About

Professor Yue Shen is an extragalactic observer specializing in observational cosmology with a focus on quasars and supermassive black holes (SMBHs). His research aims to understand the physics and evolution of these exotic objects within the cosmological context. Specifically, Professor Shen investigates the large-scale structure traced by quasars, the demography of SMBHs as a function of cosmic time, the phenomenology and physics of black hole accretion, and the co-evolution of black holes and their host galaxies. He utilizes multi-wavelength survey data and dedicated observing programs to conduct his studies. Professor Shen holds a PhD in Astronomy from Princeton University, awarded in 2009. He is a faculty member in the Astronomy department and is also affiliated with the National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA) at the University of Illinois. His teaching includes courses such as ASTR 122 - Stars and Galaxies and ASTR 596 - Seminar in Special Topics. Over his career, Professor Shen has been recognized with several prestigious fellowships, including the Clay Fellowship, Hubble Fellowship, Sloan Research Fellowship, and Scialog Fellowship.

Research topics

• Computer Science
• Astrophysics
• Physics
• Astronomy
• Operating system
• Chemistry
• Database

Selected publications

• Photometric Redshifts in JWST Deep Fields: A Pixel-Based Alternative with DeepDISC

  The Open Journal of Astrophysics · 2026-02-02 · 1 citations

  articleOpen access

  Photo-z algorithms that utilize SED template fitting have matured, and are widely adopted for use on high-redshift near-infrared data that provides a unique window into the early universe. Alternative photo-z methods have been developed, largely within the context of low-redshift optical surveys. Machine learning based approaches have gained footing in this regime, including those that utilize raw pixel information instead of aperture photometry. However, the efficacy of image-based algorithms on high-redshift, near-infrared data remains underexplored. Here, we test the performance of Detection, Instance Segmentation and Classification with Deep Learning (DeepDISC) on photometric redshift estimation with NIRCam images from the JWST Advanced Deep Extragalactic Survey (JADES) program. DeepDISC is designed to produce probabilistic photometric redshift estimates directly from images, after detecting and deblending sources in a scene. Using NIRCam-only images and a compiled catalog of spectroscopic redshifts, we show that DeepDISC produces reliable photo-zs and uncertainties comparable to those estimated from template fitting using HST+JWST filters; DeepDISC even outperforms template fitting (lower scatter/fewer outliers) when the input photometric filters are matched. Compared with template fitting, DeepDISC does not require measured photometry from images, and can produce a catalog of 94000 photo-zs in ~4 minutes on a single NVIDIA A40 GPU. While current spectroscopic training samples are small and incomplete in color-magnitude space, this work demonstrates the potential of DeepDISC for increasingly larger image volumes and spectroscopic samples from ongoing and future programs. We discuss the impact of the training data on applications to broader samples and produce a catalog of photo-zs for all JADES DR2 photometric sources in the GOOD-S field, with quality flags indicating caveats.

  PublisherDOI

• Extreme galaxy-scale outflows are frequent among luminous early quasars

  Nature · 2026-05-06

  articleOpen access
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Frequent Extreme Galaxy-scale Outflows among Luminous Early Quasars

  Research Square · 2025-05-28

  preprintOpen access
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Varstrometry for Off-nucleus and Dual Sub-Kpc AGN (VODKA): A Mix of Singles, Lenses, and True Duals at Cosmic Noon

  The Astrophysical Journal · 2025-08-07 · 7 citations

  articleOpen accessCorresponding

  Abstract Dual active galactic nuclei (AGNs), a phase in some galaxy mergers during which both central supermassive black holes (SMBHs) are active, are expected to be a key observable stage leading up to SMBH mergers. Constraining the population of dual AGNs in both the nearby and high- z Universe has proven to be elusive until very recently. We present a multiwavelength follow-up campaign to confirm the nature of a sample of 20 candidate dual AGNs at cosmic noon ( z ∼ 2) from the VODKA sample. Through a combination of Hubble Space Telescope and Very Large Array imaging, we refute the possibility of gravitational lensing in all but one target. We find evidence of dual AGNs in three systems, while seven exhibit a single AGN in galaxy pairs, through either strong radio emission or ancillary emission-line data. The remaining systems are confirmed as either quasar−star superpositions (seven) or nonlensed pairs (two) that require further investigations to establish AGN activity. Among the systems with radio detections, we find a variety of radio spectral slopes and UV/optical colors suggesting that our sample contains a range of AGN properties, from obscured radio-quiet objects to those with powerful synchrotron-emitting jets. This study presents one of the largest dedicated multiwavelength follow-up campaigns to date searching for dual AGNs at high redshift. We confirm several of the highest- z systems at small physical separations, thus representing some of the most evolved dual-AGN systems at the epoch of peak quasar activity known to date.

  PublisherDOI

• Frequency and Abundance of Binary sUpermassive bLack holes from Optical Variability Surveys (FABULOVS): Hubble Space Telescope Imaging of Radial-Velocity Selected Binary Candidates

  ArXiv.org · 2025-05-16

  preprintOpen accessSenior author

  Sub-parsec (sub-pc) binary supermassive black holes (BSBHs) should be common from galaxy mergers, yet direct evidence has been elusive. We present HST/WFC3IR F160W imaging for a sample of 8 candidate sub-pc BSBHs at redshifts z~0.1--0.5, as well as cross-comparison with a sample of ordinary quasars with archival HST/WFC3 IR F160W images. These 8 candidate sub-pc BSBHs were identified from multi-epoch spectroscopic surveys of quasars (including both typical quasars and those with single-peaked velocity-offset broad lines). whose broad H$β$ lines are significantly offset (by ~< a few hundred km/s) from the systemic redshifts. We directly test the prediction that the host galaxies of BSBHs would have a higher fraction of disturbed morphologies and younger stellar bulges from recent interactions than those of control quasars. After careful subtraction of the central quasar light, our candidate BSBH hosts show a statistically undifferentiated distribution of host asymmetry, indicative of a similar fraction of recent mergers. While a significantly larger sample is needed to place this result on a much firmer statistical ground, it opens questions as to the timescale differences between galaxy merger and BSBH formation, or the efficacy of the radial-velocity-shift--based selection of sub-pc BSBH candidates.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• The Sloan Digital Sky Survey Reverberation Mapping Project: Insights on Maximizing Efficiency in Lag Measurements and Black Hole Masses

  The Astrophysical Journal · 2025-07-04

  articleOpen access

  Abstract Multiyear observations from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) Reverberation Mapping ​(RM) project have significantly increased the number of quasars with reliable RM lag measurements. We statistically analyze target properties, light-curve characteristics, and survey design choices to identify factors crucial for successful and efficient RM surveys. Analyzing 172 high-confidence (“gold”) lag measurements from SDSS-RM for the H β , Mg ii , and C iv emission lines, we find that the Durbin–Watson statistic (a statistical test for residual correlation) is the most significant predictor of light curves suitable for lag detection. The variability signal-to-noise ratio and emission-line placement on the detector also correlate with successful lag measurements. We further investigate the impact of the observing cadence on the survey design by analyzing the effect of reducing observations in the first year of SDSS-RM. Our results demonstrate that a modest reduction in the observing cadence to ∼1.5 weeks between observations can retain approximately 90% of the lag measurements compared to twice-weekly observations in the initial year. Provided similar and uniform sampling in subsequent years, this adjustment has a minimal effect on the overall recovery of lags across all emission lines. These results provide valuable inputs for optimizing future RM surveys.

  PublisherDOI

• Efficacy and safety of rocbrutinib, a highly selective 4th-generation BTK inhibitor, in Chinese patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL/SLL)

  Blood · 2025-11-03

  articleOpen access

  Abstract Background Rocbrutinib, a highly selective, 4th-generation Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor, uniquely takes advantages of both covalent irreversible inhibition for wide-type BTK and non-covalent binding for C481-mutant variants. Here, we present the safety and efficacy results from the ongoing phase I trial (LP-168-CN101; NCT04993690) of rocbrutinib in Chinese patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL/SLL). Methods Eligible patients aged 18–80 with a confirmed diagnosis of CLL/SLL were treated with rocbrutinib monotherapy until disease progression or intolerable toxicity. Adverse events (AEs) were graded per CTCAE v5.0, and response was evaluated per 2018 iwCLL criteria. Results As of April 15, 2025, 41 (untreated (1L), n=12; relapsed/refractory (R/R) BTKi-naïve, n=17; R/R post-BTKi, n=12) CLL/SLL patients were enrolled and treated with rocbrutinib (100 mg ,n=1; 150 mg, n=28; 200 mg, n=10; 300mg, n=2) once daily. The median age was 60 (range, 35-79) years. Of the patients with evaluable samples, 26.9% (7/26) with del(17p), 42.9% (12/28) with TP53 mutation, 63.0% (17/27) with unmutated IGHV and 44.0% (11/25) with complex karyotype. Of the 29 R/R CLL/SLL patients, the median number of prior therapies was 2 (range, 1-5), including prior covalent BTKis (34.5%), BCL2 inhibitors (BCL-2i, 24.1%), and noncovalent BTKis (6.9%). In R/R post-BTKi CLL/SLL patients, most (91.7%) discontinued prior BTKi due to disease progression; 41.6% had prior BCL-2i ; 6/9 (66.7%) carried BTK mutations, including BTKC481S, BTKC481Y/R and BTKL528W. The most common treatment-related AEs (TRAEs, incidence≥20%)(any grade;≥grade 3) included decreased neutrophil count (41.5%; 19.5%), anemia (36.6%; 2.4%), decreased platelet count (29.3%; 2.4%), hyperuricemia (26.8%; 0) and rash (22.0%; 0), most of which were grade 1. No ≥grade 3 atrial fibrillation, hypertension or hemorrhage occurred. Dose interruption due to TRAEs occurred in 8 (19.5%) patients, however, only 1 (2.4%) patient underwent dose reduction. No drug discontinuation or death due to TRAEs has occurred. In 1L patients (n=12), the overall response rate (ORR, partial response with lymphocytosis or better) was 91.7%. The ORR and complete remission (CR)/CR with incomplete marrow recovery (CRi) rates in R/R BTKi-naïve patients (n=17) were 100% and 17.6%, respectively. In R/R post-BTKi patients, rocbrutinib monotherapy achieved 75% ORR including16.7% CR/CRi. In BTKi and BCL-2i double refractory population (n=5), ORR and CR/CRi rates were 80.0% and 40.0%, respectively; 3 patients are still in remission while the other 2 patients both had durable response of more than 17 months. 2 patients with BTKL528W mutation achieved PR and are still on treatment (DOR: 8.1 and 14.0 months). After median follow-up of 7.4 months, all 12 1L patients remained on treatment. In the R/R BTKi naive population (median follow-up 15.8 months), the estimated 12-month PFS rate as 94.1% (95% CI: 65.0-99.1); In the R/R post-BTKi population (median follow-up 15.5 months), the estimated 12-month PFS rate as 83.3% (95% CI: 48.2-95.6). Conclusion Rocbrutinib has a favorable safety profile and shows durable responses in patients with CLL/SLL, including those with prior BTK inhibitor exposure and/or with covalent and noncovalent BTKi-resistant mutations.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Antimicrobial mechanism of Temporin L peptide against Bacillus cereus

  Research Square · 2025-10-20

  preprintOpen access
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• The SDSS-V Black Hole Mapper Reverberation Mapping Project: Multiline Dynamical Modeling of a Highly Variable Active Galactic Nucleus with Decade-long Light Curves

  The Astrophysical Journal · 2025-09-30 · 4 citations

  articleOpen access

  Abstract We present dynamical modeling of the broad-line region (BLR) of the highly variable active galactic nucleus (AGN) SDSS J141041.25+531849.0 ( z = 0.359) using photometric and spectroscopic monitoring data from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) Reverberation Mapping project and the current fifth-generation SDSS Black Hole Mapper program, spanning from early 2013 to early 2023. We model the geometry and kinematics of the BLR in the H β , H α , and Mg ii emission lines for three different time periods to measure the potential change of structure within the BLR across time and line species. We find a moderately face-on <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" overflow="scroll"> <mml:mo stretchy="false">(</mml:mo> <mml:msub> <mml:mi>i</mml:mi> <mml:mrow> <mml:mi>full</mml:mi> <mml:mo>-</mml:mo> <mml:mi>state</mml:mi> </mml:mrow> </mml:msub> <mml:mo>=</mml:mo> <mml:mn>29</mml:mn> <mml:mo>.</mml:mo> <mml:msubsup> <mml:mn>68</mml:mn> <mml:mrow> <mml:mo>−</mml:mo> <mml:mn>3.62</mml:mn> </mml:mrow> <mml:mrow> <mml:mo>+</mml:mo> <mml:mn>4.74</mml:mn> </mml:mrow> </mml:msubsup> <mml:mspace width="0.25em"/> <mml:mi>deg</mml:mi> <mml:mo stretchy="false">)</mml:mo> </mml:math> thick-disk <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" overflow="scroll"> <mml:mo stretchy="false">(</mml:mo> <mml:msub> <mml:mi>θ</mml:mi> <mml:mrow> <mml:mi>opn</mml:mi> <mml:mo>,</mml:mo> <mml:mi>full</mml:mi> <mml:mo>−</mml:mo> <mml:mi>state</mml:mi> </mml:mrow> </mml:msub> <mml:mo>=</mml:mo> <mml:mn>42</mml:mn> <mml:mo>.</mml:mo> <mml:msubsup> <mml:mn>04</mml:mn> <mml:mrow> <mml:mo>−</mml:mo> <mml:mn>3.96</mml:mn> </mml:mrow> <mml:mrow> <mml:mo>+</mml:mo> <mml:mn>4.32</mml:mn> </mml:mrow> </mml:msubsup> <mml:mspace width="0.25em"/> <mml:mi>deg</mml:mi> <mml:mo stretchy="false">)</mml:mo> </mml:math> geometry for most BLRs, with a joint estimate for the mass of the supermassive black hole for each of three time periods, yielding <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" overflow="scroll"> <mml:msub> <mml:mrow> <mml:mi>log</mml:mi> </mml:mrow> <mml:mrow> <mml:mn>10</mml:mn> </mml:mrow> </mml:msub> <mml:mo stretchy="false">(</mml:mo> <mml:msub> <mml:mrow> <mml:mi>M</mml:mi> </mml:mrow> <mml:mrow> <mml:mi mathvariant="normal">BH</mml:mi> </mml:mrow> </mml:msub> <mml:mo>/</mml:mo> <mml:msub> <mml:mrow> <mml:mi>M</mml:mi> </mml:mrow> <mml:mrow> <mml:mo>⊙</mml:mo> </mml:mrow> </mml:msub> <mml:mo stretchy="false">)</mml:mo> <mml:mo>=</mml:mo> <mml:mn>8.1</mml:mn> <mml:msubsup> <mml:mrow> <mml:mn>0</mml:mn> </mml:mrow> <mml:mrow> <mml:mo>−</mml:mo> <mml:mn>0.03</mml:mn> </mml:mrow> <mml:mrow> <mml:mo>+</mml:mo> <mml:mn>0.03</mml:mn> </mml:mrow> </mml:msubsup> </mml:math> when using the full data set. The inferred individual virial factor f ∼ 1.6 is moderately smaller than the average factor for a local sample of dynamically modeled AGNs. There is strong evidence for nonvirial motion, with over 70% of clouds on inflowing/outflowing orbits. We analyze the change in model parameters across emission lines, finding the radii of BLRs for the emission lines are consistent with the following relative sizes R H β ≲ R MgII ≲ R H α . Comparing results across time, we find R low-state ≲ R high-state , with the change in BLR size for H β being more significant than for the other two lines. The data also reveal complex, time-evolving, and potentially transient dynamics of the BLR gas over a decade-long timescale, encouraging for future dynamical modeling of fine-scale BLR kinematics.

  PublisherDOI

• Phytase improves growth performance and reduces environmental costs of high-density culture of bullfrogs (Aquarana catesbeiana)

  Aquaculture Reports · 2025-09-23

  articleOpen access

  High-density culture is becoming popular in aquaculture to achieve higher profits, but at the cost of higher environmental pollution risks of the farm wastewater, especially nitrogen and phosphorus emissioms. Phytase, as a widely used feed additive, can hydrolyze the phytic acid in plant-based feeds and facilitate the following utilisation of the released phosphorus (P) nutrients by animals. As for the growing high-density bullfrog aquaculture, it is still unclear whether adding phytase can replace the diet minerals, improve the feed efficiency and reduce nitrogen and phosphorus emissions. Thus, this study aims to investigate the application potential of phytase in bullfrog feeding under high-density culture conditions. Bullfrogs were fed with a normal diet (ND), a low phosphorus diet (LD), and a low phosphorus and low calcium diet (LLD), with three levels of phytase (0 FTU/kg, 500 FTU/kg, and 1000 FTU/kg), respectively. The growth performance and physiological indexes of bullfrogs, and nitrogen and phosphorus emissions into farm wastewater were determined at the end of the experiment. When the addition level of phytase was 500 FTU/kg, bullfrogs exhibited the best carcass weight and feed efficiency. Low Ca level significantly increased Viscerosomatic index (VSI) and crude protein. Low P level significantly reduced crude protein, crude ash, muscle fiber density, serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and fecal P, while significantly increasing muscle fiber diameter and fluff width. The reduction in crude protein and crude ash could be partially compensated by the addition of phytase. Increasing phytase levels significantly reduced ALP and fecal P. Besides, the addition of phytase reduced the emissions of nitrogen and phosphorus from aquaculture wastewater, in which LD incorporating 500 FTU/kg phytase decreased the phosphorus emission by 32.58 %, and ND with 500 FTU/kg phytase yielded the reduction nitrogen emissions of 18.24 %. Collectively, the incorporation of 500 FTU/kg of phytase into low-phosphorus diets is recommended for bullfrog high-density culture to yield more favourable outcomes with lower environmental costs. • 500 U/kg phytase boosts bullfrog growth and feed efficiency in low-phosphorus diets. • Phytase cuts phosphorus emissions by 32.6 % and nitrogen by 18.2 %, reducing aquaculture pollution. • Phytase increases muscle protein and ash content, improving meat texture and nutritional value. • Phytase enhances phosphorus deposition in bones, supporting skeletal development. • 500 U/kg phytase recommended for sustainable, high-density bullfrog farming.

  PublisherDOI

Recent grants

• The Growth of Supermassive Black Holes and Their Co-evolution with Galaxies since Cosmic Dawn

  NSF · $445k · 2017–2021

• Varstrometry for Off-nucleus and Dual (sub)Kpc Active Galactic Nuclei

  NSF · $402k · 2021–2025

• Collaborative Research: Reverberation Mapping with Multi-Object Spectroscopy - from Sloan Digital Sky Survey Reverberation Mapping to the Black Hole Mapper

  NSF · $264k · 2020–2026

Frequent coauthors

• Xin Liu

  209 shared

• Donald P. Schneider

  208 shared

• Luis C. Ho

  Peking University

  173 shared

• Patrick B. Hall

  162 shared

• Linhua Jiang

  148 shared

• W. N. Brandt

  Pennsylvania State University

  147 shared

• Michael A. Strauss

  Princeton University

  142 shared

• Patrick Petitjean

  Institut d'Astrophysique de Paris

  118 shared

Labs

• Compact ObjectsPI