PolyU establishes new research lab to pursue impactful research in probiotics and prebiotics

PolyU has received a donation of HK$2 million last month from Hong Kong Yakult Co. Ltd. to establish the world’s first Joint Research Laboratory for Probiotics and Prebiotics in Human Health to conduct research on areas like gut and brain health.

Dr William Tai Chi-shing, Executive Director of the Joint Lab, stated that the team is working on how different probiotics and prebiotics cure inflammatory bowel disease with mice. The preliminary results implied that probiotics could reduce some inflammatory factors almost by half and restore the impaired intestinal structure.

The Joint Lab is under the PolyU Research Institute for Future Food (RiFood) newly established in May. Dr Wong Ka-hing, Director of RiFood, said that with the new Simulator of Human Intestinal Microbial Ecosystem instrument acquired last year, they would be able to develop new solutions, such as medicines and supplements, for preventing and managing diseases with probiotics.