Research Platforms

SUGA lab is Hong Kong's first research platform on urban agriculture. With the use of innovative technologies, the laboratory aims to develop the next generation of urban agriculture model in cultivating high quality and safe fruits and vegetables in a small indoor space. Research will be conducted to explore the optimal correlation between environmental factors and the growth of hydroponics vegetables, as well as the systematical assessment and comparison of food safety risk of harmful chemicals and food-borne bacteria found in vegetables grown from hydroponics and traditional farming.

Our microbiome laboratory introduces Hong Kong's first Simulator of Human Intestinal Microbial Ecosystem (SHIME). No similar instruments available in Hong Kong, SHIME is fully automated and controlled by computer. It allows direct comparison of different treatments (microbiota, placebo vs treatment, etc.) and could be designed specifically depending on the type of person (such as baby, adult or elderly). It is an ideal system to test harmful and infectious agents.

SHIME has its broad applications such as short-term screening for drugs, microbiome analyses, absorption and bioavailability, host response, strain characterization and pathogen-host interaction.

First and sole University-owned Sensory Evaluation Laboratory in Hong Kong, it provides sensory analysis both qualitatively and quantitatively. The lab features individual tasting booths and controlled white/red lighting to cater different scientific and industry standard methods. The lab serves closely with industry and academia partners to design studies, collect data and produce statistical analysis to support R&D, Sales, Marketing and Manufacturing.