Biography:

Hein Tun is a public health veterinarian, currently an Associate Professor at the JC School of Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine, the Chinese University of Hong Kong. He is also an Adjunct Professor at the Nanjing Medical University and an Adjunct Associate Professor at the University of Hong Kong. His research interests range from studies on the mechanistic and functional roles of microbiome in health and diseases to One Health surveillance of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria and resistome. His major research focused on the impact of early-life exposome on the development of gut microbiome and associated risks for allergic, metabolic and immune-mediated diseases. He is the young scientist member of the Scientific Steering Committee of the Pasteur Network. He has published more than 75 original peer-reviewed articles in high impact journals such as Gut, Gastroenterology, Nature Communication, Microbiome, JAMA Pediatrics, Journal of Travel Medicine, Environment International, Gut Microbes etc.  Moreover, he received several international research awards and fellowships including the Gold Medal at 2021 Inventions Geneva Evaluation Days, Canadian Institute of Health Research Fellowship and Dik Zwart Award.

Specialised Research Area(s):

• System Microbiology
• Microbiome in Health and Disease
• Emergence and Transmission of Antimicrobial Resistance in One Health

1. Peng Y, Sin DZY, Tun HM. (2022). International travel, gut microbiome and ESBL-E. coli carriage. Lancet Microbe. S2666-5247(22)00201-4. doi: 10.1016/S2666-5247(22)00201-4.

2. Ng SC*, Peng Y*, Zhang L*, Mok CKP, Zhao S, Li A, Ching JYL, Liu Y, Yan S, Chan DLS, Zhu J, Chen C, Fung ACH, Wong KKY, Hui DS, Chan FKL#, Tun HM#. (2022). Gut microbiota composition modulates SARS-CoV-2 vaccine immunogenicity and vaccine-related adverse events. Gut. 71(6):1106-1116.

3. Peng Y, Zhang D, Chen T, Xia Y, Wu P, Seto WK, Kozyrskyj AL, Cowling BJ, Zhao J, Tun HM. (2021). Gut microbiome and resistome changes during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in comparison with pre-pandemic travel-related changes. J Travel Med, 28(7):taab067.

4. Tun HM*#, Peng Y*, Chen B, Konya TB, Morales-Lizcano NP, Chari R, Field CJ, Guttman DS, Becker AB, Mandhane PJ, Moares TJ, Sears, MR, Turvey SE, Subbarao P, Simons E, Scott JA, Kozyrskyj AL#. (2021). Ethnicity associations with food sensitization are mediated by gut microbiota development in the first year of life. Gastroenterology, 161(1):94-106.

5. Peng Y*, Liang S*, Poonsuk K*, On H, Li SW, Maurin M, Chan CH, Chan CL, Sin ZY, Tun HM. 2021. Role of gut microbiota in travel-related acquisition of extended spectrum β-lactamase producing Enterobacteriaceae. J Travel Med, 28(3):taab022.

6. Tamana SK*, Tun HM*, Konya T, Chari R, Field CJ, Guttman DS, Becker AB, Moraes TJ, Turvey SE, Subbarao P, Sears MR, Pei J, Scott JA, Mandhane PJ, Kozyrskyj AL. (2021). Bacteroides-dominant gut microbiome of late infancy is associated with enhanced neurodevelopment. Gut Microbes, 13(1):1-17.

7. Li Y*, Hou G*, Zhou H*, Wang Y*, Tun HM*, Zhu A, Zhao J, Xiao F, Lin S, Liu D, Zhou D, Mai L, Zhang L, Zhang Z, Kuang L, Guan J, Chen Q, Wen L, Zhang Y, Zhuo J, Li F, Zhuang Z, Chen Z, Luo L, Liu D, Chen C, Gan M, Zhong N, Zhao J, Ren Y, Xu Y. (2021). Multi-platform omics analysis reveals molecular signature for COVID-19 pathogenesis, prognosis and drug target discovery. Signal Transduct Target Ther,  6(1):155.

8. Nielsen CC, Gascon M, Osornio-Vargas AR, Shier, Guttman DS, Becker AB, Azad MB, Sears MR, Lefebvre DL, Moares TJ, Turvey SE, Subbarao P, Takaro TK, Brook JR, Scott JA, Mandhane PJ, Tun HM#, Koyzrskyj AL#. (2020). Natural environments in the urban context and gut microbiota in infants. Environ Int, 142:105881.

9. Tun HM, Bridgman SL, Chari R, Field CJ, Guttman DS, Becker AB, Mandhane PJ, Turvey SE, Subbarao P, Sears MR, Scott JA, Kozyrskyj AL, the CHILD study investigators. (2018). Intergenerational transmission of overweight and obesity from mother to offspring: roles of birth mode and infant gut microbiota. JAMA Pediatr, 172(4):368-377.

10. Tun HM, Konya T, Takaro TK, Brook JR, Chari R, Field CJ, Guttman D, Becker AB, Mandhane PJ, Turvey SE, Subbarao P, Sears MR, Scott JA, Kozyrskyj AL and the CHILD Study Investigators. (2017). Exposure to household furry pets influences the gut microbiota of infant at 3-4 months following various birth scenarios. Microbiome, 5(1):40.