Our Team
Cetacean
Life Honorary Member
May the force be with you
Sea turtle
Life Honorary Member
Stay calm and keep moving forward
Assistant Professor & Principal Investigator
Prof Brian Kot is a registered diagnostic radiographer and veterinary imaging researcher in the City University of Hong Kong. He obtained his BSc in Radiography and PhD in Diagnostic Imaging from the Hong Kong Polytechnic University under the supervision of Dr Fiona Brook (PI of first successful dolphin artificial insemination project worldwide) and Dr Michael Ying, in 2005 and 2010, respectively. He completed his certificate course in virtopsy (postmortem radiology) with Prof Michael Thali and his team in 2016 at the University of Zurich. Brian joins the Department of Infectious Diseases and Public Health and the Department of Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong as an Assistant Professor in Diagnostic Imaging in July 2021. He is generally interested in questions relevant to Diagnostic Imaging, Postmortem Imaging, Forensic Science, Medicine and Pathology, Conservation Medicine, Environmental Science, and have expertise in applying various diagnostic imaging tools to clinical and forensic practice for marine conservation and policy decisions, which allows the use of aquatic animals as sentinels of ecosystem health, working towards a ‘One Ocean-One Health’ ideal. Currently, his team applies diagnostic imaging on captive aquatic animals for health assessment, as well as virtopsy routinely in stranded cetaceans and sea turtles in HK and adjacent waters to investigate their biological health profiles.
Lab Manager & Research Coordinator
Dr Tabris Chung obtained his PhD in Biological Sciences from the Hong Kong Polytechnic University in 2011. After working on recombinant protein expression and characterisation for a decade, he transitioned to the more tangible field of marine megafauna. He joined the Aquatic Animal Virtopsy Lab at the City University of Hong Kong in 2019, where he coordinated various research tasks and projects on stranded cetaceans and sea turtles. In 2023, he further acquired professional training on postmortem radiology and obtained his Certificate of Advanced Studies in Forensic Imaging and Virtopsy from the University of Zurich. Among multidisciplinary approaches to investigate the biological health profiles of aquatic wildlife, Tabris has been focusing on virtopsy and molecular analyses of stranded animals, as well as vessel survey and aerial surveillance of free-ranging cetaceans using drone. He is also interested in the digital documentation of skeletal remains of aquatic animals using 3D surface scanning and 3D printing, such that precious specimens can be brought to the public eye for advocating engagement in marine biology and conservation. Tabris’ expertise dovetails with his practical and theoretical knowledge of best practices and coordinatorship to support healthy growth and advancement of AAVL.
Mr Henry Tsui
Lab Manager
Henry obtained his MA in Communication and New Media in the City University of Hong Kong in 2014. Since then, he stepped into the field of aquatic animals and marine conservation, a totally different field than his major. With the capacity of lab manager, Henry has led local and international aquatic animal deployments for the Aquatic Animal Virtopsy Lab. He also assists in logistics arrangement and data management for the virtopsy and necropsy of cetaceans and sea turtles, as part of the Hong Kong Aquatic Animal Stranding Investigation. Henry leads the grants and contracts administration and project financial management in support of AAVL conservation medicine and research activities.
Dr Tommaso Gerussi
Postdoc & Veterinarian
Dr Tommaso Gerussi graduated in Veterinary Medicine at the University of Bologna (Italy) in 2018 with a thesis in Veterinary Anatomy. Subsequently he worked 5 months as a vet, research assistant and supervisor in a Greek N.G.O. involved in the protection of marine and terrestrial ecosystems and wildlife. He then conducted his doctorate at the University of Padova (Italy) in Veterinary Anatomy where he obtained in 2023 the title of Ph.D. with honours. His main topics of research are cetacean anatomy, comparative mammalian neuroanatomy and advanced neuroimaging techniques (MRI Diffusion-weighted Imaging – DWI). In particular, he focused on the anatomical basis of the brain responsible for higher brain functions, especially the prefrontal cortex (PFC). During his visiting period at the Ruhr-University Bochum (Germany), he also expanded his research field working on avian and reptile brains. As a Veterinarian, Dr Gerussi was actively involved in necropsies and studies of both domestic and wild/exotic animals. Additionally, in Padova he was a member of the Cetacean Stranding Emergency Response Team (CERT) which works along the Italian coastline. In 2024, he joins the Aquatic Animal Virtopsy Lab as a Postdoc to support the research team in their current projects and as a coordinator of projects related to the neuroscience and anatomy of cetaceans and sea turtles.
Veterinarian
Dr Angel graduated from the University of Sydney, Australia in 2017 and is working towards CertAVP in Royal Veterinary College. She worked at the Sydney RSPCA as a Veterinary Intern for a year before moving back to Hong Kong to her loving family and her three beloved dogs. She joined Tai Wai Small Animal and Exotic Hospital as an Emergency Veterinarian for over two years. Working mainly overnight shifts, she saw a large variety of cases and performed emergency procedures and surgeries in cats, dogs and exotic animals. She is now working part-time as an Emergency Veterinarian in Veterinary Specialty Hospital and in Zodiac Pet and Exotic Hospital.
Being a veterinarian is Dr Angel’s childhood dream come true. She has always had a passion for marine life and has joined Prof Brian Kot and his team in their research, talks and exhibition when she returned to Hong Kong in 2019. She is officially part of the team in Aquatic Animal Virtopsy Lab since 2022 to continue the pursuit of her passion in understanding and protection of the marine life.
Dr Gabrielle Ho
Veterinarian
Dr Gabrielle is one of the first batch of locally trained veterinarians from City University of Hong Kong. She has been participating in the stranding investigations of cetaceans and sea turtles during her undergraduate years with her growing fascination in wildlife and marine mammal medicine. Currently, she is practising at Victory animal hospital in Hong Kong, consolidating her veterinary basics in small animal medicine. Meanwhile, she is still assisting AAVL in her free time, pursuing her interest in this field.
Ms Aurora Kwan
Researcher
Aurora graduated with a degree in Environmental Science and Green Management from Hong Kong Metropolitan University, driven by a childhood passion for nature. In 2019, Aurora became a part of the Aquatic Animal Virtopsy Lab at City University of Hong Kong, dedicating herself to projects centered around the 3-D surface scanning of aquatic animals under the supervision of Prof Brian Kot. Currently, Aurora is pursuing a Master degree in Environmental Engineering and Pollution Control at Griffith University, Australia. She is also volunteering in a project focused on the study of Gold Coast Humpback Whale newborns in Australia. In this capacity, she channels her enthusiasm into behavior study and the implementation of Geographic Information System (GIS) tracking methods. Her academic journey has cultivated a specific interest in oceanic modeling, reflecting her understanding of this field and contribute meaningfully to our environmental dynamics and sustainability.
Researcher
Heysen obtained his bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences from Imperial College London in 2020, during which he volunteered at several research institutions in Hong Kong and abroad with a focus on marine biology. Aside from his fascination with the ocean, Heysen is also interested in pursuing a career as a veterinarian and studying at the Royal Veterinary College since late 2021. Seeking to combine both of his interests, Heysen joined the Aquatic Animal Virtopsy Lab in 2020 after his graduation, aiming to contribute to marine conservation while gaining more experience in the veterinary field. He has been working on several projects under the supervision of Prof Brian Kot, particularly on the use of virtopsy to diagnose the causes of death in cetaceans and sea turtles.
Mr Lico Tiongson
Researcher
Lico completed his bachelor’s degree in Biology at Silliman University in the Philippines in 2012 during which he also spent a year at the International Christian University in Tokyo for his study abroad. He spent a season as a volunteer on a behavioural response study of humpback whales to seismic surveys in Australia in his senior year. He has since worked on marine coastal ecosystems (seagrasses, mangroves, and coral reefs), blue carbon, and marine mammals in the Philippines including the critically endangered Irrawaddy dolphin and the majestic blue whale. He also spent a few years in Hong Kong studying the Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins, and currently collaborates with Balyena.Org in his spare time to study the baleen whales in the Bohol Sea. In 2022, he worked in the industry as a marine megafauna observer and realised that he prefers research more as he gets to have more hands-on involvement in conserving these large aquatic animals. His main interests revolve around marine mammal ecology and biology. He officially joins the Aquatic Animal Virtopsy Lab in 2023 to support the team in their research projects on cetacean and sea turtle health assessments, and 3-D surface scanning of stranded carcasses and skeletons.
Mr Ashton Ling
Researcher
Ashton obtained his BMedSc in Forensic Science and MSc in 2016 and 2019. Just like other kids, Ashton was being attracted by dolphins, sea turtles and other aquatic animals during his childhood, and being more concerned about marine conservation when he grew up. Therefore, he would like to implement his academic knowledge of forensic science to the conservation of aquatic animals by joining the AAVL since 2014. Ashton is interested in skeletal development and postmortem pathology of stranded cetaceans.
Mr Otto Yuen
Researcher
Otto completed his BSc in Life Sciences and MSc in Taxonomy, Biodiversity and Evolution at Imperial College London in 2021 and 2022 respectively, with focus on evolutionary developmental biology and bioinformatics. In 2019, he had a placement year at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research for a bioinformatics project on microRNA regulation of the human cell cycle. He holds an interest in marine biology and completed his master's thesis on fossil fish jaw morphological changes by working with specimens at Natural History Museum London, gaining curation experience along the way. He joined AAVL in 2023 and aims to analyze trends and phenomena affecting the life histories of cetaceans and sea turtles with his knowledge in bioinformatics.
Mr Alan Cheung
Researcher
Alan finished his BSc in Natural Science and Mphil in Molecular Biotechnology from The Chinese University of Hong Kong in 2016 and 2020. After that, he worked in research lab and industry for more than 2 years before joining AAVL in late 2023. In AAVL, he elaborates his strength in biotechnology and mainly focuses on DNA barcoding of stranded carcasses.
Ms Kelly Ng
Researcher
Kelly earned her Bachelor's degree in Criminology from Lancaster University and obtained her MSc in Forensic Osteology from the University of Kent, both motivated by her interest in the forensics field. With a strong interest in bones across various animal species, she joined the Aquatic Animal Virtropsy Lab in 2024. She focuses on osteology and odontology of cetaceans and sea turtles. Kelly firmly believes that applying the skills of forensic investigation can provide valuable insights into the lives and experiences of marine animals. Her goal is to contribute to the advancement of forensic science, improving the understanding of the intricate connections between aquatic ecosystems and their inhabitants.
Ms Meko Cheung
Researcher
Meko started her career path in the education field. She had been a teaching assistant in primary school and a kindergarten teacher before she decided to change her focus to wildlife. In 2023, She obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Science with a Zoology major at the University of Queensland. With a strong enthusiasm for marine creatures, she joined the Aquatic Animal Virtopsy Lab in 2024, focusing on education and outreach activities. Meko never gives up her passion for education, aiming not only to share the beauty of the cetaceans and sea turtles with the public but also to raise awareness of the threats that marine wildlife is facing.
Ms Wei Yeng Yeong
Student Researcher
Wei Yeng is currently a student studying the Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences at City University of Hong Kong. She has always loved animals but her interest in this field developed when she visited a veterinary clinic with her pet dog during her high school years in Malaysia. She gained inspiration from a practicing vet that had treated her dog’s skin disease and decided to take on this path. As Wei Yeng started her degree, she came across an opportunity to participate in various marine mammal conservation events organized by CityU. She learnt about the importance and pertinence of understanding the anthropogenic and naturogenic impacts on marine life in order to make a positive change for these fascinating creatures. She eventually joined the Aquatic Animal Virtopsy Lab for this cause and is engaged in postmortem investigations of stranded cetaceans and sea turtles since 2020.