning in saltmarsh halophytes like Samphire (Sarcocornia quinqueflora), metal tolerance in oyster embryos, hypoxia's impacts on steroidogenesis and gene modulation along the brain-pituitary-gonad-liver axis in fish, ecosystem vulnerability to tipping points, and effects of UV filters and brominated flame retardants. Key publications encompass 'The utility of vitellogenin as a biomarker of estrogenic endocrine disrupting chemicals in molluscs' (2019), 'Uptake and partitioning of metals in the Australian saltmarsh halophyte, Samphire (Sarcocornia quinqueflora)' (2019), 'The constitutively active estrogen receptor (ER) binds and activates the promoter of the vitellogenin (Vtg) gene in the Sydney rock oyster, Saccostrea glomerata' (2017), 'Acclimatory processes are likely responsible for metal tolerance in oyster embryos' (2017), 'Potential mechanisms underlying estrogen-induced expression of the molluscan estrogen receptor (ER) gene' (2016), and 'Evidence for MicroRNA-Mediated Regulation of Steroidogenesis by Hypoxia' (2014). His work has accumulated over 2,300 citations. Yu received the Industry Engagement Excellence Award from the Faculty of Science at the University of Newcastle. He teaches courses including SCIE1002 and ENVS2004 and supervises undergraduate research in aquatic and molecular toxicology.