Prof Ryan Au Yeung joined the School of Public Health, the University of Hong Kong (HKU) after his Master of Public Health training (with distinction) in 2008 and PhD training in 2012 at the University of Hong Kong. He has received overseas training in public health research in Columbia University (USA) and University of Bristol (UK) during his times as postdoctoral fellow and Research Assistant Professor at HKU.

Prof Au Yeung is amongst one of the earliest groups of researchers implementing Mendelian randomization studies in East Asia. His research agenda focuses on the use of this method to elucidate causes and consequences of cardiometabolic diseases and evaluate drug reposition opportunities for cardiovascular and diabetic medications. He led some of the earliest Mendelian randomization studies to support possible reposition of metformin in prevention of cardiovascular diseases, cancer and healthy longevity. Since 2019, he has been leading a 5-year Health and Medical Research Fund commissioned study on “Children of 1997” birth cohort (2019-2024).

Prof Au Yeung has published more than 100 peer reviewed articles, with an H-index of 25 (Scopus, October, 2024). He has received funding of more than 10 million HKD from Health and Medical Research Fund of Health Bureau (Hong Kong), and General Research Fund (GRF) of Research Grant Council (Hong Kong). He is also Co-PI of 3 Collaborative Research Fund, Research Grant Council (Hong Kong). He was awarded the inaugural Health and Medical Research Fund Research Fellowship (2014), the American Journal of Epidemiology (AJE) Article of the Year (2015), the Research Output Prize, LKS Faculty of Medicine, HKU (2020), and the Healthy Longevity Catalyst Awards (Hong Kong), National Academy of Medicine, USA (2021). He is currently an editorial board member of Communications Medicine, BMC Medicine, Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, and an Associate Editor of Virology Journal.

(*Denotes corresponding author)

1. Chen Z, Wu X, Yang Q, Zhao H, Ying H, Liu H, Wang C, Zheng R, Lin H, Wang S, Li M, Wang T, Zhao Z, Xu M, Chen Y, Xu Y, Lu J, Ning G, Wang W, Luo S, Au Yeung SL*, Bi Y*, Zheng J*. The effect of SGLT2 inhibition on brain-related phenotypes and aging: a drug target Mendelian randomization study. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism. 2024 [epub ahead of print] [IF (2023): 5.0 [Endocrinology & Metabolism: Ranked 30/186]] [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39270733/]
2. Luo S, Lam HS, Chan YH, Tang CSM, He B, Kwok MK, Leung GM, Schooling CM, Au Yeung SL*. Assessing the safety of lipid-modifying medications among Chinese adolescents: a drug-target Mendelian randomization study. BMC Medicine. 2023. 21: 410 [IF (2022): 9.3 [Medicine, General & Internal: Ranked: 19/169]]  [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37904165/]
3. Luo S, Wong ICK, Chui CSL, Zheng J, Huang Y, Schooling CM, Au Yeung SL. Effect of putative metformin targets on phenotypic age and leukocyte telomere length: A Mendelian randomisation study using data from the UK Biobank. Lancet Healthy Longevity 2023. 4: e337-e344 [IF (2022): [13.1 Geriatrics & Gerontology: Ranked: 2/70]] [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37421961/]
4. Liang W, Luo S, Wong THT, He B, Schooling CM, Au Yeung SL* Association of iron homeostasis biomarkers in type 2 diabetes and glycemic traits: A bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization study. International Journal of Epidemiology. 2023 [epub ahead of print] [IF (2022): 7.7 [Public, Environmental & Occupational Health: Ranked 19/207]] [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37400992/]
5. Au Yeung SL*, Borges MC, Wong THT, Lawlor DA, Schooling CM. Evaluating the role of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes: A Mendelian randomization study in Europeans and East Asians. International Journal of Epidemiology. 2023. 52: 921-931 [IF (2022): 7.7 [Public, Environmental & Occupational Health: Ranked 19/207]] [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36367831/]
6. Luo S, Liang W, Wong THT, Schooling CM, Au Yeung SL*. Identifying factors contributing to increased susceptibility to COVID-19 risk: A systematic review of Mendelian randomization studies. International Journal of Epidemiology. 2022. 51: 1088-1105 [IF (2021): 9.7 [Public, Environmental & Occupational Health: Ranked 16/210]] [Top 1% citation in the category “Social Sciences, General” as of Jan/Feb, 2023] [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35445260/]
7. Au Yeung SL*, Li AM, He B, Kwok KO, Schooling CM. Association of smoking, lung function, and COPD in COVID-19 risk: A 2 step Mendelian randomization study. Addiction. 2022. 117: 2027-2036 [IF (2021): 7.3 [Substance Abuse: Ranked 3/37]] [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35220625/]
8. Au Yeung SL*, Luo S, Schooling CM. The impact of GDF-15, a biomarker for metformin, on the risk of coronary artery disease, breast and colorectal cancer, and type 2 diabetes and metabolic traits: a Mendelian randomisation study. Diabetologia. 2019. 62: 1638-1646 [IF (2018): 7.1 [Endocrinology and Metabolism: Ranked 12/145]] [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31161347]
9. Au Yeung SL*, Luo S, Schooling CM. The impact of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) on cardiovascular disease risk: A Mendelian randomization study using UK Biobank. Diabetes Care. 2018. 41: 1991-1997 [IF (2017): 13.4 [Endocrinology and Metabolism: Ranked 5/142]] [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29950300/]
10. Au Yeung SL, Jiang CQ, Cheng KK, Liu B, Zhang WS, Lam TH, Leung GM, Schooling CM. Evaluation of moderate alcohol use and cognitive function among men using a Mendelian randomization design in the Guangzhou Biobank Cohort Study. American Journal of Epidemiology. 2012.175: 1021-1028 [IF (2011): 5.2 [Public, Environmental & Occupational Health: Ranked 6/158]] [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22302076/]