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Lab Members

Our team members are at the core of what makes Merilä Lab such a unique and fulfilling place to work.

We take pride in the diversity of our staff, with each member contributing their unique skills to the projects we are working on.

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Prof Juha Merilä

Chair Professor

I am an evolutionary biologist with many research interests. Lot of my research has revolved around problems related to animal adaptation new and changing environmental conditions, as well as to find ways to overcome the challenges in differentiating among alternative explanations for phenotypic differentiation over spatial and temporal gradients. Factors influencing likelihood of parallel and convergent evolution, as well as genetics of ecologically important traits are topics that continue to fascinate me. One could perhaps say that studies relating to biodiversity at genetic level would broadly capture what I have been interested about and where my current research interests also reside. I am very fond of Labrador Retrievers.

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Dr Astrid Andersson

Postdoctoral Fellow

I am a conservation biologist, broadly interested in applying scientific techniques to mitigate biodiversity decline in the Anthropocene – particularly issues related to wildlife trade, species introductions, and urban ecology. My PhD research involved using stable isotope analysis to detect illegal trade in an introduced population of critically endangered cockatoos in Hong Kong, as well as biotic factors restricting their success in this alien, urban environment. As such, these cockatoos provide a model through which I examine a variety of research questions, the main one being; how can this city population contribute to the conservation of this species globally? Next, I plan to use genetic tools to investigate this further. As a National Geographic Explorer I also studied divergences in breeding ecology between Hong Kong’s urban cockatoos, and this species in its native habitat (Komodo National Park, Indonesia), as well as the use of nest boxes to support macaw populations in the Peruvian Amazon. Ultimately, I hope to assess the genetic and reproductive health of Hong Kong’s Yellow-crested Cockatoos (Cacatua sulphurea) and how they can support the recovery of native, wild populations going forward. Visit my website here and my Twitter @AA_Andersson. 

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Dr Chloe Hatten

Postdoctoral Fellow

I am a multi-disciplinary conservation biologist with an academic and scientific interest in biodiversity loss, the illegal wildlife trade, wildlife forensics, and human-wildlife interactions. My research focuses on applying academic, investigative, and forensic science techniques to answer questions about endangered species of conservation value (with a particular focus on species traded for human use).

 

My research interests cover a range of traded species, including sharks, grouper, corals, and birds. Most of my research, however, has focused on the critically endangered helmeted hornbill bird (Rhinoplax vigil): traded for its solid casque across Asia. As part of the IUCN Helmeted Hornbill Working Group, I have conducted analyses using a range of genetic, morphological, and social-science techniques, to answer questions like "is this traded product from a helmeted hornbill?", "what are the market dynamics?", "where are individuals being poached from?", "what makes these products desirable?", as well as "where are remaining populations based?", "what is their genetic status?" and "what is the helmeted hornbill's casque used for functionally for the individual bird?" 

I'm also an advocate for women in science, and have a keen interest in scientific outreach. In 2024, I lead and organised an international conference on illegal and unsustainable wildlife trade in Hong Kong: Interdisciplinary Conversations on Wildlife Trade and curated and organised a conservation art exhibition also in Hong Kong: Inherent Nature.​ For more info, please visit my personal website and feel free to reach out on my socials below. I'm more than happy to discuss collaborations and conservation outreach.

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Chaowei (Charlene) Zhang

PhD Candidate

I started to be interested in marine ecology and evolutionary genetics from 2013 when I was one of the undergraduate students at the CN National Science Training Base Program, Nanjing Normal University. I furthered my study in population and quantitative genetics at the Institute of Evolutionary Biology (IEB), the University of Edinburgh, where at the same time I obtained a wide range of skills in biostatistics and genome analyses. I researched especially on animal models and phylogenetic comparative analyses during my thesis project. The working experience at the international academic publisher, Springer Nature Group, broadened my knowledge in academic publications and science communications, also from when I realised my strong passion to restart my genomic research journey. Here at HKU, my research will mainly focus on the population dynamics and the quantitative genetic variations of the nine-spined (Pungitius pungitius) and three-spined (Gasterosteus aculeatus) sticklebacks.

Xi (Cecilia) Wang

PhD Candidate

I grew my interests in marine fish species at the School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University where I got my bachelor’s and master’s degrees. Then I worked as a research assistant in the Institute of Aquatic Economic Animals to further my studies of groupers and sea breams. I developed molecular genomic markers of above fish species for parentage assignment and the evaluation of stock enhancement. I was also involved in the studies of population genetics, sexual selection and comparative transcriptomics.

Coming to HKU, my research turns to a freshwater species – loach. It is interesting to find out why loaches able to maintain viable populations in face of genetic perils of isolation.

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Dandan Wang

PhD Candidate

I am interested in the questions on evolutionary processes. During my post-graduate period, I have been focusing on the topics of species adaptation to the environment and genomics evolution, especially on angiosperms living in the QTP. In my PhD, I aim to study the early stages of sex chromosome evolution by investigating sex chromosome turnover in the nine-spine stickleback model system. I will identify the sex determination systems in both lineages and assemble their sex chromosomes, which will provide a platform by which I will investigate several poorly understood phenomena regarding evolution of young sex chromosomes.

Uva Fung

PhD Candidate

I have loved cats ever since I was a child. Growing up, I would count the number of cats I saw on the streets and name them individually (my first ever population census!). As I learned more about the beautiful and amazing creatures in nature, I became fascinated by a diverse range of animals, which set my path to becoming a biologist. I obtained a BSc in Zoology at the University of Edinburgh, where I developed an interest in conservation genetics. Afterwards, I received a master’s degree in Computational Methods in Ecology and Evolution at Imperial College London. Previous projects I’ve worked on include the genetics of red squirrels in Scotland (Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh), and the habitat suitability of urban mammals in Greater London (Zoological Society London, ZSL). 


In the Merilä lab, my research focuses on conserving incense trees (Aquilaria sinensis) in Hong Kong and developing molecular tools to tackle its illegal trade. I am also working on a project that investigates leopard cats (Prionailurus bengalensis) in Hong Kong. Get in touch if you would like to chat about mammals or non-invasive sampling methods (aka scats and camera trapping)! Find me on X @uvafung

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Zhenyue Wang

PhD Candidate

It was my pure passion for ecology that inspired me to change my major from mechanical engineering when I was an undergraduate. During my study in Lanzhou University (MSc), I mainly focused on the evolution issues and phylogenetic problems of angiosperm. In my studies, I’m especially skilled at karyotype analyses and reconstruction, converting and manipulating them to practical and valuable outputs for the solution of evolution puzzles. Further in HKU, I will put my energy into the dissection of populations of several invaded avian species in Hong Kong, putting insights into their distribution patterns, molecular diversity and features, population history, etc., which aims to output a comprehensive understanding of patterns and reasons for successful invasion.

Hongbo Wang

PhD Candidate

I have a strong passion for computational biology and population genetics, focusing on the impact of structural variation on population genetics and the development of methodologies for pangenome construction and annotation. Before joining the Merilä Lab, I worked in the Department of Computer Science at Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU), where I was primarily involved in processing long-read data, developing structural variation (SV) detection methods for pangenomes, and contributing to the assembly and sex chromosome identification of the Japanese eel (Anguilla japonica). This experience not only equipped me with extensive bioinformatics analysis skills but also sparked my interest in the application of structural variation in population genetics.

 

At the Merilä Lab, I plan to continue exploring cutting-edge questions in recombination rates and pangenomics. I look forward to collaborating with team members to apply emerging technologies to solve complex problems in evolutionary biology.

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Dr Kerry Reid

Honorary Research Associate

I am an evolutionary geneticist who has an interest in both basic and applied research pertaining to anadromous fish species and the consequences of their isolation in freshwater. I completed my PhD at the University of Pretoria (South Africa) in 2016 which focused on understanding how marine temperate fish species colonized South Africa from the eastern Atlantic. I then did a postdoc at UC Santa Cruz (USA) which focused on applied fisheries research on anadromous river herring where I addressed questions on the composition of bycatch around southern New England, as well as the consequences of secondary contact between anadromous and isolated freshwater ecotypes after habitat restoration using a whole lake experiment. I then did a postdoc at Stony Brook University (USA) which focused on the rapid contemporary adaptation of marine threespine stickleback to freshwater, using a genomics approach and unique whole-lake experiments in Alaska. At HKU my research is currently focused on the role recombination plays to facilitate adaptation to new environments using threespine and ninespine stickleback.

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Dr Arthur Francis Sands

Honorary Research Associate

I started my career in evolutionary genomics at the University of Stellenbosch (South Africa) where I obtained my BSc and BSc Hon. degrees in Biodiversity & Ecology and an MSc in Zoology. I furthered this as a Marie Curie Fellow, completing a PhD in Animal Ecology & Systematics at Justus Liebig University (Germany) in 2020. I have always had a passion for genetics and its link to the natural world. This passion means that I am highly interested in using modern genetic principles to obtain a greater understanding of the dynamics of organisms and biological systems - particularly through biogeography, phylogenetics and taxonomy. I have been fortunate to work on several different groups of biota (inc. mice, ticks & molluscs, crustaceans and birds) across the globe and to answer practical biological questions assisting conservation. I have always had a love for ornithology and birds: from the time I was able to write I have been marking off birds in various field guides and my interest in them goes back as early as I can remember. Today my research at HKU is mainly directed at the speciation and biogeography of the Sulpher-crested Cockatoo (C. galerita) the genetic aspects of forest bird invasions (specifically in Hong Kong).

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YOU?

Please get in contact if you are interested

in any of our lab positions.

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