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Dr Zhigang Yu
Dr

Zhigang Yu

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Overview

Background

Dr Zhigang Yu is an ARC DECRA Research Fellow who obtained a PhD degree from ACWEB, University of Queensland in 2022. Since then, he has been a Postdocoral Research Fellow at ACWEB. He has published over 50 peer-reviewed articles in top tier journals including PNAS, Adavanced Science, The ISME Journal, with 12 as a first author and H index of 32. He acts as a Guest Editor of three journals and has been invited as a reviewer for over 20 journals.

Dr Yu has a strong curiosity on the project of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), which spans from chemistry to microbiology. His interests include the emergence and spread of bacterial AMR in both environmental and clinical (e.g., human gut) settings, bacterial adaptation, and the development of efficient disinfection technologies to contain AMR in the environment.

Availability

Dr Zhigang Yu is:
Available for supervision

Qualifications

  • Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Queensland

Research interests

  • Bacterial evolution

  • Antimicrobial resistance

  • Microbial interactions

  • Water-based epidemiology

  • Disinfection

Research impacts

Dr Yu establishes a microfluidic system to visualise AMR transfer at the single-cell level. This platform has generated several publications in journals including PNAS, ISME Journal, Advanced Science, and Microbiome.

Three of his publications are selected as Editors’ Choice and 1 is Best Paper Award Winner (only 3 winners worldwide) in ISME Journal, as well as 8 Highly Cited Papers. The "Best Paper" was also cited in the report from the office of the Prime Minister’s Chief Science Advisor, New Zealand. Dr Yu's research findings have attracted wide attention with >1,000 mentions and >10 M potential viewers globally.

Works

Search Professor Zhigang Yu’s works on UQ eSpace

71 works between 2014 and 2025

41 - 60 of 71 works

2022

Journal Article

Long-term environmental surveillance of PM2.5-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in Jinan, China (2014-2020): health risk assessment

Yu, Zhigang, Wang, Hong, Zhang, Xin, Gong, Shuping, Liu, Zhen, Zhao, Ning, Zhang, Cuiqin, Xie, Xiaorui, Wang, Kaige, Liu, Zhong, Wang, Jia-Sheng, Zhao, Xiulan and Zhou, Jun (2022). Long-term environmental surveillance of PM2.5-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in Jinan, China (2014-2020): health risk assessment. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 425 127766, 1-14. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.127766

Long-term environmental surveillance of PM2.5-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in Jinan, China (2014-2020): health risk assessment

2021

Journal Article

Artificial sweeteners stimulate horizontal transfer of extracellular antibiotic resistance genes through natural transformation

Yu, Zhigang, Wang, Yue, Henderson, Ian R. and Guo, Jianhua (2021). Artificial sweeteners stimulate horizontal transfer of extracellular antibiotic resistance genes through natural transformation. The ISME Journal, 16 (2), 1-12. doi: 10.1038/s41396-021-01095-6

Artificial sweeteners stimulate horizontal transfer of extracellular antibiotic resistance genes through natural transformation

2021

Journal Article

Synergistic effect of sulfidated nano zerovalent iron and persulfate on inactivating antibiotic resistant bacteria and antibiotic resistance genes

Yu, Zhigang, Rabiee, Hesamoddin and Guo, Jianhua (2021). Synergistic effect of sulfidated nano zerovalent iron and persulfate on inactivating antibiotic resistant bacteria and antibiotic resistance genes. Water Research, 198 117141, 1-12. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2021.117141

Synergistic effect of sulfidated nano zerovalent iron and persulfate on inactivating antibiotic resistant bacteria and antibiotic resistance genes

2021

Journal Article

Chlorine disinfection facilitates natural transformation through ROS-mediated oxidative stress

Zhang, Shuai, Wang, Yue, Lu, Ji, Yu, Zhigang, Song, Hailiang, Bond, Philip L. and Guo, Jianhua (2021). Chlorine disinfection facilitates natural transformation through ROS-mediated oxidative stress. The ISME Journal, 15 (10), 2969-2985. doi: 10.1038/s41396-021-00980-4

Chlorine disinfection facilitates natural transformation through ROS-mediated oxidative stress

2021

Journal Article

Nonnutritive sweeteners can promote the dissemination of antibiotic resistance through conjugative gene transfer

Yu, Zhigang, Wang, Yue, Lu, Ji, Bond, Philip L. and Guo, Jianhua (2021). Nonnutritive sweeteners can promote the dissemination of antibiotic resistance through conjugative gene transfer. The ISME Journal, 15 (7), 2117-2130. doi: 10.1038/s41396-021-00909-x

Nonnutritive sweeteners can promote the dissemination of antibiotic resistance through conjugative gene transfer

2021

Journal Article

Efficient photocatalytic destruction of recalcitrant micropollutants using graphitic carbon nitride under simulated sunlight irradiation

Zhong, Jiexi, Jiang, Hui, Wang, Zhiliang, Yu, Zhigang, Wang, Lianzhou, Mueller, Jochen F. and Guo, Jianhua (2021). Efficient photocatalytic destruction of recalcitrant micropollutants using graphitic carbon nitride under simulated sunlight irradiation. Environmental Science and Ecotechnology, 5 100079, 1-11. doi: 10.1016/j.ese.2021.100079

Efficient photocatalytic destruction of recalcitrant micropollutants using graphitic carbon nitride under simulated sunlight irradiation

2020

Journal Article

Size Distribution and Phosphate Removal Capacity of Nano Zero-Valent Iron (nZVI): Influence of pH and Ionic Strength

Lin, Dantong, Hu, Liming, Lo, Irene M. C. and Yu, Zhigang (2020). Size Distribution and Phosphate Removal Capacity of Nano Zero-Valent Iron (nZVI): Influence of pH and Ionic Strength. Water, 12 (10) 2939, 2939-13. doi: 10.3390/w12102939

Size Distribution and Phosphate Removal Capacity of Nano Zero-Valent Iron (nZVI): Influence of pH and Ionic Strength

2020

Journal Article

Pine sawdust as algal biofilm biocarrier for wastewater treatment and algae-based byproducts production

Zhang, Qi, Wang, Lin, Yu, Zhigang, Zhou, Ting, Gu, Zhiqiang, Huang, Qiaoyun, Xiao, Bo, Zhou, Wenguang, Ruan, Roger and Liu, Yuhuan (2020). Pine sawdust as algal biofilm biocarrier for wastewater treatment and algae-based byproducts production. Journal of Cleaner Production, 256 120449, 120449. doi: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.120449

Pine sawdust as algal biofilm biocarrier for wastewater treatment and algae-based byproducts production

2020

Journal Article

Role of surface roughness in the algal short-term cell adhesion and long-term biofilm cultivation under dynamic flow condition

Zhang, Qi, Yu, Zhigang, Jin, Shiping, Liu, Cuixia, Li, Yubiao, Guo, Dabin, Hu, Mian, Ruan, Roger and Liu, Yuhuan (2020). Role of surface roughness in the algal short-term cell adhesion and long-term biofilm cultivation under dynamic flow condition. Algal Research, 46 101787, 101787. doi: 10.1016/j.algal.2019.101787

Role of surface roughness in the algal short-term cell adhesion and long-term biofilm cultivation under dynamic flow condition

2019

Journal Article

Lignocellulosic residue as bio-carrier for algal biofilm growth: effects of carrier physicochemical proprieties and toxicity on algal biomass production and composition

Zhang, Qi, Yu, Zhigang, Jin, Shiping, Zhu, Liandong, Liu, Cuixia, Zheng, Hongli, Zhou, Ting, Liu, Yuhuan and Ruan, Roger (2019). Lignocellulosic residue as bio-carrier for algal biofilm growth: effects of carrier physicochemical proprieties and toxicity on algal biomass production and composition. Bioresource Technology, 293 122091, 122091. doi: 10.1016/j.biortech.2019.122091

Lignocellulosic residue as bio-carrier for algal biofilm growth: effects of carrier physicochemical proprieties and toxicity on algal biomass production and composition

2019

Journal Article

Uptake and toxicity studies of magnetic TiO2-Based nanophotocatalyst in Arabidopsis thaliana

Zhang, Weilan, Yu, Zhigang, Rao, Pinhua and Lo, Irene M.C. (2019). Uptake and toxicity studies of magnetic TiO2-Based nanophotocatalyst in Arabidopsis thaliana. Chemosphere, 224, 658-667. doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2019.02.161

Uptake and toxicity studies of magnetic TiO2-Based nanophotocatalyst in Arabidopsis thaliana

2019

Journal Article

Transport of the arsenic (As)-loaded nano zero-valent iron in groundwater-saturated sand columns: roles of surface modification and As loading

Yu, Zhigang, Hu, Liming and Lo, Irene M.C. (2019). Transport of the arsenic (As)-loaded nano zero-valent iron in groundwater-saturated sand columns: roles of surface modification and As loading. Chemosphere, 216, 428-436. doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2018.10.125

Transport of the arsenic (As)-loaded nano zero-valent iron in groundwater-saturated sand columns: roles of surface modification and As loading

2019

Journal Article

Effect of low-temperature thermo-alkaline pretreatment with alkyl polyglucosides (APGs) for low-organic-content sludge in anaerobic digestion

Liu, X., Zhang, C. and Yu, Z. (2019). Effect of low-temperature thermo-alkaline pretreatment with alkyl polyglucosides (APGs) for low-organic-content sludge in anaerobic digestion. Applied Ecology and Environmental Research, 17 (4), 7463-7476. doi: 10.15666/aeer/1704_74637476

Effect of low-temperature thermo-alkaline pretreatment with alkyl polyglucosides (APGs) for low-organic-content sludge in anaerobic digestion

2019

Journal Article

Effects of geochemical conditions, surface modification, and arsenic (As) loadings on As release from As-loaded nano zero-valent iron in simulated groundwater

Yu, Zhigang, Huang, Junyi, Hu, Liming, Zhang, Weilan and Lo, Irene M. C. (2019). Effects of geochemical conditions, surface modification, and arsenic (As) loadings on As release from As-loaded nano zero-valent iron in simulated groundwater. Environmental Science: Water Research and Technology, 5 (1), 28-38. doi: 10.1039/c8ew00757h

Effects of geochemical conditions, surface modification, and arsenic (As) loadings on As release from As-loaded nano zero-valent iron in simulated groundwater

2018

Journal Article

Vertical-algal-biofilm enhanced raceway pond for cost-effective wastewater treatment and value-added products production

Zhang, Qi, Yu, Zhigang, Zhu, Liandong, Ye, Ting, Zuo, Jiaolan, Li, Xuemei, Xiao, Bo and Jin, Shiping (2018). Vertical-algal-biofilm enhanced raceway pond for cost-effective wastewater treatment and value-added products production. Water Research, 139, 144-157. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2018.03.076

Vertical-algal-biofilm enhanced raceway pond for cost-effective wastewater treatment and value-added products production

2018

Other Outputs

Fate and transport of arsenic-loaded nano zero-valent iron (nZVI) in groundwater

Yu, Zhigang (2018). Fate and transport of arsenic-loaded nano zero-valent iron (nZVI) in groundwater. MPhil Thesis, Environmental Engineering Program, Hong Kong Institute of Science and Technology. doi: 10.14711/thesis-991012637064403412

Fate and transport of arsenic-loaded nano zero-valent iron (nZVI) in groundwater

2017

Journal Article

Bioaccumulation and toxicity of CdSe/ZnS quantum dots in Phanerochaete chrysosporium

Hu, Liang, Zeng, Guangming, Chen, Guiqiu, Huang, Zhenzhen, Wan, Jia, Chen, Anwei, Yu, Zhigang, Yang, Jiangli, He, Kai and Qin, Lei (2017). Bioaccumulation and toxicity of CdSe/ZnS quantum dots in Phanerochaete chrysosporium. Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces, 159, 303-311. doi: 10.1016/j.colsurfb.2017.08.006

Bioaccumulation and toxicity of CdSe/ZnS quantum dots in Phanerochaete chrysosporium

2017

Journal Article

Amorphous MnO2 modified biochar derived from aerobically composted swine manure for adsorption of Pb(II) and Cd(II)

Liang, Jie, Li, Xuemei, Yu, Zhigang, Zeng, Guangming, Luo, Yuan, Jiang, Longbo, Yang, Zhaoxue, Qian, Yingying and Wu, Haipeng (2017). Amorphous MnO2 modified biochar derived from aerobically composted swine manure for adsorption of Pb(II) and Cd(II). ACS Sustainable Chemistry and Engineering, 5 (6), 5049-5058. doi: 10.1021/acssuschemeng.7b00434

Amorphous MnO2 modified biochar derived from aerobically composted swine manure for adsorption of Pb(II) and Cd(II)

2017

Journal Article

Cultivation of algal biofilm using different lignocellulosic materials as carriers

Zhang, Qi, Liu, Cuixia, Li, Yubiao, Yu, Zhigang, Chen, Zhihua, Ye, Ting, Wang, Xun, Hu, Zhiquan, Liu, Shiming, Xiao, Bo and Jin, Shiping (2017). Cultivation of algal biofilm using different lignocellulosic materials as carriers. Biotechnology for Biofuels, 10 (1) 115. doi: 10.1186/s13068-017-0799-8

Cultivation of algal biofilm using different lignocellulosic materials as carriers

2017

Journal Article

Enhancing phosphate adsorption capacity of SDS-based magnetite by surface modification of citric acid

Yu, Zhigang, Zhang, Chang, Zheng, Zuhong, Hu, Liang, Li, Xuemei, Yang, Zhongzhu, Ma, Chi and Zeng, Guangming (2017). Enhancing phosphate adsorption capacity of SDS-based magnetite by surface modification of citric acid. Applied Surface Science, 403, 413-425. doi: 10.1016/j.apsusc.2017.01.163

Enhancing phosphate adsorption capacity of SDS-based magnetite by surface modification of citric acid

Funding

Current funding

  • 2025 - 2028
    Combating pathogens from biofilms in premise plumbing systems
    ARC Linkage Projects
    Open grant
  • 2025 - 2026
    Transmission of bacterial antimicrobial resistance in complex microbial communities
    Research Donation Generic
    Open grant
  • 2025 - 2027
    Bacterial evolution of antimicrobial resistance in urban water systems
    ARC Discovery Early Career Researcher Award
    Open grant

Supervision

Availability

Dr Zhigang Yu is:
Available for supervision

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Available projects

Supervision history

Current supervision

  • Doctor Philosophy

    The emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance between bacteria and environments

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Jianhua Guo

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Efficient control the spread of antibiotic resistance in urban water systems

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Jianhua Guo

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Understanding roles of disinfection agents on the emergence and spread of antibiotic resistance

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Associate Professor Gilda Carvalho, Professor Jianhua Guo

Media

Enquiries

For media enquiries about Dr Zhigang Yu's areas of expertise, story ideas and help finding experts, contact our Media team:

communications@uq.edu.au