Academic and Teaching Staff

Prof. Christina Zong-Hao Ma is an Assistant Professor, a Certified Prosthetist and Orthotist (CPO, ISPO Category I), and a Certified Rehabilitation Therapist (CRT) at Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU BME).

Prof. Ma received her BSc degree in Prosthetics and Orthotics (P&O) from West China School of Medicine, Sichuan University in 2012. She worked as a Certified Prosthetist and Orthotist (specialized in Pediatric Rehabilitation, permanent employment) and a Clinical Instructor at China Rehabilitation Research Center from 2012 to 2013. She pursued further study at Faculty of Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, and obtained her PhD degree in Prosthetics, Orthotics and Rehabilitation Engineering in 2018. She spent about six months as a Visiting Research Scholar in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Michigan - Ann Arbor, the United States, in 2017. From 2018 to 2020, she served as a Lecturer (in P&O) and was then promoted to Assistant Professor (permanent position), at Department of Rehabilitation, Jönköping University, Sweden. She jointed PolyU BME as an Assistant Professor in July 2020.

Prof. Ma’s research is focused on:

• investigating the mechanism of human posture and motion control;
• promoting physical activity and active health; and
• developing solutions for improving balance and preventing falls in older/disabled people

To address these challenges, Prof. Ma and her team have designed, developed, evaluated, and implemented a series of smart wearable assistive technologies/devices that could monitor the postural balance, walking pattern, and muscle contraction performance; and then provide some real-time corresponding biofeedback/reminders to users for necessary motion adjustments. Such devices can not only act as balance/motion aids in daily life, but also facilitate remote community-/residential-based trainings. Her research outcomes can benefit older people living at home or residential care facilities, stroke survivors, fitness trainers/trainees, and amputees, etc.

As a CPO and CRT who used to work in hospitals and rehabilitation centers, Prof. Ma is well-aware of how physical disability could significantly affect the quality of life of older people and disabled persons, and their families. This is why Prof. Ma has a genuine interest in promoting these persons’ quality of life with innovative research and development. Prof. Ma's multidisciplinary academic background in Healthcare and Engineering and her Clinical experience enabled her to employ various interdisciplinary approaches such as Biomechanics, Electronics, Rehabilitation, Biomedical Ultrasound Imaging, Smart Wearable Technology, and AI to achieve her research goals. Prof. Ma’s research has been supported by various funding agencies, including National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC), Hong Kong Research Grant Council (RGC), Hong Kong Health Bureau - Health and Medical Research Fund (HMRF) Research Fellowship Scheme, and Chinese Association of Rehabilitation Medicine.

• PhD in Prosthetics, Orthotics and Rehabilitation Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong SAR, December 2013 - December 2017 (Awarded in September 2018)
• BSc in Prosthetics and Orthotics, West China School of Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China, September 2008 - June 2012

• Certified Rehabilitation Therapist (CRT), National Health and Family Planning Commission (currently National Health Commission), China, May 2013
• Certified Prosthetist and Orthotist (CPO, ISPO Category I), International Society for Prosthetics and Orthotics (ISPO), June 2012

• Assistant Professor (Lab in-charge: Smart Ageing and Active Health Lab), PolyU BME, Hong Kong SAR, July 2020 – now
• Visiting Research Scientist, Rehabilitation Research Institute of Singapore (RRIS), Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, June 2026 – now
• Research Seminar Coordinator, PolyU BME, Hong Kong SAR, January 2025 – now
• Engineering Doctorate (EngD) Programme Leader, PolyU BME, Hong Kong SAR, September 2023 – August 2024
• Residential Fellow, College of Undergraduate Researchers and Innovators (CURI) Residential College (RC), PolyU, Hong Kong SAR, August 2021 – August 2022
• Assistant Professor (Universitetslektor, permanent position), Department of Rehabilitation, Jönköping University, Jönköping, Sweden, April 2020 – June 2020
• Lecturer in Prosthetics and Orthotics (Universitetsadjunkt, 1-year teaching position), Department of Rehabilitation, Jönköping University, Jönköping, Sweden, December 2018 – March 2020
• Postdoctoral Research Associate in Biomedical Ultrasound Imaging, Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong SAR, December 2017 – November 2018
• Visiting Research Scholar in Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA, June 2017 – December 2017
• Certified Prosthetist & Orthotist / Clinical Instructor (specialized in Pediatric Rehabilitation, permanent employment), Prosthetic and Orthotic Center, China Rehabilitation Research Center, Beijing, China, July 2012 – December 2013
• Intern Prosthetist, Prosthetic and Orthotic Center, Sichuan Rehabilitation Center, Chengdu, China, January 2012 – June 2012
• Intern Orthotist, Prosthetic and Orthotic Center, West China Hospital, Chengdu, China, July 2011 – December 2011