News

Congratulations to Prof. Lei SUN on being awarded the fellowship under the Research Grants Council’s (RGC) Senior Research Fellow Scheme (SRFS) 2025/26

Congratulations to Prof. Lei SUN on being awarded the fellowship under the Research Grants Council’s (RGC) Senior Research Fellow Scheme (SRFS) 2025/26, in recognition of his outstanding research achievements in the field of biomedical engineering. SRFS aims to provide sustained support to exceptionally outstanding researchers at the University Grants Committee-funded universities in Hong Kong. In each round of the yearly exercise, SRFS provides ten places encompassing all academic disciplines. As one of the ten SRFS awardees, Prof. Lei SUN led the SRFS project “Development of sonogenetics for non-human primates”, which is aimed at developing a new version of sonogenetics specifically for non-human primates and to investigate its performance in terms of cellular specificity, spatial accuracy and penetration capability. This non-invasive method for modulating specific brain regions has the potential to open a new dimension for ultrasound stimulation, offering a ground-breaking and critical approach to non-invasive, precise brain stimulation with deep brain penetration. This new sonogentics may lead to the dissection of global neural network connections, a better understanding of the circuits underlying neurological and psychiatric disorders, and ultimately serve as a valuable therapeutic tool. Congratulations once again to Prof. SUN on his exceptional research achievement!

The 6th Focused Ultrasound Neuromodulation (FUN25) Conference

Presented by iTRUSST and hosted by PolyU BME, the 6th Focused Ultrasound Neuromodulation (FUN25) Conference cultivates the exchange of ideas within the field of Transcranial Ultrasound Stimulation (TUS)   The 6th Focused Ultrasound Neuromodulation (FUN25) Conference took place on 9-11 July, 2025 at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU). Presented by the International Transcranial Ultrasonic Stimulation Safety and Standards Consortium (iTRUSST), hosted by the Department of Biomedical Engineering of The Hong Kong Polytechnic Univeristy (PolyU BME), and co-hosted by the Research Institute for Smart Ageing (RISA) of PolyU and Zhuhai Society for Neuroscience, FUN25 showcased the latest research on Transcranial Ultrasound Stimulation (TUS) through inspiring talks and poster presentations, engaging discussions and education workshops, as well as dynamic industry exhibitions.   The three-day conference commenced with an opening ceremony, featuring an opening speech by Prof. Lei SUN, General Chair of FUN25 and Professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering (photo 1), followed by a welcome address from Ir Prof. Ming ZHANG, Head of the Department of Biomedical Engineering (photo 2), and Prof. Kim Butts PAULY from Stanford University (photo 3).  (Photo 1)  (Photo 2)  (Photo 3)   The program was packed with plenary, invited, and short talks delivered by distinguished speakers from around the globe. The conference was held in a hybrid format to ensure broad participation, allowing those passionate about exploring and advancing ultrasound neuromodulation to join virtually if they could not attend in person. (From top to bottom on the left: Plenary Talks by Prof. Hairong ZHENG via online, Prof. Elisa E. KONOFAGOU, Prof. Elsa FOURAGNAN and Prof. Jean-François AUBRY; from top to bottom on the right: Plenary Talks by Prof. Robert CHEN, Prof. Jürgen Götz and Prof. Kullervo HYNYNEN, and delegates listen attentively at the scientific sessions)   In addition to the scientific sessions, FUN25 included poster presentations and a poster pitch competition, exhibitions by commercial stakeholders and sponsors, as well as educational sessions, providing a comprehensive platform for knowledge exchange and collaboration. (Delegates engage in lively discussions and present their research findings during the poster sessions) (Delegates connect with sponsors to explore the latest commercial advancements and innovations of TUS)   The conference recognized and encouraged outstanding research with Best Poster Awards presented during the Poster Pitch session. At the closing ceremony, Prof. Lei Sun reflected on the enthusiastic participation and collaborative spirit at FUN25. The scientific sessions were then formally concluded with insightful closing remarks from Prof. Lennart Verhagen of Radboud University and Prof. Jean-François Aubry of France’s National Center for Scientific Research.   To conclude FUN25, the conference saw robust participation, with 161 delegates attending the scientific sessions and 22 joining the educational sessions. The conference also welcomed 23 online participants. 107 delegates were from Asia, highlighting the region’s active engagement and indicating that the research in ultrasound neuromodulation is thriving across the globe. Additionally, 15 sponsored exhibition booths showcased the latest commercial advancements in TUS, with 48 representatives engaging with attendees throughout the conference.   🙏 Thank you for all the speakers, presenters, sponsors and delegates who made this event unforgettable. Let's continue shaping the future of ultrasound neuromodulation with our passion and dedication!

Call for Nomination: Outstanding Alumni Award of PolyU Department of Biomedical Engineering 2025

The Department of Biomedical Engineering (BME) is now calling for nominations for the Outstanding Alumni Award of PolyU Department of Biomedical Engineering until 25 July 2025, 11:59pm HKT. The Outstanding PolyU Alumni Award (OPAA) is organised at three levels: Department level, Faculty/ School level and University level. The Departmental OPAA aims to give public recognition to outstanding BME graduates to recognise their diverse accomplishments and contributions. The departmental awardees will be nominated to the Faculty Award. All Faculty awardees will be considered for the University Award.   Award Categories and Selection Criteria In addition to honouring distinguished graduates for their distinction in their chosen fields, the Award recognises the alumni’s active support to their alma mater. Support and Contribution to PolyU is one of the key selection criteria at all levels. Three specific areas of achievement would be given recognition: Professional Achievement Recognises alumni who have attained distinguished achievements, demonstrated exemplary leadership, and made a strong impact on their profession/ industry/ society. Entrepreneurial Achievement Recognizes alumni who have demonstrated outstanding innovation and entrepreneurship, as well as founded or advanced business or technology ventures with impact. Scholarly Achievement Recognises alumni scholars who have made notable scholarly or research contributions in their disciplines, with proven track record and excellent reputation in the field. Outstanding Young Alumni Award is introduced for alumni at/under the age of 40. Notes: The bestowal of the award shall subject to individual merits of the candidates. No award shall be given out in a certain category if no suitable candidate is identified.   Eligibility The nominated candidate must be graduate who has successfully completed full-time or part-time programme offered by PolyU (or its forerunners: Hong Kong Government Trade School, Hong Kong Technical College, and Hong Kong Polytechnic) which led to academic award accredited by the respective Institution. The proposer can be PolyU graduate, Honorary Graduate, University Fellow, PolyU staff, PolyU Council and Court member and Advisory Committee member. There is no limit to the number of nominations to be submitted by each proposer. However, the proposer cannot be the candidate himself / herself.   Nomination and Selection Schedule The Department of Biomedical Engineering (BME) is now inviting nominations for the Outstanding Alumni Award of PolyU Department (BME). Please download the Nomination Form and return it to bme.info@polyu.edu.hk with all required supplementary documents on or before 25 July 2025, 11:59pm HKT. Selection for Department Award will be conducted in August 2025.   Selection Committee Selection Committee of the University will examine the nominations and assess candidates’ qualifications and performance for the awards.   Confidentiality All information submitted on this nomination form will be kept strictly confidential and will only be used by the Selection Committee for the purpose of the selection process.  The candidate will not be contacted by the OPAA Secretariat until he/she is selected as the awardee of the Outstanding PolyU Alumni Award.   Enquiries Department of Biomedical Engineering The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Hung Hom, Kowloon Email:  bme.info@polyu.edu.hk Tel:      3400 8893

Congratulations to Prof. Elmer KER on receiving the Second Prize of the European Orthopaedic Research Society (EORS) 2025 Aesculap Awards

Congratulations to Prof. Elmer KER on receiving the Second Prize of the European Orthopaedic Research Society (EORS) 2025 Aesculap Awards for his outstanding Implant-related Research in Biomechanics and Biomaterials!

IEEE EMBS R10 Smart Health Symposium 2025

As the curtains close on an inspiring 💡 and innovation-filled symposium, we reflect on the incredible energy, collaboration, and breakthroughs shared at the IEEE EMBS R10 Smart Health Symposium 2025 that took place on 21-22 June 2025. From pioneering research to engaging presentations, the Symposium showcased the best of smart health and biomedical engineering. 🙏 Thank you for all the speakers, presenters, organisers and attendees who made this event unforgettable. Your passion is driving the future of healthcare. See you next time!

Congratulations to Dr Man Ting AU on receiving the PolyU Young Innovative Researcher Award (YIRA) 2025

Congratulations to Dr Man Ting AU on receiving the PolyU Young Innovative Researcher Award (YIRA) 2025! This prestigious university-level award honors young faculty members who have demonstrated originality, contributed to technological advancement, and propelled transformational innovation into solutions addressing global challenges through their research. As one of the six exceptional individuals selected by the Assessment Panel, Dr AU has demonstrated a remarkable dedication to advancing knowledge and making a positive impact on society, with her research focused on Revitalising Joints – In situ Chondrocyte-specific Endothelial Receptor-targeted CAR Tregs for Osteoarthritis Treatment. Congratulations once again to Dr AU for her excellent research endeavors!

2025 Biomedical Engineering Day and Alumni Homecoming

The Department of Biomedical Engineering at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) hosted the 2025 Biomedical Engineering Day & Alumni Homecoming on 29 March 2025 (Saturday), welcoming BME students and alumni, staff and industry partners to a day filled with insightful discussions, innovative showcases, and community engagement. The event commenced with a motivating opening ceremony led by Ir Professor Ming ZHANG, Head of Department and Chair Professor of Biomechanics. In his opening address, Professor ZHANG emphasized the department's commitment to fostering innovation and collaboration within the biomedical engineering field, and shared some recent updates of the Department. A highlight of the ceremony was the award presentations, where distinguished individuals were recognized for their achievements. Mr Chapman LEE, Director of Imsight Technology Co. Ltd., received the 2024 Outstanding Alumni Award in Entrepreneurial Achievement. Additionally, recipients of the 2024/25 BME Entrance Scholarship for Taught Postgraduate Students, the 2024 Distinguished Publication Awards, and the 2024 Rising Researcher Awards were honoured. (Top left) Mr Benjamin CHAN, Chairman of the Departmental Advisory Committee and Managing Director at MediConcepts Limited (left) and Ir Prof. Ming ZHANG, Head of Department of Biomedical Engineering and Chair Professor of Biomechanics (right) presenting the 2024 Outstanding Alumni Award in Entrepreneurial Achievement to Mr Chapman LEE, Director of Imsight Technology Co. Ltd (middle) for his exceptional innovation and support for the BME community. (Top right) Prof. Youhua TAN, Associate Professor, presenting 2024/25 BME Entrance Scholarship for Taught Postgraduate Students to the awardees. (Bottom left & right) Prof. Mo YANG, Associate Head (Research) and Chair Professor of Precision Theranostics, presenting the 2024 Distinguished Publication Awards and the 2024 Rising Researcher Awards to the awardees.   Another highlight of the ceremony was Ir Professor Yongping ZHENG's announcement of the newly established BME Entrepreneurs Club (BMEEC). This new initiative is dedicated to nurturing entrepreneurial spirit within the BME community, with its mission to support start-ups towards success and share entrepreneurship stories. The Club's launch was met with enthusiasm, marking a new chapter in the department's efforts to bridge academia and industry.   To echo the opening addresses by Ir Professor ZHANG and Ir Professor ZHENG, the event continued with an entrepreneurial talk by Mr Chapman LEE. This enlightening talk focused on embracing the changes in the AI era and driving AI into real practice, providing attendees with valuable perspectives on navigating the evolving technological landscape.   The afternoon was filled with a variety of activities, showcasing the latest technology transfers and innovations in BME. Participants had the opportunity to register for free body screenings – foot, knee, liver, and spine scans – allowing them to experience firsthand how innovations are applied in real-life practices. A tour offered a dive into the state-of-the-art facilities of the BME laboratories, while a STEM class aimed at cultivating innovative mindsets among young attendees. The demonstrations of prosthetics and orthotics, featuring showcases of P&O equipment from Exoskeletons and Ottobock, were made possible through the contributions of our Biomedical Engineering alumni, who have continued to innovate and excel in the field after graduation. The Department also invited Mr Shun and Mr Fung to demonstrate the real-life use of sports prostheses. Mr Fung shared his inspiring story of how these technologies have significantly enhanced his quality of life, allowing him to enjoy running.     The event concluded with a BME community-engaging activity, the Taichi-run competition, where participants celebrated fitness together through this heart-rate regulating sport. Year 4 BME undergraduate student Mr Alex Tran, who is currently an athlete on PolyU's Sports Team, kicked off the Taichi-run by leading the runners in stretching and warm-up exercises.   The 2025 Biomedical Engineering Day & Alumni Homecoming successfully achieved its goal of engaging the BME community, providing a means for networking, learning and collaboration. The department looks forward to continuing its tradition of excellence and innovation in the years to come.

Professor Mo YANG promoted to Chair Professor

Congratulations to Professor Mo YANG on his promotion to Chair Professor on 1 February 2025. Prof. YANG is Chair Professor of Precision Theranostics at the Department of Biomedical Engineering (BME), The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. He is also Associate Head (Research) of Department of BME, as well as Director of Joint Research Center for Biosensing and Precision Theranostics. Prof. YANG’s research focuses on microfluidic device for biosensing, and nanomaterials based bioprobes for bioimaging, biosensing and precision theranostics.

Reunion of the former staff of Jockey Club Rehabilitation Engineering Centre. Welcome back!

The former staff of Jockey Club Rehabilitation Engineering Centre (JCREC 1987-2005) had a reunion at BME on 25 January 2025, warmly welcomed by Ir Prof. Ming ZHANG and Ir Prof. Yongping ZHENG. Welcome back!

JOIN US at the PolyU Biomedical Engineering Day and Alumni Homecoming on 29 March 2025! Register now!

We are thrilled to invite you and your family to the PolyU Biomedical Engineering Day and Alumni Homecoming on 29 March 2025 (Saturday) from 10.00am to 4.00pm at PolyU campus!   Lots of activities and celebrations await you and your friends and family! FREE body scans: register for a health check-up for you and your loved ones Award ceremony: celebrate the achievements of our Outstanding Alumni, Research Staff, and Outstanding Students across Research, Master, and Bachelor programmes Entrepreneurial talk: gain insights from Mr Chapman Lee, our 2024 Outstanding Alumni Awardee and Director of Imsight Technology Co. Limited, as he shares his entrepreneurial journey Inauguration of BME’s new laboratories: be part of the unveiling of our state-of-the-art facilities that will drive future innovations And there’ll be MUCH MORE on the Day!   We warmly welcome all our BME graduates*, current students*, staff, and former staff to join us for this exciting day.   Please complete the registration form  (https://polyu.hk/YvSQe, or scan the below QR code) on or before 7 March 2025. Kindly share this exciting news with your BME member, and we look forward to seeing you there!   * including Prosthetics & Orthotics, Health Technology and Biomedical Engineering-related BSc, MSc, MPhil, PhD and other graduates from Jockey Club Rehabilitation Engineering Centre (1987-2005), Department of Health Technology and Informatics (2005-2012), Interdisciplinary Division of Biomedical Engineering (2012-2017) and Department of Biomedical Engineering (2017-2024)