Research Highlights

Lingnan University’s Science Unit recently published Hong Kong’s first-ever scientific Hong Kong Newt Roadkill Survey Programme. Their findings show that over 1,400 Hong Kong newts were killed by vehicles in two months, accounting for more than 90 per cent of total wildlife carcasses found. The severity of the threat posed to this local species is aggravated after heavy rainfall, and the research team is calling on the government to introduce conservation measures urgently, including eco-friendly road construction, traffic control, and raising public awareness about wildlife conservation.

In 1938, archaeologists discovered an ivory statuette of a goddess in the ruins of the Roman city of Pompeii, which was buried under ash for thousands of years after the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 CE. Who was this goddess — Lakshmi, the Hindu deity of wealth and prosperity or Venus, the Roman goddess of beauty — and why was she in Pompeii?

With youth mental health commanding increasing attention in recent years, the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao University Psychological Counselling Alliance, composed of the Wofoo Joseph Lee Consulting and Counselling Psychology Research Centre in the Department of Psychology at Lingnan University and 16 higher education institutions in the Greater Bay Area (GBA), held a conference at the Lingnan@West Kowloon learning hub today, 16 June. The universities in the Alliance agreed to integrate Lingnan University’s Wellness Ambassador Programme (WAP) training modules into their peer counselling programmes in order to support students’ psychological development and improve mental health on campuses and in communities.

Moved by how Hiroshima’s memorials transformed unspeakable loss into a global call for peace, a Hiroshima University historian turns his gaze to Southeast Asia—unpacking what stories their war monuments enshrine, what they leave out, and what that means for peace and justice, as the world marks the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombing this year.

The story of Hanuman and Suvannamaccha, a mermaid, is beloved by generations in Southeast Asia who are familiar with the epic Ramayana, known locally as Ramakien. This tale is, however, altogether absent from the canonical Hindu Ramayana — a testament to the spread, influence, and adaptation of Hinduism and its mythologies in the ancient Indian Ocean world.

Prof Richard M. Walker, Head and Chair Professor of the Department of Government and International Affairs and Director of Lingnan University Institute for Advanced Study (LUIAS), has received the prestigious 2025 H. George Frederickson Award for Career Contributions to Public Management Research from the Public Management Research Association (PMRA) in recognition of his valuable contributions to intellectual development in the field. The award is presented annually to only one scholar worldwide, and Prof Walker will receive the honour officially at the Public Management Research Conference (PMRC) in Seoul, South Korea, in late June.

To promote the use of big data and artificial intelligence (AI) for innovation and marketing, the Department of Marketing and International Business at Lingnan University hosted the Hong Kong Quant Marketing Conference 2025 at the Hong Kong Gold Coast Hotel today, 14 May. “Data-Driven Quant Marketing Insights for Business Impact” shares fresh research findings within the industry, and examines how quantitative approaches can solve real-world marketing challenges in healthcare, e-commerce, legal policy, and digital experimentation. The conference was attended by over 180 scholars, industry leaders, and postgraduate students from Hong Kong, the Greater Bay Area, and international institutions.

With the rapid development of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and increasing environmental challenges, global catastrophic risks have gone beyond traditional natural disasters to raise controversial ethical issues. In view of this, the Hong Kong Catastrophic Risk Centre (HKCRC) of Lingnan University has introduced a new, free, online bilingual self-learning course on Ethics and Global Catastrophic Risks, taught by international authorities in philosophy and ethics. Designed to help people understand and cope with the complex landscape of global disaster risks through eight modules, the new programme, launched in late February this year, incorporates in-depth, real-life examples in AI, the environment, and the sciences, and has already attracted more than 8,000 participants from Mainland China, Hong Kong SAR, South Asia, the US, and Europe. It is now open to the public at no charge.

The world is paying attention to the impact of the trade war on various industries, and Lingnan University recently published a report titled "Data-Driven Job Search: Big Data Series Report on Hong Kong's Employment Market", analysing the employment risks and potential challenges in Hong Kong's labour market. This study used Artificial Intelligence (AI) models to examine more than 140,000 job advertisements in Hong Kong, suggesting that over 40 per cent of job vacancies are in traditional service sectors such as import-export, wholesale and retail, which are vulnerable to external environmental factors. While the strong trend of gig work in the retail industry accounts for approximately 20 per cent of positions, there is little demand for advanced technologies like AI, with less than two per cent of vacancies requiring such skills. The research team proposes that the government should assist workers in traditional service industries with their transitions, and provide targeted cross-industry skills training to improve employment competitiveness in the context of the present trade war economy.

Often depicted as a celestial being traversing the sky in a horse-drawn chariot, Surya is the sun god in Hinduism. Once a prominent Vedic figure, today his importance has declined. Discover the many mythologies of this solar deity, whose worship can be traced to the second century BCE.

The research jointly conducted by Prof S. Joe Qin, President and Wai Kee Kau Chair Professor of Data Science at Lingnan University in Hong Kong, and the research team from Northeastern University, has been awarded the Second Prize of Liaoning Provincial Science and Technology Award. The research project, titled “Low-quality heterogeneous big data-driven monitoring theory and methods for complex dynamic systems”, represents a breakthrough in the field of AI-driven automation. This research systematically addresses data monitoring challenges in complex dynamic systems, particularly in industrial systems and automation technologies. It provides crucial technical support for the future development of industrial intelligence.

Using cutting-edge spatial and genetic tools, Singapore scientists have uncovered two gastric cancer tumour subgroups, characterising their unique cellular states, immune responses and interactions with their surroundings.

In 1864, Prussian photographer John Edward Sache arrived in Calcutta and set up a studio in partnership with WF Westfield. From albumen prints of cityscapes to controversial photographs of Indians, Sache’s career embodied British imperial attitudes to colonised landscapes and peoples.

Food waste accounts for about 30 per cent of Hong Kong's municipal solid waste in landfills, negatively impacting environmental ecology and wasting recyclable organic materials. To address this issue, the Zeshan Foundation has funded A Plastic Ocean Foundation in collaboration with academic partner Lingnan University’s Science Unit, and strategic partner Gaw Capital People’s Place, to launch an innovative food waste processing programme in April - the Bi-Loop Nature-Based Food Waste Regeneration Pilot Programme (the programme).

A popular pastime in South and Southeast Asia, carrom is played by flicking and pocketing coin-like discs across a smooth tabletop made of wood. Did you know that this game, which originated in India, is now played professionally in competitions across the West?

The intersection of technology and psychological health has become a critical area of enquiry in interpersonal, workplace and organisational contexts in the digital era. With the support of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao University Alliance, the Department of Psychology at Lingnan University in collaboration with Sun Yat-sen University and Renmin University hosted the inaugural International Conference and Workshop on Health and Well-being in the Digital Era on the Lingnan campus yesterday, 21 February. The conference continues today, 22 February, on Sun Yat-sen University’s Shenzhen campus. It highlights the crucial role of psychological science in shaping AI applications across work, healthcare, and daily life, and attracted about 160 participants on the first day.

· Microbes affect pathways in the brain that regulate our anxiety levels. · Microbe secreting metabolites—indoles—alleviate anxiety levels. · Indigenous microbes producing indoles open avenues for an alternative treatment therapy using probiotic microbes producing indoles to reduce anxiety attacks—thus a vision of next generation therapy to combat mental health disorders.

From an ancient Buddhist symbol representing the wheel of law to an enduring icon of self-reliance and resistance in the early twentieth century, the charkha, a hand-driven spinning wheel, and the chakra, the flat-spoked wheel with which it is often conflated, have lived many lives in South Asia.

To celebrate the upcoming Chinese New Year of the Snake, Prof Cai Zongqi, Director of the Advanced Institute for Global Chinese Studies of Lingnan University, and Mr Jerry Wang Junzhe, Research Officer of the Advanced Institute for Global Chinese Studies, searched the rich anecdotes related to the snake zodiac sign. They explained that while contemporary literature and religious stories often fuel fear of snakes, the symbolism in ancient Chinese mythology paints a different picture. Snakes were not only revered as tribal totems and royal symbols, but also regarded as emblems of health and good fortune.

Duke-NUS study findings challenge the longstanding reliance on neutralising antibodies for assessing viral immunity, and suggest that development of future vaccines must consider both antibody and T-cell responses for comprehensive protection.

To discover Hong Kong citizens' awareness and acceptance of gerontechnology, the Lingnan University Institute for Policy Studies’ Jockey Club Gerontechnology and Smart Ageing in Place (GTSA) Project recently held a public opinion survey. The results show that overall awareness of gerontechnology is on an upward trend, but 40% of respondents believe that current government subsidies for the purchase of gerontech products are insufficient, and 90% of respondents would like the government to expand the Elderly Health Care Voucher Scheme to cover the purchase of gerontech products.

Perched on a hill overlooking the village of Thiksey in Ladakh, Thiksey Monastery is one of the most expansive Buddhist complexes in India. Notable for its vast collection of murals, sculptures and rare manuscripts, this 15th-century religious site is heavily fortified and was once an administrative centre.

Duke-NUS scientists investigated how an inherited genetic variation common among East Asians contributes to drug resistance in cancer cells, driving more aggressive cancer growth. The team trialled a precision therapy for this group by blocking the action of a protein called MCL-1, successfully killing many of the cancer cells in laboratory studies.

For centuries, gold and silver ornamentation was used to embellish textiles. Gota work is one such technique, which incorporates these precious metals in appliqué form. Read more about the history of this craft, which is inspired by Mughal and Islamic art, and found on bridal and ceremonial garments across northern India.

Duke-NUS introduces 35 innovative pictograms to make medication instructions clearer, especially for seniors.

A luminary of modern Indian art, Jamini Roy is celebrated for his experiments with Bengali patachitra painting traditions and his brightly hued, bold and two-dimensional depictions of human, animal and mythological forms. Discover the legacy of this 20th-century artist, whose works have been declared national treasures of India under the Antiquities and Art Treasures Act, 1972.

Scientists have discovered that blocking the activity of the hormone glucagon could treat a common and challenging type of heart failure that affects millions worldwide.

A Duke-NUS Medical School-led study highlights the role of natural killer T cells in influencing the immune response to dengue virus, potentially reducing the severity of subsequent infections.

A rare artefact of 19th-century tawaif culture, The Beauties of Lucknow is a fascinating photograph album from colonial South Asia. Compiled in 1874, it consists of 24 portraits of courtesans from Awadh in present-day Uttar Pradesh. Read more to know how Darogah Abbas Ali, the photographer behind it, reimagined Mughal-era muraqqa traditions and colonial portraiture to create one of the earliest works of nostalgia on the tawaifs of Lucknow.

The surprising discovery that cellular protein Gα13 may actually protect against—rather than promote growth of—the most commonly relapsing type of breast cancer signals potential for more effective and innovative treatments.