Education

2020 − 2022
Master of Science, National University of Singapore
Masterthesis: "Using historic genomes to detect genomic changes in avian lineages experiencing anthropogenic habitat encroachment"

2014 − 2018
Bachelor of Science (Hons.) in Life Sciences, National University of Singapore
"Is morphology a reliable indicator of genomic intergrity of free roaming Red junglefowl (Gallus gallus) in Singapore?"

Career

2023
Research Associate under Prof. Dr. Anthony David Medrano, Yale-National University of Singapore

2019 − 2023
Research Assistant under Prof. Dr. Frank Rheindt, Avian Evolution Laboratory, National University of Singapore

2018 − 2019
Intern under Prof. Dr. Jochen Wittbrodt, Centre for Organismal Studies, Heidelberg University

2015 − 2018
Student Research Assistant under Project Wallace-Online, National University of Singapore

Scientific interest

Evolutionary genomics of animals, with a focus on bird systems. Effect of introgression and gene flow on genomes. Reconstruction of evolutionary history of bird lineages.

Publications

Wu MY, Forcina G., Low GW, Sadanandan K, Gwee CY, van Grouw H, Wu S, Edwards S, Baldwin MW, Rheindt FE (2023). Historic samples reveal erosion of wild genotype through domestic chicken introgression during the Anthropocene. PLOS Genetics, 19: e1010551.

Wu MY, Lau CJ, Ng EYX, Baveja P, Gwee CY, Sadanandan K, Ferasyi TR, Haminuddin, Ramadhan R, Menner JK, Rheindt FE (2022). Genomes from historic DNA unveil massive hidden extinction and terminal endangerment in a tropical Asian songbird radiation. Molecular Biology and Evolution, 39: msac189.

Wu MY & Rheindt FE (2022). A new subspecies of the white-rumped shama complex Copsychus malabaricus from the islands west of the Thai-Malay Peninsula. Journal of Ornithology, 163: 659-669.

Wu MY*, Low GW*, Forcina G, van Grouw H, Lee BPYH., Oh RRY & Rheindt FE (2020). Historic and modern genomes unveil a domestic introgression gradient in a wild red junglefowl population. Evolutionary applications, 13: 2300-2315.
(*shared first authorship)

Membership

Commission member of the IUCN SSC Asian Songbird Trade Specialist Group