PolyU ABCT 2025 Outstanding Alumni Scholarly and Professional Excellence

PolyU ABCT 2025 Outstanding Alumni: Scholarly & Professional Excellence The Hong Kong Polytechnic University’s ABCT Department proudly honours two exceptional graduates—Prof. LEE Wang Fat (Scholarly Achievement) and Mr. CHENG Foon Yu (Professional Achievement)—for their impactful contributions to academia, healthcare, and community. Outstanding PolyU Alumni Award of Department of ABCT 2025 - Scholarly Achievement Prof. LEE Wang Fat (PolyU ABCT BSc (Hons) 2003, PhD 2008) A leader in environmental biochemistry, Prof. Lee (HKMU Professor cum Associate Dean) holds a perfect 4.0 PolyU undergrad GPA. He secured over HK$35M RGC research grants, published 35+ recent Q1 SCI papers, and founded HK/GBA’s first Metropolitan Algal Repository (MARS). He led the HK$37.7M Jockey Club STEAM Scheme (16k+ beneficiaries) and supported PolyU as an honorary fellow, PhD examiner, and alumni speaker—earning 8 consecutive “A” appraisals and two President’s Awards. Outstanding PolyU Alumni Award of Department of ABCT 2025 - Professional Achievement Mr. CHENG Foon Yu (PolyU ABCT BSc 2016) St James’ Settlement Pharmacy-in-charge, Mr. Cheng served as a 2020 COVID-19 testing frontliner (Appreciation Certificate). He’s an anti-drug training speaker (2024), community volunteer teacher (2022), and 2025 “Journey of Progress” judge (supporting single-parent children). He also holds roles as National Games Volunteer Leader and Hong Kong United Elite Assoc Medicine & Health Deputy Director, plus published a 2025 SCI paper and edited a 2024 pharmacy book. Please join us in congratulating Prof. LEE Wang Fat and Mr. CHENG Foon Yu on this well-deserved recognition! Their dedication to excellence and service truly embodies PolyU’s spirit!

ABCT Postdoc Zhao Dawang and PhD Student Liu Qi from Prof. Zhao Xin’s Team Win Awards at the 2025 TERMIS-AP Conference

Zhao Dawang, a postdoctoral fellow under the supervision of Prof. ZHAO Xin, has been honored with the Best Oral Presentation Award at the 2025 TERMIS-AP Conference for his project titled “Three-dimensional Coral-like Porous Structure Locoregionally Regulating Macrophage Immunosenescence Rejuvenates Aged Bone Repair”. His research addresses the challenges in regenerating and repairing bone defects, outlines future directions in bone immune regulation, and aims to promote bone tissue regeneration and repair in aging individuals by modulating the bone immune microenvironment.   Liu Qi, a PhD student under the supervision of Prof. Zhao Xin, has been honored with the Best Poster Presentation Award for his project titled “Bone-on-leaf-chip for the Study of Lung Cancer Bone Metastasis”. His work details the fabrication of a leaf-inspired microfluidic chip and its application in investigating the mechanisms of lung cancer bone metastasis, with the goal of further developing it as a platform for personalized drug screening and mechanistic analysis.   The 2025 TERMIS-AP Conference is a prominent academic event in the fields of biomaterials, stem cells, tissue engineering, and regenerative medicine. Centered on the theme “New Era for Regenerative Medicine Translation”, the conference explores a broad spectrum of cutting-edge topics—including research innovations, industrial translation, regulatory decision-making, clinical applications, career development, and global collaboration. By uniting a diverse community of researchers, clinicians, and industry leaders, it provided an ideal platform for Zhao Dawang and Liu Qi to showcase their innovative work and contribute to the advancement of regenerative medicine!

Prof. ZHAO Xin was awarded the 2025 Outstanding Scientist Awards of TERMIS-AP Awards

On October 17th, the TERMIS-AP Awards presentation ceremony took place in Wuhan. And we are delighted to announce that Prof. ZHAO Xin was awarded the 2025 Outstanding Scientist Award. Prof. ZHAO Xin’s research interest is on Translational Regenerative Medicine, where she integrates multi-disciplinary approaches including material science, cell biology, engineering and medicine to modulate cell microenvironments, control cell behaviours and generate tissue-engineered organs, for addressing clinical issues. So far, she has published 100 articles (with h-index of 66 in Google Scholar, 8 of which are ESI highly cited paper) in prestigious journals including Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, Chem. Rev., Sci. Adv., Mater. Today, Adv. Funct. Mater., Biomaterials, Small. She is recognised in the list of “Highly Cited Researchers 2022” by Clarivate Analytics and “The World’s Top 2% Scientists 2023～2025” by Stanford University, for her significant research impact. She is a recipient of the National Science Fund for Excellent Young Scholars 2021, President’s Award-Outstanding Young Researcher 2022, the Mid-Career Award of Chinese Association for Biomaterials 2022, and the Biomaterials Award for Young Investigator 2024 by Elsevier Ltd. Her research product “Biomimicking Photocrosslinkable Nanocomposite Bone Grafts” has won the Silver Medal at the International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva 2021, 2023 TechConnect Global Innovation Award and the Gold Medal at the 6th China (Shanghai) International Exhibition of Inventions 2023. This research product has also secured financial support from the Incu-Bio Programme (HK$ 4 million) from The Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation and TSSSU-O from Innovation and Technology Comission (HK$ 500 k) for clinical translation of the revolutionary materials. Another project " 3D printed Triply Periodic Minimal Surface (TPMS) bone scaffolds" won the Prize of the Croatian Union of Innovators and Silver Award at the Silicon Valley International Invention Festival (SVIIF) 2024, and gold medal of International Exhibition of Inventions of Geneva 2024. Additionally, she has successfully attracted over 20 grants (⁓23 million) as principal investigator from the Hong Kong RGC (including the highly competitive CRF, NSFC-RGC), HMRF, ITF, NSFC, etc. She is also a founding editor of Eng. Regen., associate editor of Mater. Today Bio and Bio-Des. Manuf., and guest editor for 11 other journals.  

ABCT Science Scholars ranked The World’s Top 2% Most-cited Scientists 2025 by Stanford University

We are delighted to announce that twelve distinguished researchers from the ABCT department, have been recognized among the Top 2% of Scientists Worldwide in their respective fields for 2025, as compiled by Stanford University. This prestigious recognition, based on both career-long and single recent year data, underscores the exceptional quality and global impact of their research. The list, prepared by Professor John Ioannidis and his team at Stanford University, utilizes Scopus author profiles as of September 19, 2025, and provides standardized metrics including citations, h-index, co-authorship-adjusted hm-index, and a composite indicator. The updated database (version 8) highlights the transformative contributions of our researchers across diverse scientific disciplines. This achievement not only reflects the dedication and excellence of our faculty members but also reinforces our commitment to advancing knowledge and innovation on a global scale. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to all recognized researchers and look forward to their continued success. Download the latest database (version 8):  https://elsevier.digitalcommonsdata.com/datasets/btchxktzyw/8 Join us in celebrating their achievements and look forward to their continued contributions! Career-long Data Name of Researcher Department Subject Field Prof. Wong Wai Yeung Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology Organic Chemistry Prof. Wong Wing Tak Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology Inorganic & Nuclear Chemistry Prof. Wong Kwok Yin Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology Organic Chemistry Prof. Liu Dongsheng Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology Inorganic & Nuclear Chemistry Prof. Wang Lianzhou Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology Nanoscience & Nanotechnology Prof. Xing Bengang Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology Nanoscience & Nanotechnology Prof. Zheng Zijian Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology Nanoscience & Nanotechnology Prof. Yao Zhongping Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology Analytical Chemistry Prof. Zhao Xin Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology Biomedical Engineering Single Recent Year Data Name of Researcher Department Subject Field Prof. Wong Wai Yeung Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology Organic Chemistry Prof. Wong Wing Tak Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology Inorganic & Nuclear Chemistry Prof. Wong Kwok Yin Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology Organic Chemistry Prof. Liu Dongsheng Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology Inorganic & Nuclear Chemistry Prof. Wang Lianzhou Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology Nanoscience & Nanotechnology Prof. Zheng Zijian Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology Nanoscience & Nanotechnology Prof. Lee Kin Wah Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology Oncology & Carcinogenesis Prof. Yao Zhongping Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology Analytical Chemistry Prof. Zhao Xin Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology Biomedical Engineering Prof. Han Su Ting Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology Nanoscience & Nanotechnology Prof.Lee Yoon Suk Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology Nanoscience & Nanotechnology Source: https://www.polyu.edu.hk/fs/news-and-events/awards-and-achievements/2025/top-2-of-scientists-worldwide-2025-by-stanford-university/

PolyU ABCT Prof. Ko uncovered the key mechanism underlying the antiviral and neuroprotective effects of tetrandrine

PolyU ABCT Prof. Ko uncovered the key mechanism underlying the antiviral and neuroprotective effects of tetrandrine Researchers from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) have uncovered the key mechanism underlying the antiviral and neuroprotective effects of tetrandrine, a compound extracted from the root of the traditional Chinese medicine Stephania tetrandra. Previously known for its ability to block Ebola virus infection, tetrandrine’s exact cellular target had remained elusive. The PolyU team, led by Professor Ben Ko Chi-bun of the Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, used an advanced photoaffinity probe technique and multi-omics analysis to visualize tetrandrine’s interactions within cells. They discovered that tetrandrine does not directly inhibit calcium channels, as previously assumed. Instead, it binds to the lysosomal integral membrane protein type-2 (LIMP-2) located on lysosomes—crucial organelles responsible for metabolism and waste processing. By attaching to LIMP-2, tetrandrine blocks the release of sphingosine, a lipid molecule required for calcium signalling. Diminished sphingosine levels subsequently reduce calcium entry into cells, thereby influencing vital biological processes such as immune response, metabolism, neuronal function, and viral replication. This discovery provides a new mechanistic explanation for tetrandrine’s antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer properties. The compound’s ability to target LIMP-2 and regulate lysosomal calcium release could disrupt the survival and replication mechanisms of deadly viruses like Ebola and COVID-19. Moreover, the identification of LIMP-2 as a regulator of calcium signalling opens up a new frontier in drug discovery, especially for conditions driven by calcium imbalance. These include neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, as well as certain metastatic cancers. According to Professor Ko, this is the first study to uncover a functional role of LIMP-2 in calcium signalling, revealing an entirely new pathway for nicotinic acid adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NAADP)-regulated calcium signalling mediated through LIMP-2 and sphingosine. From both a cell biology and therapeutic perspective, these findings represent a breakthrough, identifying a critical molecular target for novel antiviral and neuroprotective therapies. The PolyU team’s integrated technology platform enables the comprehensive study of natural compounds and their molecular targets, paving the way for innovative drug development. This research demonstrates how modern analytical approaches can revitalize traditional Chinese medicine by translating its natural products into scientifically validated therapeutic agents. The findings were published in Nature Communications under the title “Tetrandrine regulates NAADP-mediated calcium signaling through a LIMP-2-dependent and sphingosine-mediated mechanism.” More details: https://www.polyu.edu.hk/media/media-releases/2025/1008_polyu-researchers-uncover-target-and-mechanism-of-chinese-medicine-extract-tetrandrine/

ABCT Students Win Grand Prize at PolyU International Future Challenge Hong Kong Region

ABCT Students Win Grand Prize at PolyU International Future Challenge Hong Kong Region The Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology (ABCT) is delighted to congratulate our student team for winning the Grand Prize (Student Track) at the PolyU International Future Challenge Hong Kong Region. This prestigious award recognises their outstanding project, “Sprayable biomimetic double mask for anti-scar wound healing.” The team’s innovative solution, Sprayable Biomimetic Double Masks (BDMs), offers a novel approach to wound care by closely mimicking the natural healing process to prevent excessive scarring. Through rapid autophasing and hierarchical programming, BDMs form a bi-layered structure that resembles human skin. The top hydrophobic layer (PGLADMA) acts as a protective scab, while the bottom hydrophilic layer (GelMA) ensures tissue adhesion and elasticity. This dual-layer system enhances haemostasis, angiogenesis, and tissue regeneration, accelerating healing and minimising scarring. The Department of ABCT congratulates the team on their remarkable achievement and wishes them continued success in their research and innovation journey.

Faculty Awards for Outstanding Achievement 2025

Faculty Awards for Outstanding Achievement 2025 The Faculty Awards for Outstanding Achievement 2025 acknowledge the exceptional accomplishments of our faculty members in the areas of teaching, research and scholarly activities, and knowledge transfer. We are thrilled that the Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology (ABCT) has been honored with this prestigious award, recognizing our team's dedication and outstanding contributions! Faculty Awards:  (Category: Research and Scholarly Activities - Individual) Prof. Zhao Xin, Professor, ABCT Professor Zhao Xin advances biomaterials, tissue engineering, drug delivery, microfluidics, and cell microenvironment design, creating light-curable polymers, curvature-programmed TPMS bone scaffolds, and sprayable/microneedle dressings to improve bone repair, minimise scarring in wound healing, and enhance tissue regeneration. Testimony from Prof Zhao Xin: "I am deeply honoured to receive the prestigious Individual Award in the category of Research and Scholarly Activities, which recognises the collective effort of my team, collaborators, and clinical partners. This achievement inspires us to continue developing nature-inspired, clinically driven biomaterials that can be translated into solutions improving patient outcomes.”   Faculty Awards:  (Category: Knowledge Transfer: Industry) Prof. Zheng Zijian, Chair Professor, ABCT Current collectors (CCs) are essential components but inert materials in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Prof. Zheng’s team develops an ultralight and ultrathin composite CCs, based on metal coated carbon nanotube films, to replace pure metal CCs used nowadays. LIBs utilizing these composite CCs exhibit a 20~25% increase in gravimetric energy density and a 9~12% increase in volumetric energy density. Prof. Zheng received the funding support from RAISe+ and a startup company is setup to scaleup and commercialize this technology.     Testimony from Prof. Zheng Zijian: “The development and commercialization of ultralight and ultrathin composite current collectors for high-energy-density lithium-ion batteries”   Faculty Awards in Teaching: (Category: Team) Prof. LEE Kin-wah, Terence, Associate Head & Professor, ABCT (Team Leader) Prof. WONG Tsun-ting, Clarence, Assistant Professor, ABCT Prof. MU Quanhua, Assistant Professor, ABCT Dr CHEUNG Ching-mei, Chartia, Lecturer, ABCT Dr YAN Sau-woon, Clare, Lecturer, ABCT Dr WONG Wai-ting, Instructor, ABCT Our innovative teaching team at PolyU transformed education by integrating hands-on research experiences into student projects focused on global health issues. By collaborating with NGOs and experts in clinical oncology, we developed a scaffolded learning model that empowered students to become creative problem solvers addressing real-world social needs. This impactful approach not only elevated passive learners into active innovators but also garnered international recognition, culminating in a Gold Medal and placing us among the top 10 global institutions. Our commitment to excellence and impactful education is now being formalized into a dedicated teaching subject, ensuring that even more students can benefit from this transformative experience. This outstanding integration of research, collaboration, and real-world application was key to our receipt of the prestigious team-teaching award. Testimony from Prof. Terence Lee (on behalf of the team): “On behalf of our team, we are deeply honored to receive this prestigious recognition from the faculty for our two years of collaboration. The initiation and execution of this teaching innovation have presented significant challenges, but the rewards are immeasurable as we witness the remarkable intellectual growth of our students throughout the process. We would also like to express our sincere gratitude to Prof. Larry Chow for his unwavering support of this teaching initiative.”  

Polyu Discovers Two Nano Extra-Large-Pore Zeolite Catalysts Using Advanced Materials Development Strategy

Zeolites with crystalline porous structures are the core catalysts in petroleum refining and fine chemical industries. However, current industrial zeolites are large crystal bulk and have small micropores, limiting their applications for decades in the efficient processing of large molecules. Nano extra-large-pore zeolites are the ideal solution to this end but are rather challenging to develop. Now, researchers of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) have pioneered an effective strategy to accelerate the discovery of such zeolites, advancing not only fundamental zeolite sciences but also industrial catalysis. The effective phase identification and structure determination pose a major obstacle to the development of all new materials. Dr. LIN Cong, Research Assistant Professor of the Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology at PolyU, and his research team worked with collaborators from Nanjing University and Research Institute of Petroleum Processing at SINOPEC, and have developed a universally feasible strategy to overcome this critical challenge. By integrating state-of-the-art microcrystal electron diffraction (MicroED) with combinatorial chemistry, they achieved high-throughput screening and efficient synthesis optimization to accelerate the development of nano extra-large-pore zeolites. The findings have been published in the international journal Science. The researchers first tested a wide range of compositions for zeolite synthesis and characterized the resultants in parallel using a combinatorial approach. Then, with high-throughput MicroED, they completed rapid phase elucidation and structure determination within multiphase polycrystalline samples, enabling efficient screening of new zeolites. Based on the results, synthetic parameters were pertinently optimized towards pure zeolites. Benefiting from this powerful strategy, two nano extra-large-pore zeolites were developed. The two new zeolites both exhibit nano morphologies, i.e., ultra-thin nanosheets or nanorods, which significantly shortens the diffusion lengths of large molecules and improves accessibility to active catalytic sites. More importantly, they feature complex, three-dimensional, and interconnected pore structures, with the main extra-large 22-membered-ring pores far exceeding most existing zeolites in pore sizes, offering ample space to further the diffusion and conversion of large molecules. In fluid catalytic cracking of heavy oil composed of large molecules, the two zeolites demonstrate superior performance over industrial counterparts, with higher heavy-oil conversion, higher yields of high-value fuels (i.e., gasoline and diesel, accounting for over 50% of total products), and less coking. These catalytic capabilities underscore the potential of these two zeolites as efficient heterogeneous catalysts. This study marks a significant breakthrough in zeolite sciences, helping overcome the long-standing barriers in zeolite development while unlocking the potential of nano extra-large-pore zeolites in industrial catalysis. The proposed strategy with advanced MicroED also opens up new avenues for the development and in-depth structural understanding of new materials. Dr. Lin said, “Our work will motivate continued innovation and advancement in new materials discovery, not limited to zeolites. We are also confident that leveraging our effective strategy, more nano extra-large-pore zeolites characterized by complex structures and catalytic activity will be rapidly developed.” Moving forward, the research team will continue working on the fundamental explorations of new zeolites and their potential in catalysis. Furthermore, with the extensive networks and research strengths of the PolyU-Daya Bay Technology and Innovation Research Institute, the team will also seek collaborations with domestic petrochemical industries to accelerate the commercialization of these new zeolites.

PolyU Secures HK$32.4 Million RGC Funding for Next-Generation Cancer Immunotherapy Platform: Pioneering PIN-Vax Research

PolyU has received funding support from the Research Grants Council (RGC)’s Strategic Topics Grant (STG) 2025/26 for a multidisciplinary biomedical project. The project aims to develop an integrated technology platform for next-generation cancer immunotherapy. Led by Prof. ZHAO Yanxiang—Associate Head and Professor of PolyU’s Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology (ABCT)—this pioneering research addresses some of the most pressing challenges in cancer treatment and has been awarded HK$32.4 million in RGC funding. Prof. ZHAO Yanxiang’s team proposes building an integrated technological platform to develop Peptide-based Immunogenic Neoantigen Vaccines (PIN-Vax). This initiative will target cancer types that currently show a limited response to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) and chimeric antigen receptor-T cell therapy (CAR-T). The long-term goal is to transform this platform into an innovative engine for next-generation cancer immunotherapy, ultimately benefiting cancer patients. For more details, please refer to https://polyu.me/44Qq8F7.

ABCT PhD Student Receives Best Paper Award at PolyU Research Student Conference (PRSC 2025)

Congratulations to Muliawan Gregory Kenneth, a PhD student under the supervision of Prof. Terence Lee in the Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology (ABCT), for receiving the Best Paper Award at the PolyU Research Student Conference (PRSC 2025). This prestigious accolade recognizes his paper as the best among all top submissions this year. Kenneth's research focuses on identifying therapeutic targets to combat treatment resistance in liver cancer, a deadly disease often diagnosed at advanced stages with poor prognosis. His work also enhances our understanding of the failures of current targeted therapies and immunotherapies for this challenging condition. Notably, his research team has developed a novel neutralizing antibody that shows promising results in pre-clinical settings. The PRSC is the flagship research conference for postgraduate students, providing an invaluable platform for RPg students and members of the College of Undergraduate Researchers and Innovators (CURI) at PolyU to present their research findings. It also fosters networking opportunities among students from various disciplines, contributing to a collaborative and supportive research community at PolyU. The Department of ABCT congratulates Kenneth and his supervisor on their outstanding achievements and wishes them continued success.