Research at FAST

7 An Innovative Drug Discovery Path: from Molecular Antimicrobial Resistance to Novel Antibiotic Development Disconnection between clinical research and basic science is a critical issue in current research on bacterial antimicrobial resis t ance. To combat this problem, our research programmes utilize multidisciplinary approaches that interface clinical study and basic science. The development of "Nusbiarylins", a new class of antibiotic candidates, is a breakthrough in the battle against multi-drug resistant superbugs including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). The invention has won international award and is now at the stage of pre-clinical studies. Combating Counterfeiting and Tampering of Products by using Nano-based Ink Technology Our researchers have invented a new indelible printing ink for tamper-proof product packaging. This “Anti-erasing” (ATE) ink can be used to print product information labels which provide visible evidence to consumers if the label has been altered. Our ink’s tracing marks also enable anti- counterfeiting investigations to track and trace fraudulent items throughout supply chains. Our ATE ink has attracted intense interest from industry and is already being used by China Mengniu Dairy Company in their production lines. Making Biofuels Viable Biodegradable, non-toxic and environmentally friendly, biofuels are a highly promising renewable energy source. However, first and second generation biofuels have limitations. For example, the liquid biodiesel catalysts traditionally used in biofuel production typically generate huge amount s of wastewater in the final produc t purification step. Such limitations have spurred increasing interest in using algae as a more effective biofuel than conventional sources such as corn. We have established a highly efficient mobile algal harvesting system that collects algal biomass from freshwater for biodiesel production. We have also developed a new catalyst to raise biodiesel industry standards of practice to a more sustainable, more environmentally friendly level. Operating at low temperatures and pressure, and thus requiring less energy, our newly developed catalyst is highly compatible with low- grade unrefined feedstock through a one-step simultaneous esterification and transesterification reaction. This technology is ready for commercialization and knowledge transfer. Identifying Safe Edible Oils Authentication and quality control of edible oils are increasingly important food safety issues. We have developed a method for the direct analysis of edible oils using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS). By establishing a corresponding spectral database containing various types of edible oil, fraudulently mislabeled gutter oils can be quickly screened out. To protect public health and help food traders maintain quality cooking oils, we are now working with the HKSAR Government and local food premises to draft safety guidelines on cooking oil best practice. Overview