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​Prof. Joey Zu-yao YANG 楊祖耀教授

Prof. Joey Zuyao YANG

楊祖耀教授

BMedSc (PKU), MMedSc (PKU), PhD (CUHK)

Assistant Professor

Email: zyang@cuhk.edu.hk

 

ORCID: 0000-0003-2386-2431

​

Biography

Professor Yang received his Bachelor degree in Preventive Medicine and Master Degree in Epidemiology and Biostatistics from Peking University and PhD in Public Health from The Chinese University of Hong Kong. Trained as an epidemiologist, Professor Yang has a wide range of research interests, covering the epidemiology, prevention, and treatment of major infectious diseases (e.g., COVID-19 and HIV) and chronic non-communicable diseases (e.g., hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidaemia and cancer). Most of his work aims to examine the evidence base of current belief and practice in medicine through systematic reviews, cohort studies, cross-sectional studies, case series, and so on. As the first or corresponding author, Professor Yang has published a number of peer-reviewed papers in such highly respected journals as British Medical Journal, Lancet Microbe, Journal of Hematology & Oncology, eClinicalMedicine, European Journal of Epidemiology, Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, Sports Medicine, and Neurology.

Research Interests

  • Theme 1: Characteristics of and management strategies for major infectious diseases

  • Theme 2 (the focus of my current work): Characteristics of and management strategies for major chronic diseases, particularly hypertension, diabetes and dyslipidaemia

  • Theme 3: Methodological issues in epidemiological studies

Recent Funded Research Projects 

  • Management of COVID-19 in the post-COVID-19 era: optimizing vaccination strategy for the most vulnerable people. Research Grant Council General Research Fund 2024/25.

  • Comparing the efficacy of different therapies for rehabilitation of pneumoconiosis in Chinese patients: a comprehensive network meta-analysis of evidence. Pneumoconiosis Compensation Fund Board Research Fund 2023/24.

  • Collection and management of the data from a representative sample of literatures for research on evidence-based medicine. Research Data Management Development Fund (Round 2), The Chinese University of Hong Kong.

  • Estimating the magnitude of over-diagnosis of thyroid cancer and prostate cancer in mainland China: a modelling study based on national registry data. Direct Grant for Research 2019/20, The Chinese University of Hong Kong.

  • Relationship between skin rash and clinical outcomes in advanced pancreatic cancer treated with gemcitabine plus erlotinib: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Health and Medical Research Fund 2016, Food and Health Bureau.

Selected Publications

       Theme 1: Characteristics of and management strategies for major infectious diseases

  1. Feng Q, Zhou A, Zou H, Ingle S, May MT, Cai W, Cheng CY, Yang Z (corresponding author), Tang J. Quadruple versus triple combination antiretroviral therapies for treatment naive people with HIV: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. BMJ. 2019;366:I4179.

  2. Yang Z, Jiang Y, Li F, Liu D, Lin TF, Zhao ZY, Wei C, Jin Q, Li X, Jia Y, Zhu F, Yang Z (corresponding author), Sha F, Feng Z, Tang JL. Efficacy of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines and the dose-response relationship with three major antibodies: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. Lancet Microbe. 2023;4(4):e236-e246.

  3. Ma S, Zhang J, Zeng M, Yun Q, Guo W, Zheng Y, Zhao S, Wang MH, Yang Z (corresponding author). Epidemiological parameters of coronavirus disease 2019: a case series study. J Med Internet Res. 2020 2020;22(10):e19994.

  4. Lin T, Zhao Z, Yang Z, Li B, Wei C, Li F, Jiang Y, Liu D, Yang Z (corresponding author), Sha F, Tang J. Hospital strain and COVID-19 fatality—England, April 2020–March 2022. China CDC Wkly. 2022;4(52):1176-80.

  5. Li F, Wei C, Li B, Lin T, Jiang Y, Liu D, Yang Z, Yang Z (corresponding author), Sha F, Tang J. Characteristics and containment of 74 imported COVID-19 outbreaks: experiences, lessons, and implications—China, 2020–2021. China CDC Wkly. 2022;4(50):1131-5.

    Theme 2: Characteristics of and management strategies for major chronic diseases

  6. Yang Z, Tang J. Chronic disease needs to be redefined towards patient-centred diagnosis. BMJ 2024. [Accepted, in print]

  7. Wang S, Yang Z, Tian L, Sha F, Tang J, Yang Z (corresponding author). Remission to normal blood pressure in older adults with hypertension who did not receive antihypertensive medication: analysis of data from two longitudinal cohorts. eClinicalMedicine. 2024;73:102678.

  8. Zheng W, Zhang J, Jiang Y, Wang S, Yang Z (corresponding author). Overlapping pattern of the four individual components of dyslipidemia in adults: analysis of nationally representative data. J Clin Med. 2024;13(12):3624.

  9. Wang S, Yang Z, Sha F, Qi X, He Z, Szeto CH, Yang Z (corresponding author), Tang J. Prevalence of incidental colorectal cancer and polyps in autopsies of different populations: a systematic review with meta-regression analysis. Eur J Epidemiol. 2023;38(9):939-955.

  10. Yang Z, Wei C, Li X, Yuan J, Gao X, Li B, Zhao Z, Toh S, Yu X, Brayne C, Yang Z (corresponding author), Sha F, Tang J. Association between regular laxative use and incident dementia in UK Biobank participants. Neurology. 2023;100(16):e1702-e1711.

  11. Zhang X, Yang Z (co-first author), Zhang M, Zhu Y, Zhao Z, Huang Z, Li C, Zhou M, Farmer AJ, Tang JL, Wang L. Independent effects of 2hPG, FPG and HbA1c on cardiovascular risk: analysis of a nationally representative sample from China. Diabetes Res Clin Pract. 2021;173:108672.

  12. Hu XF, Han XR, Yang ZY, Hu YH, Tang JL. The impact of broadened diagnostic criteria on the prevalence of hypertension, hyperlipidemia and diabetes mellitus in China. Chin J Prev Med. 2017;51:369-377.

  13. Yang Z, Scott CA, Mao C, Tang J, Farmer AJ. Resistance exercise versus aerobic exercise for type 2 diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Sports Med. 2014; 44(4):487-99.

  14. Yang Z, Hackshaw A, Feng Q, Fu X, Zhang Y, Mao C, Tang J. Comparison of gefitinib, erlotinib and afatinib in non-small cell lung cancer: A meta-analysis. Int J Cancer. 2017;140(12):2805-2819.

  15. Yang ZY, Liu L, Mao C, Wu XY, Huang YF, Hu XF, Tang JL. Chemotherapy with cetuximab versus chemotherapy alone for chemotherapy-naive advanced non-small cell lung cancer. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2014; 11:CD009948.

  16. Yang ZY, Wu XY, Huang YF, Di MY, Zheng DY, Chen JZ, Ding H, Mao C, Tang JL. Promising biomarkers for predicting the outcomes of patients with KRAS wild-type metastatic colorectal cancer treated with anti-epidermal growth factor receptor monoclonal antibodies: a systematic review with meta-analysis. Int J Cancer. 2013;133(8):1914-25.

  17. Yang ZY, Shen WX, Hu XF, Zheng DY, Wu XY, Huang YF, Chen JZ, Mao C, Tang JL. EGFR gene copy number as a predictive biomarker for the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer with anti-EGFR monoclonal antibodies: meta-analysis. J Hematol Oncol. 2012;5(1):52.

    Theme 3: Methodological issues in epidemiological studies

  18. Yun Q, Lin M, Jia Y, Wang Y, Zhang J, Sha F, Yang Z (corresponding author), Tang J. Prevalence of and factors associated with potentially redundant randomized controlled trials: a cross-sectional study. J Clin Epidemiol. 2024;167:111265.

  19. Tang JL, Yang ZY, Mao C. The use and pitfalls of large randomized controlled trials. Chin J Epidemiol. 2017;38(10):1299-1304.

  20. Tang J, Yang Z. Observation versus experiment, efficacy versus effectiveness. Chin J Epidemiol. 2014;35(3):221-227.

  21. Tang H, Yang ZY (corresponding author), Tang JL. β-Blocker and survival and pulmonary function in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary and cardiovascular disease. Eur Heart J. 2021;42(12):1180. [Letter]

  22. Yang Z, Fan H, Tang J. Considerations concerning disease redefinition. JAMA Intern Med. 2017;177(12):1872-1873. [Letter]

  23. Yang ZY, Mao C, Tang JL. Apixaban versus enoxaparin for thromboprophylaxis in medically ill patients. N Engl J Med. 2012; 366(8):767. [Letter]

  24. Yang ZY, Mao C, Tang JL. Depression and Risk of Stroke. JAMA. 2011; 306(23):2562-2563. [Letter]

Last Updated: 22 July 2024

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