Professor Yuk Fai Leung
Advisory Board Member
Professor Leung studies retinal degeneration, which is a group of incurable eye diseases including retinitis pigmentosa and age-related macular degeneration that affects our vision. He is currently an Associate Professor at Purdue University’s Department of Biological Sciences.
Present Appointments
- May 2013 – present Affiliate Faculty Member, Purdue Center for Drug Discovery, West Lafayette, IN, USA
- March 2012 – present Visiting Professor, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China
- March 2012 – present Scientific Advisor to Post-graduate Research, Joint Shantou International Eye Center of Shantou University and The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shantou, China
- May 2011 – present Adjunct Assistant Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Indiana University School of Medicine – Lafayette, West Lafayette, IN, USA
- 2010 – present Affiliate Faculty Member, Purdue Oncological Sciences Center, West Lafayette, IN, USA
- Jan 2008 – present Assistant Professor, Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
Education
- Ph.D., Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 2002
- M.Phil., Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, 1998
- B.Sc., Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong 1996
Awards
- International Travel Grant Award, Purdue Research Foundation 2011
- Hope for Vision Award 2009-2010
- Showalter Research Trust Award 2009-2010, 2010-2011
Other Activities
External reviewer for the following research grants:
- 2011 Bank of America Jeffress Research Grant, Thomas F. and Kate Miller Jeffress Memorial Trust, USA
- 2009 Research Grant, Medical Research Council, United Kingdom
- 2007 University Research Fund, Research Council, University of Leuven, Belgium
Professional Service
Editor:
- 2012 – present Scientist Advisory Board Member, The National High School Journal of Science
- 2012 – present Editorial Board Member, PLOS ONE
Ad hoc reviewer for the following journals:
- Bioinformatics, BMC Bioinformatics, BMC Developmental Biology, BMC Genomics, Briefings in Bioinformatics , Expert Opinion for Drug Discovery, G3: Genes, Genomes, Genetics, Gene
- Expression Patterns, Genetics, IEEE Transactions on Image Processing, International Journal of Developmental Neuroscience, Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science, Journal of
- Anatomy, Journal of VLSI Signal Processing, Journal of Real Time Imaging, Molecular Biotechnology, Molecular Vision, Neurobiology of Disease, Physiological Genomics, PLOS Genetics, PLOS ONE, Thrombosis Research.
Invited Lectures
- 2013-03-13 “Studying traditional Chinese medicine for good vision with zebrafish”, Ho Yu College, Hong Kong
- 2013-03-11 “The potential effect of Sch B on good vision in zebrafish”, 2013 Symposium on Biology of Ophthalmology, Hong Kong Eye Hospital, Hong Kong
- 2013-02-08 “Drug Screening to Treat Early-Onset Eye Diseases: Can Zebrafish Expedite the Discovery?”, Department of Biology, IUPUI, IN
- 2012-12-18 “Schisandrin B improves the visual motor response and preserves photoreceptors in a zebrafish cone dystrophy mutant”, CUHK Ophthalmology Forum 2012 cum HKEH 20th Anniversary Symposium, Hong Kong Eye Hospital, Hong Kong
- 2012-12-14 “Schisandrin B improves the visual motor response and preserves photoreceptors in a zebrafish cone dystrophy mutant”, The 8th International Symposium of Ophthalmology, Hong Kong
- 2012-08-10 “Disease-causing gene network and novel therapies for retinal degeneration”, Department of Anatomy and Eye Institute, the University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- 2012-08-08 “Disease-causing gene network and novel therapies for retinal degeneration”, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- 2012-08-02 “Disease-causing gene network and novel therapies for retinal degeneration”, Joint Shantou International Eye Center of Shantou University and Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shantou, China
- 2012-07-28 “Disease-causing gene network and novel therapies for retinal degeneration”, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical College, Wenzhou, China
- 2012-05-07 “The Expression of Irx7 in The Inner Nuclear Layer Of Zebrafish Retina Is Essential For A Proper Retinal Development And Lamination” The ARVO Annual Meeting – Translational Research: Seeing the Possibilities, Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA
- 2012-03-24 “Phenylthiourea specifically reduces zebrafish eye size”. Beta Beta Beta Northeast District 4 Convention, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
- 2012-02-06 “Elucidation of Disease-Causing Gene Network for Retinal Degeneration in Zebrafish”, Basic Medical Sciences Seminar Series, College of Veterinary Medicine, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
- 2011-12-20 “Elucidation of Disease-Causing Gene Network for Retinal Degeneration in Zebrafish”, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical College, Wenzhou, China
- 2011-12-19 “Frontiers in Developmental Biology”, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical College, Wenzhou, China
- 2011-12-12 “Elucidation of Disease-Causing Gene Network for Retinal Degeneration in Zebrafish”, 2011 Symposium on Biology of Ophthalmology, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- 2011-06-28 “Disease-Causing Gene Network in Zebrafish Retinal Degeneration Mutants”, Joint Shantou International Eye Center of Shantou University and Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shantou, China
- 2011-06-28 “The Role of Phenylthiourea in Zebrafish Eye Development”, Joint Shantou International Eye Center of Shantou University and Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shantou, China
- 2011-06-27 “Disease-Causing Gene Network in Zebrafish Retinal Degeneration Mutants”, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- 2011-06-27 “The Role of Phenylthiourea in Zebrafish Eye Development”, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- 2011-06-24 “Developmental Biology & Genomics II”, OVSC 5580: Genetic Eye Disease, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- 2011-06-23 “Developmental Biology & Genomics I”, OVSC 5580: Genetic Eye Disease, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- 2010-07-20 “Irx7 gene regulatory network for zebrafish eye development”, XIX Biennial Meeting of the International Society for Eye Research, Montreal, Canada
- 2009-12-02 “Gene regulatory Network for Zebrafish Eye Development”, Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN
- 2009-07-30 “Gene regulatory Network for Zebrafish Eye Development”, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- 2008-11-18 “Genomic analysis of zebrafish eye development”, Department of Cellular Biology and Anatomy, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, GA, USA
- 2008-10-03 “Genomic analysis of zebrafish eye development”, Indiana University School of Medicine Northwest, Gary, IN, USA
- 2008-07-28 “Genomic analysis of zebrafish eye development”, Purdue University/University of Alabama-Birmingham NIH Botanicals Research Center, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
- 2008-06-26 “Factorial microarray analysis of zebrafish retinal development”, Eighth International Meeting on Zebrafish Development & Genetics, Madison, WI, USA
- 2008-06-11 “Genomic analysis of zebrafish eye development”, Department of Ophthalmology, IUPUI, Indianapolis, IN, USA
- 2008-04-30 “Cellular expression of Brg1-regulated retinal differentiation genes in wild-type and mutant young retinas”, The ARVO Annual Meeting – Eyes on innovation, Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA
Teaching
- BIOL 366 – Principles of Developmental Biology
- LCME 504 – Molecular Cell Biology
Educational and Outreach Activities
- 2013-03-13 “Studying traditional Chinese medicine for good vision with zebrafish”, Ho Yu College, Hong Kong
- 2012-08-07 Organizer and Lecturer, “Workshop on Immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization”, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- 2012-08-06 – 07 Organizer and Lecturer, “Journal clubs on human genetics and retinal development”, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- 2012-08-03 Organizer and Lecturer, “Workshop on Immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization”, Joint Shantou International Eye Center of Shantou University and Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shantou, China
- 2011-12-14 – 15 Organizer and Lecturer, Frontiers in human genetics and eye research workshop, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- 2011-06 Guest Lecturer, OVSC 5580: Genetic Eye Disease, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- 2010 – Present Facilitator & Lecturer, USA Biology Olympiad (USABO) National Finals, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
Professional Faculty Research
- (Development and Disease) Disease-causing gene network and novel therapies for retinal degeneration