Cai Yu

Impact

The lab leverages Drosophila melanogaster as a model organism to investigate fundamental aspects of insect development, reproductive biology, and population control. This knowledge is applied to study the biology of Aedes aegypti mosquito, aiming to improve existing vector control strategies and develop novel bio-control methods to mitigate mosquito-borne diseases.

Collaborations, Achievements & Honours

  • Developing novel Wolbachia-infected Aedes mosquito strains in collaboration with Singapore’s National Environment Agency (NEA).
  • Identified several plant-derived compounds with potent repellent activity against mosquitoes and other pests.
  • Pioneered a two-component ”Hatch and Kill” method to eliminate quiescent Aedes egg bank.
  • Established a highly efficient microinjection platform for insect embryos and a robust Wolbachia transinfection platform.

Research Areas

Insect Development, Genetics, and reproduction (Aedes aegypti and Drosophila melanogaster), Infectious Diseases and Vector Biology, Wolbachia-insect interactions

Affiliations

  • Senior Principal Investigator, Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory (TLL).
  • Adjunct Associate Professor, Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore (NUS).

Question

1. What methods can be employed to more effectively reduce the prevalence of mosquito-borne diseases?
2. How can innovative biological approaches be developed to control Aedes aegypti populations?

Approach

Mosquito-borne diseases impose significant social and economic burdens worldwide. Cai Yu’s lab applies cutting-edge insect genetics to reduce mosquito populations, with a particular focus on female mosquitoes, as targeting them is a highly effective vector control strategy.

Leveraging the genetic and developmental similarities between Aedes aegypti and Drosophila melanogaster – the best-studies insect model – the lab explores the reproductive biology of Aedes mosquitoes to design innovative vector control methods.

Key areas of focus include:

  • Understanding the biology of Aedes mosquitoes, including its development and reproduction.
  • Developing genetic tools for studying Aedes
  • Utilizing the symbiotic bacteria Wolbachia for mosquito population control and understanding Wolbachia-mosquito interactions.
  • Optimizing the sterile insect technique (SIT) for vector control.
  • Developing bio-friendly insect repellent formulations.
  • Creating innovative methods, such as the elimination of mosquito egg banks, to prevent the spread of arboviruses.

The lab also investigates stem cell biology using Aedes aegypti and Drosophila melanogaster as models. Stem cells, responsible for generating diverse cell types and maintaining tissue homeostasis, are studied in the context of germline, neural and intestinal stem cells in Drosophila. These insights are then applied to develop genetic and molecular tools for controlling mosquito germline and midgut functions as part of vector control strategies.

Bio

Cai Yu obtained his Bachelor of Sciences from Xiamen University, China in 1993, and his Ph.D. from National University of Singapore (NUS) in 2003, working under the guidance of Bill Chia and Yang Xiaohang at the Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB). After completing a year of postdoctoral research in the same lab, he joined Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory (TLL) as a Young Investigator in 2004. He is currently a Senior Principal Investigator in TLL and Adjunct Associate Professor at NUS.

Senior Principal Investigator

Cai Yu

The lab focuses on fundamental biological questions related to insect (Aedes aegypti and Drosophila melanogaster) development and innovative vector control strategies. 

Contact

caiyu@tll.org.sg
+65 6874 6279

Current Vacancies

Group Publications

  • Breaking symmetry in the CNS

    Li P, Yang X, Wasser M, Cai Y, Shen CP, Jan LY, Jan LN.

  • nscuteable and Staufen mediate asymmetric localization and segregation of prospero RNA during Drosophila neuroblast Cell divisions

    Li P, Yang X, Wasser M, Cai Y, Chia W.

  • Analysis of partner of inscuteable, a novel player of Drosophila asymmetric divisions, reveals two distinct steps in inscuteable apical localization

    Yu F, Morin X, Cai Y, Yang X, Chia W.

  • The cell cycle machinery and asymmetric cell division of neural progenitors in the Drosophila embryonic central nervous system

    Chia W, Cai Y, Morin X, Tio M, Udolph G, Yu F, Yang X.

  • family of snail-related zinc finger proteins regulates two distinct and parallel mechanisms that mediate Drosophila neuroblast asymmetric divisions

    Cai Y, Chia W, Yang X.

  • nscuteable-independent apicobasally oriented asymmetric divisions in the Drosophila embryonic CNS

    Rath P, Lin S, Udolph G, Cai Y, Yang X, Chia W.

  • Distinct roles of Galphai and Gß13F subunits of the heterotrimeric G protein complex in the mediation of Drosophila neuroblast asymmetric divisions

    Yu F, Cai Y, Kaushik R, Yang X, Chia W.

  • Apical complex genes control mitotic spindle geometry and relative size of daughter cells in Drosophila neuroblast and pI asymmetric divisions

    Cai Y, Yu F, Lin S, Chia W, Yang X.

  • Abstrakt, a DEAD box protein, regulates Insc levels and asymmetric division of neural and mesodermal progenitors

    Irion U, Leptin M, Siller K, Fuerstengerg S, Cai Y, Doe CQ, Chia W, Yang X.

  • Roles of Bifocal, Homer, and F-actin in anchoring Oskar to the posterior cortex of Drosophila oocytes

    Babu K, Cai Y, Bahri S, Yang X, Chia W.