PolyU researchers are constantly striving to improve the health and well-being of the population through ground-breaking research. The University was awarded HK$21.5 million for 20 healthcare-related projects at the start of this year in the latest round of the Health and Medical Research Fund (HMRF). This affirmation of PolyU’s research and innovation competence in the field of healthcare follows the Fund’s recent support to the University’s COVID-19 related studies (see page 15).

In the latest round of the HMRF, researchers from the School of Nursing, Department of Health Technology and Informatics, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, School of Optometry, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, and Department of Applied Social Sciences were among those awarded.

Their exciting new research addresses a wide range of healthcare topics, including cancer, children’s well-being, immunology, glaucoma, treatment of bone fracture, Ribonucleic acid (RNA)-based diagnostics and therapeutics, diabetes, bacterial infection, older adults’ health, maternal postnatal depression, and Tai Chi.

PolyU enjoys strong support from HMRF

Over the past several months, PolyU has in fact been awarded nearly HK$79.5 million by the HMRF. This amount encompasses the 20 research projects mentioned above, two HMRF Research Fellowship Scheme Projects, and two multi-disciplinary COVID-19 projects. The two multi-disciplinary COVID-19 projects account for HK$55.9 million of the total.

The HMRF was established by the Food and Health Bureau of the Hong Kong SAR Government. The Fund aims to build research capacity and to encourage, facilitate and support health and medical research to inform health policies, improve population health, strengthen the health system, enhance healthcare practices, advance standard and quality of care, and promote clinical excellence, through the generation and application of evidence-based scientific knowledge in health and medicine. It also provides funding support to evidence-based health promotion projects that help people adopt healthier lifestyles by enhancing awareness, changing adverse health behaviours or creating a conducive environment that supports good health practices.

PolyU will continue to produce leading healthcarerelated research, living up to its motto, “To learn and to apply, for the benefit of mankind”.