Research at FAST

22 Reversing Cancer Drug Resistance with a Natural Nutrient As cancer cells develop drug resistance, cancer drugs gradually lose their effectiveness. This seemingly inevitable problem is being solved by a cross-disciplinary research team led by Prof. Larry Chow and Prof. Bill Chan who have derived a new flavonoid dimer from a natural nutrient. This compound can reverse drug resistance through preventing drug efflux thereby boosting successful treatment outcomes and the longevity of existing cancer treatments. Prof. Chow and Prof. Chan’s work is supported by the Hong Kong Innovation and Technology Commission, through the University-Industry Collaboration Programme. Their invention has been licensed to Kinex Pharmaceuticals, Inc. In March 2018, Athenex Inc., a global specialty oncology pharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of next generation cancer treatment therapies, piloted a new drug containing this compound in the US. ABCT collaborates with industry to solve real life problems through innovative technology. Combating Counterfeiting and Tampering through Nano-based Anti-erasing Ink Technology Criminal tampering with packaging information (such as expiry dates, ingredients and production location) is a growing threat to the global economy. Packages are vulnerable to tampering because traditional prints can be easily removed using chemicals (such as readily available solvents like nail varnish remover). Unscrupulous wholesalers, distributors and retailers can for example fairly easily alter and wipe expiry dates, fooling consumers into buying foods that are out of date. Deceptive labels may hide a product’s true origins or even that they contain harmful ingredients and can pose fatal health risks to the unsuspecting public. Prof. Pei Li and her research team’s Anti-erasing (ATE) ink prevents packaging information removal and alteration. This research project was commissioned by Hallyuen Holdings Ltd., a Hong Kong-based company which saw a pressing need for anti-fraud packaging. Prof. Pei Li and her team’s ATE is now in use, actively preventing fraudsters tampering with product labels and packages and facilitating accurate supply chain management thereby keeping the public safe from harm. Companies from the dairy, beverage, food processing, electric cable and textile industries in Hong Kong and Mainland China are keenly interested in using our ATE for their product labeling. Already, one of the largest dairy producers in China, China Mengniu Dairy, is using our novel printing technology for a variety of their dairy products. Our Research Collaborations with Industry Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology