PolyU Science innovations snatched prestigious prizes at the 48th International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva

The 48th Geneva Inventions Expo this year attracted approximately 1,000 inventions from about 40 countries and regions, showcasing their inventions, the results of their research, and their new products. Professor Thomas LEUNG Yun-chung garnered widespread acclaim for his project “ABarginase: First-in-class Drug for Treatment of Multiple Obesity-related Metabolic Disease”, winning both the Prize of the International Federation of Inventors' Association and a Gold Medal with Congratulations of the Jury. Likewise, Dr CHUA Song-lin and Dr LIU Yang's “MicroGlue: Microbial- derived Technology to Remove Microplastic Pollutants” also received a Gold Medal with Congratulations of the Jury in recognition of its potential to address the global microplastic pollution crisis. The Hong Kong Polytechnic University remains committed to nurturing scientific discoveries and technological developments that can not only change the world for the better but set the standard for pioneering research with tangible social benefits. To learn more about The Hong Kong Polytechnic University's impactful innovations, please visit: https://polyu.hk/tqAvq

The Yangsong Best Poster Award in the 2023 Spring Meeting of the Korean Ceramic Society

The Spring Meeting of the Korean Ceramic Society, which has represented one of the top conferences in the field of materials science in Korea since the first meeting in 1957, was held at Ramada Plaza Jeju and Oriental Hotel, Jeju Island, Korea on 12-14 April 2023., this meeting. In a total of 51 sessions, more than 1,800 participants from the academic and industries of Korean and international communities delivered 1,062 presentations. Especially this year, there were 12 special sessions covering the core materials research for national strategic technology development, including semiconductors, rechargeable batteries, hydrogen energy, display, and AI, along with two parallel workshops, the Korea-Poland advanced ceramics workshop and the Korea-Germany battery research workshop. Mr. Daekyu KIM (Ph.D. student of Dr. Lawrence Yoon Suk LEE) won the Yangsong Best Poster Award with a cash reward of KRW 100,000 for his research work entitled “Incorporating samarium orthoferrite to adjust the electrical structure and inverse degree of nickel ferrites for effective water oxidation”. This award was given to 20 participants based on the scientific merit of the research work and the presentation.

Designing Multinuclear Solid Atomic Catalysts for Energy and Sustainability Applications

Combining the principles of solid-state chemistry and coordination chemistry, Dr Benedict Lo of the Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology has developed an approach that allows for the highly precise and tuneable design of heterogeneous catalytic processes. This pioneering approach helps to optimise the scope and reactivity of catalysts, thereby ushering in the next generation of high-performance, high-efficiency catalytic technologies. Dr Lo also hopes to develop a high-performing electrocatalytic system for converting CO2 to ethylene, ultimately creating “a sustainable ethylene economy powered through decarbonisation”.   Learn more: https://polyu.hk/apaRb

Two PolyU Science projects funded by Research Impact Fund

Congratulations to Prof. Terence Lee and Prof. Zheng Zijian of the Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology for receiving funding from the RGC Research Impact Fund 2022/23. The project led by Prof. Terence Lee is “A novel approach to target cancer stemness using peptidic chimeric antigen receptor (pCAR) macrophages”, while the project led by Prof. Zheng Zijian is “Flexible and Stretchable Batteries for Wearable Applications”. The two projects have been awarded a significant funding amount of HK$9.7 million. Congratulations again to Prof. Lee and Prof. Zheng!

ABCT researchers find breastfeeding moms need more fruits and veggies

The breastfeeding rate in Hong Kong has been increasing steadily over the past 20 years. As the source of a variety of nutrients, breast milk plays a vital role in the healthy growth and development of infants. The Research Institute for Future Food (RiFood) of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has conducted a study to analyse the three-day dietary records and breast milk samples of Hong Kong lactating women.  The research has revealed that only 4% of lactating women had dietary habits that met the recommendation from the Department of Health to consume at least two servings of fruits and three servings of vegetables per day, or the recommended intake of vitamin A, according to the “Chinese Dietary Reference Intake” which was established by the Chinese Nutrition Society. There was a significant correlation between dietary intake and the nutrient levels of breast milk, especially the carotenoid and polyphenol contents. As explained by the research team, the first 1,000 days from pregnancy to a two-year-old infant is the basis for establishing long-term health. Breast milk contains a variety of nutrients and plays an important role in their healthy growth. Prof. WONG Man-sau, Steering Committee Member of RiFood and Professor of the Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology of PolyU said, “Apart from commonly known nutrients, such as protein and fatty acids, breast milk also contains phytonutrients such as carotenoids and polyphenols. These phytonutrients are important in the physical development of infants and can reduce the level of inflammation. Lacking one or more nutrients may weaken the immune system of infants, and may also increase their risk of getting chronic diseases in the future.” The PolyU research team collected breast milk samples and a three-day dietary record of about 90 lactating women and analysed the levels of carotenoid and polyphenol content. The level of carotenoids in breast milk was higher in lactating women who had a higher intake of fruits and vegetables. Dr Christine LI, Teaching Fellow of the Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology of PolyU, said some carotenoids can be converted to vitamin A to promote the development of infants’ brain, vision and immunity, and can also protect the retina from damage by strong light. Dr Daisy ZHAO, Assistant Professor of the Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology of PolyU, said polyphenol is a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compound, which can prevent cardiometabolic diseases and reduce the risk of bacterial infection. Based on the research findings, Dr Kenneth LO, Assistant Professor of the Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology of PolyU, suggested lactating women should enhance the levels of carotenoids and polyphenols in breast milk through increasing their fruit and vegetable intake. Common dark green vegetables, including Chinese flowering cabbage, spinach, Chinese kale, Indian lettuce, sweet potatoes, carrots, pumpkins, papayas, mangoes etc., are rich in phytonutrients. A new research project “Feeding mom feeding infants” has been launched by the research team, recruiting about 100 pairs of lactating women and infants for a one-year study, to further investigate the relationship between the dietary habits of lactating women and the nutrients of breast milk, gut microbiota composition of infants and their growth.

Outstanding PolyU Alumni Award 2022 Award Presentation Ceremony and Dinner

The Outstanding PolyU Alumni Award 2022 Award Presentation Ceremony and Dinner took place on 13 December 2022. The Award aims to give recognition to distinguished graduates of PolyU in their chosen fields, active support to their alma mater, as well as impactful contributions to the wider community. We are pleased to announce that Prof. Edman Tsang Shik-chi has been selected as the recipient of the Outstanding PolyU Alumni Award 2022 in scholarly achievement. Prof. Edman Tsang Shik-chi, Professor of Inorganic Chemistry and Director of the Wolfson Catalysis Centre of the University of Oxford, is a world-leading expert in chemical materials and green catalysis. He has published over 450 papers in refereed publications including Science and Nature, and his works have been widely cited. Decorated with numerous international awards and a proud owner of 16 patents, he was among the world’s pioneering researchers in nanomaterials, including the synthesis and catalytic properties of carbon nanotubes. Not only have his seminal works on opening and filling carbon nanotubes sparked global attention on nanomaterials, but he is also the first known scientist to modify carbon nanotubes with biological enzymes or related biomaterials. Recently focusing on green chemistry and catalysis, he is a co-founder of OXGRIN, a spin-out from Oxford University that is building a world-class One-Stop Catalyst Platform. Despite residing overseas, Prof. Tsang never ceases to forge links between his alma mater and industry. Apart from coaching staff and providing specialist advice to departments, he also actively collaborates with PolyU researchers on various projects in Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, Applied Physics, Electrical Engineering and other contexts. Thanks to his liaison efforts, PolyU has established closer relationships with Oxford University, government bodies and foreign tech enterprises. Let’s congratulate Prof. Tsang on winning the award!

PolyU ABCT Prof Li and Dr Tenny Lam has won the 1st runner-up prize in ATEC2022 Startup Competition

PolyU-supported start-up Grand Rise Technology has won 1st runner-up prize in the ATEC2022 Startup Competition. Established by PolyU Prof. Li Pei and alumnus Dr. Tenny Lam, Grand Rise Technology commercialized a novel technology developed by PolyU. The technology is based on a patented core-shell particle technology platform, enabling a new class of amphiphilic core-shell nanoparticles. Their research team has developed a non-toxic and eco-friendly antimicrobial coating that kills 99% of common bacteria and viruses, with a long-lasting action of up to six months. This makes it ideal for applications such as disinfection, contamination control and epidemic prevention. The Asia Technology Entrepreneurship Conference (ATEC) is the largest university alumni club-led technology conference and startup competition in Asia. It encourages participating alumni clubs to nominate high-quality startup teams to compete and represent their alumni association in the annual startup competition. Grand Rise Technology was nominated by POLYU DBA.

The Best Early Career Researcher Poster Award in the International Congress on Obesity 2022

The International Congress on Obesity (ICO) is the pre-eminent global gathering for obesity experts and was held on 18-22 October 2022 in Melbourne, Australia. The congress opened to approximately 1,000 delegates from a range of disciplines; including clinicians, policy makers, scientists and UN representatives that bring together experts on a wide range of topics including obesity research and practice, pandemic preparedness, basic molecular and cellular science, clinical management and treatment, systems biology, public health and policy. Miss LIU Qing (Ph.D. student of Dr Zhu Yuyan) won the Best Early Career Researcher Poster Award titled “Role of SOAT1 in regulating intracellular cholesterol redistribution during adipogenesis” at the International Congress on Obesity 2022. Our warmest congratulations to Miss LIU Qing for her achievement!

ABCT Dr Amber Chiou and Dr Cesar Wong received The President Awards for Outstanding Achievement 2022

Congratulations to Dr Chiou Jiachi, Amber and Dr Wong Sze-chuen, Cesar on receiving the President’s Awards for Outstanding Achievement 2022 in Service: Establishment of COVID-19 diagnostic laboratory to safeguard the PolyU community and beyond. Under the endeavor of the project team, PolyU Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory (PU-MDL) was set up via the cornerstone of a research project of Dr Amber Chiou. The PU-MDL received the Hong Kong Laboratory Accreditation Scheme (HOKLAS) accreditation in May 2021 and became one of the Hong Kong government recognized COVID-19 testing centers in July 2021, which is the first University-based COVID-19 testing center in Hong Kong. Dr Chiou serves the role as the internal coordinator and is responsible for supervision of laboratory setup, logistics of testing, liaison of various tasks with different parties within and outside PolyU. Dr Cesar Wong serves the role as the Lab Director of PU-MDL and is responsible for supervising the application of HOKLAS accreditation via Hong Kong Accreditation Service and enrolling in the list of Hong Kong government recognized COVID-19 testing centers via Department of Health. Our warmest congratulations again to Dr Chiou and Dr Wong for their contribution!

Optimizing Bone Health through Proper Nutrition and Traditional Wisdom

Prof. Man-sau Wong of the Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology is interested in using Traditional Chinese Medicine to improve bone health. She has demonstrated osteoprotective effects in Chinese medicinal herbs, such as Herba Epimedii, Drynariae fortunei, Erythrina variegata, Sambucus williamsii HANCE and Fructus Ligustri Lucidi, for the development of new anti-osteoporosis drugs. Prof. Wong’s work attracted companies’ attention, received award recognition from the Ministry of Education of the PRC and funding support from the Innovation Technology Commission.   Learn more: https://polyu.hk/SxaXO