Awards and Achievements

PolyU Science Researcher published a study in Science titled “Seafood biosecurity gaps threaten biodiversity”

A study by Prof. James Kar-Hei Fang, Associate Professor in the Department of Food Science and Nutrition, together with Dr Elizaldy Acebu Maboloc, Research Fellow in Prof. Fang’s team, has recently been published in Science titled “Seafood biosecurity gaps threaten biodiversity”. Their research underscores how invasive species transported through the global seafood trade present a serious threat to biodiversity, as evidenced by documented cases in Hong Kong and other regions. Healthy oceans are essential for global sustainable food systems. Protecting biodiversity through stronger biosecurity measures safeguards fisheries, aquaculture, and long term food security. To read the article in Science, please visit here.

Prof. Benedict Lo named 2025 “MIT Technology Review Innovators Under 35 China”

Congratulations to Prof. Benedict Lo, Associate Head and Associate Professor of Department of Chemistry, for being named on the 2025 “MIT Technology Review Innovators Under 35 China” (TR35 China) list in the “Visionaries” category in recognition of his pioneering research achievements in catalytic science. He is one of the five spots awarded to Hong Kong university scholars this year. Prof. Lo developed the synchrotron resonant soft X-ray diffraction (RSXRD) technique, enabling the world’s first three-dimensional atomic-resolution mapping of framework aluminium in industrial-grade zeolite catalysts and resolving the decades-long “black box” surrounding the precise spatial arrangement of active sites. This breakthrough, published in Science in 2025, has strong industrial value and it offers significant scientific and practical benefits for improving carbon-resource conversion efficiency and helping address global climate challenges. Established by the MIT Technology Review, the annual TR35 global list recognises outstanding young technological innovators across multiple frontier tech and industrial fields. The TR35 China regional selection was established in 2017 to recognise exceptional and internationally influential young scientific and technological leaders in China. Congratulations again to Prof. Lo on this remarkable accomplishment! Press release: English | 中文 Online coverage: Ta Kung Pao 理大兩青年學者 入選麻省理工創新名單 31 July 2026 Wen Wei Po 5港學者獲選MIT「35歲以下科創35人」 理大兩位青年學者獲選《麻省理工科技評論》中國區「35歲以下科技創新35人」 4 August 2026 30 July 2026 Instrument 与OpenAI大神同登“35岁以下科技创新35人”，这位电镜学者凭何惊喜入选？ 30 July 2026  

Prof. Wang Lianzhou awarded RGC Theme-based Research Scheme 2026/27 for Intelligent Artificial Photosynthesis

Congratulations to Prof. Wang Lianzhou, Chair Professor of Energy Materials of the Department of Chemistry and Hong Kong Global STEM Scholar, who has received funding support from the Research Grants Council (RGC)’s Theme-based Research Scheme (TRS) 2026/27 for an interdisciplinary artificial intelligence (AI) project to drive the development of green fuels. The research project on “Intelligent Artificial Photosynthesis” led by Prof. Wang has been awarded RGC funding of approximately HK$48.83 million. Prof. Wang and the research team aim to build an Intelligent Artificial Photosynthesis platform that converts solar-driven carbon dioxide into storable green fuels like methanol, and to develop modular solar fuel panels capable of operating under natural sunlight. By combining AI, cutting-edge chemistry and smart engineering, their work seeks to accelerate carbon neutrality, secure future energy supply chains and turn scientific breakthroughs into viable commercial technologies. Our warmest congratulations again to Prof. Wang! Press release: English | 中文 Online coverage: South China Morning Post AI major focus as Hong Kong funds record 12 university research projects 30 July 2026 Mirage News PolyU Shines in RGC Funding, Showcases Research Prowess 29 July 2026 Wen Wei Po 理大兩項科研 獲國家教育部獎項 30 July 2026 Bauhinia 理大科研項目獲研資局多個計劃支持 項目數量居院校前列 彰顯領先科研地位 29 July 2026  

PolyU Science Research on Chiral Superfluorescence was published in Nature

The research conducted by Prof. Li Mingjie, Associate Professor of the Department of Applied Physics, PolyU and Prof. Susanne F. Yelin from Harvard University was published in Nature titled "Chiral Superfluorescence from Perovskite Superlattices at Room Temperature" on 3 June 2026. This paper reports the first observation of room-temperature chiral superfluorescence from perovskite superlattices. Their team shows that emission from edge states evolves from initially unpolarized spontaneous luminescence into a coherent, circularly polarized burst, and that the polarization reverses for superlattices of opposite handedness. By linking structural chirality with macroscopic quantum coherence in a scalable materials platform, this work opens new avenues for controllable chiral quantum light sources in solid-state photonics. The findings reveal an interplay between chirality and many-body quantum coherence, pointing toward promising directions for chirality-controlled quantum optical applications. Nature is the world's leading multidisciplinary science journal. It publishes the finest peer-reviewed research that drives ground-breaking discovery. To read the article in Nature, please visit here.

PolyU Science Research on Perovskite was published in Nature

The research conducted by Prof. Zhu Ye, Associate Professor of the Department of Applied Physics was published in Nature reecently. The title of the research is "Intrinsic Polar Vortex Crystals in A-site Layer-ordered Perovskites." This paper reports the discovery of an exotic 2D polar topology spontaneously formed with a period down to 4 nm in a family of perovskite oxide materials, which can be potentially used for high-density data storage. The driving force giving rise to this novel topological phases is further revealed as the phonon exchange mechanism in complex oxides. Nature is the world's leading multidisciplinary science journal. It publishes the finest peer-reviewed research that drives ground-breaking discovery. To read the article in Nature, please visit here.

Prof. Ge Jingjie received the PolyU Young Innovative Researcher Award (YIRA) 2026

Our heartiest congratulations to Prof. Ge Jingjie, Assistant Professor of the Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology for being honoured with the PolyU Young Innovative Researcher Award (YIRA) 2026! Prof. Ge has made significant strides in her field with research on “Designing Low-cost, High-efficient Anodic Catalysts for Electrocatalytic Hydrogen Production”. This prestigious award is a remarkable recognition of her exceptional research performance in advancing knowledge and making a positive impact on society. The Young Innovative Researcher Award (YIRA) serves as a springboard for young researchers under the age of 35 who have reached significant research milestones and spearheaded transformative innovations. It aims to honour those who aspire to make a difference, turning ambitious visions into tangible solutions that address societal challenges with ingenuity and insight. Congratulations to Prof. Ge Jingjie on this remarkable achievement!

Prof. Wong Wai-yeung, Raymond was elected as the Fellow of the Chinese Chemical Society (FCCS)

Congratulations to Prof. Wong Wai-yeung, Raymond, Dean of the Faculty of Science, Clarea Au Professor in Energy and Chair Professor of Chemical Technology, on being elected as the Fellow of the Chinese Chemical Society (FCCS)! The FCCS is established by Chinese Chemical Society in 2019 and elected no more than 50 fellows each year. It aims to inspire members to continue reaching new scientific and technological heights while promoting the development of China’s chemical industry. FCCS is the highest and most elite membership level of the CCS. This award is a testament to attaining systematic and creative achievements to chemistry and related fields and making outstanding contributions to the development and progress of the discipline of chemistry. Our warmest congratulations to Prof. Wong for this distinguished achievement!

PolyU Science Scholars won prestigious awards at the 51st International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva

We are thrilled to share that our Innovations seized a total of eight accolades at the 51st International Exhibition of Inventions in Geneva, securing one Special Award, one Gold Medal with Congratulations of the Jury, five Gold Medals and one Silver Medal. These remarkable achievements demonstrate the Faculty’s research excellence and global influence in frontier technology development. The project titled “PD-001R: A First-in-Class Candidate for the Treatment of Neurodegenerative Diseases”, developed by the research team led by Prof. Simon LEE Ming-yuen, Cally Kwong Mei Wan Professor in Biomedical Sciences and Chinese Medicine Innovation, Chair Professor of Biomedical Sciences at the Department of Food Science and Nutrition, and Founder of PolyU startup AIM Pharmaceutical International Limited, in collaboration with Dr ZHAO Chen, Postdoctoral Fellow at the Department of Food Science and Nutrition and Chief Technology Officer of AIM Pharmaceutical International Limited, won the Prize of Korea Invention Promotion Association and a Gold Medal. PD-001R is a first-in-class, novel small-molecule drug candidate for Parkinson’s disease (PD), derived from Alpinia oxyphylla Fructus and synthesised as a new molecular entity. Its primary mechanism of action is the promotion of pathological α-synuclein aggregate degradation. Preclinical studies show that PD-001R efficiently crosses the blood–brain barrier and exerts neuroprotective effects in animal models of PD and Alzheimer’s disease. It also exhibits favourable oral bioavailability and safety. The 51st Geneva Inventions Expo, a widely recognised annual event dedicated exclusively to inventions, attracted over a thousand entries from about 40 countries and regions. For details, please refer to the Appendix or visit the website of the PolyU Knowledge Transfer and Entrepreneurship Office. List of award wining projects: Project Principal Investigator(s) Award(s) PD-001R: A First-in-Class Candidate for the Treatment of Neurodegenerative Diseases Prof. Simon LEE Ming-yuen Cally Kwong Mei Wan Professor in Biomedical Sciences and Chinese Medicine Innovation; Chair Professor of Biomedical Sciences, Department of Food Science and Nutrition; Director, PolyU-BGI Joint Research Centre for Genomics and Synthetic Biology in Global Ocean Resources; Founder, AIM Pharmaceutical International Limited (a PolyU startup) Dr ZHAO Chen Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Food Science and Nutrition; Chief Technology Officer, AIM Pharmaceutical International Limited (a PolyU startup) Prize of the Korea Invention Promotion Association Gold Medal Anti-ageing Beauty and Healthcare via Advanced Microfluidics Dr XIE Fengjia Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Applied Physics; Co-founder, X Beauty Technology Limited (a PolyU startup) Dr TSOI Chi Chung Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Applied Physics; CDO, X Beauty Technology Limited (a PolyU startup) Gold Medal with Congratulations of the Jury Magnetophages: A New Class of Programmable Viral Nanocontainers with Active Control Prof. CHUA Song Lin Associate Professor, Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology Dr MA Yeping Scientific Officer, Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology Gold Medal OmniCare: A Magic PGLADMA Platform for Advanced Wound Management Prof. ZHAO Xin Professor, Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology; Limin Young Scholar in Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering; Founder, ReNew Biotechnology Limited (a PolyU startup) Gold Medal Dragonfly Vision: A Mini Camera for Instant 180° Imaging Prof. ZHANG Xuming Associate Head and Professor, Department of Applied Physics; Advisor, Dragon Vision Technology Limited (a PolyU startup) Dr JIANG Heng Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Applied Physics; Co-founder, Dragon Vision Technology Limited (a PolyU startup) Gold Medal A Mechanical Cleaning Method for Semiconductors and Electronics Using Ice Prof. ZHAO Jiong Professor, Department of Applied Physics; Co-founder and Scientific Advisor, Clean2D Co., Limited (a PolyU startup) Dr LIU Haijun Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Applied Physics; Founder, Clean2D Co., Limited (a PolyU startup) Gold Medal Hydrogel Dressing for Drug-resistant Bacterial Infection via Sonodynamic Therapy Prof. HAO Jianhua Head and Chair Professor of Materials Physics and Devices, Department of Applied Physics; Associate Director, PolyU-Wuhan Technology and Innovation Research Institute Silver Medal Press release: English | 中文 Online coverage: China Daily Hong Kong delegation excels at Geneva invention expo 16 March 2026 Hong Kong Economic Times 低碳製冰機毛公仔情緒朋友 港校日內瓦國際發明展獲獎 (subscription required) 日內瓦國際發明展｜本港六院校奪192個獎項　科大奪62獎破歷年最多 16 March 2026 Oriental Daily News 日內瓦國際發明展 科大奪62獎 本地大學揚威日內瓦國際發明展　多間院校獎項數量創歷年佳績 16 March 2026 Sing Tao Daily 第51屆日內瓦國際發明展本港多間院校獲獎數創新高 (subscription required) 16 March 2026 am730 日內瓦國際發明展香港代表團成績亮麗 獲近300獎 破紀錄奪12特別大獎 日內瓦國際發明展　港企勇奪特別大獎　發展局36項創新項目創歷屆新高 16 March 2026 Headline Daily 日內瓦國際發明展港院校奪193獎 第51屆日內瓦國際發明展 本港多間院校獲獎數創新高 16 March 2026 Ta Kung Pao 日內瓦發明展 港代表團奪近300獎 各界港代表獲得的特別大獎 香港代表團揚威日內瓦國際發明展　斬獲近300獎項創歷年佳績 日內瓦發明展 港代表團奪近300獎 16 March 2026 Wen Wei Po 港隊日內瓦發明展破紀錄奪近300獎　孫東：續投資育才建國際創科中心 第五十一屆日內瓦國際發明展 港代表團再創佳績勇奪12個特別大獎 15 March 2026 Hong Kong Commercial Daily 理大於日內瓦發明展創佳績 勇奪36獎項 理大於日內瓦發明展創佳績 勇奪36獎項 孫東祝賀香港代表團在第五十一屆日內瓦國際發明展再創佳績 15 March 2026 HK01 港代表團日內瓦發明展獲近300獎　「百變探哥」奪沙特創新卓越奬 15 March 2026 Bastille PostYahoo HK Hong Kong Delegation Achieves Record Success at Geneva Inventions Exhibition with Nearly 300 Awards. (English) 日內瓦國際發明展本港奪全場總冠軍 另獲近300獎項締造歷史  (Chinese) 15 March 2026 Dot Dot News 香港代表團揚威日內瓦國際發明展　斬獲近300獎項創歷年佳績 15 March 2026 Bauhinia 理大於第51屆日內瓦發明展創佳績 勇奪36獎項 15 March 2026 Hong Kong-Invest 創新科技及工業局局長祝賀香港代表團在第五十一屆日內瓦國際發明展再創佳績 15 March 2026 Yahoo HK 日內瓦國際發明展 港企勇奪特別大獎 發展局36項創新項目創歷屆新高 15 March 2026 Line Today 本地大學揚威日內瓦國際發明展　多間院校獎項數量創歷年佳績 日內瓦國際發明展　港企勇奪特別大獎　發展局36項創新項目創歷屆新高 15 March 2026 Headline for HK 本地大學揚威日內瓦國際發明展 多間院校獎項數量創歷年佳績 15 March 2026 Hong Kong China News Agency 港理大於第51屆日內瓦發明展創佳績 勇奪36獎項 香港高校日內瓦國際發明展獲逾百獎項 15 March 2026

PolyU Science researchers received the President’s Awards for Outstanding Achievement 2025

Congratulations to the awardees of the President’s Awards for Outstanding Achievement 2025 from the Faculty of Science. The President’s Awards recognize Prof. Zheng Zijian’s and Prof. Wong Ka-hing’s significant contributions and impact on knowledge transfer, Prof. Lee Kin-wah and his team’s remarkable efforts in instilling an innovative mindset in our students. Their unwavering dedication to excellence in knowledge transfer and teaching is truly remarkable. We are deeply grateful for their outstanding contributions, which have greatly enriched our Faculty, University, and the broader community. Prof. Zheng Zijian has pioneered innovative energy storage technologies for flexible and wearable electronics, successfully commercializing his research through the founding of multiple technology ventures and securing significant funding. His excellence in both scientific breakthrough and industrial knowledge transfer has been recognized with prestigious honours. Prof. Wong Ka-hing is a leading innovator who has successfully translated numerous food technology patents into commercial applications and sustainable industry practices. His impactful career is further distinguished by his leadership in establishing regional food safety standards and his recognized commitment to community service. Prof. Lee Kin-wah and his team’s guidance led to the students’ outstanding performance at the International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) competition in Paris, where they earned a Silver Medal and Impact Grant in 2023, a Gold Medal in 2024, and ranked among the Top 10 Undergraduate Teams worldwide, alongside leading institutions such as MIT, Harvard, and Cambridge. Recipients of the President’s Awards:    Individual Awards Category Awardees Knowledge Transfer: Industry Prof. ZHENG Zijian, Chair Professor (ABCT) Knowledge Transfer: Society  Prof. WONG Ka-hing, Professor (FSN)     Team Awards Category Awardees Teaching Prof. LEE Kin-wah, Terence, Associate Head & Professor (ABCT) Prof. MU Quanhua, Assistant Professor (ABCT) Prof. WONG Tsun-ting, Clarence, Assistant Professor (ABCT) Dr CHEUNG Ching-mei, Chartia, Lecturer (ABCT) Dr YAN Sau-woon, Clare, Lecturer (ABCT) Dr WONG Wai-ting, Instructor (ABCT) Our warmest congratulations again to Prof. Zheng, Prof. Wong, Prof. Lee and his team!

PolyU Science scholars received Outstanding Scientific Research Output Awards 2025 from Ministry of Education

Congratulations to Prof. Chen Sheng, Head of the Department of Food Science and Nutrition and Chair Professor of Microbiology and Prof. Zheng Zijian, Associate Director of the Research Institute for Intelligent Wearable Systems and Chair Professor of Soft Materials and Devices, on bestowing the second-class award in the 2025 Outstanding Scientific Research Output Awards (Natural Sciences and Engineering Technology) by the Ministry of Education. The accolades serve as recognition of the research teams’ breakthrough contributions in the frontier fields of antibiotic resistance mechanisms in bacteria and flexible electronics technology, affirming the University’s research strength in both fundamental research and technological innovation. The two awarded research projects are: “Research on the Convergent Evolution and Mechanisms of Carbapenem Resistance and Hypervirulence in Klebsiella pneumoniae” led by Prof. Chen Sheng; and “Multiscale Coupling Regulation Mechanisms of Flexible Electronic Conductive Interfaces and Applications” led by Prof. Zheng Zijian. Our warmest congratulations to Prof. Chen and Prof. Zheng! Press release: English | 中文 Online coverage: Ta Kung Pao 理大兩項科研 獲國家教育部獎項 14 January 2026 Hong Kong Commercial Daily 理大兩項研究項目榮獲國家教育部科學研究優秀成果獎 13 January 2026