News

Meeting with Thales Group delegates

Innovation and Technology Development Office (ITDO) of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) received an official delegation from the Thales Group (Thales) and the Consulate General of France in Hong Kong and Macau (French Consulate), and coordinated the technology seminar together with representatives from PolyU Department of Electrical Engineering and Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Faculty of Engineering.   Thales is one of the global leading high technology companies that specialized in defence, security, aerospace, space and ground transportation. Sharing on PolyU’s latest aviation and transportation technology research development, research facilities, and teaching programmes, as well as Thales’ major research and development focus were made. Both Thales and PolyU expressed a devoted enthusiasm in further exploring common interests on transportation, cyber security, etc., in terms of carrying out seminars, workshops, and collaborative research projects. The delegates visited PolyU’s Power Electronics Research Centre after the meeting.   To view the snapshots of the Meeting, please visit here.   

PolyU hosted the first Alibaba Technology Forum in Hong Kong on Big Data and Cloud Computing Technologies

Alibaba Technology Forum is an annual event organized by Alibaba Group to share their latest innovation and technology development. Initiated by Innovation and Technology Development Office (ITDO) and co-organized with Department of Computing (COMP) of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), the first Alibaba Technology Forum (ATF) in Hong Kong on Big Data and Cloud Computing Technologies was successfully held on 17 June 2016 at PolyU. Over 250 local students, researchers, and industry professionals attended the Forum. Keynote speaker, Dr Jingren Zhou, Vice President of Alibaba Group, presented an overview of Alibaba’s innovative Big Data Computing Platform, which consisted of a wide range of products and services enabling fast and efficient big data development, while three Alibaba technology leaders also shared with us innovations in elastic computing, machine learning and large-scale real-time computing, as well as their applications in different business sectors.   Prof. Alex Wai, Vice President (Research Development) of PolyU addressed at the Forum, “PolyU has been contributing significant impact to tackle the challenges from big data development, and our big data and cloud computing domains including big data analytics, human-centered computing, cyber security, inter-cloud security and cloud resource management which  are indicated through our research outcome and strong industrial collaborations”. In order to provide a platform with advanced infrastructure that facilitates multidisciplinary research in big data, PolyU is establishing  a University Central Facility in Big Data Analytics. Prof. Jiannong Cao, Head of COMP said, “The initiative will enable PolyU to take a leading role in developing framework and methodology with models, techniques and applications of big data processing and analytics.”   Technology seminar with demonstration showcasing  PolyU’s research excellence was also arranged for Alibaba Group during their visit at PolyU.Various research teams from COMP , Department of Applied Mathematics (AMA) and Department of Land Surveying and Geo-informatics (LSGI) exchanged views for further collaboration with Alibaba Group in big data and cloud computing areas.  ITDO will coordinate the follow-up collaborative research projects and visiting-scholar program  with Alibaba Group accordingly.  

Global Food Safety and Technology Forum (GFSTF) 2016

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) hosts the Global Food Safety and Technology Forum (GFSTF) on February 4-5, 2016 in Hong Kong to enhance synergy among all food safety stakeholders to embark on science-and-technology driven collaborative initiatives. GFSTF invigorates interactive and pragmatic exchanges among the industry, government and academia on how to enhance global readiness and technical competence in tackling food safety problems.    Corporations in the food and beverage as well as catering related industries convene at GFSTF to look into the most staggering food safety challenges in the industry sharing session. The academic sharing session that followed engages research experts to explore how scientific and evidence-based innovations could help address the most imminent challenges faced by the industry. Topics including "Advancing Food Safety - Chemicals and Biological", "Food Fraud, Security and Catering", "Risk Assessment, Communications and Management" and "Technical Workshops and Demonstrations" from a technical perspective will be discussed in the breakout sessions to be held on February 5.The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) hosts the Global Food Safety and Technology Forum (GFSTF) on February 4-5, 2016 in Hong Kong to enhance synergy among all food safety stakeholders to embark on science-and-technology driven collaborative initiatives. GFSTF invigorates interactive and pragmatic exchanges among the industry, government and academia on how to enhance global readiness and technical competence in tackling food safety problems.    "The academia possesses technical expertise to effectively explore solutions with the industry. Without understanding what is required by the industry, it would be difficult for us to ensure what we develop could be of real application and value," Co-Chair of GFSTF 2016 Professor Wing-tak Wong says.    "We believe that through pragmatic communications and exchange, all stakeholders will be able to share and construct a roadmap towards safer foods for the community. After this forum, we will compile with the experts a food safety technology needs assessment report, which will hopefully shape food safety research and development in the upcoming 3 - 5 years. These will be ideas and innovations translated into real actions," Professor Terence Lok-ting Lau, Chair of the Organizing & Program Committee of the Forum and Convener of PolyU's Food Safety Consortium (FSC) says.   The main program on February 4 concluded with a letter of intent signing ceremony between PolyU and Lund University to foster collaborations in technology development in food safety and food security, with potential extension to including other partners from the European, Asian, and other networks.   Joined by over 40 speakers and over 250 attendees from worldwide, this first edition of GFSTF sees active participation from the government, industry and academia in the presence of Mrs. Cherry Tse, Permanent Secretary for Food and Health (Food), Prof. Sophia Chan, Under Secretary for Food and Health, and Dr. Constance Chan, Director of Health, The Government of the Hong Kong SAR, and representatives of consulate generals. The forum is poised to become a sustainable channel in fostering global food safety advancement.   More about GFSTF • GFSTF 2016 Event Report • Snapshots at GFSTF 2016  

Intellectual Property Assessment Committee held its Second Annual Meeting

Pioneering the practices in knowledge transfer and intellectual property (IP) management in tertiary institutions, the Intellectual Property Assessment Committee (IPAC) of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) held its Second Annual Meeting on 2 September 2015. IPAC serves to enhance PolyU’s knowledge transfer activities by improving IP assessment, the quality of PolyU’s patent portfolio, as well as the commercialization potential of our inventions. It establishes a platform for PolyU to solicit opinions from a wide scope of specialized expertise that is not only confined to the academia but also from a pool of prominent businessmen and industrialists from various industries. As the Chairman of IPAC, Ir Professor Alexander Wai, Vice President (Research Development), expressed at the meeting his heart-felt gratitude to committee members for their participation in IPAC by providing invaluable insights into materializing the real-world application of PolyU’s research and technologies.  The upcoming launch of PolyU IP Portal was further announced at the meeting. Supported by an IP management software suite, the Portal serves to streamline the invention disclosure process at PolyU with web-based interfaces for invention submission, access of information and records, patent evaluation, as well as report generation. With the transformation brought by the full-fledged operation of the Portal, PolyU envisions higher efficacy and capacity in IP management. Apart from the Portal, committee members also explored the potential commercialization alternatives for PolyU’s IP at the meeting. PolyU would further look into different mechanisms for commercialization including the establishment of patent pools and patent commons with the ultimate aim of benefiting the society at large with its inventions. IPAC will continue to contribute to PolyU’s advances in IP management and knowledge transfer. To view the snapshots of the meeting, please visit here.

PolyU and Kinex’s collaboration on Apigenin Flavonoid Dimer

PolyU proudly announced another success in our collaboration across industry and institutions in materializing uplifts in our quality of life by entering into a licensing agreement with Kinex Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Kinex) on the commercialization of Apigenoid Flavonoid Dimer, which brings pioneering and revolutionary leaps in cancer treatments. Apigenin Flavonoid Dimer, the MDR Locker – a breakthrough in inhibiting multidrug resistance (MDR) in cancer cells Under the seamless collaboration among PolyU Department of Applied Biology & Chemical Technology (ABCT), McGill University, PolyU Partner State Key Laboratory of Chirosciences and PolyU Shenzhen-based State Key Laboratory for Chinese Medicine and Molecular Pharmacology, the research team led by Professor Larry Chow and Professor Bill Chan from ABCT succeeded in developing Apigenin Flavonoid Dimer as a novel inhibitor to prevent drug efflux through modified extracts from Apigenin. The Apigenin Flavonoid Dimer serves to reverse drug resistance by binding the cancer cell’s drug pump. Furthermore, it enhances the absorption of cancer drugs in the digestive system, elevating the quality of chemotherapy treatment in terms of efficacy, convenience and comfort through the oral intake of cancer drugs. The licensing of Apigenin Flavonoid Dimer was concluded in the applause over the joint signatures by PolyU Executive Vice President Mr Nicholas Yang and Kinex Chairman and CEO Dr Johnson YN Lau. PolyU spares no effort in advancing technology transfer with the aim of propelling research constituting significant impacts on people’s quality of life. Driven by our long-established vision as well as a myriad of successful experiences, we aspire to make bolder strides in the elevation of technology ahead. Kindly refer to further details on this collaborative technological advancement here. 

Business of IP Asia Forum 2014

PolyU continues to support the 4th edition of BIP Asia which took place in December this year. Last year, the event drew over 1600 participants from over 23 countries and regions in the industry, academia and government sectors, and was most invaluable in building networks, obtaining first-hand knowledge in the field, and exploring collaborative opportunities with potential partners. The Asia IP Exchange platform was also launched at the same time to boost Hong Kong’s IP trade. PolyU is a supporting organization of BIP Asia and a strategic partner of the Asia IP Exchange platform. ITDO continues to encourage participation of its staffs and students to foster a deeper understanding on the topic. For more information about BIP Asia, please visit here. For more information about Asia IP Exchange, please visit here.

China International Food Safety & Quality Conference + Expo (CIFSQ) 2014

ITDO and PolyU’s Food Safety and Technology Research Centre [FSTRC] and Food Safety Consortium [FSC] joint force to promote PolyU’s food safety related capabilities and explore collaboration opportunities through exhibition and attendance at the CIFSQ 2014, one of the most representative food safety events held every year in China. The event attracted over 800 food safety professionals from over 19 countries, and numerous leading figures and experts to address a diverse range of topics highlighting the critical issues, approaches, and solutions to strengthening food protection in China and around the world. Dr. Zhongping YAO, Associate Professor at the Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology spoke on “Rapid Authentication of Edible Oils by MALDI-MS” while Dr. Terence Lau, Director of Innovation and Technology Development, co-chaired the session on “Foodborne Disease Surveillance and Outbreak Detection: Varying International Perspectives” and spoke on “Application of Molecular Testing Technology on Food Pathogen Detection and Surveillance – an Experience Sharing”. To view the snapshots of CIFSQ 2014, please visit here. To view the Post Event Report, please visit here. For more information about FSTRC, please visit http://www.polyu.edu.hk/abct/fstrc/en/index.php. For more informatio about CIFSQ, please visit http://www.chinafoodsafety.com/.

PolyU Signs Commercialization and Collaboration Agreement with Avalon

PolyU signed with Avalon Nanofibre Limited (Avalon) to commercialize and conduct further research on nanofibre technology platform developed by Professor Wallace Woon-fong Leung, Chair Professor of Innovation Products & Technologies, Department of Mechanical Engineering. The agreement was signed by Dr. Henry Feng, CEO of Avalon and PolyU’s Executive Vice President Mr. Nicholas Yang at the signing ceremony cum press conference held on October 23, 2014 (Thursday). The ceremony was kicked off with the opening remarks delivered by Mr. Yang.  Professor Alex Wai, PolyU Vice President (Research Development) further gave a speech highlighting the collaboration as “PolyU’s success in technology transfer model from the promotion of up-stream collaborative research to technology development and commercialization”. Dr. Feng and Dr. Manson Fok, Chairman of Avalon, further shared at the ceremony on the significant impacts and technological breakthroughs the technology brought to the industry. Right after the signing of the agreement, Professor Leung illustrated to the audience the technical backgrounds and applications of the edge-cutting nanofibre technology.   Kindly refer to PolyU’s official media release at http://www.polyu.edu.hk/web/en/media/media_releases/index_id_6044.html for more details.  To view the snapshots of the Press Conference, please visit here.

Meeting with Cedars-Sinai Medical Center to Explore Partnership Opportunities

Cedars-Sinai Medical Center (CSMC), the largest academic medical center in the west US, visited PolyU to explore international partnerships in maximizing synergies in the alliance of both technology transfer offices. Participating in the discussions were CSMC’s Vice President Legal Affairs Mr. James Laur, Esq., and Consultant Mr. David Thomas, PolyU’s Vice President (Research Development) Prof. Alex Wai, Director of Innovation and Technology Development Dr. Terence Lau, Assistant Director of ITDO Ms. Karen Jiang, Associate Head of Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology Prof. Larry Chow, Associate Director of Industrial Centre Dr. Robert Tam, and other colleagues from these departments. A visit to the Industrial Centre was also arranged to introduce on PolyU’s solid support provided to medical and other industries. To view the snapshots of the Meeting, please visit here.

Collaborative Research Seminar & Workshop | Technology Matters - Innovation for Future

ITDO was honored to have Mr. Charles Ai [艾超], Vice President, Technology Cooperation & Head, Early Stage Investment, R&D of Huawei Technologies, to be the guest speaker on “Technology Matters – Innovation for Future”, which served as the second episode of its collaborative research and workshop series.  The morning session was a seminar held at N002, Lim Por Yen Lecture Theatre on PolyU campus on October 17, 2014 (Friday). With more than 15 years of experience in telecommunications industry as well as reputable expertise in business development, R&D and marketing, Mr. Ai had attracted an enthusiastic audience of over 90 guests from PolyU and other academic institutions attending the seminar. Mr. Ai shared his novel vision and views on the role and importance of innovation in blueprinting our future from a strategic perspective. Followed by the seminar, Mr. Ai and his senior R&D team on Huawei’s Early Stage Investment further participated in the theme-based workshop in the afternoon to meet and exchange insights individually with about 15 PolyU professors from 7 different departments on a variety of research topics including Next-G optical communications, Big Data & Mining and GEO informatics and explore the respective strategic collaborations with PolyU in upcoming years.    To view the snapshop of the Seminar and Workshop, please visit here.