Rate My Professor Shu Hui Koh

Dr. Shu Hui Koh is a Lecturer in Cell Biology in the School of Medical, Molecular and Forensic Sciences at Murdoch University, where she conducts research as a molecular biologist focused on the discovery and study of plant viruses within Western Australia's flora. Her contributions to plant virology include the characterization of a novel member of the Tombusviridae family isolated from the wild legume Cullen australasicum (Koh et al., Archives of Virology, 2016) and an examination of the evolutionary dynamics of a wild-plant tobamovirus passaged through an exotic host, revealing fixation of mutations and increased replication rates (Koh et al., Virus Evolution, 2017). More recent efforts involve surveying the virome of wild indigenous Cryptostylis ovata orchids, which identified novel umbraviruses and umbrapiviruses (Wylie et al., Viruses, 2025). Additional publications encompass Catharanthus mosaic virus, a potyvirus from the gymnosperm Welwitschia mirabilis, and analyses of seasonal patterns of tomato mosaic tobamovirus infection, alongside virome studies from ornamental flowers in rural Australia. These works, totaling around nine peer-reviewed publications with over 110 citations, advance knowledge of viral diversity and ecology in native and ornamental plants.

Dr. Koh also excels in science education, particularly in physiology and quantitative skills development. She co-developed Murdoch University's introductory vertebrate physiology unit (BMS107) redesigned under the Core Concepts of Physiology framework to help students think like physiologists (Etherington et al., Advances in Physiology Education, 2023). She contributed to bespoke, relevant, and inclusive self-paced online modules aimed at building tertiary mathematics confidence (Etherington et al., Education Sciences, 2026) and presented on cultivating a growth mindset for numeracy. Her innovative teaching has been honored with the Murdoch University College and Portfolio Learning and Teaching Award, a Vice Chancellor's Citation for Excellence in Enhancing Student Learning, recognition in the 2025 School of Medical, Molecular and Forensic Sciences Staff Awards, and selection for e3 Tech Grants. Dr. Koh has delivered presentations at the Western Australia Teaching and Learning Forum and collaborated on equity-centred design thinking for curriculum development, bridging her expertise in molecular biology with impactful pedagogical advancements.