Hong Kong

In a recent survey conducted by the School of Graduate Studies of Lingnan University (LU) in Hong Kong on international/non-local higher education students’ physical and psychological wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic, nearly 90 per cent of respondents said the outbreak had caused “moderate to extreme” disruption to learning activities. Over 70 per cent expressed concern about the outbreak, while 45 per cent said they were feeling lonely. The research team advises higher education institutions to find creative and effective ways of supporting international students during this challenging time.

In response to the COVID-19 outbreak, many organisations have adopted work from home (WFH) practice for months. A recent survey conducted by Lingnan University (LU) in Hong Kong reveals that over 80 per cent of respondents prefer WFH for at least one day per week even after the pandemic. More than 70 per cent of respondents said WFH allowed them to have more time to rest while 64 per cent said the practice helped reduce work stress. Conducted by the School of Graduate Studies of LU from 8 to 26 April 2020, the online survey collected valid responses from 1,976 Hong Kong citizens. The objective of the survey was to understand people’s views and experiences regarding WFH.

Face masks have become an important tool in fighting against the COVID-19 pandemic. However, improper use or disposal of masks may lead to "secondary transmission". A research team from City University of Hong Kong (CityU) has successfully produced graphene masks with an anti-bacterial efficiency of 80%, which can be enhanced to almost 100% with exposure to sunlight for around 10 minutes. Initial tests also showed very promising results in the deactivation of two species of coronaviruses. The graphene masks are easily produced at low cost, and can help to resolve the problems of sourcing raw materials and disposing of non-biodegradable masks.

It seems that nothing is impossible in this era of smart technology. Even scientific experiments can be conducted via smartphone, thanks to Professor Yeung Yau-yuen, Adjunct Professor at the Department of Science and Environmental Studies of The Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK), and his team’s ‘Remote Laboratory’.

Researchers from Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) have developed a COVID-19 alert system which will send a message to users through a mobile app if they and an infected person have visited the same place within a time period that gives rise to risks of exposure. The system will not collect users’ personal information and location data, thereby protecting individuals’ privacy while alerting them on disease transmission risks associated with confirmed infection cases.

Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) will hold a two-day online international symposium with the theme "COVID-19 and Beyond, Culturally Speaking" on 15 and 16 September 2020. The novel initiative aims to analyse the COVID-19 pandemic from a cultural perspective.

The Faculty of Education and Human Development at The Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK) launched its new Bioanalytical Laboratory for Educational Sciences (BLESS) with paid services in July 2020. This is the first bioanalytical lab to focus on education research in Hong Kong.

A research led by the Department of Geography at Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) has revealed that the observed average moving speed (or translation speed) of tropical cyclones making landfall over the coast of China dropped by 11% between 1961 and 2017. These slow-moving tropical cyclones brought about 20% more local total rainfall on average when compared with fast-moving ones, resulting in greater flood risks in the region.

Researchers from Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) have invented a nanostructure that can stimulate neural stem cells to differentiate into nerve cells. They found that the transplantation of these nerve cells into rats with Parkinson's disease progressively improved their symptoms, with the new cells replacing damaged nerve cells around the transplantation site. This novel invention provides promising insights into stem cell therapies and offers hope of a new treatment for Parkinson's disease.

Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) has established six interdisciplinary research laboratories that expand on the University’s existing research strengths.

Scientists from Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) have developed a novel technique that can produce pure therapeutic drugs without the associated side effects.

A research team led by Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) has developed a novel anti-Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) drug that can selectively disrupt a viral protein produced by EBV, leading to the shrinkage of tumours caused by the virus. It is the first known agent to successfully target the virus and disturb its latency in tumour cells in this way.

With the COVID-19 pandemic resulting in lockdowns in different parts of the world, from the US to many European nations, there have been intense debates on when and how we can safely reopen the economy. New research led by Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) computer scientists has used a data-driven modelling approach to answer the time-critical question of when the stringent social distancing and quarantine measures against COVID-19 can be loosened so that normal life and economic activities can be restored in a safe manner.

According to a clinical study conducted by the School of Chinese Medicine (SCM) at Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU), nearly 90% of the patients who took a six-week course of Chinese medicine formula for the treatment of “cold type” asthma had their asthma symptoms eliminated or relieved. Among this group of patients, over half had their symptoms eliminated, while 35% had their symptoms relieved or significantly relieved.

Researchers of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) have developed a novel geo-fencing technology, offering a smart core solution that helps save the government’s manpower in monitoring those under compulsory home quarantine amid the novel pneumonia (COVID-19) outbreak.

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has been collaborating with Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QE) and the Hospital Authority (HA) respectively to design and produce 3D-printed eye shields and face shields.

Generating electricity from raindrops efficiently has gone one step further. A research team led by scientists from the City University of Hong Kong (CityU) has recently developed a droplet-based electricity generator (DEG), featured with a field-effect transistor (FET)-like structure that allows for high energy-conversion efficiency and instantaneous power density increased by thousands times compared to its counterparts without FET-like structure. This would help to advance scientific research of water energy generation and tackle the energy crisis.

Testing for a gene expression pattern could reduce the number of colorectal cancer patients referred for unnecessary radical surgery.

Blocking a central nervous system protein could treat irritable bowel syndrome.

A new method could speed up drug discovery and lead to purer, side-effect-free medications.

A new approach uses two types of stem cells to repair both heart muscle and blood vessels damaged during severe heart attacks.

A Chinese medicine research team at Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) has identified a unique polysaccharide marker from the caterpillar part of Cordyceps sinensis, and successfully applied it to the qualitative and quantitative authentication of this valuable Chinese herbal medicine. This novel, low-cost method can authenticate Cordyceps sinensis in an hour.

A small molecule could hold the key to tackling the protein build-up in nerve cells that occurs in several devastating neurological disorders.

A team of researchers from City University of Hong Kong (CityU) and Karolinska Institutet has recently developed a new protein which can help increase the targeting accuracy in the genome editing process. It is believed that it would be useful for future gene therapies in human which require high precision.

Four young researchers from The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) have been awarded China's Excellent Young Scientists Fund 2019. Each of them will receive a funding of RMB1.3 million to directly support their scientific research projects in Hong Kong to a maximum period of three years.

A research team led by Professor Wei-Hsin Liao from the Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) has developed a lightweight smart materials-based energy harvester for scavenging energy from human motion, generating inexhaustible and sustainable power supply just from walking. Specifically, the device can capture biomechanical energy from the motion of the human knee and then convert it to electricity which can be used to power wearable electronics such as pedometers, health monitors, and GPS. This work has been published in Applied Physics Letters and recommended as a featured article by editors.

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) and the University of Surrey (Surrey) have forged a partnership to offer Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) programmes that will allow doctoral students from various disciplines to attain a dual PhD from both institutions. The first programme will be launched in the research fields of hospitality and tourism, with further programmes to follow in other disciplines.

A recent research led by a scientist at City University of Hong Kong (CityU) has discovered an easily transmitted DNA piece that can make a new type of hyper-resistant and deadly superbug become hyper-virulent quickly, posing an unprecedented threat to human health.

A research team from the School of Chinese Medicine at Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) has successfully developed a novel aptamer, i.e. a single-stranded piece of DNA, for the treatment of osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) with the aid of artificial intelligence (AI) technology. It is the first time a drug in Hong Kong has been granted orphan drug designation by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology of the Faculty of Medicine at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) has successfully introduced a new genome sequencing technique for prenatal invasive genetic diagnosis. It offers enhanced sensitivity and accuracy of diagnosing lethal and severe congenital disorders through precise detection of pathogenic microdeletion or microduplication in the fetus, compared with the current practice karyotyping analysis and chromosomal microarray analysis (as known as fetal DNA chip testing). The team conducted a study on the innovation and the findings were recently published on the international journal Genetics in Medicine.