Click here to download my CV (PDF) last update: 2026-07-07

Yunan Hu, M.S.

Email: yunan@ad.unc.edu

1. Personal Information

• Name: Yunan Hu, M.S.
• Email: yunan@ad.unc.edu
• ORCID ORCID

2. Education

3. Bibliography and Scholarly Products

Peer-reviewed Publications

1. Y Hu, A Rueppell, N Devpura, R Zasloff, J Arnold, J Roach, S Magness, J Bruno-Bárcena, MA Azcarate-Peril. Prebiotic β (1-4) Galacto-oligosaccharides Strengthen Intestinal Barrier Integrity via Mucus Production and Modulation of Tight Junction Genes. Food Bioscience. 2025,108052.DOI:10.1016/j.fbio.2025.108052

2. MR Aljumaah, J Roach, Y Hu, J Gunstad, MA Azcarate-Peril. Microbial dipeptidyl peptidases of the S9B family as host-microbe isozymes. Sci Adv. 2025;11(14):eads5721. DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.ads5721

3. Y Hu, MR Aljumaah, MA Azcarate-Peril. Galacto-Oligosaccharides and the Elderly Gut: Implications for Immune Restoration and Health. Advances in Nutrition. 2024;15(8):100263. DOI:10.1016/j.advnut.2024.100263

4. J Kang, R Li, Y Hu, X Huang, X-X Chen, B-Z Han. Microbial interactions in mixed-species biofilms on surfaces of Baijiu brewing environments. Food Research International. 2024;191:114698. DOI:10.1016/j.foodres.2024.114698

5. S Tian, Y Hu, X Chen, C Liu, Y Xue, B Han. Green synthesis of silver nanoparticles using sodium alginate and tannic acid: characterization and anti–S. aureus activity. Int J Biol Macromol. 2022;195:515-522. DOI:10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2021.12.031

6. J Kang, Y Hu, L Jia, M Zhang, Z Zhang, X Huang, X Chen, B-Z Han. Response of microbial community assembly to abiotic factors during Baijiu fermentation. Food Research International. 2022;162:111915. DOI:10.1016/j.foodres.2022.111915

7. J Kang, Y Hu, Z Ding, L Ye, H Li, J Cheng, L Fan, H Zhao, B Han, X Zheng. Shifts in microbial community diversity from pretreatment to saccharification in Baijiu. Front Microbiol. 2021;12:705967. DOI:10.3389/fmicb.2021.705967

8. Y Hu, X Huang, B Yang, X Zhang, Y Han, X-X Chen, B-Z Han. Microbial community and metabolic profile of three light-flavor Daqu types. Food Bioscience. 2021;44:101395.DOI:10.1016/j.fbio.2021.101395

9. 胡雨楠, 张钟晓, 陈小雪, 薛岩松, 韩北忠. 发酵时间对白酒二茬基酒风味影响. 中国酿造. 2021;40(9):165-172.

10. X Chen, Y Hu, S Tian, B Han. Interaction between S. aureus and raw-meat-environment K. oxytoca in dual-species biofilms. Microorganisms. 2021;9. DOI:10.3390/microorganisms9040672

Publications in Process

1. MR Aljumaah, I Isawi, J Roach, Y Hu, et al. Gut Microbial Dipeptidyl Peptidase-4 and Associated Prolyl Tripeptidyl Peptidases: A Novel Classification and Response to Inhibitors. preprint
2. Y Hu, Arnold, J., et al. Mechanisms of Galectin-1 Induction by Galactooligosaccharides.
3. Y Hu, MR Aljumaah, J Roach, et al. Spatial ecology of the multi-kingdom human intestinal microbiome. preprint
4. BR Wang, Y Hu, et al. Structural characterization and hepatoprotective mechanism of alkali-soluble Poria cocos polysaccharides modified by dynamic high-pressure microfluidization.
5. Y Hu, et al. Lactobacillus co-culture dynamics in response to different carbohydrates.
6. Y Hu, M Moore, et al. Synergistic Effects of β (1-4) Galactooligosaccharides Combined with Rationally Designed Consortia on Preventing Clostridioides difficile Infection.

4. Posters and Conference Proceedings

1. CGIBD Research Competition, 2025 (Oral). Pure beta(1-4) Galactooligosaccharides enable the persistence of a rationally designed consortium in the intestinal tract.
   Yunan Hu

2. Gordon Research Conference (GRC), 2025 (Oral + Poster).
   Pure prebiotics enable the persistence of probiotics and enhance their beneficial effects.
   Yunan Hu, Madison Moore, Jeff Roach, Jeena James, Jason Arnold, Rita Tamayo, José M. Bruno-Bárcena, M. Andrea Azcarate-Peril.

3. North Carolina Branch of the American Society for Microbiology (NC-ASM), 2024 (Oral).
   Galacto-oligosaccharides Enhance Intestinal Barrier Function.
   Yunan Hu

4. American Society for Nutrition (ASN), 2024 (Poster).
   The Beneficial Effects of a Combination of Prebiotics and Bacterial Consortium on Clostridioides difficile Infection in a Mouse Model. 2024, Current Developments in Nutrition.
   Jeena M James, Yunan Hu, Mashael Aljumaah, Esmat Rousta, Nivedita Pareek, Jeff Roach, Jason Arnold, Rita Tamayo, José Bruno-Bárcena, Andrea Azcarate-Peril.

5. American Society for Nutrition (ASN), 2023 (Poster).
   Immunomodulatory Effects of Galactooligosaccharides.
   Yunan Hu, Jason Arnold, Johanna Smeekens, Michael Kulis, Ellyce San Pedro, Scott Magness, Andrea Azcarate-Peril

6. International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP), 2023 (Poster).
   Immunomodulatory Effect of Galacto-oligosaccharide on Lgals-1 Expression.
   Yunan Hu, Arnold J., Johanna Smeekens, Michael Kulis, Ellyce San Pedro, Scott Magness, Andrea Azcarate-Peril

7. NC Microbiome Consortium Symposium, 2023 (Poster).
   GOS enhances intestinal barrier function.
   Yunan Hu, Jason W. Arnold, Rebecca Zasloff, Anika Rueppell, Scott T. Magness, José M. Bruno-Bárcena, M. Andrea Azcarate-Peril

8. NORC Student Research Symposium, 2022 (Poster).
   Mechanism of Galectin-1 induction by Galactooligosaccharides.
   Yunan Hu, Jason Arnold, Johanna Smeekens, Michael Kulis, Ellyce San Pedro, Scott Magness, Andrea Azcarate-Peril

5. Mentoring Activities

Undergraduate Students Supervised

6. Professional Service

• 2024–Present — President, UNC Microbiome Trainee Club
• 2025–2027 — Co-chair, Gordon Research Seminar (GRS): Lactic Acid Bacteria Biology
• 2025–Present — Leadership, ASN Nutritional Microbiology GEMs
• 2023–2024 — UNC BBSP Leadership Group
• 2025.8 — Judge, iGEM Mini Jamboree (Healthcare category)
• 2023.9–Present — Laboratory Animal Coordinator, UNC Microbiome Core

Professional Memberships

• 2022–Present — ISAPP Students and Fellows Association (ISAPP-SFA)
• 2024–Present — American Society for Nutrition (ASN)
• 2024–Present — North Carolina branch of American Society for Microbiology (NC-ASM)
• 2024–Present — American Society for Microbiology (ASM)

Awards

• 2022 — Travel award for International scientific association for probiotics and prebiotics annual conference, Denver
• 2026 — Travel award for International scientific association for probiotics and prebiotics annual conference, Japan