PolyU Science in the News

PolyU discovers a newly emerged superbug -- hyper-resistant and hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae

The Partner State Key Laboratory of Chirosciences at the Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology (ABCT) of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) discovered a newly emerged superbug, hyper-resistant and hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae, which may cause untreatable and fatal infections in relatively healthy individuals and will pose enormous threat to human health. Prof. Chen Sheng, Professor of ABCT, collaborating with Prof. Rong Zhang from the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University, conducted an investigation into a fatal outbreak of pneumonia in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University in China in February 2016. The study involved five patients who underwent surgical operation for multiple-trauma. All of them were later infected in the intensive care unit (ICU) and developed severe pneumonia, and eventually died of septicaemia and multiple organ failure. The causative agent of these five patients was found to be a carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae (CRKP) strain, a type of previously-defined superbug. Furthermore, these CRKP strains are also hypervirulent and belong to ST11 type of CRKP, the most prevalent and transmissible CRKP strains in Asia. As these strains simultaneously exhibit the features of hyper-resistance, hypervirulence and high transmissibility, they can be considered a real superbug known asST11 CR-HvKP (ST11 carbapenem-resistant hypervirulentK. pneumoniae). ST11 K. pneumoniae strains proliferate in the gastrointestinal tract (GI tract) of human and animals and may cause opportunistic infections such as pneumonia in clinical settings. These strains, after acquiring plasmid encoding a carbapenemase gene, become resistant to the carbapenem antibiotics and caused untreatable or hard-to-be treated infections, therefore defined as superbug. These superbug strains could further evolve to become ST11 CR-HvKP through acquisition of the hypervirulence plasmids. The ST11 CR-HvKP strains do not only infect lungs and cause pneumonia, but also invade the bloodstream and other internal organs. Due to its hypervirulence and phenotypic resistance to commonly used antibiotics, ST11 CR-HvKP strains may cause untreatable and fatal infections in relatively healthy individuals with normal immunity. ST11 CR-HvKP strains possess a mucoid outer layer, which enables them to stick to various materials, such as the surface of medical devices and tubing as well as other surfaces in the ICU. The transmission route is not clear yet, but our data suggest that medical equipment such as ventilator and different catheters might be transmitting these new superbug strains. Human-to-human transmission may also be possible, mainly in hospital settings. Improved infection prevention and control policy in hospital seems to be effective to control further transmission of this superbug in the ICU. Novel strategies must be devised to prevent ST11 CR-HvKP from proliferating extensively in the human intestinal tract where they were detected. ST11 CR-HvKP can easily be detectable by the Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method, targeting specific resistance and virulence genes. The study showed that the use of colistin (the last resort drug for carbapenem-resistant enterobacteriaceae infections) alone or in combination with other drugs were not very effective in treating infections caused by ST11 CR-HvKP. Ceftazidime/avibactam may be the effective antibiotic, but ST11 CR-HvKP may develop resistance to this antibiotic very quickly based on the clinical data from the USA. Prevalence of ST11 CR-HvKP strains in Hong Kong is currently unknown. Two studies conducted in Hong Kong have shown that mortality rate due to K. pneumoniae-mediated bloodstream infections was high, reaching 20% and 32% respectively. We plan to collaborate with clinicians in local hospitals to investigate the proportion of clinical K. pneumoniae isolates that belong to HvKP or CR-HvKP, and characterize their genetic features. 理大發現新發性超級細菌 ─ 高抗藥性和高毒力肺炎克雷伯菌 (Chinese) Media Headline Date 晴報 P18 理大發現新超級肺炎惡菌 一旦感染 無藥可治 1 Sep 2017 信報財經新聞 A16 理大發現超級抗藥新惡菌 1 Sep 2017 香港商報 A15 理大發現新型高抗藥性超級細菌 1 Sep 2017 明報 A11 揭內地現抗藥毒菌 理大擬港醫院調查 1 Sep 2017 文匯報 A11 理大揭新抗藥惡菌 依附醫療儀傳肺炎 1 Sep 2017 成報 A07 理大發現新超級惡菌 暫5人染病亡 1 Sep 2017 大公報 A02 高傳播高毒力 浙江五病人感染亡 進化超級肺炎菌 無藥可救 1 Sep 2017 東方日報 A10 內地爆新超級肺炎惡菌 1 Sep 2017 香港特別行政區政府 - 新聞公報 食物及衞生局局長在北京與新聞界談話內容 1 Sep 2017 蘋果日報 A07 內地現新型抗藥惡菌 死亡率極高 1 Sep 2017 The Standard P08 New superbug warning after deadly outbreak 1 Sep 2017 頭條日報 P08 理大發現新超級惡菌 高抗藥性內地奪五命 1 Sep 2017 都市日報 P10 5人感染全死亡 新惡菌高毒抗藥 1 Sep 2017 AM730 A02 暫時無藥醫 港嚴陣以待 內地現新型 超級惡菌 1 Sep 2017 經濟日報 A22 港人染抗藥惡菌趨增 險無藥可用 1 Sep 2017 TVB 普通話新聞報道 00:12:39-00:13:50 31 Aug 2017 Now TV 午間新聞 02:26 – 03:34 31 Aug 2017 Cable TV 理大發現內地肺炎與新超級細菌有關 31 Aug 2017 RTHK 午間新聞天地 00:07:56-00:10:06 31 Aug 2017 RTHK Hong Kong Today 1:13:35 - 1:19:04 31 Aug 2017 RTHK 本港內地團隊發現超級細菌 暫無有效療法 31 Aug 2017 CRHK 881903 理大發現新型高毒性及高抗藥性肺炎菌 31 Aug 2017 Metro Broadcast 理大發現一種新型高毒力和高傳播性的超級細菌 31 Aug 2017 Bastille Post 理大發現高抗藥性超級細菌 致命感染無法治癒 31 Aug 2017 蘋果日報 A10 理大發現內地超級惡菌 10日奪命 31 Aug 2017 The Lancet A fatal outbreak of ST11 carbapenem-resistant hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae in a Chinese hospital: a molecular epidemiological study 29 Aug 2017

ABCT alumni, Dr. Franco King-Chi Leung, receives Croucher Fellowship from Croucher Foundation

Congratulations to Dr. Franco King-Chi Leung, graduate of ABCT, for receiving the 2017 Croucher Fellowship from Croucher Foundation at the University of Groningen, the Netherlands.   The Croucher Foundation awards provide financial support for promising students in Hong Kong to pursue scientific research at the doctoral or postdoctoral levels. The foundation aims to enable young scientists to devote themselves to a period of full-time research in natural sciences, medicine or technology in approved academic institutions outside Hong Kong. After a series of competitive review processes, 21 recipients were chosen and they are heading out to all over the world including the U.S., Australia, the Netherlands, France and the U.K..   Dr. Leung graduated from ABCT with his BSc in Chemical Technology and he carried out his Master's research in catalysis and chemical biology under the supervision of Dr. Man-kin Wong. He then expanded his research to supramolecular chemistry and material science scopes in his PhD studies under the guidance of Prof. Takanori Fukushima in Tokyo Institute of Technology (Japan). In April 2017, he joined Prof. Ben L. Feringa's group (2016 Nobel Laureate in Chemistry) as a postdoc fellow at the University of Groningen.   Dr. Leung's main research interests are dynamic supramolecular polymers, functional molecular assembly, and biocompatible functional materials. He is currently working on the development of photo-responsive soft materials of molecular motors and switches.   Let us take this opportunity to congratulate Dr.  Franco King-Chi Leung again on receiving this remarkable award.

PolyU fashion design graduates stage Fashion Show 2017

Institute of Textiles and Clothing (ITC) of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) organised the PolyU Fashion Show 2017 yesterday (6 June) to feature the creative and talented designs of graduating students. The event is also an unforgettable and rewarding experience not only for the students but also their families and friends, the industry as well as the general public. This year, 25 graduating students from the Bachelor of Arts (Honours) Scheme in Fashion and Textilespresented a hundred creative outfits on a runway that measured nearly 80 metres in length, most likely the longest runway of its kind in Hong Kong. The works are also made available to the public for pre-order on an electronic platform, also for the first time. The annual event, held at the Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre, was attended by over 1,600 guests, including prominent and outstanding figures from the industry, fashion designers, fashionistas, and the media. The Hon. Felix Chung, Legislative Council Member (Functional Constituency - Textiles and Garment) and Professor John Xin, Head and Chair Professor of ITC, graced the occasion as the officiating guest. Mr Eugene Leung, Founder and Creative Director of the Hong Kong-based brand Injury, was the VIP judge. He and the other judges had the challenging but enviable task of selecting the recipient for the Overall Grand Award. The other judges included the following fashion visionaries: Ms Anupreet Bhui, Senior Editor of Global Street Style at WGSN; Ms Kar Chan, Head of Design (Ladieswear) at Initial Fashion Company Ltd; Ms Janet Cheung, Vice-Chairman of the Hong Kong Fashion Designers Association; and Mr Walter Ma, renowned fashion designer. ITC also collaborated for the first time with Goxip, a Hong Kong-based fashion discovery app and one of the sponsors of the event, in featuring the works of the 25 finalists on a shoppable Instagram platform and app. That means all the items can be selected and pre-ordered through a few clicks on the mobile handset. The collections carry a wide range of themes, ranging from military, environmental to spiritual themes and many more. The Overall Grand Award eventually went to Jason Wong for "Object> Garment> Object". Please refer to the appendix for the full list of awardees. Representatives from the event sponsors that provided seven awards and travelling scholarships were also present at the event.

PolyU stages Knitwear Fashion Show

The creative flair and design talent of graduating students from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU)'s Institute of Textiles and Clothing (ITC) received an overwhelming response and appreciation from the industry at the Annual Knitwear Fashion Show held on 17 May at The Mira Hong Kong. With the concerted effort of ITC design students, various knitwear producers and yarn suppliers, the annual Knitwear Fashion Show showcased 22 collections of four outfits from 22 graduating students majoring in knitwear design. Professor John H. Xin, Head and Chair Professor of ITC, said, "This is the 10th knitwear fashion show. It is our great honour to work together with our knitwear producers and yarn suppliers again to produce 22 beautiful, high-quality and creative knitwear collections. The success of the show reflects the students' diligence and originality in designing and realising their collections. It also demonstrates the encouragement and support of sponsors to the ITC, as well as our students." Celebrating its 60th anniversary, ITC offers exciting opportunities to those who wish to pursue careers in the dynamic fashion and textiles industry. Since its inception in 1957, ITC is committed to educational training and development for the advancement of the Hong Kong fashion and textile industry through various research and scholarly activities.

PolyU's public lecture by Prof. Dan Shechtman on "Technological Entrepreneurship"

With the generous support from The D. H. Chen Foundation, the Faculty of Applied Science and Textiles (FAST) of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) invited Prof. Dan Shechtman, 2011 Nobel Laureate in Chemistry, to speak at the PolyU 80th Anniversary. The D. H. Chen Foundation Nobel Laureate Lecture Series in Hong Kong today (20 April 2017). The title of his lecture is "Why Should We Teach Technological Entrepreneurship in Universities?". Prof. Shechtman believes that the dropping birth rates in developed countries nowadays inevitably pose threats to the countries for maintaining stable and economically advanced societies. Apart from opening borders to waves of immigration or encouraging families to have more children, he believes skilled entrepreneurs can fill the gap by starting hi-tech businesses with high return on investment and human capital, and hence is the key to building up thriving economies. He believes motivating university students of engineering, medicine and science as a start would help set up a group of role models of successful entrepreneurs who will then kick start a process leading to a huge difference in the life of a country. Prof. Shechtman's Nobel Prize-awarded discovery of the Icosahedral Phase by TEM (Transmission Electro Microscope) opened the new science of quasiperiodic crystals. He is now Philip Tobias Professor of Materials Science at the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology and Professor of Materials Science and Engineering at Iowa State University. PolyU has invited renowned Nobel Laureates in various disciplines, including Physiology or Medicine, Chemistry, as well as Economic Sciences, to deliver insightful and informative lectures at TheNobel Laureate Lecture Series on a wide range of topics of interests to the local community. The Nobel Laureate Lecture Series is one of the celebratory events for PolyU's 80th anniversary.   For further information, please visit https://www.polyu.edu.hk/fast/80anniversary/nobel_apr/.

PolyU launches The D. H. Chen Foundation Nobel Laureate Lecture Series

In celebration of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU)'s 80th anniversary, we are honoured to launch the PolyU 80th Anniversary ‧ The D. H. Chen Foundation Nobel Laureate Lecture Series. With the generous support from The D. H. Chen Foundation, the Faculty of Applied Science and Textiles (FAST) of PolyU has the honour of inviting Professor Randy W. Schekman, 2013 Nobel Laureate in Physiology or Medicine, to kick off the series on 14 March 2017 and present a lecture entitled "RNA sorting and packaging in extracellular vesicles secreted by mammalian cells". Every day, each cell within our body produces our daily needed protein molecules to support the proper functioning of various organs. Interestingly, approximately 10% of them are transported and secreted out of the cell as cargo in the small packages – called vesicles. These proteins include insulin, hormones, digestive enzymes and neurotransmitters. Such transport system is critical for a variety of physiological processes in which vesicle fusion must be tightly controlled. Without this wonderfully precise organisation, the cell would lapse into chaos resulting in development of different diseases. By employing a yeast system, Professor Schekman identified a set of genes required for transportation of proteins through and out of the cell in the small vesicles. This discovery has a major impact on our understanding of how cargo is delivered at the right time and at the right place. At the lecture today, he provided novel insight in understanding how defects in this transport system can lead to development of various diseases including diabetes and a number of neurological and immunological disorders, ultimately opening new therapeutic avenues targeting this transport system. Professor Timothy W. Tong, President of PolyU, said, "Through this lecture series, we hope to bring the bright minds of the Nobel Laureates of different fields to share their insights and perspectives, to spark inspirations in the academic community, and to enlighten our young minds, so that we can bring our research and education to the next level, and eventually make a better world." Enlighted by Professor Schekman today, audiences had better understanding of this transport system, and also possible new therapeutic options for a variety of human diseases.   For further information, please visit https://www.polyu.edu.hk/fast/80anniversary/nobel_mar/.

PolyU kicks off its 80th Anniversary Global Leader Lecture Series

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) is celebrating its 80th Anniversary this year with a Global Leader Lecture Series in which influential leaders in different professions around the globe will be invited to PolyU to deliver lectures on a wide range of topics covering healthcare, business, innovation and entrepreneurship, art and culture, sports and sustainable urban development.The series will provide the university community with a unique opportunity to learn from the stimulating insights and fresh perspectives of the speakers, and help inspire students to dream big and to bring positive changes to the world. Kicking off the series, the Faculties of Applied Science and Textiles (FAST) and Health and Social Sciences (FHSS) of PolyU had the honour of having Dr Marie-Paule Kieny, Assistant Director-General, Health Systems and Innovation, of the World Health Organization (WHO) to present a lecture entitled "Vaccine Development during the Ebola Public Health Emergency: Lessons Learnt and Perspectives for Enhanced Preparedness" which took place on 15th February. Ebola hemorrhagic fever was first described in 1976. The most widespread Ebola outbreak on record began in Guinea in December 2013, infecting more than 28,000 and killing over 11,300 people in many countries including Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone by 2016. In the absence of vaccines, and with insufficient diagnostics and medical teams, WHO led the development of an effective vaccine, demonstrating the possibility of compressing the research and development (R&D) time needed from a decade or longer to less than one year. During 2015-2016, Dr Kieny played a leading role in WHO's Ebola research activities by developing and evaluating innovative antiviral drugs and vaccines. She is currently in charge of Zika Virus R&D in WHO as well as the preparation of a WHO R&D Blueprint to accelerate global research preparedness forfuture outbreaks. The challenges and obstacles that global public health agencies face when devising a rapid response to control emerging infectious diseases was the highlight of Dr Kieny's lecture. Professor Timothy W. Tong, President of PolyU, said, "At PolyU, our scholars and scientists have been focusing on research that can improve public health. We have active research programmes in drug development, vaccine studies, infection control and food safety……We have also been collaborating with the World Health Organization to exchange views and expertise on various health issues." Through the PolyU 80th Anniversary Global Leader Lecture Series, PolyU promotes knowledge sharing by bringing global leaders to inspire us, and in this lecture, by sharing innovative R&D processes needed to control public health emergencies like the Ebola outbreak.  For further information, please visit www.polyu.edu.hk/fast/80anniversary/who/.

PolyU holds public lecture by LUI Che Woo Prize – Prize for World Civilisation Laureate Professor Yuan Longping

The LUI Che Woo Prize – Prize for World Civilisation (“LUI Che Woo Prize”) Laureate Professor Yuan Longping, widely known as “Father of the Hybrid Rice”, delivered a public lecture to a full house at Hotel ICON, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), today (4 October). At the lecture, Professor Yuan shared his inspiring story of developing the hybrid rice to secure world food supply and his innovative technology in breeding high-yield rice. Professor Yuan’s public lecture on “Development of hybrid rice for food security in the world” was co-organised by PolyU and LUI Che Woo Prize Limited. Professor Yuan is awarded the Sustainability Prize of the inaugural LUI Che Woo Prize 2016 for his significant contribution to the enhancement of the security of world food supply. Breeding hybrid crops for greater yields is a natural concept. However, before Professor Yuan's pioneering work, it was widely accepted that this approach could not succeed for a self-pollinating crop like rice. Professor Yuan nonetheless initiated his research on developing hybrid rice in 1964, and, against all odds, finally succeeded in creating unique genetic tools that made hybrid rice feasible after nine years. In 1976, his hybrid rice, with 20% higher yield than traditional rice species, was put into commercial production in China. Professor Yuan has since then continued in his efforts to perfect the technology, as well as the quality and robustness of the hybrid rice produced. At present, nearly 57% of rice fields in the mainland grow hybrid rice species. It is estimated that the increased output by planting hybrid rice can annually support 70 million more people in the mainland over the inbred rice varieties. He has also trained more than 3,000 scientists and researchers from about 80 developing countries. In his welcome speech, President of PolyU, Professor Timothy W. Tong said, “PolyU has also set our strategic priority on sustainability, and we have a wide range of research projects, ranging from food safety to sustainable urban development. Today we are so privileged to be here to learn from Professor Yuan’s perseverance on the research that he has been doing for half a century, to learn more about the development of hybrid rice, which is so important for food security for the population of the entire world.” In attendance were Mr Lawrence Lui, representing Dr Lui Che Woo, Founder and Chairman of the Board of Governors cum Prize Council of LUI Che Woo Prize, and Professor Wong Wing-tak, Dean, Faculty of Applied Science and Textiles, PolyU. More than 500 participants from the government, tertiary education sector and industry, as well as university and secondary school students, attended the lecture. Founded in 2015 by Dr Lui Che Woo, a renowned entrepreneur and philanthropist, the LUI Che Woo Prize aims to recognise and honour individuals or organisations all over the world with outstanding achievements that contribute to world civilisation. The laureate will receive a cash award of HK$20 million, a certificate and a trophy.  

PolyU discovers inadequate calcium, iron and iodine intakes of Hong Kong lactating women

While breastfeeding has become more common across the globe in recent years, lactating women may not be aware of the nutrient adequacy of their breast milk and how their daily diet affects their nutrition intakes. The research team at the Laboratory for Infant & Child of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU)'s Food Safety and Technology Research Centre (FSTRC) has undertaken a study in breast milk to analyze the calcium, iron and iodine levels of breast milk of Hong Kong lactating women and their daily intakes of the respective micronutrients. This is the second phase of the previous research which unveiled the level of polyunsaturated fatty acids (DHA, EPA and AA) of breast milk and lactating women's average daily intake levels of DHA and EPA last year. PolyU researchers recruited 95 lactating women participants between May 2014 and August 2015. They collected breast milk samples and conducted a 3-day diet survey with the participants and subsequently analysed the levels of calcium, iron and iodine in the collected breast milk. Results revealed that about 51 percent, 74 percent and 48 percent of the breast milk samples of the 39 lactating women with 0-6 month-old infants met the adequate intake levels of calcium (200 mg per day), iron (0.3 mg per day) and iodine (85 μg per day) recommended by the Chinese Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) 2013 respectively. This suggested that, in most cases, breast milk could supply sufficient micronutrients to support infant growth from the day when they were born to six months old, the period before complementary foods would be given to infants. However, the daily intakes of calcium, iron and iodine of the 95 breastfeeding mother participants in the study were significantly lower than the DRIs' recommendations, with only 12 percent, 6 percent and 2 percent of participants fulfilling the recommended intakes of calcium, iron and iodine respectively. The lack of calcium may lead to osteoporosis, rickets or cardiovascular diseases. The adverse effects on health that may be caused by the lack of iron include iron deficiency anemia and impaired immune response. The lack of iodine may lead to hypothyroidism, goiter, cretinism etc. In view of the research results, Mr Gordon Cheung, Registered Dietitian and Project Fellow of the FSTRC of PolyU's Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology (ABCT), suggested that breastfeeding mothers consume a wide variety of food, especially dairy products, tofu, dark green leafy vegetables, meat, legumes, seafood and seaweed products so as to prevent adverse health effects such as osteoporosis, anemia, and warrant the optimal growth and development of infants and young children. Professor Wong Man-sau, Professor of PolyU's ABCT and Deputy Director of FSTRC said, "Our research results reveal that the daily intakes of micronutrients of Hong Kong lactating women are significantly lower than the recommended daily intake levels. Although we have only analyzed the nutritional characteristics of breast milk and dietary habits of lactating women, our major concern is the overall well-being of both breast-fed babies and their lactating mothers. Therefore, we suggest that our lactating mothers should ensure their nutrient adequacy before, during and after breastfeeding by making healthy and balanced food choices." The research team will work to develop a dietary guideline for lactating women in collaboration with other medical professionals and undertake community-based education work to achieve nutritional adequacy via balanced diet amongst lactating women. The research team would like to thank all the participants in the study, Hong Kong Nutrition Association, Hong Kong Catholic Breastfeeding Association, Hong Kong Breastfeeding Mothers' Association, La Leche League Hong Kong, MaMaMilk Baby Alliance, Natural Parenting Network, Integrative Health Clinic at PolyU, Centre for Nutritional Studies at CUHK, Dr Sophie Leung Suk Fong, Professor Su Yixiang of Sun Yat-sen University and the research team of PolyU's FSTRC for their great help and support to the project.  

PolyU presents MA Graduation Fashion Show at the Hong Kong Fashion Week

With the support of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU)'s Institute of Textiles and Clothing (ITC) staged its annual Master of Arts Graduation Fashion Show today (6 July) at the Hong Kong Fashion Week for Spring/Summer. The Show is one of the highlights of the Hong Kong Fashion Week. The Show showcased the creative works of nine selected ITC graduating students from the Master of Arts in Fashion and Textile Design programme. The students each presented a collection of eight original outfits designed under their chosen themes which demonstrated their innovation and creativity. As the sole institute providing taught post-graduate programme in fashion and textiles in Hong Kong, ITC offers interesting and exciting opportunities to those who wish to pursue a career in the dynamic fashion and textiles industry. Since its inception in 1957, ITC has been committed to educational training and development for the advancement of Hong Kong's fashion and textile industry through various research and scholarly activities.