Professor Yihuai Gao

Gao Yihuai, a Chinese New Zealander, is a renowned mycologist, medical nutritionist, and pharmacologist.

His primary research areas include:

• The study of natural medicines and their active ingredients

• Extraction and activation technologies for medicinal fungi and other natural compounds

• Extraction and activation of medical-nutritional components from natural sources such as fruits, vegetables, and herbs

Professor Gao holds 28 invention patents and has authored 16 academic works in English, Chinese, and Korean.

In 1998, Professor Gao founded Alpha Group International Holdings in New Zealand. Today, the company has grown into a global health industry group focused on the research, development, and application of natural products—such as medicinal and edible fungi, herbal plants, authentic traditional medicinal materials, marine organisms, and nutrient-rich fruits and vegetables.

Alpha Group has established an industrial presence in over 20 countries and regions worldwide. In China, its science and technology parks have expanded across Ningde (Fujian), Changbai Mountain (Jilin), Anji (Zhejiang), and Gutian (Ningde). The company is also rapidly growing its footprint in Southeast Asia, forming a complete and integrated industry ecosystem.

In 2017, in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the development of the health industries in both New Zealand and China, as well as to bilateral exchanges in trade, science, and culture, Professor Gao was awarded the prestigious NZCTA Special Achievement Award for Outstanding Contributions to NZ–China Relations, alongside former New Zealand Prime Minister John Key.