PolyU has recently received two major grants totalling over HK$137 million from the Research Grants Council’s (RGC) Theme-based Research Scheme and the Strategic Topics Grant to conduct breakthrough research in sustainable development and mental healthcare.

Under the Theme-based Research Scheme, two PolyU professors secured significant research funding to advance sustainability and resilience in Hong Kong. Prof. Yi-Qing Ni received HK$48 million to develop an early warning and resilience system for coastal cities to mitigate tropical storm risks, and Prof. Cao Jiannong received HK$51 million to create a collaborative edge computing framework that meets the needs of smart city applications.

Separately, under the Strategic Topics Grant, Prof. Weixiong Zhang was awarded over HK$37 million for a project that aims to revolutionise the approach to diagnosing complex mental disorders. The project will utilise artificial intelligence, genomic and biomedical technology to support data-driven diagnosis and personalised treatment planning. It seeks to shift from symptom-based diagnosis towards objective and explainable AI-based diagnosis.

PolyU Vice President (Research and Innovation) Professor Christopher Chao said the funding results demonstrate PolyU’s strengths in translating academic research for the benefit of society and the University’s strategic importance in driving Hong Kong’s long-term development.

The grants will enable PolyU researchers to tackle sustainability challenges, develop emerging technologies, and transform mental healthcare through innovative interdisciplinary collaborations.