London-based

Payton Tung On Yau, PhD

Molecular & Computational Research Scientist. PhD in Medicine (GI disease) and BSc in Computer Science. Biomarker discovery, multi-omics pipelines and survival modelling, from the bench to the code.

Get in Touch LinkedIn Profile
Dry Lab R / Python / NGS

Computational Genomics

Oncology & Biomarkers: NanoString profiling with RT-qPCR validation of circulating microRNAs across clinical trial cohorts.
GI & Inflammation: Transcriptomic profiling of neutrophil chemotaxis in anti-TNF treatment resistance in IBD.
Genome Assembly: Hybrid Illumina/Nanopore de novo assembly & scalable metagenomic pipelines.
Prognostic Modelling: Multi-threshold survival optimisation (AIC/BIC) & TCGA cohort validation.
Nextflow Epigenomics ML Pipelines Docker

Scientific Leadership

Frontiers AI Topic Editor

Co-leading global research collection: Artificial Intelligence for Precision Gut Microbiome Modulation in Cancer Therapies in Frontiers in Microbiomes.

The Resistance Archives

Technical writing series decoding the 24 WHO bacterial priority pathogens and their resistance mechanisms.

Bench Science QC / Assays / Culture

Molecular & Wet Lab

Assay Development: Multiplex qPCR design & miRNA screening for CRC diagnostics.
Targeted Platforms: NanoString nCounter profiling & upstream sample QC.
Epigenetics & Oncology: microRNA and histone-variant profiling, with target validation assays.
Functional Assays & Culture: Cell chemotaxis dynamics and bacterial culture isolation.
Industry-Partnered Research
De Montfort University

Biofilm Dynamics & Commercial Wash Optimisation

Computational analyst on a project assessing microbiome profiles and bacterial kill rates in commercial laundering. It aims to inform wash processes that use less chemical input while maintaining biocidal efficacy.

Resource Platform

UK Crop Microbiome CryoBank

Built and maintained the sequencing pipelines and database schemas underpinning this national phytobiome resource.

Access Base →

Software Engineering & Tooling

OptSurvCutRCRAN Finds one or more survival cut-points, adjusts for covariates and bootstraps for stability. In rOpenSci peer review; presented at FOSDEM 2026.
bicorXIn development Differential co-expression networks for genes and microbes, including single-cell data.

Core Paradigm

The Hybrid Bridge

"Data analysis is only as sound as the chemistry behind it. I directly link bench-side parameters with custom analysis pipelines."

Applied Biostatistics Book

Open Educational Resource

"A Little Bit of Everything in Biostatistics": applied, open access, and taught through real clinical datasets such as the Framingham Heart Study.

Teaching & Mentoring

Fellow, Higher Education Academy

Module Lead

Research methods and global health on university-validated degrees.

Assessment

MSc and BSc bioscience theses, posters and portfolios.

Online Teaching

Biostatistics, genetics and infectious diseases for a global cohort.

Project-based and portfolio-led: students leave with work they can show, not just grades.

Recognition & Review

PhD

By Published Works

Medicine (Biological Nature of Diseases)

BSc Computer Science • MSc Biomedical Science

Publications

Peer-Reviewed Research Portfolio

40+ peer-reviewed papers spanning gastrointestinal oncology, host-microbiome interaction, immuno-oncology and computational methods, including work in Gut, Gastroenterology, Journal of Clinical Investigation and PNAS.

Google Scholar Profile ORCID: 0000-0002-3283-0370