PolyU start-up launches innovative spectacle lens to slow down myopia progression; Deploys two PolyU patented technologies to protect children’s vision health

Dr Gilman Siu bestowed with Outstanding PolyU Young Alumni Award 2022 in Scholarly Achievement

Congratulations to Dr Gilman Siu Kit-hang, Associate Professor at PolyU’s Department of Health Technology and Informatics (HTI), for winning the Outstanding PolyU Young Alumni Award 2022 in Scholarly Achievement! The different categories of the Outstanding PolyU Alumni Award (OPAA) aim to honour outstanding graduates of PolyU and its forerunning institutions for their remarkable achievements and contributions to the community and their alma mater. Dr Siu is one of the eight recipients of OPAA in 2022. Earlier, he was bestowed with the Outstanding Young Alumni Award in Scholarly Achievement of PolyU Faculty of Health and Social Sciences 2022. Dr Siu graduated with a Higher Diploma in Biomedical Science and a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Biomedical Science (first class) from PolyU in 2004 and in 2006, respectively. He has been actively engaged in research related to different areas of microbial genomics for more than 15 years. Dr Siu has published more than 50 peer-reviewed research papers in high-impact academic journals, including Lancet Respiratory Medicine and Clinical Chemistry. His publications have been cited more than 1,500 times in some 1,000 articles. In addition, Dr Siu has secured more than HK$40million in external research grant funding in the past five years. His research efforts have greatly increased the accuracy and efficiency of the diagnosis of infectious diseases, including COVID-19. During the pandemic, his rapid sequencing technique has been crucial in identifying and stopping local transmission chains of the virus and which also earned him an Outstanding Project Team on COVID-19 Research Award from Hong Kong’s Food and Health Bureau in 2021. Also in 2021, PolyU recognised Dr Siu’s achievements and potential by appointing him as the University’s inaugural Limin Endowed Young Scholar in Medical Laboratory Science. Dr Siu also won FHSS’s Faculty Awards for Outstanding Performance/Achievement in Research & Scholarly Activities (Individual) 2017/18 and in Teaching (Individual) 2018/19, respectively. Since 2017, Dr Siu has been appointed by the Government as a member of the Medical Laboratory Technologists Board. He also chairs its Education Committee and its Examination Committee. Keen on sharing his vision and findings with the wider community, Dr Siu’s research has also been widely covered by the mass media.

PolyU pioneers nursing education with first-of-its-kind VR learning system “Virtual Hospital”

Prof. To Chi-ho awarded The Third InnoStars Award

Prof. CHAN Ko-ling Edward Conferred the title “RGC Senior Research Fellow” by the Research Grants Council and Named Among World’s Top 2% Scientists according to Stanford University–Elsevier Report

Prof Sylvia CHEN received Outstanding International Psychologist Award

Health Future Challenge

FHSS students supporting the government’s anti-epidemic drive again

From 30 May to 4 June 2022, 60 students from PolyU’s Faculty of Health and Social Sciences worked continuously for six days at a Home Vaccination Service Call Centre at the Hong Kong Spinners Industrial Building in Cheung Sha Wan, providing phone registration service for unvaccinated seniors and people with impaired mobility due to illness or physical disability, proactively calling and encouraging them to receive vaccination, and answering enquiries on COVID19 vaccination. One of the student volunteers, Kelvin Chui, from the School of Nursing, said, "I am glad to be involved in the service at the Home Vaccination Service Call Centre, helping the elderly and people in need. I hope to contribute to the society in my profession after graduation." Queenie Lai, another student volunteer from the Department of Health Technology and Informatics, opined that the service was very meaningful, and could help reduce the risks posed by the epidemic to the elderly who have not been vaccinated and people with chronic diseases.

PolyU research reveals that over 10% Hong Kong people exhibit PTSD symptoms one year after the onset of the pandemic; Severity of symptoms is associated with time spent watching pandemic-related news

Intentions to receive vaccines are associated with the intensity of the pandemic waves and the toughness of anti-pandemic measures A “rising then declining” trend was observed in vaccine hesitancy, PolyU study finds