The Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has a long history of interdisciplinary research in chemistry and biology. From 2001 to 2009, with the strong support of the Hong Kong Research Grants Council, the Institute of Molecular Technology for Drug Discovery and Synthesis was established. At the end of 2010, the Partner State Key Laboratory of Chirosciences was approved by the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) to be established in PolyU as a partner laboratory of the State Key Laboratory of Bio-organic and Natural Products Chemistry in the Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. In mid-2011, the Partner State Key Laboratory of Chirosciences started to operate. In 2018, upon approval by MOST, the Partner State Key Laboratory of Chirosciences was renamed as the State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery.

Since its inception in 2010, the State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery (formerly as Partner State Key Laboratory of Chirosciences) has been focused on researches of organic synthesis, catalysis, chemical biology and drug discovery. There are three major objectives:

1. To synthesize and develop novel compounds and natural products as drug candidates;
2. To conduct research and develop new pharmaceuticals and health products;
3. To explore and develop new molecular techniques for drug discovery.

Research conducted in our laboratory includes:

1. Organic synthesis and catalysis on novel molecules and natural products for drug development;
2. Discovery and screening of drug candidates, including synthetic compounds and natural products;
3. Study of the interaction between small molecules and biomolecules;
4. Development of research methods to understand the role of small molecules and biomolecules in biological processes.

The laboratory strives for the following goals:

1. To conduct world-class research in chemical biology and drug discovery;
2. To nurture outstanding young scientists;
3. To enhance knowledge and technology transfer for the chemical and pharmaceutical industry.

香港理工大学应用生物及化学科技学系在化学和生物学跨学科的领域上有着悠久的历史。2001年到2009年期间， 在香港研究资助局大力支持下，分子科技研究所成立了。2010年年底，理工大学获国家科学技术部批准成立手性科学国家重点实验室伙伴实验室，与中科院上海有机所生命有机化学国家重点实验室成为伙伴实验室， 並在2011 年中正式开始运作。及后于2018年获国家科学技术部批准正名为化学生物学及药物研发国家重点实验室。

香港理工大学化学生物学及药物研发国家重点实验室（前称手性科学国家重点实验室伙伴实验室）自2010年成立以来，一直专注于有机合成和催化﹑化学生物学以及相关的诊断学等方面的研究课题。我们实验室订立的研究目标主要有以下三项：

1. 研究合成新型化合物和天然产物以及生物化合物的新技术；
2. 研发用于提高医疗﹑降低毒性的保健和新型药物制剂；
3. 探索和开发新型分子技术用于药物和医疗保健产品的研发。

我们实验室在未来的发展领域将包括以下几个方面：

1. 有机合成及催化，尤其是一些新型分子和天然产物的合成以及催化合成；
2. 发现和筛选候选药物，包括合成的化合物﹑天然产物及中药里的有效成分；
3. 研究小分子和生物体系的相互作用；
4. 发展小分子和生物分子作用的研究方法，研究生物过程。

化学生物学及药物研发国家重点实验室在未来几年将努力达成以下预期的目标：

1. 进行世界级的化学生物学和药物研发研究；
2. 培养该领域年轻的优秀研究人才；
3. 通过提升﹑宣传和技术转让，在制药工业领域产生经济效益。