Media Releases

PolyU and Wenzhou government sign agreement to drive the establishment of a joint technology and innovation research institute

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) and the Wenzhou Municipal People’s Government have reached an agreement to drive the formation of the PolyU-Wenzhou Technology and Innovation Research Institute, with the aim of promoting Wenzhou to become a key innovation and technology hub for entrepreneurs and talents. Through this innovation platform which is the result of government-academia collaboration, both sides will partner in the research of core technologies in various fields including new energy, advanced materials, intelligent wearable devices, maritime engineering equipment, offshore wind power, blockchain, and fashion design. PolyU will leverage its research excellence to support Wenzhou’s development into a top-notch technology innovation base, through fostering the city’s translational research and commercialisation of research and innovation. Both sides will also join hands to nurture innovative and entrepreneurial talents who are knowledgeable about critical technologies of the future and possess a global outlook. The framework agreement was signed on PolyU’s campus on 22 May 2023 by Prof. Christopher CHAO, PolyU’s Vice President (Research and Innovation) and Mr WANG Zhenyong, Vice Mayor of Wenzhou. The signing was witnessed by Dr LAM Tai-fai, Council Chairman of PolyU; Prof. Jin-Guang TENG, President of PolyU; Dr Miranda LOU, Executive Vice President of PolyU; together with Mr LIU Xiaotao, Standing Committee Member of the Zhejiang Provincial Communist Party Committee and the Party Secretary of Wenzhou; Mr WANG Jun, Secretary General of the Wenzhou Municipal Communist Party Committee; and Mr WANG Chi, Head of the United Front Work Department of the Wenzhou Party Committee. PolyU has established strong partnerships with universities and research institutes in the Mainland. The University also collaborates with Mainland businesses and local authorities in the promotion of translational research and knowledge transfer, while actively encouraging its students to learn about the development trends and opportunities in the Mainland. Recently, PolyU has engaged numerous local governments to discuss establishing joint technology and innovation research institutes, which connect PolyU’s capabilities and achievements in basic research to the needs of local industries. These collaborations would contribute to the Nation’s self-reliance in its pursuit of technological advancement and benefit the development of local manufacturing sectors.   ***END***

PolyU and CUHK jointly develop ABarginase, the first-in-class drug for multiple obesity-related metabolic diseases

Researchers from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) and The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) have jointly made a groundbreaking drug discovery in treating multiple metabolic diseases related to obesity and insulin resistance like diabetes and fatty liver disease. The new drug, ABarginase, opens a new path for safe, long-lasting cures to multiple obesity related diseases simultaneously through an ingenious treatment mechanism – arginine starvation. Currently, patients often have to take multiple medications for these inter-related diseases, and are hence more prone to the potential risks of polypharmacy. ABarginase shows promise for the effective treatment of multiple metabolic diseases including prediabetes, type 2 diabetes and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. The fabrication process of ABarginase is inexpensive and highly efficient, making it affordable and widely adoptable for clinical applications. The research is led by Prof. Thomas LEUNG Yun-chung, Professor of the Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology and Lo Ka Chung Charitable Foundation Professor in Pharmaceutical Sciences of PolyU, and Prof. Alisa SHUM Sau-wun, Associate Professor, School of Biomedical Sciences of the Faculty of Medicine of CUHK. Obesity is not just about being fat. It is associated with many chronic diseases, such as diabetes, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, heart disease, hypertension and cancer. The PolyU-CUHK research team discovered that a low level of arginine (a semi-essential amino acid) in the blood can suppress fat synthesis, promote fat breakdown and sensitise cells to insulin. Native arginase can break down arginine, but it has a short circulatory half-life of less than 30 minutes. Prof. Thomas Leung said, “By using an advanced fusion protein strategy, our research team developed a long-lasting recombinant human arginase, ABarginase, that contains an albumin-binding domain, which enables it to bind with the stable and abundant albumin in the blood stream to extend its half-life by about 200 folds. ABarginase exhibits strong catabolic activity and it would only require one dose of ABarginase a week to maintain circulating arginine at low levels to achieve arginine starvation.” In preclinical studies, diet-induced obese mice were injected with ABarginase once a week, while control mice were injected with saline. Researchers found that within eight weeks of treatment with ABarginase, the treatment group’s body weight, fat mass, fatty liver and characteristic features of diabetes such as high blood glucose, insulin resistance and glucose intolerance were entirely reversed. Prof. Alisa Shum said, “The promising results show that ABarginase has great potential in safely and effectively treating multiple metabolic diseases related to obesity, insulin resistance, diabetes, and most importantly nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, which has no FDA-approved drug so far. We may have found the one drug that can cure them all.” Patent applications for this invention were filed in multiple countries. The research team is now scaling up the production for manufacturing ABarginase at Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) grade in preparation for conducting clinical trials. Prof. Leung and Prof. Shum further added, “As scientists, we dream of building a better world. The successful development of ABarginase is an important step towards realising our dream.” In an affirmation of its potential benefit to patients and positive impact on global health, as well as a testament to the research excellence of inter-university collaboration, ABarginase recently won one of the two prestigious Grand Prizes awarded to Hong Kong in this year’s International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva – the International Federation of Inventors’ Associations (IFIA) Best Invention Award. Obesity is generally recognised as a global health problem. According to the latest data of the World Health Organization, more than 1.9 billion adults were overweight and over 650 million adults were obese in 2016, accounting for 39% and 13% of the world’s adult population. While in Hong Kong, about one in two adults are considered to be overweight or obese. The joint research project is supported by the Lo Ka Chung Charitable Foundation Limited, the Health and Medical Research Fund of the Health Bureau and the State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery of PolyU.   ***END***

PolyU and China Harbour establish joint research centre to promote land development research

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) and China Harbour Engineering Co. Ltd (CHEC) have collaborated to establish the China Harbour–PolyU Joint Research Centre for Land Development (JRC) to promote sustainable land development, develop a green, low-carbon economy and improve the urban living environment. The Centre inauguration ceremony was held on the PolyU campus on 17 May. The establishment of the research centre symbolises a joint effort between PolyU and CHEC to boost practical research into land development. The Ceremony was attended by Mr TSE Chin-wan, Secretary for Environment and Ecology; Mr Shuiqiu YE, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Educational, Scientific and Technological Affairs of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the HKSAR; Mr Ka Sing KWONG, Head of Project Strategy and Governance Office of the Development Bureau of the HKSAR; Ir Aaron Kwok Ming BOK, President of The Hong Kong Institution of Engineers; Mr Hoi Shan HSU, Director of the Beijing–Hong Kong Academic Exchange Centre; Mr Hang LIANG, Vice General Manager of the Greater Bay Area Branch of the China Communications Construction Company Ltd ; Mr Heming JIANG, Deputy Manager of CHEC (Hong Kong), Prof. Jin-Guang TENG, President of PolyU; Prof. Qingyan CHEN, Director of the PolyU Academy of Interdisciplinary Research (PAIR); and Prof. Xiaoli DING, Director of the PolyU Research Institute of Land and Space (RILS). The collaboration agreement on the establishment of the JRC was signed by Prof. Christopher CHAO, Vice President (Research and Innovation) of PolyU and Mr Yong XUE, Managing Director of CHEC (Hong Kong). Mr Tse Chin-wan, Secretary for Environment and Ecology said, “The JRC provides an excellent platform for both basic and applied research in the field of green land development and construction. I look forward to important new research results from the Centre that will contribute to green land development and construction in Hong Kong and help Hong Kong achieve its target of carbon neutrality, making it a more livable and sustainable city.” Prof. Teng, President of PolyU said, “The CHEC–PolyU Joint Research Centre for Land Development will effectively combine PolyU’s strong scientific research capabilities with CHEC’s extensive experience in project implementation. Through close cooperation between the two parties, the Centre will propose innovative ideas and advanced technologies, and, through knowledge transfer, the research outcomes can be applied to land development projects in Hong Kong, the Greater Bay Area, the Nation and other parts of the world, hence improving livelihoods and contributing to societal sustainability.” Mr Yong Xue, Managing Director of CHEC (Hong Kong) said, “The global vision, project experience and outstanding research strengths of the combined team will boost research and development in advanced new technologies, in particular for green, low-carbon and sustainable land development and construction. We aim to promote the findings of the JRC to benefit the entire industry and society as a whole by enhancing the efficiency, safety, cost-effectiveness and environmental protection in the process of land development and construction.” The JRC is the first joint research centre established by the China Communications Construction Company Ltd (CCCC), parent company of CHEC, in partnership with a Hong Kong higher educational institution. The JRC will harness CHEC’s abundant resources and experience in implementing projects and applying technologies in Hong Kong and other parts of the world, with PolyU’s solid research strengths in land and infrastructure development. The JRC will be jointly operated by RILS and CHEC under the leadership of inaugural Co-Directors, Prof. Jianguo DAI, Management Committee Member of RILS, PolyU and Mr Hualei SUN, General Manager of Administration Department of CHEC (Hong Kong). The Centre will initially focus on research innovation, knowledge transfer and talent cultivation in the following areas:   • Technologies for marine engineering and construction of immersed tunnels to connect islands;   • Technologies for innovative prefabricated building, smart harbour and smart airport projects, facilitating the efficient use of land;   • Solutions for municipal and marine solid waste treatment, contributing to the realisation of carbon neutrality, and better recycling and reuse of municipal and marine solid wastes;   • Fibre-reinforced polymer composite materials and green high-performance concrete for marine engineering; and   • Life-cycle technologies for marine infrastructures and development, and application of innovative AI-based spatial information technologies for construction projects. Mr Ming LIN, Chief Scientist of CCCC and Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, said, “CCCC attaches great importance to technological innovation and application. As the first joint construction industry-university research centre in Hong Kong, CCCC will fully support the operation of the JRC, striving to create a better development blueprint for Hong Kong, contributing to the implementation of national development strategies for transportation, marine construction, and supporting major development projects in Hong Kong and the GBA.”   ***END***

PolyU JUPAS Consultation Day 2023: Admissions Strategies” coming soon, offering one-stop consultation with important programme information

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) will hold the “PolyU JUPAS Consultation Day 2023: Admissions Strategies” in the afternoon of 20 May 2023 (1-5pm, Saturday). During the event, Joint University Programmes Admissions System (JUPAS) applicants will obtain the latest updates on PolyU’s programmes. This will prepare them to re-evaluate and finalise their programme choices by late July. Registration for the Consultation Day is now open at https://www.polyu.edu.hk/conday. On the event day, the Academic Registry will host a thematic seminar on “admissions strategies and interview skills” to introduce the latest admissions arrangements while current PolyU students will share their interview experiences and give useful tips for planning to study at PolyU. Academic units will also organise a series of programme information seminars, programme consultations, guided tours, and workshops in order for students to learn more about entrance requirements, programme curricula and features, as well as the learning journey of their preferred disciplines/programmes. Students may also have the opportunity to experience a one-on-one AI-generated admission interview for better interview preparation. In addition, an online chatbot, Academic Registry Virtual Trainee, has been designed to provide students with first-hand information regarding the latest score calculation method and past admission figures. Starting from the 2023/24 academic year, PolyU will further optimise some of its departmental scheme-based admissions programmes to address societal needs. With the aim of nurturing leaders of tomorrow equipped with the knowledge and skills that are essential in our modern society, two programme elements, namely “Artificial Intelligence and Data Analysis” (AIDA) and “Innovation and Entrepreneurship” (IE), have been incorporated into the General University Requirements since the last academic year. Students can opt for a secondary Major or a Minor in AIDA and IE. PolyU will continue to adopt flexible arrangements with regard to the minimum entrance requirements for JUPAS applicants in the 2023/24 academic year. Applicants who fall slightly short of the general entrance requirements for degree programmes, i.e. “3-3-2-2-3-3” (level 3 in both languages and level 2 in Mathematics and Liberal Studies together with level 3 in two additional electives) but meet the following conditions will be given special consideration for admission: •      one HKDSE subject result is one level below the required level “3-3-2-2-3-3” with a total score in their best five subjects (any five subjects without subject weighting) at least one point higher than the scheme-based average score for the best five DSE subjects of the last admission exercise (for details, please refer to https://www.polyu.edu.hk/aradm/jupas/flexible_admission_score.pdf); and •      they have selected PolyU’s degree programmes as their Band A choices, i.e. their first three priorities, in JUPAS. After the event day, Academic Registry will further provide online Consultation Sessions during 3-5pm, 23-25 and 29-30 May to answer enquiries from JUPAS applicants regarding admissions matters. For details, please refer to https://www.polyu.edu.hk/study. For enquiries about the event, please call 2333-0600 or email to arevents.enquiry@polyu.edu.hk.   ***END***

PolyU scholars win ZPRIZE for ground-breaking Web3 technology in zero-knowledge cryptography

Computer science scholars from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) have won the ZPRIZE in the Plonk-DIZK GPU Acceleration prize category for innovative solutions in empowering zero-knowledge cryptography. Led by Prof. Allen AU from the University’s Department of Computing and Research Assistant Professor Dr Xingye LU, the research team was awarded a cash prize of US$550,000. Zero-knowledge cryptography, also known as zero-knowledge proofs (ZKPs), allows a “prover” to convince a person of the validity of a computation without leaking any information; it is hence referred to as zero-knowledge cryptography. It is seen as a breakthrough technology impacting Web3, a decentralised online ecosystem based on blockchain, because it enables data privacy protection, efficiency improvement and scalability of transparent systems such as blockchain. Zero-knowledge cryptography is important to foster trust and promote widespread adoption of decentralised applications, which in turn is crucial for the growth of Web3. It also facilitates the development of innovative solutions for privacy-preserving data sharing and collaborative computation. A variety of industries including financial services, healthcare and supply chain management would benefit from the application of this technology. Christopher CHAO, PolyU Vice President (Research and Innovation), said, “We take great pride in our scholars’ remarkable achievements in winning the ZPRIZE. It showcases PolyU’s unwavering commitment to advancing blockchain technology and revolutionizing Web3 through innovative research and transformative solutions.” A major challenge for real-world adoption of ZKPs, particularly for applications at scale, is the high computation cost. In addressing this issue, the research team focused on enhancing the efficiency and scalability of Plonk, a popular ZKP system. The team delivered this achievement by leveraging GPU acceleration to achieve computation speedup and distributing the workload evenly across multiple servers to improve scalability. Prof. Au said, “This is crucial because generating these proofs can be computationally intensive, and so a faster and more efficient method could enable the use of zero-knowledge cryptographic in a wider range of applications.” This new implementation can generate a proof in less than one hour for a circuit of size 228 gates, which is the largest circuit with reported successful plonk proof generation. The research team’s solution has achieved a significant computation speedup of over 40% on a single machine. With the new distribution approach, the team was able to improve the overall proof generation process by a factor of 10 compared with existing method. The Plonk-DIZK GPU Acceleration Prize falls under the open division category of the ZPRIZE for general public interests. ZPRIZE is a collaborative effort across the blockchain industry that involves over 32 global partners and sponsors who contribute time, effort and resources to this industry-wide competition, with the aim of increasing the practicality and awareness of this technology. Dr Lu said, “Our submission will become open-source libraries for the benefit of the community. We hope this new technology can support the next generation of decentralized protocols and applications to enable secure, interoperable and scalable applications for the next-generation web.” ***END***

PolyU CubeSat Mission enhances secondary school students’ STEAM skills

Working closely with secondary schools in Hong Kong, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has been promoting science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics (STEAM) education. To further develop students’ STEAM skills, the University offers opportunities for them to participate in various research projects and activities. PolyU has been deeply involved in space technology research and promoting space science education. The Department of Aeronautical and Aviation Engineering (AAE) partnered with the Orion Astropreneur Space Academy (OASA) to launch the PolyU CubeSat Mission – Space Debris Removal competition. This was the first competition in Hong Kong with the theme of STEAM and space technology aiming to cultivate secondary school students’ interest in space science and technology research and development. The competition attracted about 100 students from different secondary schools. To strengthen students' understanding of CubeSats (microsatellites) and the functionalities of satellites, space science principles and their practical applications, PolyU and OASA provided three-month training programmes for them to learn about and design a CubeSat that can remove space debris. Participating students also had the opportunities to attend lectures and visit PolyU space science research laboratories and other facilities, including the Aerodynamics Laboratory, Aviation Engineering Laboratory and Planetary Remote Sensing Laboratory to enhance their knowledge and gain design inspiration. AAE doctoral students also joined the hands-on workshops hosted by OASA instructors to provide guidance and assistance to students to build and programme their CubeSats. Following participating students’ hard work and dedication, the programme was concluded with a final presentation held in PolyU on April 29. The Judging Panel comprising PolyU scholars and OASA Global Council carefully discussed and selected the best performing teams. Award Teams Champion St. Paul’s College First Runners-up Sha Tin College - Team 1 Second Runners-up King’s College Merit Sha Tin College – Team 2 Merit Maryknoll Convent School (Secondary Section) The champion team from St. Paul’s College created a video that elaborated on their notion of launching a 6U* CubeSat into space, orbiting to locate debris and deploying 1U of the CubeSat and a graphene net to capture objects with the help of AI. Their meticulous design also proposed how the CubeSat would de-orbit and return to Earth while the debris burned up in the atmosphere. Prof. Chih-Yung WEN, Head of Department of Aeronautical and Aviation Engineering and Chair Professor of Aeronautical Engineering, PolyU said, “This competition was an excellent opportunity for secondary school students to showcase their incredible skills and incomparable creativity in a STEAM-based project. We were impressed by the students’ astonishingly high-level engineering ability and talents. AAE hopes that through this competition, more students will be motivated to engage in space-related research, including those on satellite. We see limitless potential in these students to become future youth scientists and look forward to having such talents in our research teams.” Prof. Gregg LI, President and Executive Director of OASA, remarked, “All of the participants demonstrated excellent work and enthusiasm towards the need to understand the latest space technologies. We hope that this competition inspires students to pursue further education or careers in space science, technology and engineering, and become the next generation of astropreneurs and astronautical engineering experts.” Apart from receiving internships opportunities and free student memberships provided by OASA, the winning teams will also be awarded grants by PolyU as an incentive to help promote STEAM education at their schools. Secondary schools are encouraged to nominate students who have participated in the competition to apply for admittance to PolyU through the School Principal’s Nominations and the School Nominations Direct Admission Scheme, which may enhance students’ chances of enrolling at the University. *“U” stands for a unit for measuring the CubeSat’s size, with 1U being a cube with a length, width, and height of 10 cm.   ***END***

PolyU and NGOs develop innovative and effective intervention services to help families cope with adversity

To help families cope with stress and adversity, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), with the support of The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, has partnered with Hong Kong Children and Youth Services, Hong Kong Family Welfare Society, The Salvation Army, and Tung Wah Group of Hospitals to deliver a three–year project ‘Jockey Club “Promoting Family Resilience” Project’ (the Project). Since 2021, the Project has launched various programmes including an e-learning training course on family resilience and community-based family intervention services to help families respond to changes and disruptions brought about by the pandemic and adapt to the constantly changing social environment. Family resilience is the ability of a family to cope with and adapt to challenging situations and external threats; it includes family cohesion and flexibility, open family communication, and a shared sense of purpose and positive outlook. By developing family resilience, families can better navigate difficult circumstances and maintain a sense of stability, mutual support and positive communication even in the face of adversity. The e-learning training course is a 12-hour tailor-made e-learning program from which parents can learn about the concepts of family resilience, reflect on their own family situation and capacity, and apply family resilience strategies in their daily life. Eight months after the launch of the training course, there have been over 5,000 beneficiaries. Prof. Daniel SHEK, Associate Vice President (Undergraduate Programme), Chair Professor of Applied Social Sciences, and Li and Fung Professor in Service Leadership Education of PolyU, said over 97% of the participants reported that they acquired the concepts of family resilience and had a better understanding of their own family characteristics, and 95% found that they face adversity more positively and were more willing to shoulder the burdens of other family members. Moreover, those participants who had completed the 12-hour modules showed a decrease in personal stress, anxiety and depression, and an increase in family resilience including more positive family values and stronger optimistic beliefs, more cohesion and flexibility among family members, and better family communication and problem-solving capabilities. The project team also conducted a quasi-experimental study to assess the effectiveness of the training course by comparing an experimental group (i.e., those who had completed the e-learning course) and a comparison group (i.e., those who had not joined the course). The experimental group reported a decrease in anxiety and depressive symptoms, and an increase in family resilience after participating in the programmes, when compared with the comparison group. What also makes the Project unique are the community-based family intervention programmes which also aim to enhance family resilience in the community. Over the past two years, over 7,000 families have joined these programmes. Four such programmes have been developed jointly by the collaborating NGOs and PolyU, and implemented by the NGOs. They incorporate different programme designs and concepts of family resilience: 1) family adventure-based training; 2) family-based art workshops; 3) family photo albums; and 4) mindful journeys for families. The programmes comprise six-sessions and include group sessions and outdoor activities, with entire families invited to participate. Nearly 900 families have joined these programmes in the past two years. Dr Janet LEUNG, Associate Professor of Applied Social Sciences of PolyU, said programme evaluation showed that 97% of participants reported that they were more optimistic in facing adversity, communicated better and developed mutual support among their family members. Furthermore, participants showed a decrease of mental health symptoms (stress, anxiety and depression) among family members, and an increase in family resilience (positive family beliefs, family flexibility and cohesion, and family communication and collaborative problem-solving). Moreover, results of a quasi-experimental study indicated that an experimental group (i.e., those families that joined the programmes) showed a decrease in anxiety, an increase in family resilience and better marital satisfaction after participation, when compared with the comparison group (i.e., those families that did not join our programmes). Families in Hong Kong still face different challenges and difficulties during the post-pandemic stage. The prolonged pandemic has taken a significant toll on individual and family mental health. The unpredictable economic condition with high inflation has also created worries within families. Moreover, when schools resume normal, families may need to adjust to new routines again and, in managing learning loss, parents and children are anxious to catch up, which can cause significant stress. In facing the challenges ahead, it is clear that family-based programmes that effectively promote family resilience are essential. The Project will help Hong Kong families better understand and enhance their resilience. It also hopes to train professionals including social workers and psychologists to further optimise intervention services to help families cope with adversity. Jockey Club “Promoting Family Resilience” Project Website: https://family-fhss.polyu.edu.hk Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JCFamilyResiliencehk/ ***END***

PolyU constructs student hostel at Kowloon Tong to promote students’ whole-person development

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has created an innovative, research-focused environment for students and faculty members, reflecting our excellent reputation for quality teaching and research that addresses societal needs. To help enrich the learning experience for our students and ease the shortfall of student residential places, PolyU will construct four multi-storey student hostels at Tat Hong Avenue in Kowloon Tong, providing an additional 1,680 student hostel places and outdoor recreational space for students. The new student hostel will attract outstanding non-local students to study in Hong Kong, thus helping to broaden the horizons of our local students. The hostel is targeted for completion by 2028. The hostel groundbreaking ceremony was officiated by Dr LAM Tai-fai, Council Chairman of PolyU; Prof. Jin-Guang TENG, President; together with members of the Council and the management. Prof. Jin-Guang Teng hopes that, with the completion of the student hostels at Kowloon Tong and Ho Man Tin, students will be given an opportunity to experience two years of hostel accommodation during the four-year period of their studies. He said, “Hostel life is an essential part of higher education and students’ holistic development. Apart from academic studies and extra-curricular activities, we hope our students will have a more fruitful university life through a wide range of group residential activities. Through bringing together students with same interest, hostel life can also help nurture research talents and young people who are excellent in sports, art and culture, leadership and community services and STEM.” The Kowloon Tong student hostel will be located on a slope on Tat Hong Avenue, with the four multi-storey buildings set to have nine to 15 stories with a total gross floor area of around 50,200 square metres. Pedestrian passageways, parking lots and student recreational facilities will mainly be located from the ground floor to the fourth floor; a public corridor connecting each building, shared spaces and some dormitory units on the fifth floor; and the remaining student dormitories on the sixth floor or above.   ***END***

PolyU partners with Cell Press to publish interdisciplinary journal Nexus

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), through its publishing house the PolyU Press, has selected Cell Press to publish Nexus, a new gold open access journal that aims to bring together scientists and engineers to tackle the world’s greatest challenges. PolyU Chair Professor of Energy and Buildings Prof. Jerry YAN will serve as the journal’s inaugural editor-in-chief. Now open for submissions, Nexus covers all subjects in the areas of applied sciences, engineering, technology, and inter- and multi-disciplinary fields. The journal will publish original research and reports as well as reviews and commentaries on innovations that aim to improve lives, protect the planet, and contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Prof. Jin-Guang TENG, President of PolyU, said, “As the name of the journal suggests, we envision Nexus to be the leading scholarly forum that connects science with engineering and technology and brings together different disciplines to address the many challenges faced by society today through collaborative and interdisciplinary research. This vision reflects the spirit of PolyU’s motto: ‘To learn and to apply, for the benefit of mankind.’” Nexus is Cell Press’s first partner journal in the physical sciences and the first title published in collaboration with a university. Its addition marks Cell Press’s continued growth in open access physical sciences titles, which include Cell Reports Physical Science and Cell Reports Sustainability. Ms Anne KITSON, Managing Director of Cell Press and the Lancet, said, “We are embarking on a journey to create something new, inspiring, and transformative that will drive progress towards United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Our shared vision for Nexus as a home for scientists and engineers across multiple disciplines is intended to spark new collaborations and ideas in order to drive progress towards achieving a more sustainable future for all.” In naming the journal Nexus, editor-in-chief Prof. Jerry Yan wanted to emphasize that it will be a place that connects different fields and people. In addition to publishing research, reviews, and letters, there will be original content types that will allow authors to touch on how scientists and engineers can work together, for instance, to organize larger research projects or aggregate funding to support interdisciplinary initiatives. Prof. Yan said, “As an editor, I was beginning to feel that we have a gap between science and engineering, and just because they’ve historically been distinct disciplines, the reason both sides do what they do is to solve problems, and those problems are interconnected. This means Nexus can’t be a traditional journal—we will need to go beyond the paper, encourage knowledge and system sharing, and challenge both sides to sync their approach.” Prof. Yan also serves as the advisory editor-in-chief of Applied Energy and is the founding editor of Advances in Applied Energy, both published by Elsevier. He has published over 400 papers in scholarly journals and is an award-winning and highly cited researcher with over 10 patents. Prof. Yan wanted to partner with Cell Press on Nexus because, after collaborating with staff on other projects, he saw “it’s a place where new things happen quickly and efficiently,” he says. To contact the editor-in-chief or for inquiries about the journal, email nexus.polyu@polyu.edu.hk. Sign up for content alerts at https://info.cell.com/nexus-registration.   ***END***

PolyU hosts premier interdisciplinary research conference in the Greater Bay Area with Prof. Yan Nieng and over 100 leading experts as distinguished speakers

The first and largest interdisciplinary research and development conference in Hong Kong commenced at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) today, with some 100 internationally renowned experts as distinguished speakers to share their knowledge and insights during the 4-day conference. The PolyU Academy for Interdisciplinary Research (PAIR) Conference provided an opportunity for stakeholders from industry, academia, and governments worldwide to engage in closer exchange and collaboration, enriching and expanding interdisciplinary knowledge to foster a brighter and more sustainable future. Under the theme of “Research Excellence for Societal Impacts”, the Conference has 15 streams focused on three core areas: advanced technologies and manufacturing, good health and well-being, and smart and sustainable cities. Besides insightful keynote and discussion sessions, the programme also comprises laboratory visits and presentations of select research papers. At the Conference opening session, Prof. YAN Nieng, Founding President of the Shenzhen Medical Academy of Research and Translation and a world-leading structural biologist, delivered an insightful presentation on the frontier research of proteins that may play a key role in the pharmaceutical development of pain relief solutions. Prof. Jin-Guang TENG, President of PolyU, said, “This academic conference is specifically dedicated to interdisciplinary research and emerging technologies, which are especially relevant in today's complex world. Tackling pressing societal issues, such as climate change, an ageing population, poverty, energy shortages and so forth requires game-changing interdisciplinary solutions that transcend the boundaries of individual disciplines.” Prof. Christopher CHAO, Vice President (Research and Innovation) of PolyU and Chairman of the Conference’s Scientific Committee, said, “As we finally emerge from the pandemic and return to normality, this year's Conference marks a new chapter for academia in Hong Kong and around the world to establish, renew and deepen interdisciplinary collaboration for the benefit of society.” Prof. CHEN Qingyan, Director of PAIR and Chair Professor of Building Thermal Science of PolyU, said, “The Conference is important for us to understand what it means to be innovative, interdisciplinary, and agile. It is a major step towards closer interinstitutional and cross-sectoral collaboration to embrace the challenges ahead.” Officially inaugurated in July 2022, PAIR is PolyU’s interdisciplinary research hub with 16 research institutes and centres and over 400 senior researchers, making it the largest research platform of its kind in the Greater Bay Area. ***END***