Big congratulations to our Department Head, Prof. Larry Chow, and Associate Professor, Prof. Ben Ko!
They have both been awarded PolyU’s inaugural "Top 10 Research & Innovation Stories of the Year”! This recognition celebrates impactful research that drives progress in Hong Kong and beyond.
Prof. Larry Chow is leading a groundbreaking Advanced Therapy Product (ATP) Laboratory – a state-of-the-art, PIC/S GMP-compliant facility dedicated to cell therapy, gene therapy, and regenerative medicine. The team is now focusing on manufacturing cell therapy products for spinal cord injury patients using HLA-matched umbilical cord blood. What makes this truly unique is PolyU's one-stop approach: the ATP Lab provides cutting-edge precision medicine, while the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences offers post-surgery rehabilitation training. This integrated model brings new hope to paralysis patients, addressing a medical need that currently has no effective cure. Prof. Chow’s work also supports Hong Kong’s vision to become an international health and medical innovation hub.
Prof. Ben Ko has uncovered, for the first time, the target and mechanism of tetrandrine (a compound from traditional Chinese medicine). His team discovered it works by blocking sphingosine transport and inhibiting calcium channels – opening exciting new avenues for treating viral infections (like Ebola and COVID-19) and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, as well as certain metastatic cancers. This research modernizes natural products for therapeutic use.
We are immensely proud of their dedication to advancing science and improving lives. Please join us in celebrating their well-deserved success!
