PolyU Science in the News

PolyU establishes FSN to nurture food specialists and promote innovative and sustainable development

PolyU has established the Department of Food Science and Nutrition (FSN), which is Hong Kong’s first UGC-funded academic department specialising in Food Science and Nutrition.   Based on the key pillars of Food Safety, Food Technology, Human Nutrition, and Chinese Medicine, FSN is dedicated to providing professionally crafted trainings to nurture food specialists. It also focuses on addressing health-related issues and pursuing impactful research to promote innovative and sustainable development that benefits the world and mankind.   Online coverage: 信報 理大成立食品科學系 20 July 2023  

PolyU research finds milk formulae vary significantly in supplementing Bifidobacteria

Research by Dr Amber Jiachi Chiou, Associate Director of Research Institute for Future Food and Associate Head of Department of Food Science and Nutrition, has revealed that there is a difference of up to 40 times in the effectiveness of supplementing Bifidobacteria in cesarean-born infants among different milk formula brands. It’s also found that 77% of surveyed mothers of cesarean-born infants have encountered difficulties in breast-feeding. (Oriental Daily News A06, Ming Pao Daily News A08, Ta Kung Pao A06, Sky Post P18)   Online coverage: Metro Radio 理大研究指剖腹產嬰兒益菌量近乎零 27 June 2023 Oriental Daily News 理大比較 剖腹嬰飲不同奶粉 相差40倍腸道益菌 28 June 2023 Ming Pao Daily News 77%剖腹產母餵哺難 理大研究：配方奶粉不同 腸道益菌可差40倍 28 June 2023 am730 剖腹產嬰兒 補充益菌助建免疫力 28 June 2023 Sky Post 剖腹產媽難餵母乳 BB缺益菌易過敏 不同配方奶粉 補充效果可差40倍 28 June 2023 Ta Kung Pao 剖腹产婴缺肠道益菌 不同奶粉补充效果相差40倍 28 June 2023 Sunday Kiss 理大研究：剖腹產嬰兒腸道益菌量近乎零 不同奶粉補益菌效果差 40 倍 27 June 2023 healthy:D 母乳餵哺｜理大研究揭剖腹產嬰兒益菌量近乎零 不同配方奶粉建立腸道益菌效果差異逾40倍 27 June 2023 Hong Kong China News Agency 港理大研究：不同奶粉建立腸道益菌效果差超40倍 27 June 2023  

PolyU research discovers pathogenic mechanism and novel treatment for superbug to reduce mortality

A PolyU research team led by Prof. Chen Sheng, Chair Professor of Microbiology, Member of State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, and Head of Department of Food Science and Nutrition, has discovered two novel approaches for the treatment of infections caused by antibiotic-resistant superbugs Klebsiella pneumoniae which could significantly reduce mortality among infected patients. (Oriental Daily News A04, Ming Pao Daily News A05, Hong Kong Economic Journal A13, Hong Kong Economic Times A14, Sky Post P06, Headline Daily P14, Ta Kung Pao A08, Wen Wei Po A12) Press release: English | Chinese   TVB 理大發現數款現有藥物組合使用可抑制超級細菌 冀短期內惠及病人 20 June 2023 Now TV 理大破解一種超級細菌發病機制並發現新療法 20 June 2023 i-Cable 理大研究揭阿士匹靈有助減低肺炎克雷伯菌死亡率 20 June 2023 RTHK 理大團隊發現兩種治療超級細菌新方案 有良好療效 Monitoring of patients with violent tendencies / Pneumonia superbug treatment 20 June 2023 Hong Kong Economic Journal 理大發現兩種治療超級細菌新方案 20 June 2023 Hong Kong Economic Times 【超級細菌】理大團隊破解超級細菌致病機制 現有藥物聯合治療冀可令病人盡快受惠 20 June 2023 HK01 理大破解超級細菌發病機制 發現阿士匹靈有助調低死亡率 20 June 2023 Medical Inspire 超級細菌丨理大研究：破解「超級細菌」肺炎克雷伯菌致病機制！消炎藥＋抗生素助降低患者死亡率 20 June 2023 China News Service 香港理大发现两种治疗超级细菌新方案 具良好疗效 20 June 2023 Bastille Post 理大團隊發現兩種治療超級細菌新方案　有良好療效  20 June 2023 Oriental Daily News 理大破解超級細菌發病機制 21 June 2023 Ming Pao Daily News 理大研舊藥新用 根治「超級肺炎菌」 21 June 2023  am730 理大發現 舊藥新用 治療超級惡菌 21 June 2023  Wen Wei Po 理大研舊藥新用治抗藥惡菌 21 June 2023 Ta Kung Pao 醫健事/理大破解「肺炎克雷伯菌」發病機制 阿士匹靈抑制超級惡菌 減死亡率 21 June 2023 Sky Post 理大破解肺炎雷克伯菌發病機制 舊藥新用研兩療化 降超級細菌致命率 21 June 2023 Headline Daily 2種新方案具良好療效 理大破解超級細菌機制 21 June 2023 The Standard PolyU team discovers superbug destroyer 21 June 2023  

PolyU Scholar received the Hong Kong Engineering Science and Technology Award

Congratulation to Prof. Zheng Zijian, Chair Professor of the Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, on receiving the Hong Kong Engineering Science and Technology Award (HKEST Award) organized by the Hong Kong Academy of Engineering Sciences and supported by the Innovation and Technology Commission. The HKEST Award aims to recognize outstanding contributions and excellence among younger generations in the HKSAR for their dedication and achievements in the arena of engineering science and technology through research, development, innovation and entrepreneurship.    Online coverage: Ta Kung Pao  https://polyu.me/43FngYo  ETNet https://polyu.me/42tIzLo 

PolyU Scholar featured on RTHK programme 《香港故事:創科夢工場》

Dr Wong Kahing of the Department of Food Science and Nutrition has been featured on the RTHK program “Hong Kong Stories: Inventors in HK 香港故事:創科夢工場” to share his research interest and aspiration in developing natural bio-resources, such as mushrooms, into novel functional foods for prevention or treatment of chronic diseases. Dr Wong has successfully prepared the anti-cancer selenium nanoparticles using the African Tiger Milk mushroom. He also shared the challenges and difficulties when commercializing his research output with industry partners.  To learn more about Dr Wong’s mushroom and food research, please watch the video《尋菇探秘 :黃家興》 : https://youtu.be/rwJMAwMg4VM

PolyU scholar discovers way to inhibit superbug

A research team led by Prof. Chen Sheng, Chair Professor of Microbiology and Head of the Department of Food Science and Nutrition, has recently discovered that administration of acetylsalicylic acid could inhibit cytokine storm induced by superbug CR-HvKP. Prof. Chen has previously discovered in 2017 that CR-HvKP, an emerging superbug, exhibits high transmissibility, hyper-resistance and hypervirulence. (Sing Tao Daily B09)

PolyU to provide new tech fishery training

Hong Kong Fishermen Consortium will join efforts with PolyU and City University of Hong Kong to offer training on new tech fishery. PolyU is currently conducting research at a demonstration farm and providing hands-on training to conventional mariculturists and those who wish to join the industry. Dr Kevin Kwok Wing-hin, Associate Head and Assistant Professor of the Department of Food Science and Nutrition pointed out that both growth rate and survival rate of fish in the demonstration farm outperform that in traditional mariculture rafts.   Online coverage:  Oriental Daily News   https://polyu.me/45DyqyO  Sky Post   https://polyu.me/45xWmn1; https://polyu.me/3oISOO2  Ta Kung Pao   https://polyu.me/3C5ayWU  HK01  https://polyu.me/3MGeRgf Dot Dot News   https://polyu.me/42antBF  TechNow   https://polyu.me/3WLkheH  Hong Kong China News Agency   https://polyu.me/45swCs6

PolyU and CUHK academics develop new drug to treat multiple obesity-related metabolic diseases

Prof. Thomas Leung Yun-chung, Professor of PolyU’s Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology and Prof. Alisa Shum Sau-wun, Associate Professor of the School of Biomedical Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), have developed a first-in-class drug, ABarginase, for treatment of multiple obesity-related metabolic diseases. The drug is an albumin-binding recombinant human arginase that is engineered using an advanced fusion protein strategy. This allows for an inexpensive and highly efficient fabrication process, making ABarginase affordable and widely adoptable for clinical applications. (Oriental Daily News A04, Hong Kong Economic Journal A08, Hong Kong Economic Times A14, Sky Post P05, Ta Kung Pao A08, Wen Wei Po A06, Lion Rock Daily P01)   Press release: English | Chinese   Online coverage: TVB https://polyu.me/3BME1oI Now TV https://polyu.me/3ITxVa7 i-Cable   https://polyu.me/43ipRY5  RTHK https://polyu.me/45gniHX https://polyu.me/3nBfTOH Metro Radio   https://polyu.me/3WnA3wd  AM730 https://polyu.me/45lSpSk  Ming Pao Daily News   https://polyu.me/3OyojoF  Oriental Daily News  https://polyu.me/3MLmSSp Hong Kong Economic Journal  https://polyu.me/3OvqIR9 (subscription required) Sky Post  https://polyu.me/3od1FHS Ta Kung Pao  https://polyu.me/42TyY1u Wen Wei Po  https://polyu.me/3MMrCr2 China Daily (Hong Kong Edition)  https://polyu.me/3q38coY Bastille Post  https://polyu.me/3pZAqkn Dot Dot News https://polyu.me/3OumXLy Line Today  https://polyu.me/43dtcYo Medical Express   https://polyu.me/3IyHH11  Mirage News   https://polyu.me/3pRYh5p  Yahoo HK  https://polyu.me/3pWbUR7 

PolyU expert on microplastic impacts

Dr Fang Kar-hei, James, Assistant Professor of the Department of Food Science and Nutrition, gave an interview with Now TV programme "Now Report" to explain the impact of microplastics on our body.   Now TV 經緯線：海洋塑化 (10:55 - 11:50) 10 April 2023  

PolyU scholar appointed food hygiene advisor

Congratulations to Dr Wong Ka-hing, Associate Professor of the Department of Food Science and Nutrition (FSN) cum Director of Research Institute for Future Food, on being appointed as a member to the Advisory Council on Food and Environmental Hygiene for a two-year term with effect from 1 April.   中聯社 政府委任食物及環境衛生諮詢委員會成員 31 March 2023