Academic Staff

PolyU Scholars Hub

Dr Lai Chun-Him, Nathanael

Research Assistant Professor

PolyU Scholars Hub

ORCID ID

SCOPUS ID

Research Overview

The aim of my research is to develop innovative food/metabolite-based materials, biomaterials, and nanomaterials to better understand the role of mechanotransduction in a variety of signaling pathways. These materials have the potential to be applied in the food industry to enhance food quality and safety.

Education and Academic Qualifications

Bachelor of Science in Chemical Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Master of Philosophy, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Doctor of Philosophy, The Chinese University of Hong Kong

Research Interests

Achievements

Postdoctoral Fellowship (2022-2023), KU Leuven
The 2nd Runner-up Hong Kong Medical and Healthcare Device Industries Association Student Research Awards (2021)
The 2nd Runner-up of Professor Charles K. Kao Student Creativity Awards, Postgraduate Group, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (2021)
The 2nd Runner-up of VCCE 2020 Internship Award, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (2020)
The 2nd Runner-up of oral presentation, 25th Chemistry Olympia (2014)

New Quinolizinium Dyes Preparation and Application on Photoredox Catalysis. Inventor: Man-Kin Wong, Jieren Deng and Chun Him Nathanael Lai, Patent no.: 201610915159.5

Zhao, P., Wang, Z., Xie, X., Jiang, T., Lai, C. H. N., Yang, B., Yi, B., Fu, H., Zhang, K., Li, G., Wang, Y., & Bian, L. Directed Conformational Switching of a Zinc Finger Analogue Regulates the Mechanosensing and Differentiation of Stem Cells. Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 2022, e202203847. Research article; Impact factor: 14.945 (Q1)
+Wong, W. K., +Lai, C. H. N., Cheng, W. Y., Tung, L. H., Chang, R. C. C., & Leung, F. K. C. Polymer–Metal Composite Healthcare Materials: From Nano to Device Scale. Journal of Composites Science, 2022, 8, 218. Review article; Impact factor: 3.486 (Q2)
Oh, J., Xia, X., Wong, W. K. R., Wong, S. H. D., Yuan, W., Wang, H., Lai, C. H. N., Tian, Y., Ho, Y,-P., Zhang, H., Zhang, Y., Li, G., Lin, Y., & Bian, L. The effect of the nanoparticle shape on T cell activation. Small, 2022, 2107373. Research article; Impact factor: 13.082 (Q2)
Wong, S. H. D., Xi, X. X., Chen, X., Xin, Y., Xu, L., Lai, C. H. N., Oh, J., Wong, W. K. R., Wang, X., Han, S., You, W., Shuai, X., Wong, N., Tan, Y., Duan, L., & Bian, L. Manipulation of the Nanoscale Presentation of Integrin Ligand Produces Cancer Cells with Enhanced Stemness and Robust Tumorigenicity. Nano Letters, 2021, 7, 3225. Research article; Impact factor: 11.376 (Q1)
Zhao, P., Yang, B., Xu, X., Lai, C. H. N., Li, R., Yang, X., & Bian, L. Nanoparticle-Assembled Vacuolated Coacervates Control Macromolecule Spatiotemporal Distribution to Provide a Stable Segregated Cell Microenvironment. Advanced Materials, 2021, 9, 2007209. Research article; Impact factor: 28.122 (Q1)
Yang, X., Yang, H., Jiang, X., Yang, B., Zhu, K., Lai, C. H. N., Huang, C., Chang, C., Bian, L., & Zhang, L. Injectable chitin hydrogels with self-healing property and biodegradability as stem cell carriers. Carbohydrate Polymers, 2021, 256, 117574. Research article; Impact factor: 10.253 (Q1)
+Deng, J.-R., +Lai, C. H. N., Kung, K. K. Y., Yang, B., Chung, S.-F., Leung, A. S.-L., Choi, M.-C., Leung, Y.-C., & Wong, M.-K. N-Terminal selective modification of peptides and proteins using 2- ethynylbenzaldehydes. Communications Chemistry, 2020, 3, 67. Research article; Impact factor: 5.678 (Q1)
Wong, S. H. D., Wong, W. K. R., Lai, C. H. N., Oh, J., Li, Z., Chen, X., Yuan, W., & Bian, L. Soft polymeric matrix as a macroscopic cage for magnetically modulating reversible nanoscale ligand presentation. Nano Letters, 2020, 5, 3207. Research article; Impact factor: 11.376 (Q1)
+Chen, X., +Lai, C. H. N., Wei, K., Li, R., Cui, M, Yang, B., Wong, S. H. D., Deng, Y., Li, J., Shuai, X., & Bian, L. Biomimetic Presentation of Cryptic Ligands via Single-Chain Nanogels for Synergistic Regulation of Stem Cells. ACS Nano, 2020, 4, 4027. Research article; Impact factor: 16.242 (Q1)
Jiang, J.-J., Cui, C.-F., Yang, B., Ning, Y., Lai, C. H. N., & Wong, M.-K. Chiral Cyclometalated Oxazoline Gold(III) Complex-Catalyzed Asymmetric Carboalkoxylation of Alkynes. Organic Letter, 2019, 21, 6289. Research article; Impact factor: 6.056 (Q1)