Academic Staff

PolyU Scholars Hub

Dr Gan Renyou

Assistant Professor

TU325
+852 3400 8825
renyou.gan@polyu.edu.hk
Lab Website

PolyU Scholars Hub

ORCID ID

SCOPUS ID

Google Scholar

Research ID

Research Overview

Our group mainly focuses on the discovery, characterization, and development of food functional ingredients and probiotics with nutrition & health translational potential. Specific topics include, but are not limited to (1) Valorization of functional plants and food byproducts; (2) Alternative protein development based on mushroom fermentation; (3) Gut microbiota/probiotics-mediated biotransformation mechanisms of phytochemicals/polysaccharides/food additives, and related health consequences.

Education and Academic Qualifications

Bachelor of Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University
Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Hong Kong

Academic and Professional Experience

Work Experience

2024-present: Assistant Professor & Presidential Young Scholar, Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Faculty of Science, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), Hong Kong SAR, China;
2023–2024: Adjunct Assistant Professor, Department of Food Science & Technology, Faculty of Science, National University of Singapore (NUS), Singapore;
2022–2024: Principal Scientist, Singapore Institute of Food and Biotechnology Innovation (SIFBI), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore;
2019–2022: Chief Scientist, Research Center for Plants and Human Health, Institute of Urban Agriculture (IUA), Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Chengdu, China;
2017–2019: Tenure-track Assistant Professor, Department of Food Science & Technology, School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU), Shanghai, China.

Academic and Journal Editorial Roles

Board of Directors, International Natural Product Science Taskforce (INPST)
Executive Editor of the journal “iMetaOmics” and “Current Research in Biotechnology”
Section Editor-in-Chief of the journal “Fermentation”
Associate Editor of the journal “iMeta”
Section Associate Editor of the journal “Frontiers in Nutrition”
Honorary Associate Editor of the journal “International Journal of Food Science and Technology”
Editorial Board Member of the journals “Foods”, “Nutrients”, “Antioxidants”, “Antibiotics”, “npj Science of Food”, “Discover Food”, etc.

Research Interests

Achievements

2017, "Green Valley Young Scholars" in Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China.
2017, “Golden Dragon Young Teacher Award”, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China.
2018, Shanghai Pujiang Talent Plan (Type A), Shanghai Science and Technology Bureau, Shanghai, China.
2019, "Young Agricultural Talents", Institute of Urban Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Chengdu, China.
2019, “Best Paper Awards” (Corresponding author), Foods journal, MDPI Publisher.
2017-2019, “Peer Review Award”, Publon, Clarivate.
2020, "Young Thousand Talent Plan", Organization Department of Sichuan Province, Sichuan, China.
2020, listed in the Standford University “World Top 2% Scientists” (Single Year 2019) in the field of “Food Science” and “Organic Chemistry”.
2020, “Best Paper Awards” (Corresponding author), Foods journal, MDPI Publisher. 2021, the “Highly Cited Researcher” in the field of Agricultural Sciences/Food Science, Clarivate.
2021, listed in the Standford University “World Top 2% Scientists” (Single Year 2020) in the field of “Food Science” and “Nutrition & Dietetics”.
2021, "Tianfu Talent Plan", Tianfu New Area, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China.
2021, “Rong Piao High-Level Talent Plan (Long-Term Program)”, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China.
2021, MDPI 2021 “Most Influential Author Award”, Life Sciences, MDPI Publisher.
2022, “The Outstanding Young Scientific and Technological Talents Program”, Sichuan Science and Technology Agency, Sichuan, China.
2022, listed in the Standford “World Top 2% Scientists” (Single Year 2021) in the field of “Food Science” and “Nutrition & Dietetics”.
2022, the “Highly Cited Researcher” in the field of Agricultural Sciences/Food Science, Clarivate.
2023, listed in the Stanford “World Top 2% Scientists” (Single Year 2022) in the field of "Food Science" and "Nutrition and Dietetics".
2023, the “Highly Cited Researcher” in the field of Agricultural Sciences/Food Science, Clarivate.

Gan Ren-You, Guo Huan, Liu Hong-Yan, Wang Nan, Zheng Yin-Jian, Du Xu, Liu Yi, Xia Yu, He Xiao-Qin. An extraction method for the sequential extraction of essential oil, hydrosol, pectin, and flavonoids from citrus fruits. Application Number: 202210794060X; Authorization Number: CN115154513B; Authorization Date: November 10, 2023.
Gan Ren-You, Liu Yi, Liu Hongyan, He Xiaoqin, Guo Huan, Xia Yu, Wang Nan, Ma Wei. Purification method of pomegranate punicalagin and its application in the preparation of α-glucosidase inhibitors. Application Number: 202111376141X; Authorization Number: CN113896751B; Authorization Date: May 12, 2023.
Gan Ren-You, Guo Huan, Liu Hongyan, Liu Yi, He Xiaoqin, Xia Yu. Sweet tea polysaccharide extract with high antioxidant activity and its extraction method. Application number: 2021106155896; Authorization number: CN113214413B; Authorization date: November 25, 2022.
Xia Yu, Gan Ren-You, Guo Huan, Li Hang, Liu Hongyan, He Xiaoqin, Liu Yi. Skin-whitening and moisturizing cosmetic composition containing Lithocarpus litseifolius [Hance] Chun and its preparation. Application number: 2021105482265; Authorization number: CN113143781B; Authorization date: October 25, 2022.
Gan Ren-You, Ma Wei, Xia Yu, Wang Nan, Yao Sen, Liu Hongyan. A mobile automated essential oil extraction production line and its usage method. Application number: 2021101042266; Authorization number: CN112940859B; Authorization date: October 21, 2022.
Gan Ren-You, Xia Yu, Liu Hongyan, Guo Huan, Liu Yi, He Xiaoqin, Li Hang. Skin-whitening and moisturizing cosmetic composition containing phloretin, and its preparation and application. Application number: 2021105482231; Authorization number: CN113171309B; Authorization date: August 12, 2022.
Wang Tao, Gan Ren-You, Ren Maozhi, Liu Hongyan, Xia Yu. A paclitaxel drug delivery carrier and its preparation method. Application number: 2020114516340; Authorization number: CN112915065B; Authorization date: April 8, 2022.
Gan Ren-You, Liu Yi, Xia Yu, Liu Hong-Yan. An extraction method of antioxidant polyphenols from sweet tea. Application number: 2020104772891; Authorization number: CN112107604B; Authorization date: October 8, 2021.

Pei-Xiu Rong#, Xiao-Qin He#, Mutamed Ayyash, Yi Liu, Ding-Tao Wu, Fang Geng, Hua-Bin Li, Siew Bee Ng, Hong-Yan Liu*, Ren-You Gan*. (2024). Untargeted metabolomics analysis of non-volatile metabolites and dynamic changes of antioxidant capacity in Douchi with edible mushroom by-products. Food Chemistry, 431, 137066.
Gandhi Gopalsamy Rajiv*, Antony Poovathumkal James, Ceasar Stanislaus Antony, Vasconcelos Alan Bruno Silva, Montalvão Monalisa Martins, de Franca Mariana Nobre Farias, Resende Ayane de Sá, Sharanya Chelankara Suresh, Liu Yi, Hariharan Govindasamy, Gan Ren-You*. (2024). Health functions and related molecular mechanisms of ellagitannin-derived urolithins. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, 64(2), 280-310.
Li Hang-Yu, Huang Si-Yu, Zhou Dan-Dan, Xiong Ruo-Gu, Luo Min, Han Mu-Ke, Gan Ren-You*, Zhu Hui-Lian, Li Hua-Bin*. (2023). Theabrownin inhibits obesity and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in mice via serotonin-related signaling pathways and gut-liver axis. Journal of Advanced Research, 52, 59-72.
Chunyan Fang, Yaodong You, Fan Luo, Zheng Li, Yifeng Shen, Fangyue Wang, Jingyi Zhang, Ren-You Gan*, Yulong Ye*. (2023). Silk Fibroin Encapsulated Icariin Nanoparticles Mitigate Bisphenol A-Induced Spermatogenesis Dysfunction. Advanced Healthcare Materials, 13(6), 2302899.
Zhang Jia-Rong#, Ge Ying-Ying#, Liu Pin-He, Wu Ding-Tao, Liu Hong-Yan, Li Hua-Bin, Corke Harold, Gan Ren-You*. (2022). Biotechnological strategies of riboflavin biosynthesis in microbes. Engineering, 12(5), 116-128.
He Xiao-Qin#, Liu Dan#, Liu Hong-Yan, Wu Ding-Tao, Li Hua-Bin, Zhang Xin-Shang*, Gan Ren-You*. (2022). Prevention of ulcerative colitis in mice by sweet tea (Lithocarpus litseifolius) via the regulation of gut microbiota and butyric-acid-mediated anti-inflammatory signaling. Nutrients, 14(11), 2208.
Liu Yi#, Liu Hong-Yan#, Li Sheng-Hong*, Ma Wei, Wu Ding-Tao, Li Hua-Bin, Xiao Ai-Ping, Liu Liang-Liang, Zhu Fan, Gan Ren-You*. (2022). Cannabis sativa bioactive compounds and their extraction, separation, purification, and identification technologies: An updated review. TrAC Trends in Analytical Chemistry, 149, 116554.
Liu Yi#, Kong Kin Weng#, Wu Ding-Tao, Liu Hong-Yan, Li Hua-Bin, Zhang Jia-Rong, Gan Ren-You*. (2022). Pomegranate peel-derived punicalagin: Ultrasonic-assisted extraction, purification, and its α-glucosidase inhibitory mechanism. Food Chemistry, 374, 131635.
Li Hang#, Xia Yu#, Liu Hong-Yan, Guo Huan, He Xiao-Qin, Liu Yi, Wu Ding-Tao, Mai Ying-Hui, Li Hua-Bin, Zou Liang*, Gan Ren-You*. (2022). Nutritional values, beneficial effects, and food applications of broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica Plenck). Trends in Food Science & Technology, 119, 288-308.
Wu Ding-Tao#,*, Yuan Qin#, Guo Huan, Fu Yuan, Li Fen, Wang Sheng-Peng, Gan Ren-You*. (2021). Dynamic changes of structural characteristics of snow chrysanthemum polysaccharides during in vitro digestion and fecal fermentation and related impacts on gut microbiota. Food Research International, 141, 109888.

Indigenous Fermented Foods for the Tropics (1st Edition). (2023). In: Oluwafemi Ayodeji Adebo, Chiemela Enyinnaya Chinma, Adewale Olusegun Obadina, Antonio Gomes Soares, Sandeep Kumar Panda, Ren-You Gan (Eds). Book, Elsevier Academic Press (Publisher). ISBN: 9780323983419. [Book Editor]
Gan Ren-You, Gul Khalid, Ramireddy Lokeswari, Mir Nisar Ahmad, Allai Farhana Mehraj. (2024). Technological and analytical aspects of bioactive compounds and nutraceuticals from cereal processing byproducts. In: Charanjit Singh Riar, Parmjit S. Panesar (Eds), Bioactive Compounds and Nutraceuticals from Plant Sources. Apple Academic Press, Chapter 9.
Gan Ren-You, Chan Chak-Lun, Yang Qiong-Qiong, Li Hua-Bin, Zhang Dan, Ge Ying-Ying, Gunaratne Anil, Ge Jiao and Corke Harold*. (2019). Bioactive compounds and beneficial functions of sprouted grains. In: Hao Feng, Boris Nemzer, and Jonathan W. Devries (Eds), Sprouted Grains: Nutritional Values, Production, and Applications. Elsevier Inc. and AACC International, pp. 191-246. Chapter 9.