Anna Yeung-Cheung, Ph.D. 
Professor, Biology | Manhattanville College
Purchase, NY, UNITED STATES
An expert in Principles of Biology, Microbiology, Principles of Virology, Infectious Disease, and Human Disease.
Spotlight
Biography
Professor Anna Yeung-Cheung has been teaching at Manhattanville College since 2002. She received her B.S. from National Taiwan University and her M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Georgia. Before Manhattanville, she worked as a research scientist in the virology lab of SUNY Health Science Center in Brooklyn for five years. She was also a serology lab manager at Antech Diagnostics in 2001. She decided to go into teaching after she realized how much she enjoyed tutoring students in her free time. At Manhattanville, Prof. Yeung-Cheung teaches a variety of classes including Principles of Biology, Microbiology, Principles of Virology, Infectious Disease, Introduction to Human Disease, Nutrition in Health & Disease, and First-Year Seminar. “I try to have a fun class, and relate the teaching material to current events and even popular culture whenever possible,” she said. “I went to a college that had some pretty famous scientists as faculties, but everyone would fall asleep in their classes because they did not try to engage the students. So I try to create a fun learning environment for our students.” Prof. Yeung-Cheung’s expertise and research focus mainly on microbial contamination in recreational water and microbial ecology.
Areas of Expertise (6)
Nutrition in Health & Disease
Infectious Disease
Microbiology
Principles of Biology
Principles of Virology
Human Biology
Accomplishments (5)
First Place Frank G. Brook Award
2019 Tribeta Honor Society NE-1 District Convention at Hofstra University by Wardah Alakrah
Second Place Presentation Award
2017 Tribeta Honor Society NE-1 District Convention
Third place presentation award Tribeta Honor Society NE-1 District Convention
2014 College of Mount Saint Vincent by Philip Meade
Third Place Presentation Award
2014 Tribeta Honor Society NE-1 District Convention at College of Mount Saint Vincent by Philip Meade
Spirit of Tiananmen Award
2011 Offered by Visual Artists Guild New York Chapter, for the contribution in promoting the democracy in China
Education (3)
University of Georgia: Ph.D., Medical Microbiology 1993
University of Georgia: M.S., Microbiology 1990
National Taiwan University: B.S., Plant Pathology 1987
Affiliations (5)
- Member, Council on Undergraduate Research
- Member, Tri-Beta Biological Honor Society
- Member, Environmental Consortium of Hudson Valley Colleges and Universities
- Member, American Society for Microbiology
- Member, American Society for Microbiology
Links (1)
Selected Media Appearances (8)
New Biden Chief Turned Outbreak ‘Calamity Into a Triumph’
Daily Beast online
2020-11-14
“Going forward for any future pandemic or disease policy, it will be important for a person who has this experience that he will have dealt with Ebola before, and who understands the science behind it, and to work with countries… that’s to his advantage,” said Professor Anna Yeung-Cheung, a professor of pathology and epidemiology at Manhattanville College. “People freaked out, but it is very crucial in the beginning stage to control pandemics, especially this type of virus, to first meet the virus where it is.”
Our Experts Answer the Coronavirus Questions You’re Afraid to Ask
Daily Beast online
2020-03-26
Irwin Redlener is director of the National Center for Disaster Preparedness at Columbia University and contributor to The Daily Beast. Michael Osterholm is director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota. Professor Anna Yeung-Cheung teaches classes at Manhattanville College on virology and infectious diseases.
Everything we know about coronavirus so far
New York Post online
2020-03-16
“You will feel sick for at least 7 to 10 days, and it could be much longer,” said Manhattanville College professor Anna Yeung-Cheung. “After a week, most people will start to feel better. But everybody’s immune system is different.”
Why The Death Rate From Coronavirus Is Plunging In China
WAMC
2020-03-03
Anna Yeung-Cheung, a microbiologist at Manhattanville College in New York, says she also worries about health workers. Yeung-Cheung, who is originally from Hong Kong, notes that many doctors there died during the SARS coronavirus outbreak of 2002-2003. And hundreds of Chinese health workers have been sickened in the COVID-19 outbreak — possibly, at least in part, because they were working so hard, she says.
Why The Death Rate From Coronavirus Is Plunging In China
NPR online
2020-03-03
Anna Yeung-Cheung, a microbiologist at Manhattanville College in New York, says she also worries about health workers. Yeung-Cheung, who is originally from Hong Kong, notes that many doctors there died during the SARS coronavirus outbreak of 2002-2003. And hundreds of Chinese health workers have been sickened in the COVID-19 outbreak — possibly, at least in part, because they were working so hard, she says.
So, Should You Panic About Coronavirus Now?
Slate
2020-02-25
Wait, then why did the coronavirus kill a 29-year-old doctor? Because he was a doctor. “It’s a dosage thing,” explains Anna Yeung-Cheung, a virologist at Manhattanville College. Health care workers are exposed to far more people, often pretty sick people, than the average person, and therefore stand to come in contact with higher levels of the virus. A lot of virus can still overwhelm a healthy immune system.
How Hong Kong’s Unrest Is Spilling Onto N.Y. Campuses
The New York Times
2019-09-20
That sentiment wasn’t always the case, particularly in the years following Tiananmen Square in 1989, said Anna Yeung-Cheung, a professor of biology at Manhattanville College and a Hong Kong native who has been an activist for more than 20 years. “Back then, the mood was that we were Hong Kongers, but we were part of China,” Ms. Yeung-Cheung said. “The identification was not as clear.”...
He watched the Hong Kong protests from his Virginia apartment and decided he had to join
The Washington Post
2019-06-21
Anna Yeung-Cheung, a professor of biology at Manhattanville College in Purchase, N.Y., immigrated from Hong Kong in 1987 and is a coordinator for the Facebook group Global Solidarity for Hong Kong. The professor, 54, said protests abroad have largely mirrored the “leaderless” movement in the city itself, with pockets of citizens voluntarily organizing events...
Selected Event Appearances (5)
The effect of the combination treatment of D-limonene and rifampicin on the growth and biofilm formation of Staphylococcus epidermidis RP62A at different growth stage.
Tribeta Honor Society NE-1 Convention, April, 2019 Hofstra University
The effect of the combination treatment of D-limonene and rifampicin on the growth and biofilm formation of Staphylococcus epidermidis RP62A
Undergraduate Research Conference, April, 2019 Manhattanville College
The effects of ammonium sulfate on the survival of Lumbricus rubellus
Undergraduate Research Conference, April, 2010 Manhattanville College
The effect of the combination treatment of D-limonene and rifampicin on the growth and biofilm formation of Staphylococcus epidermidis RP62A
The 8th Annual Westchester Undergraduate Research Conference Manhattanville College, April, 2019
The effects of ammonium sulfate on the survival of Lumbricus rubellus
The 8th Annual Westchester Undergraduate Research Conference Manhattanville College, April, 2019
Grants (5)
Tribeta Biological Honor Society Research Grant
By Wardah Alakrah $500
2018 Advisor: Anna K. Yeung-Cheung
Tribeta Biological Honor Society Research Grant
By Cristina Commisso & Thimmy Garbenius $420
2017 Advisor: Anna K. Yeung-Cheung
Tribeta Biological Honor Society Research Grant
By Olivia Drew $920
2016 Advisor: Anna K. Yeung-Cheung
Manhattanville Castle Scholar Research Grant
By Mariah Bigaud $1000
2015 Advisor: Anna K. Yeung-Cheung
Manhattanville Castle Scholar Research Grant
By Charlene Caoili $1000
2015 Advisors: Anna K. Yeung-Cheung & Christopher J. Pappas
Selected Articles (5)
A Novel Ex Vivo Bioassay Suggests DEET is an Effective Repellent of Rhipicephalus Sanguineus
Journal of Agricultural and Urban EntomologyPhilip Meade, Alfa L. Abate, Jason Pavo, Anna K. Yeung-Cheung, Christopher J. Pappas
2017 Ticks are vectors that pose a threat to public health. N,N-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide (DEET) is commonly applied as a repellent to prevent attachment of ticks to humans and animals. Typical commercially available repellents contain between 5–100% DEET. Lower concentrations of DEET may be necessary to minimize potential health risks associated with DEET. To characterize the repellency of low concentrations of DEET, we performed an in vitro vertical bioassay, and developed a novel ex vivo vertical bioassay using porcine skin for use with the adult brown dog tick, Rhipicephalus sanguineus (Latreille) (Acari: Ixodidae). DEET applied at concentrations of 0.19% in vitro and 12.5% ex vivo immediately after application, and at 0.38% in vitro and 40% ex vivo at 4 h after application, repelled over 90% of ticks. In both in vitro and ex vivo assessments, and at both 0 and 4 h post application, the repellency against female ticks was similar to that against male ticks. This study demonstrates that concentrations of DEET lower than those in commercial repellents may provide sufficient repellency when potential tick exposure occurs shortly after application. Additionally, the development of a porcine ex vivo bioassay provides an alternative assessment tool for future repellency studies.
The in vitro studies of the inhibitory effect of green tea (Camellia sinensis) on Pseudomonas aeruginosa treated contact lenses
Journal of Young InvestigatorsAuthor: Mariah A. Bigaud & Anna Kam-Ha Yeung-Cheung
2017 Pseudomonas aeruginosa is the leading cause of ocular infections in those who wear contact lenses. Others have previously done a study using the antioxidant selenium-coated contact lenses to inhibit the bacteria in an animal model. However, selenium is very toxic even in small quantities. In this study, green tea which is known for its antioxidant property was used to treat contact lenses. We did a disc diffusion assay using different concentrations of green tea and compared with black tea to study their inhibitory effect on P. aeruginosa. The 100mg/mL of green tea was the most effective concentration that maintained a uniform solution and produced the clear zone. Contact lenses were treated with 100mg/mL of green tea before being exposed to P. aeruginosa and another experiment was done by coating the contact lenses with the bacteria and treated with the green tea afterward. We found that green-tea-treated contact lenses had fewer bacteria, with a 41.9% inhibition rate when compared to the control but the results were not significant. However, green tea significantly reduced the bacteria present on contact lenses (p < 0.05). In conclusion, green tea shows an inhibitory effect on Pseudomonas aeruginosa and has the potential to be used as a cleaning solution on contact lenses.
D-limonene increases efficacy of rifampicin as an inhibitor of in vitro growth of opportunistic Staphylococcus epidermidis RP62A.
International Journal of Soil, Sediment and WaterYeung-Cheung, A. K., P. Chu and J. Dega
2009 Harbor Island Park located in Mamaroneck Harbor was frequently closed due to the exceeding levels of enterococci found in the water. A filter system Gunderboom® BPSTM (Beach Protection System) was installed in 2002 at the beach to lower bacterial levels in the swimming area. Our previous studies in 2006 showed that the densities of E. coli and coliform bacteria recovered from water and sediment were significantly lower inside the Gunderboom® when compared to the outside and the surrounding watersheds: Mamaroneck River, Guion Creek, and Shore Acres Beach. However, higher densities of bacteria were found in Guion Creek which directly drains into the harbor. The current study focuses in the comparison of E. coli and enterococci levels from water and sediment samples collected from the upper areas of Guion Creek (Beaver Swamp, the stream at Rye Neck High School and Upper Guion Creek) and the lower areas of Guion Creek (Lower Guion Creek, outside and inside of the Gunderboom®). Water and sediment specimen were collected bi-weekly at these 6 sites from May to November of 2007, especially after heavy rainfall. The results showed that the densities of E. coli and enterococci were significantly lower inside the Gunderboom® which proved again the effectiveness of the filter in lowering bacteria in water. In addition, the densities of enterococci and E. coli were found significantly higher in water and sediment samples collected in Beaver Swamp, Rye Neck High School and Upper Guion Creek than the other 3 lower regions. In conclusion, our study suggests some non-point source bacterial contamination located in the upper areas of the Guion Creek and may contribute to the increased densities of E. coli and enterococci in the Mamaroneck Harbor.
An evaluation of the effectiveness of the Gunderboom® in protecting waters from bacteria
Journal of Environmental HealthYeung-Cheung, A.K., Benevento, N.M., Pavel, D.M.
2009 Beaches located in the narrow inlet of Long Island Sound frequently contain high concentrations of bacteria. A Gunderboom® BPS™ (Beach Protection System) filter was installed in Harbor Island Park of Mamaroneck Harbor, New York, in 2002 to reduce bacterial levels in the water. Water and sediment collected inside and outside the Gunderboom® and other areas within Mamaroneck Harbor (Shore Acres Beach, Guion Creek, and Mamaroneck River) were tested for E. coli and total coliform bacteria and compared weekly from May through September 2006. The results showed that concentrations of E. coli and total coliform bacteria in water and sediment were significantly lower inside the Gunderboom® when compared to the other sites. One-third of the samples were collected within 48 hours of rainfall, and a positive correlation occurred between rainfall and bacterial levels in water. These results indicate the Gunderboom® has the potential to reduce bacteria in both beach water and sediment.
Comparison of bacterial levels from water and sediments among upper and lower areas of Guion Creek
Journal of Soil, Sediment and WaterAnna K. Yeung-Cheung
2009 Harbor Island Park located in Mamaroneck Harbor was frequently closed due to the exceeding levels of enterococci found in the water. A filter system Gunderboom® BPSTM (Beach Protection System) was installed in 2002 at the beach to lower bacterial levels in the swimming area. Our previous studies in 2006 showed that the densities of E. coli and coliform bacteria recovered from water and sediment were significantly lower inside the Gunderboom® when compared to the outside and the surrounding watersheds: Mamaroneck River, Guion Creek, and Shore Acres Beach. However, higher densities of bacteria were found in Guion Creek which directly drains into the harbor. The current study focuses in the comparison of E. coli and enterococci levels from water and sediment samples collected from the upper areas of Guion Creek (Beaver Swamp, the stream at Rye Neck High School and Upper Guion Creek) and the lower areas of Guion Creek (Lower Guion Creek, outside and inside of the Gunderboom®). Water and sediment specimen were collected bi-weekly at these 6 sites from May to November of 2007, especially after heavy rainfall. The results showed that the densities of E. coli and enterococci were significantly lower inside the Gunderboom® which proved again the effectiveness of the filter in lowering bacteria in water. In addition, the densities of enterococci and E. coli were found significantly higher in water and sediment samples collected in Beaver Swamp, Rye Neck High School and Upper Guion Creek than the other 3 lower regions. In conclusion, our study suggests some non-point source bacterial contamination located in the upper areas of the Guion Creek and may contribute to the increased densities of E. coli and enterococci in the Mamaroneck Harbor.
