Media Releases

Professor Jin-Guang Teng appointed as the next PolyU President

The Council of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) today announced the appointment of Professor Jin-Guang Teng, currently a Vice-President, Dean of Graduate School and Chair Professor of Southern University of Science and Technology, as its new President with effect from 1 July 2019. Joining PolyU in 1994, Professor Teng has a long association with the University. The University started the global search for a new President upon confirming that the former President Professor Timothy W. Tong would retire by the end of December 2018. A Search Committee chaired by Council Chairman was formed last February, with representatives from the Council and staff members, and a headhunter has been engaged to support the exercise. After rounds of selection and deliberations, the Search Committee resolved to recommend Professor Teng to be the next PolyU President. Professor Teng today attended two sharing sessions, with colleagues and students respectively, to articulate his vision for the University and to answer their questions. The appointment was approved by the Council at its meeting in the afternoon today. Professor Teng considers the appointment a great honour for him and is well aware of the huge responsibilities of and the demanding expectations for the post. He looks forward to contributing to the University on multiple fronts. He pledges to work closely with various stakeholders of the University to turn its education and research vision into reality. In addition to providing the best holistic education for students and supporting colleagues to realise their potentials, Professor Teng will strive to enhance the academic standing and the impact of PolyU in Hong Kong and the world. He will also ensure that the University will be a world leader for a significant number of disciplines and will develop strong education and research programmes in emerging areas such as robotics and artificial intelligence. Establishing a foothold in the Greater Bay Area (GBA) will be one of the University's focuses. He said, "With the various opportunities brought about by the development of the Greater Bay Area, Hong Kong's higher education sector is keen to establish its foothold there. I am committed to making PolyU a key player in this cause, setting examples of how education and research collaborations between institutions of Hong Kong and other GBA cities can best serve the long-term interest of the Area." Born in Wenzhou, China, Professor Teng received his BEng Degree from Zhejiang University in 1983. He pursued further study in Australia and received his PhD Degree from the University of Sydney in 1990. He spent about two years as a visiting PhD student and then a researcher at the University of Edinburgh, UK, from 1989 to 1991. From 1991 to 1994, he served as a Lecturer and then a Senior Lecturer at James Cook University of North Queensland. He joined the then Hong Kong Polytechnic as Lecturer in the Department of Civil and Structural Engineering in October 1994 and rose through the ranks at PolyU to become a Chair Professor in January 2005. He has served in various academic leadership roles at PolyU over the years, including Associate Dean of Faculty of Construction and Land Use (October 2005 – August 2006), Associate Vice President (September 2006 – June 2010), Dean of Faculty of Construction and Land Use/Faculty of Construction and Environment (September 2007 – June 2013) and Director of Research Institute for Sustainable Urban Development (January 2012 – June 2018).   A well-accomplished and distinguished scholar in the field of structural engineering, Professor Teng has authored/co-authored one book and over 210 SCI journal papers. His publications have been widely cited by researchers around the world, and many of his research findings have been adopted by relevant design codes/guidelines in China, Australia, Europe, the United Kingdom and the United States. His outstanding academic achievements have earned him numerous accolades, local and overseas. He was elected in 2017 as Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, which is the highest academic title in the field of science and technology in China, Corresponding Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 2015, and Fellow of the Hong Kong Academy of Engineering Sciences in 2013. He won the State Natural Science Award of China (Second Class) in 2013 and Distinguished Young Scholar Award from the National Natural Science Foundation of China in 2004. At PolyU, he was the recipient of The President's Award for Excellent Performance /Achievement (Research and Scholarly Activities) in 2015.     Council Chairman Dr Lam Tai-fai said, "The Council is delighted to have Professor Teng to be PolyU's next President. We are confident that Professor Teng, with his outstanding academic standing, effective leadership and management abilities, and his good understanding of PolyU, the local and the Mainland environments, in particular, the higher education sector, will be able to set a clear and viable vision for PolyU's future development and steer the University to scale new heights."

PolyU stages Intimate Fashion Show 2019

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) showcased the creativity and talents of 12 graduating students at the PolyU Intimate Fashion Show held earlier at the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal, Kowloon Bay. The 12 collections of three outfits put on show on 20 March were designed and produced by the students majoring in Intimate Apparel and Activewear under the University's Institute of Textiles and Clothing (ITC), with raw materials sponsored by intimate apparel manufacturers and suppliers. The venue of the Show was also provided free by the Interfiliere Hong Kong. Four renowned figures in the design and fashion industry also formed a panel of judges to shortlist six finalists who were awarded the opportunity to showcase the full set of their design collections at the PolyU Fashion Show scheduled in June this year. The panel of judges includes: Ms Jos Berry, Founder and Creative Director of Concept Paris; Ms Mon Leung, Head of Creation of Pioneer Elastic; Mr Walter Ma, renowned fashion designer and Vice Chairman of Hong Kong Fashion Designer Association; and Ms Anne Mok, President of Luen Thai Holdings. Prof. Wing-tak Wong, Dean of Faculty of Applied Science and Textiles, PolyU, expressed his gratitude to the industry for its generous support to the Show which enhanced the diversity of students' learning experience. Prof. Jintu Fan, Chair Professor and Head of ITC, remarked that the students' innovation, talent and passion for intimate apparel and activewear design were manifested in the fashion show. Ms Angie Lau, Chairman of Hong Kong Intimate Apparel Industries' Association and the CEO of Clover Group International Limited, stressed that HKIAIA would continue to support and nurture the younger generation for the continuous development of the industry.

第一屆粵港澳大灣區磁浮列車與先進軌道交通發展研討會 (only Chinese version available)

Only Chinese version available

PolyU Alumni make contributions to the Country PolyU forum in celebration of the 40th Anniversary of China’s Reform and Opening-up

The Faculty of Business at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) today hosted a forum on the “Contributions of PolyU Alumni to the Country” to commemorate the 40th anniversary of China’s reform and opening-up. The forum was well attended by about 250 PolyU alumni as well as business elites, community leaders, and professionals from different sectors. Officiating at the opening of the forum were Mr JIANG Jianxiang, Deputy Director General, Department of Educational, Scientific and Technological Affairs, Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; Dr LAM Tai-fai, Council Chairman of PolyU; and Professor Philip C. H. CHAN, Interim President of PolyU. Sir Gordon WU, former Council Chairman of PolyU cum Co-founder and Chairman of Hopewell Holdings Ltd., shared his insights on “1978-2018 Open Door and Reform – Economic Miracle” in his keynote speech. Addressing at the opening ceremony, Dr Lam Tai-fai said throughout its over eighty-year of history in Hong Kong, PolyU has been the “witness”, “participant” and “beneficiary” of the country’s reform and opening-up. “The advancement of the initiatives for Belt and Road and the Greater Bay Area provides Hong Kong with invaluable opportunities for development. PolyU will continue to capitalise on our expertise and strengths, and complement with our Mainland partners, to work towards meeting the nation’s economic and societal needs.” Mr Jiang Jianxiangsaid the “Outline Development Plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area” promulgated by the Central Government has provided a clear direction about how Hong Kong could continuously participate in the nation’s development. Hong Kong has to consolidate and enhance its status as international financial, shipping and trade centres as well as international aviation hub; promote high value-added development in financial services, business and commerce, logistics and professional services; and robustly develop innovation and technology industry, and emerging industries. “PolyU has leading strengths in many of these spectra. I hope the University will continue to take important roles in this historical opportunity,” said Mr Jiang. With more than 400,000 alumni around the globe, PolyU has nurtured many distinguished leaders in all sectors including various professions, industry, business and community. Since 1997, PolyU has also provided programmes for professionals in the Mainland and have groomed about 10,000 graduates in the Mainland so far. At the forum today, a dozen of PolyU alumni or University Fellows, who are also community and business leaders, shared their experiences of participating in, and contributing towards, China’s developments over the past four decades. In the panel discussions, they deliberated on the implications of China’s reform for the world, the role of Hong Kong, as well as how to grasp the opportunities brought by the national developments and contribute Hong Kong’s edge in professional services. The panel discussion sessions were chaired by Dr Miranda LOU, Executive Vice President of PolyU, and Professor Haitian LU, Associate Dean (External Relations and Development) of PolyU Faculty of Business. The guest panelists included: Ms Fiona CHEUNG Sum-yu, Chairman of Forest Zone Limited Dr Edwin LEE, Founder, CEO and Responsible Officer of Bridgeway Prime Shop Fund Management Limited Ir Dr Hon LO Wai-kwok, Legislative Council Member of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Mr Henry NGAI, CFO of Banyan Tree China Mr Michael ROSS, Vice Chairman of Charoen Pokphand Group Sr Augustine WONG Ho Ming, Executive Director of Henderson Land Development Co. Ltd. Mr Jack CHAN, Managing Partner of Financial Services Greater China at Ernst & Young Dr Jacky CHEUNG, Chairman of Shinhint Group Ms Katie LEE, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of QCURE International Doctors Platform Mr Dickson SZETO, Chairman & CEO of Urban Revitalization Force Mr WAN Yixue, Deputy Director of United Front Work Department of CPC Central Committee (Anhui Province) and Director of Provincial Overseas Chinese Affairs Office Mr WANG Chunlin, Chairman of China League International Group Ltd.   *****END****

PolyU collaborates with RCA, the world’s top institute in Art and Design, To establish an AI powered Design Laboratory

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) and the Royal College of Art (RCA), United Kingdom, today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to confirm their intention to establish the PolyU|RCA Artificial Intelligence Design Laboratory (AIDL). The Laboratory will be the world’s first and leading research facility to advance the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into the design of products and service. Targeted to uncover knowledge and techniques related to design and scientific principles, new design process and innovative products, AIDL will address industry demands for efficiency, automation and customising products and services in the innovation and technology era. Its research deliverables will support industries including healthcare, manufacturing, hospitality and retail services. The Hon Mrs Carrie LAM CHENG Yuet-ngor, the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) attended the ceremony and witnessed the signing of MOU by Prof Philip C. H. CHAN, Interim President and Provost of PolyU and Dr Paul THOMPSON, Vice-Chancellor of RCA. Also joining the ceremony as witnesses were Dr LAM Tai-fai, Council Chairman of PolyU; Ir Prof Alex WAI, Vice President (Research Development); Dr Miranda Lou, Executive Vice President; Prof Naren BARFIELD, Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Provost of the RCA; Prof Juan Cruz, Dean of the School of Arts and Humanities and Ms. Helen PROTHEROE, Director of Development & Alumni Relations of RCA. Addressing in the ceremony, The Hon Mrs Carrie Lam, said, “The opportunity to witness this marriage of design and AI which belongs to the technology portfolio is extremely gratifying. I am sure that the collaborated team of PolyU and RCA will find in Hong Kong  the appeal of time-tested legal system, robust intellectual property protection, strong financial sector, and the support for commercialisation of R and D results, as well as the distinctive east meets west culture which sparks creative inspiration.” Prof Philip C. H. Chan said, “I am confident that this Laboratory will bring together the strengths of both institutions to lead the world in this new design paradigm, contributing to the innovation and technology development in Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area.”   “Founded 182 years ago, in response to the first industrial revolution, the Royal College of Art (RCA) today stands at the turn of the fourth revolution. The world will witness breakthroughs across design and technology including artificial intelligence – where art and design will meet.  As the world’s number one art and design university, we have built our capacity to work across disciplines, combining our art and design research expertise with insights from science, technology and engineering. We are delighted to collaborate with The Hong Kong Polytechnic University to bring together unrivalled capabilities,” said Dr Paul Thompson Vice-Chancellor of RCA. PolyU will engage researchers and resources from various disciplines including Department of Applied Mathematics, Department of Computing, Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Institute of Textiles and Clothing, Department of Mechanical Engineering and School of Design to work together with RCA on a number of theme-based research. Among them, there will be empirical research in Affective Computing and Social Robots that could recognise and analyse human emotions. Other studies will include Intelligent Fashion Design; Intelligent Textile and Apparel Design and Manufacturing; innovating materials of the future that are extremely light, robust and able to detect human bio-metrics for fashion and wearables; creating automatic systems for ergonomic design and human modelling, and using regenerative approach in product design and material development for sustainability in the circular economy, etc. Committed to supporting the HKSAR Government’s InnoHK initiative in developing Hong Kong as the hub for global research collaborations, the two institutions has just submitted a proposal to the HKSAR Government under the AIR@InnoHK research cluster initiative.   *****END****

PolyU establishes an alliance with eight institutions in the Greater Bay Area to advance research in nursing

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with eight participating universities / institutions in the Greater Bay Area (GBA) to establish The Nursing Alliance of Research and Knowledge Transfer. The initiative aims to strengthen collaboration in nursing research and knowledge transfer among cities of the GBA in response to the national strategy for the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. The MoU was signed in Shenzhen in the Mainland by Prof Alex Molasiotis, Chair Professor of Nursing and Head of the School of Nursing, PolyU, and the eight representatives of other institutions, including: Dr Li Yanlian, Vice President, Macao Polytechnic Institute; Prof.Zhou Ying, Associate Dean of the School of Nursing, Guangzhou Medical University; Prof.June Zhang, Associate Dean of the School of Nursing, Sun Yat-Sen University; Prof. Zhang Lili, Dean of the School of Nursing, Southern Medical University; Prof. Chen Weiju, Secretary and Associate Dean of the School of Nursing,Director of the Nursing Department of the First Affiliated Hospital, Jinan University; Ms Mo Beirong, Vice President of the Nanshan District People's Hospital of Shenzhen; Prof. Wang Chunmei, Vice Director of Zhuhai Campus Management Committee, Zunyi Medical University; and Ms Zhang Li, Director of the Nursing Department, The First People's Hospital of Foshan.  "The signing of the MoU heralds a significant milestone in the collaboration in nursing development among Guangdong Province, Hong Kong and Macau," said Prof David Shum, Dean of Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, PolyU, at the ceremony. In the 3-year collaboration, the Alliance will actively promote nursing research cooperation, enhance the quality of care services, encourage sharing of information, resources, evidence-based nursing practice and research outcomes, as well as facilitate training of nursing personnel. "With our unique position as an international and a core city for driving regional development, Hong Kong and PolyU will grasp the opportunities to advance the discipline of nursing; develop inter-disciplinary, cross-institutional, as well as international collaborative research projects; and promote training and innovative services for the benefit of the people in the GBA, " said Prof Alex Molasiotis. The Alliance was selected as one of the top projects at the 2nd Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao GreaterBay Area Health Cooperation Conference held earlier. The honour was received by the representatives from PolyU, Sun Yat-Sen University and The Nanshan District People's Hospital of Shenzhen.

PolyU takes home the Championship of the "Most Supportive Group Award" at Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon for ten years in a row

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) today brings home the Championship of the "Most Supportive Group Award" at the Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon 2019 with a team of 3,000 runners, comprising of students, staff and alumni. This has been the tenth consecutive year for PolyU to seize the award since the University made its debut in 2009. Dr LAM Tai-fai, PolyU's Council Chairman, Professor Ben YOUNG, Vice President (Student Affairs), and Professor Alex WAI, Vice President (Research Development),received the trophy on behalf of the University at the Prize Presentation Ceremony held at Victoria Park today. Dr Lam thanked all runners, volunteers and sponsors for their enthusiastic support to the PolyU running team. "I am so delighted to see the perseverance and determination showcased by PolyU runners as well as the concerted efforts we put together to win the Championship of Most Supportive Group year after year," said Professor Young. The below PolyU athletes have won the following prizes this year: Winners Race Award Results Wong Wan-chun Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics, Alumnus Full Marathon Men's Senior 2nd Runner-up 2:29:33 Shuen Chun-kit Department of Building and Real Estate, Year-four student 10 KM Men's Senior Men's Overall   Champion   Champion   33:00 Lo Ying-chiu Department of Chinese and Bilingual Studies, Year-three student 10 KM Women's Senior   2ndRunner-up   38:18 More than 50 PolyU faculty members, physiotherapists and students from the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences were on duty at the Marathon providing immediate assistance to runners who need help during or after the race. The organising committee of the PolyU Running Team expressed sincere thanks to Acti-Tape, ADRIEN GAGNON, belif, Hong Kong Airlines, Hotel ICON, Hung Fook Tong, INGRID MILLET, Nike, SALONSIP, SWISS MISS, THE FACE SHOP and TURBOJET for their generous sponsorship for the team and the race.

PolyU-led research projects secure $27.8m funding from RGC to enhance the community’s health and well-being

Ten projects led by The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) have recently received funding support from the inaugurated Research Impact Fund (RIF) under the Research Grants Council (RGC). Among them, half of them are health-related, covering areas of drug development, detection of scoliosis, myopia control and food safety. This has rightly demonstrated not only the strong research capabilities of the University but also the contribution of its research to the well-being of the community. The funded health-related research projects include the followings: Project Project-in-charge Funding Amount (HK$ million) Development of a colistin/adjuvant antimicrobial regimen that exhibits low toxicity and high efficacy in combating multidrug-resistant bacterial pathogens Professor CHEN Sheng, Professor of Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, PolyU 6 Early Detection of progressive adolescent idiopathic scoliosis and optimization for non-surgical treatments using novel 3D ultrasound imaging Professor ZHENG Yongping, Head, Department of Biomedical Engineering and Henry G. Leong Professor in Biomedical Engineering, PolyU 8.4 Tackling grand challenges in food safety: a big data and IoT enabled approach Professor CAO Jiannong, Chair Professor of Distributed and Mobile Computing, Department of Computing, PolyU 5.4 Effective of bright light therapy, myopic defocus, atropine and the combinations for controlling myopic eye growth in schoolchildren: a randomized control trial Professor TO Chi-ho, Head, School of Optometry and Henry G. Leong Professor in Elderly Vision Health, PolyU 8 Total amount 27.8 Details of the research projects are listed in the Appendix. “Committed to conducting impactful research for the benefit of the community, PolyU has made healthcare and medical-related research one of our foci of research. From drug development, AI-powered medical images, predictive analytics and diagnosis, to surgical robotic systems and preventive medical intervention, we are leveraging our cross-disciplinary strength to come up with solutions to help prevent and treat illnesses as well as to enhance the health and well-being of the community,” said Ir Professor Alex Wai, Vice President (Research Development) of PolyU. The 10 PolyU projects funded by RIF received a total of HK$65 million, representing one-third in terms of both funding and number of projects of the RIF in 2018/19. Other than the health-related projects, the other projects are related to the development of smart city, transportation and marine reclamation.   *****END****

PolyU academics receive national awards in teaching and research

Three academics of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) have recently been honoured with national awards for their teaching and research excellence. Professor DING Xiao-li and Professor XIA Yong from the Faculty of Construction and Environment received the State Scientific and Technological Progress Award (Second Class Prize) and State Technological Invention Award (Second Class Prize) respectively from the State Council while Dr Shirley NGAI from the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences was awarded the 2018 National Teaching Achievement Award (Higher Education) (Second Class Prize) by the Ministry of Education. The State Scientific and Technological Progress Award is meant to recognise outstanding contribution in applying and disseminating advanced research results or completing major R&D projects, plans and programs. Professor Ding won the award with the project entitled "Key InSAR Technologies for Millimetre-Level Ground Deformation Monitoring and Their Applications". His research has helped advance the interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR), one of the most important satellite-based remote sensing technologies, which is especially useful for monitoring grounds and infrastructural deformations including those related to earthquakes, landslides, construction and structural health conditions. Researchers from Central South University, China University of Mining and Technology, Guangdong Institute of Geological Survey, and Chang’An University have participated in this research. The State Technological Invention Award is meant to recognise individuals who have made major technological inventions that led to products, technologies, materials and systems, etc. Professor Xia won the award with the project entitled “Safety Assessment and Precise Local Damage Detection Technologies for Long-span Bridges”. These technologies have been applied to over 30 bridges around the world, and to skyscrapers such as the 632m high Shanghai Tower, the tallest building in the mainland. Researchers from Huazhong University of Science and Technology and China Railway Bridge Science Research Institute Ltd have participated in this research. The National Teaching Achievement Award (Higher Education) is presented to individuals or teams who have made great contribution to either education theory or practice and achieved significant improvement in education quality and learning outcome. Dr Ngai is among the first academics from Hong Kong to receive this top honour in education at the national level. Dr Ngai specialises in research and teaching in cardiopulmonary physiotherapy. To enhance the confidence of her students in the real clinical scenarios, she has designed and introduced various innovative pedagogical methods including converting the classroom into a simulated “ward” to allow students applying their professional knowledge in a “simulated” clinical setting. “The awards are clear manifestations of the dedication and excellent capabilities of our faculty members. They have helped turn our vision for education and research into reality.” said Professor Philip C. H. CHAN, Interim President, PolyU.   *****END****

PolyU Innovates Nano-encapsulation Technology to Enhance DHA Absorption for Early Brain Development

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) today announced the findings on its novel nano-encapsulation technology for optimising the maternal and fetal absorption of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). The research, conducted by PolyU’s Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology (ABCT), aimed to address the delivery and absorption issues of DHA that affect its potency and efficacy. DHA, a type of Omega-3 fatty acid naturally found in breast milk and fish oil, is an important nutrient for the development and function of brain. It is primarily obtained from diet, and preferentially transferred from mother to fetus across the placenta during fetal life. However, for people with problem in getting sufficient DHA from normal dietary sources, particularly those in late pregnancy, early childhood, or with cancer or declining cognitive abilities, DHA supplementation is recommended. Given DHA is highly unsaturated and is vulnerable to oxidation and degradation under acid conditions, it is uncertain that the intake of DHA through supplementation will be effectively delivered and absorbed in vivo. Led by Dr Wang Yi, Assistant Professor of ABCT, and Professor Wong Man-sau, Professor of ABCT, the research team innovated a nano-encapsulation technology to protect DHA from oxidation. The team used Zein, an edible corn protein, as the encapsulation material to mimic milk fat globule membrane. The nano-encapsulation forms a core-shell structure to protect DHA in fish oil throughout gastric digestion and facilitate DHA absorption in brain, intestine and placenta. “Our team innovated the nano-encapsulation technology, which is proven to be an effective technology to protect DHA from oxidation in vivo, thus enhancing the absorption and efficacy of DHA. Our findings also indicated that the technology can help overcome blood-brain barrier in DHA delivery. We therefore believe that the technology could be further applied to enhance the efficiency of drug delivery for the brain, such as those for patients with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease,” said Dr Wang Yi. DHA in maternal tissues To test the effectiveness of nano-encapsulation technology in enhancing DHA absorption, PolyU’s team conducted some experiments on maternal mice and their offsprings. In two groups of maternal mice, each of six, fed with normal fish oil (Normal FO) and nano-encapsulated fish oil (Nano FO) respectively, it was found that the DHA concentration in the duodenum and jejunum of the Nano FO group is significantly higher than the Normal FO group (see Figure 1). The result implies that DHA, being protected by the encapsulation structure from oxidation and degradation under stomach’s acidic conditions, is successfully released in the upper two parts of the small intestine of the Nano FO group. Also, the DHA contents in the brain of the Nano FO maternal mice were significantly higher (see Figure 2). This indicates that DHA was delivered to the brain of the Nano FO group more effectively as the challenge of the blood-brain barrier was overcome. DHA in the offsprings The team also conducted tracer studies on the offsprings of the maternal mice. The mice were divided into six groups, each with 10, and were fed with different diets including: 1) no DHA meal; 2) Zein; 3) normal low dose fish oil (Normal FO-low); 4) normal high dose fish oil (Normal FO-high); 5) Nano-encapsulated low dose fish oil (Nano FO-low); and 6) Nano-encapsulated high dose fish oil (Nano FO-high). The findings showed that the three groups, namely: Normal FO-high, Nano FO-low and Nano FO-high spent more time on novel objects rather than on familiar objects (see Figure 3), implying that they were more curious about new things and demonstrated better memory and learning capabilities. For the Nano FO-high group, they had higher amount of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) in hippocampus (see Figure 4). BDNF, a protein activated by DHA, plays an important role in supporting the survival of existing brain neurons and encouraging the growth and differentiation of new neurons and synapses. They also demonstrated a significant difference to other groups in terms of better spatial learning and memory abilities in the Y-maze experiment (see Figure 5). The research project was funded by the Health and Medical Research Fund (HMRF) of the Food and Health Bureau of the Hong Kong SAR Government and the Shenzhen Basic Research (Layout of Disciplines) Project Fund.c   *****END*****