PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Simon Yung Wa Sin
Associate Professor
School of Biological Sciences
The University of Hong Kong
Email: sinyw(at)hku.hk
I am a behavioural ecologist and evolutionary biologist. My research interests span the fields of molecular ecology, evolutionary biology and behavioural genomics. I received my BSc and MPhil degrees from the Chinese University of Hong Kong. I was awarded a Croucher Scholarship and joined the Wildlife Conservation Research Unit in the Zoology Department at the University of Oxford, where I completed my DPhil research. I was a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Organismic & Evolutionary Biology at Harvard University. In 2018 I joined the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Hong Kong.
POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCHERS
Guoling Chen
Postdoctoral Researcher
My research interests focus on the adaptation, speciation, and evolution of animals. I earned my BSc degree in Biological Sciences from South China Normal University, followed by an MSc in Ecology from Sun Yat-sen University. I joined the Sin lab in 2020 and completed my PhD research at the University of Hong Kong in 2024. My MSc and PhD studies focus on the conservation genetics of several endangered species, including the Chinese crested tern, the blue-crowned laughingthrush, and the yellow-breasted bunting. In 2025, I started my postdoctoral projects to investigate the evolutionary consequences of demographic processes and various genetic factors in both endangered and common species.
Alison Cloutier
Postdoctoral Researcher
I am an evolutionary biologist whose research employs molecular and ‘omics-level methodologies to investigate questions of phylogenomics and evolutionary ecology in birds. I obtained an undergraduate BScH degree in Biology and Environmental & Resource Science from Trent University (Peterborough ON, Canada), followed by a MSc from Simon Fraser University (Burnaby BC, Canada) and PhD from the University of Toronto (Toronto ON, Canada) before completing postdoctoral research positions at the University of Toronto, Royal Ontario Museum, and Harvard University. My previous research includes studying the evolutionary ecology of multigene families such as olfactory receptors and the major histocompatibility complex (MHC), as well as using phylogenomic approaches to disentangle the evolutionary relationships of the Palaeognaths. Since joining the Sin lab in 2023, I have studied the population demographic history of American goldfinches and am currently investigating the genetic basis of plumage coloration in lovebirds.
Miranda Wade
Postdoctoral Researcher
I am broadly interested in the application of various ‘omics tools to investigate questions related to biodiversity. I am also passionate about science communication and accessibility. I received my B.S. in Biological Science from Colorado State University and a dual PhD in Integrative Biology and Ecology, Evolutionary Biology, and Behavior from Michigan State University. During my time in Mariah Meek’s lab at MSU, my work consisted of using ‘omics to address various conservation questions in both a rare desert plant facing land-use change and the molecular consequences of microplastics exposure in a model fish species. I joined the Sin lab in 2024 to work on projects related to the evolution of sexual dichromatism and red plumage coloration in passerines.
GRADUATE STUDENT
Ming Cai
MPhil Candidate
Driven by a passion for wildlife, especially herps, I have always loved spending my free time outdoors, no matter hiking or embarking on night walks with friends to search for animals. I earned my BSc in Ecology and Biodiversity from the University of Hong Kong (HKU) and joined the Sin Lab in 2024 as a student helper. During my undergraduate research, I investigated physical cognition in lovebirds, focusing on functional generalization and goal-directed behavior. For my master's research, I am expanding my interest in behavioral ecology to explore avian social learning and cultural transmission.
Ivan Lam
PhD Candidate
My research interest derived from my profound admiration for wildlife – I am always anticipating for something new! I have been dedicating my attention to various research areas like microbiome, population genetics, and environmental DNA, using amphibians and reptiles as study systems. To cultivate a broader awareness, I actively participate in environmental education, meeting new friends in the field. Personally, I am a keen wildlife enthusiast, particular in birds and herps! I received my BSc degree in Ecology & Biodiversity from the University of Hong Kong, and MPhil degree in Environmental Science from the Lingnan University. I joined the Sin Lab in 2023, focusing on bat ecology, microbiome, and genetics.
Xinyu Lin
PhD Candidate
I am deeply fascinated by how genomics records the evolution and historical demographic changes of life. I earned my BSc degree from Southwest University and my MSc degree from Sichuan University. During my master’s studies, my research focused on the population genetic structure, admixture history, and potential signals of natural selection in multi-ethnic and multilingual human populations. This work provided me with solid experience in population genetics analysis and fueled my passion for exploring the evolutionary mysteries of broader taxonomic groups. Joining the Sin Lab, I expanded my research scope to avian biology, applying population genomics approaches to reconstruct historical population dynamics, evolutionary trajectories, and genomic adaptive variations in birds.
Vivien Liu
PhD Candidate
I received my BSc degree in Biological Sciences from Beijing Forestry University and subsequently pursued my graduate studies at the Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences. My research there focused on mitochondrial DNA barcoding and nuclear mitochondrial pseudogenes in Carnivora. I also participated in validating a candidate mutation associated with the brown coat coloration of giant pandas using a mouse model. These experiences sparked my interest in conservation biology and in combining wet-lab and computational approaches to address biological questions. In 2026, I joined the Sin Lab and began my research in avian population genetics. I hope to explore questions related to biodiversity and conservation through genomics and population genetics approaches, and ultimately contribute to research that benefits birds and their conservation.
Shengyu Wang
PhD Candidate
I obtained my BSc in Biological Sciences at Northeast Forestry University, after which I went to the University of Helsinki for my MSc in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. My previous research has provided me with various experiences in genetics, evolution and bioinformatics, which also attracts me to explore further in the field of behavioural ecology. I love interacting with animals. Studying animal behaviour and how their behaviour evolves fascinate me deeply. Such a passion motivates me to study bird cognition, senses and communication in the Sin Lab, seeking to investigate how birds maximize their fitness through mental capacities and effective communication.
Xiaodong Wei
PhD Candidate
I hold a BSc degree in Bioengineering from Shanghai Jiao Tong University and an MSc degree in Genetics and Molecular Biosciences from the University of Helsinki. My master's thesis project uses metagenomics on a large longitudinal infant cohort to explore the potential impact of infant gut microbiome metagenomes on infant development and health status. This project inspired my interests in studying genomics and genetics to understand species co-evolution. Thus, I further pursue my study in the Sin lab to investigate bat microbiome and genomics. This research project aims to explore the co-evolution between bats and their microbiome.
Yuchong Yi
PhD Candidate
I earned a BSc in Ecology from Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University and an MSc in Ecology from Xiamen University. During my master study, I investigated the comparative and functional genomics of mangroves to understand how whole-genome duplication, gene dosage, and expression divergence underpin salt tolerance in intertidal environments. These experiences motivate me to continue using multi-omics approaches to study species evolution and environmental adaptation. In 2025, I joined the Sin Lab to pursue comparative genomics and population genetics studies, examining the relationship between genomic features and avian evolution and adaptation.
UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS
Samuel Cheung
Undergraduate student
I am a BSc student majoring in Ecology and Biodiversity, with the intention of understanding and protecting nature and the wildlife within. I am fascinated by how individuals interact with its surroundings and the relationships between animal behaviour and ecological processes. In 2026, I joined the Sin Lab as a final year project student, where I would be learning about intermediate-sized mammals through fecal sampling.
Janice Cheng
Undergraduate student
Ever since I was young, nature and wildlife have been my greatest passions. This lifelong curiosity led me to the University of Hong Kong, where I am currently pursuing a BSc with a major in Ecology and Biodiversity and a minor in Environmental Science. Throughout my academic journey, I have actively pursued every opportunity to work directly with animals and observe their behaviors firsthand. Recently, I joined the Sin Lab as an intern, an experience that has perfectly set the stage for my final year project. My upcoming research will focus on avian behavior, specifically examining how personality and innovation associate with social learning in lovebirds.
Vincy Ng
Undergraduate student
I am a BSc student, majoring in Ecology and Biodiversity (intensive). I have always been deeply fascinated by nature, and drawn to studying animal behaviour and physiology. I am intrigued by the way organisms interact and how they adapt to enhance survival fitness. Driven by a broad appreciation for wildlife, I do not limit my curiosity to a single taxonomic group, but am equally interested in learning from every corner of the natural world. During my studies and past research internships, I have gained diverse research experiences in the field and in captive environments, covering intertidal, marine and terrestrial organisms. I joined the Sin Lab in 2025 as a student helper, and have participated in projects on avian cognition, memory, intelligence, and social learning. For my Final Year Project, I will continue on avian behavioural research to investigate avian cultures.
STAFF
Charis Chan
Technical Officer
LAB ALUMNI
Graduate Students
Kelvin Cheng (MPhil, 2026)
Jackie Ko (PhD, 2025)
Guoling Chen (PhD, 2025)
Alex Chan (MPhil, 2024)
Derek Lam (PhD, 2024)
Boyee Lee (MPhil, 2022)
David Chan (MPhil, 2021)
Undergraduate Students
FYP – Final Year Project. DS – Directed Study.
SRF – Summer Research Fellowship. ORF – Overseas Research Fellowship.
Ming Cai (FYP, 2025-26)
Rachel Chan (FYP, 2025-26)
Jackson Li (FYP, 2025-26)
Wynne Ting (FYP, 2024-25)
Christy Hung (SRF, 2022; FYP, 2023-24)
Verna Shiu (FYP, 2023-24)
Kevin Lo (FYP, 2022-23)
Cactus Tam (FYP, 2022-23)
Yiu Siu (DS, 2020-21; FYP, 2021-22)
Winson Tsang (FYP, 2021-22)
Yannes Choi (FYP, 2021-22)
Devin Wan (SRF, 2021)
Lucy Tsang (SRF, 2020; FYP, 2020-21)
Megan Low (SRF, 2020; FYP, 2020-21)
Alex Chan (FYP, 2019-20)
Andy Vu (ORF, 2019)
Ally Shum (DS, 2018-2019)
Chin Chin Fok (DS, 2018-2019)
Natural Leung (DS, 2018-2019)
Vivienne Ho (DS, 2018-2019)
Staff
Diana Guerra Forero (Research Assistant, 2026)
Anthea Ling (Research Assistant, 2023-24)
Fushi Ke (Postdoc, 2021-24)
David Chan (Research Assistant, 2021-22)
Ken Lee (Research Assistant, 2020-21)
Pei-Yu Huang (Postdoc, 2019-22)
Stella Huynh (Postdoc, 2019-21)
Hon Shing Fung (Research Assistant, 2019-21)
Anson Wong (Research Assistant, 2019)