Understanding Active Sites in Zeolites: A Step Towards Better Catalysts

Congratulations to Prof. Shik Chi Edman Tsang, Prof. Tsz Woon Benedict Lo, and Dr. Guangchao Li on publishing a paper in Science titled “Atomic Locations and Adsorbate Interactions of Al Single and Pair Sites in H-ZSM-5 Zeolite”.   Zeolites, a type of crystalline material widely used in the petrochemical industry, play a crucial role in chemical reactions. However, one of the biggest mysteries in zeolite science has been understanding exactly where aluminum atoms are located within their structure and their interaction with the reactants, as they directly affect how these materials catalyse chemical reactions.   A groundbreaking study led by researchers (Prof. Shik Chi Edman Tsang, Prof. Tsz Woon Benedict Lo, and Dr. Guangchao Li) at the Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, and the Chemistry Department of Oxford University has now tackled this challenge. The team successfully mapped the precise locations of individual and paired aluminum atoms within the zeolite framework. They achieved this by combining synchrotron resonant soft X-ray diffraction (RSXRD)—a powerful tool for studying atomic structures—with molecular adsorption methods, which reveal how molecules interact with the material.   This discovery is a game-changer. By understanding exactly where and how aluminum atoms are positioned, scientists can now design more efficient and targeted zeolite catalysts. This could lead to significant improvements in chemical production, making processes faster, more energy-efficient, and environmentally friendly.   The implications extend beyond petrochemicals, potentially benefiting industries like renewable energy and pollution control. In short, this research opens the door to smarter, greener, and more cost-effective chemical manufacturing for a wide range of applications. This groundbreaking work has been published in the journal Science on the 24th of January 2025.   Key Findings: Identifying Aluminium Sites: The team discovered distinct types of aluminium—‘single-Al’ and ‘Al pairs’—in commercial H-ZSM-5 zeolites, each showing different behaviors when interacting with other molecules. Impact on Catalytic Activity: The positioning of aluminium influences how molecules adsorb and react, which is crucial for improving catalytic processes in the industry. Advanced Techniques: Using RSXRD allowed the researchers to gain clearer insights into the atomic structure of zeolites, overcoming the limitations of traditional methods.   Join us in celebrating this remarkable achievement!   DOI: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adq6644

Visit from SMA Santa Ursula Jakarta, Indonesia

On 16 January 2025, the Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology warmly welcomed a group of students from SMA Santa Ursula Jakarta, Indonesia. The event began with an introduction to our Bachelor of Science (Honours) Scheme in Biotechnology and Chemical Technology, followed by an engaging Q&A session led by Dr. Cheung Ching-mei, Chartia. This interactive session offered the visiting students a valuable opportunity to explore program details and gain deeper insights into the exciting fields of biotechnology and chemical technology.   The visit continued with a guided tour of our state-of-the-art chemical and biology laboratories, led by our Senior Scientific Officer, Dr. Iris Wong, and Scientific Officer, Dr. Fortune Chan. During the tour, students explored our cutting-edge facilities, learned about ongoing research projects, and became familiar with the advanced equipment that drives innovation in our labs.   The visit proved to be an enriching and inspiring experience for the students from SMA Santa Ursula Jakarta. It provided them with meaningful insights into the academic and practical applications of biotechnology and chemical technology, sparking their curiosity and enthusiasm for these dynamic fields.

Congratulations to Prof. Ka Fu YUNG, Prof. Kin Wah LEE, Prof. Zhong Ping YAO, and Prof. Su Ting HAN for receiving funding support from RGC Collaborative Research Fund 2024/25

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) is committed to advancing impactful research through its robust interdisciplinary collaborations and pioneering innovative solutions that benefit the world. In the latest 2024/25 grants from the Research Grants Council (RGC), PolyU has secured funding for 14 projects, including 8 Collaborative Research Project Grant (CRPG) projects, 3 Collaborative Research Equipment Grant (CREG) projects, and 3 Young Collaborative Research Grant (YCRG) projects, with a total awarded amount of $11.343 million in the 2024/25 exercise. Among these funded projects, colleagues from the Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology (ABCT) have secured four projects. Prof. Kin Wah LEE and Prof. Zhong Ping YAO each received funding for a CRPG project, while Prof. Ka Fu YUNG was awarded a CREG project and Prof. Su Ting HAN was awarded a YCRG project. The successful projects are listed below.    Project Title Project Coordinator Funding Support Collaborative Research Project Grant Unraveling the Mechanisms of Targeted Therapy Resistance as a Novel Therapeutic Strategy for Hepatocellular Carcinoma Prof. LEE Kin-wah Terence Associate Head and Professor, Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology (in collaboration with HKU) 6,000,000 Data Storage with Proteins Prof. YAO Zhongping Associate Head and Professor, Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology (in collaboration with CUHK and HKUST) 7,860,284 Collaborative Research Equipment Grant State-of-the-art Dynamic Nuclear Polarisation Enhanced Solid-State NMR Spectroscopy Prof. YUNG Ka Fu Associate Dean, Faculty of Science; and Professor, Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology (in collaboration with CityU, HKBU, CUHK, HKUST, HKU and EdUHK) 9,000,000 Young Collaborative Research Grant Organic/two-dimensional Materials Heterostructure based Memristor Array for Flexible Retinomorphic System Prof. HAN Suting Associate Professor, Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology (in collaboration with CityU and HKU) 3,199,500   Congratulations again to Prof. YUNG, Prof. LEE, Prof. YAO and Prof. HAN for their outstanding achievements!  

Professor Yan Xiang ZHAO was awarded Research Impact Fund (RIF) 2024/25

We are pleased to announce that Prof. ZHAO Yanxiang, Associate Head and Professor in the Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, has successfully secured funding from the RGC Research Impact Fund (RIF). The RIF encourages academics to harness the potential of their research to deliver benefits to the wider community, spurring impactful and translational research projects.   Project Title Project Coordinator Project Details Targeting Autophagy to Potentiate Cancer Immunotherapy – a Novel Combination Strategy Prof. ZHAO Yanxiang Associate Head and Professor, Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients face limited therapeutic options, with targeted therapeutics showing limited survival benefits. This project aims to develop antibody-autotide-conjugates that tether the patented autotides to immune checkpoint inhibitors such as the anti-PD-L1 antibody, enhancing the efficacy of cancer immunotherapy for HCC.   This achievement underscores Prof. Zhao's commitment to impactful research. We congratulate her on this remarkable accomplishment and look forward to the valuable contributions her research will make toward improving the efficacy of cancer immunotherapy for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Faculty of Science Faculty Awards for Outstanding Achievement & Outstanding Alumni Award Presentation Ceremony 2024

The Faculty Awards for Outstanding Achievement & Outstanding Alumni Award Presentation Ceremony 2024 was held on December 20, 2024. This event celebrated the exceptional efforts in teaching, research, scholarly activities, and knowledge transfer by our esteemed faculty members, while also recognizing the professional excellence and scholarly contributions of our accomplished alumni.   Congratulations to the awardees of the Faculty Awards for Outstanding Achievement 2024! Their unwavering dedication to excellence in teaching, research, and knowledge transfer activities has been truly remarkable.   Faculty Awards for Outstanding Achievement 2024 Individual Awards   Category Awardees Teaching: Outstanding Teacher Dr LAM Kim Hung Lecturer, ABCT Research and Scholarly Activities: Outstanding Researcher Prof. YAO Zhongping Associate Head & Professor, ABCT Knowledge Transfer: Industry Dr MA Cong Associate Professor, ABCT Knowledge Transfer: Society Dr CHUA Songlin Assistant Professor, ABCT     Outstanding Alumni Award of PolyU Faculty of Science 2024   Category Awardee Scholarly Achievement Prof. LIU Dongsheng  

Dr. So Chau-ming Receives the Asian Core Programme Lectureship Award at the 17th International Conference on Cutting-Edge Organic Chemistry in Asia (ICCEOCA-17)

We are excited to announce that Dr. So Chau-ming has been honored with the Asian Core Programme Lectureship Award at the 17th International Conference on Cutting-Edge Organic Chemistry in Asia (ICCEOCA-17), which took place from November 29 to December 2, 2024. This award recognizes Dr. So's exceptional contributions to the field of organic chemistry and his commitment to advancing research and collaboration in Asia. Congratulations to Dr. So Chau-ming on this well-deserved recognition! The Asian Core Program on Cutting-Edge Organic Chemistry in Asia (ACP-CEOCA) was established in 2005 to unite leading scientists in organic chemistry from across the region. Supported by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS), this program fosters the sharing of ideas through conferences, lectures, and student exchanges. Notable leaders such as Prof. Minoru Isobe (Nagoya University, Japan), Prof. Atsushi Nishida (Chiba University, Japan), Prof. Guo-Qiang Lin (Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, China), Professor Emeritus Dr. Somsak Ruchirawat (Chulabhorn Research Institute, Thailand), and Prof. Henry N. C. Wong (Chinese University of Hong Kong) have been instrumental in the program's success. ACP-CEOCA continues to connect and inspire chemists across Asia.  

ABCT Christmas Party: A Festive Celebration of Joy

We want to extend our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who attended and helped create a joyous atmosphere. Your presence truly made the celebration special, and we appreciate your support. A special thank you goes to the Lim Peng Suan Charitable Trust, our generous donor. Their unwavering support has been instrumental in advancing our department's development initiatives, and we are sincerely grateful for their continued contributions. We would also like to express our deep appreciation to our industrial partner for their invaluable support of the internship program. Their commitment to fostering professional growth and providing opportunities for our students has been pivotal in bridging academic knowledge with practical experiences. During the event, we took the opportunity to recognize and honor staff and students who have excelled in teaching and research. Their dedication and hard work have not gone unnoticed, and we congratulate them on their well-deserved awards. Further details about the awardees can be found below.   ABCT Excellence Award 2024 (Research Output) Awardees Discipline Research Paper Title Name of Journal Paper Dr CHUA Song Lin Biology Bacterial Iron Siderophore Drives Tumor Survival and Ferroptosis Resistance in a Biofilm-Tumor Spheroid Coculture Model Advanced Science Dr WONG Wing Leung Biology Live Cell Imaging and Real-Time Monitoring of Nucleolus Morphology and Mitophagy with a Red Fluorescent and Photostable rRNA-Specific Probe in Human Cancer Cells ACS Sensors Dr YANG Yuhe Biology Sprayable Biomimetic Double Mask with Rapid Autophasing and Hierarchical Programming for Scarless Wound Healing Science Advances Dr LEE Yoon Suk, Lawrence Chemistry Upcycling of Spent LiFePO4 Cathodes to Heterostructured Electrocatalysts for Stable Direct Seawater Splitting Angewandte Chemie International Edition Dr LEUNG King Chi, Franco Chemistry Blue Light Controlled Supramolecular Soft Robotics of Phenylazothiazole Amphiphiles for Rapid Macroscopic Actuations Advanced Science Dr SO Chau Ming Chemistry Regio- and Chemoselective Palladium-Catalyzed Additive-Free Direct C─H Functionalization of Heterocycles with Chloroaryl Triflates Using Pyrazole-Alkyl Phosphine Ligands Advanced Science   ABCT Outstanding Postgraduate Student Award 2024 (Research) Awardees Discipline BEI Ho Pan Biology LEUNG Wing Hei Biology CHAU Ming Hin Chemistry CHEN Xianhong Chemistry LI Zhen Chemistry SHI Yuqing Chemistry YUEN Pui Nam Chemistry ZHENG Boxin Chemistry   ABCT Outstanding Postgraduate Student Award 2024 (Teaching) Awardees CHAU Ming Hin BEI Ho Pan LIN Ming Kit NG Cheuk Hei WEI Wei YI Qi YUEN Ho Yin   ABCT Excellence Award 2024 (Teaching) Awardees Prof. LEE Kin Wah, Terence Dr SO Chau Ming Dr LEUNG King Chi, Franco Dr WONG Tsun Ting, Clarence Dr TAI Chi Shing, William   ABCT Excellence Award 2024 (Teaching Support) Awardees Dr YUEN On Ying, Bella Dr WONG Wai Ting   As the holiday season approaches, we wish everyone a joyous Christmas filled with love, laughter, and cherished moments with loved ones. May the spirit of this festive season bring you lasting joy and happiness throughout the coming year. We would like to once again extend our heartfelt gratitude to all those who made our Christmas Party an unforgettable occasion. Your presence and support are deeply appreciated, and we eagerly look forward to future endeavours together. Happy holidays, and may the spirit of Christmas brighten your lives!

Dr. Huang Bolong Recognized Among the World’s Most Highly Cited Researchers

We are delighted to announce that Dr. Huang Bolong has been recognized in the “Highly Cited Researchers 2024” list in the field of Chemistry by Clarivate Analytics for his pioneering research and significant impact in this discipline. This annual list recognizes researchers for their substantial impact in their respective fields. Each selected researcher has authored multiple highly cited papers that rank in the top 1% by citations for their fields and publication years in the Web of Science over the past 11 years. Once again, we extend our heartfelt congratulations to Dr. Huang Bolong for this well-deserved recognition. His dedication, hard work, and passion for research continue to inspire us all. We look forward to his future contributions to the scientific community. Press release: English - https://polyu.me/3OCnpGy; Chinese - https://polyu.me/3OzPnTf   Online coverage: Dimsum Daily - https://polyu.me/4f2VFp7  

Congratulations to Prof. Thomas Leung and his Research Team for Winning Best Poster Award at Health Research Symposium 2024

We are thrilled to announce that Prof. Thomas Yun-chung LEUNG and his research team, including Alisa SW Shum (CUHK), Leo MY Lee (PolyU), Yu Huang (CUHK), Vicky MK Ho (PolyU), Paull YH So (PolyU), Alan SL Leung (PolyU), Juon-kiu Lee (CUHK), Xiuhua Zheng (CUHK), and Zhiqiang Lin (CUHK) have been awarded the Best Poster Award in Advanced Medical Research at the Health Research Symposium 2024. The Health Research Symposium, organised by the Health Bureau, was held on 26 November 2024. The Symposium attracted over 850 medical and healthcare practitioners, researchers, academics, and community and government representatives to share the research findings of projects funded by the Health and Medical Research Fund (HMRF) as well as to exchange experiences.  With this year's theme focused on "Advancing Health through Research and Technology", the Symposium provided a networking platform for healthcare experts and relevant personnel to share knowledge and achievements in promoting excellence in health and medical research. The opening ceremony, graced by Prof. Chung-mau LO, Secretary for Health of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, set the tone for a day of insightful discussions and knowledge sharing. The Symposium received a total of 200 posters or abstracts and the judge panel shortlisted 80 posters for the poster presentation in the Symposium. The Judging Panel of the Health Research Symposium 2024 have finally selected 5 posters (out of the 80 posters) to receive the Best Poster Awards. Among the 5 categories—Advanced Medical Research, COVID-19 Research, Human Health and Health Services Research, Health Promotion Projects, and Infectious Diseases—Prof. Thomas Leung and his team's research on "Development of a new anti-obesity drug" shone brightly in the Advanced Medical Research category. We applaud the dedication and hard work of Prof. Thomas Leung and his team in advancing medical research and look forward to seeing their continued success in the future.  

ABB Student He Jingyun Receives HKLSS Hong Kong Life Sciences Scholarship Awards 2024/25

At the HKLSS Hong Kong Life Sciences Scholarship Awards 2024/25 Presentation Ceremony, held on 12 October 2024, He Jingyun, a student who is major in Applied Biology with Biotechnology (ABB), was one of the nine deserving awardees from different universities. Jingyun made history by becoming the first PolyU student to receive the scholarship.   Each awardee, including Jingyun, was presented with a scholarship of HKD 50,000 and granted exclusive access to the HKLSS Society's Mentorship Scheme, as well as priority enrollment in the Society's Summer Internship Program in Hong Kong, Shenzhen, or Shanghai. The award presenter on the ceremony was Mr. Vincent Cheung, the Founder and Board Chair of HKLSS and CEO of Nan Fung Group.   The HKLSS scholarship is renowned for its competitiveness, requiring the awardees to exhibit not only outstanding academic performance but also all-rounded skills and excellence during the interview.   Congratulations to He Jingyun for her remarkable achievement and dedication to advancing the realms of life sciences.