News

MHRC Member awarded HMRF grant to evaluate mobile app for early detection and intervention for postpartum depression

Prof. Jessie LIN, Assistant Professor in the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, has been awarded a grant of about HK$500K from the Health and Medical Research Fund of the Health Bureau, HKSAR, for the project “Enhancing clinical care for postpartum depression using ecological momentary assessment and intervention: a feasibility randomized controlled trial with “MotherCare” mobile app”. Designed by the PolyU research team, the app provides personalised, real-time and mindfulness-based ecological momentary interventions (EMI) for postpartum women with depression according to their emotional states. The evaluative study includes a three-month randomised controlled trial (RCT) involving 40 participants, assessing the mobile app’s usability and acceptability, as well as participants’ adherence to the intervention and their improvements in mood and emotional regulation. The research has significant clinical implications for the early detection and management of postpartum depression in Hong Kong and beyond.

Prof. QIU Anqi appointed as Director of Mental Health Research Centre

We are delighted to announce that Prof. QIU Anqi, Professor of the Department of Health Technology and Informatics, has been appointed as Director of the Mental Health Research Centre (MHRC) under the PolyU Academy for Interdisciplinary Research (PAIR), effective from 1 May 2025. Prof. Qiu is a Global STEM Scholar under the Global STEM Professorship Scheme of the HKSAR government. She also holds an adjunct professorship in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the Johns Hopkins University. Her previous roles include Deputy Head for Research and Enterprises at the Department of Biomedical Engineering of the National University of Singapore (NUS); Director of the BME Innovation Centre at the NUS Suzhou Research Institute; and Master of Eusoff Hall at NUS. Specialising in computational analyses, Prof. Qiu is deeply committed to understanding the origin of individual health differences across a lifespan. Her research team develops innovative technologies in medical data analysis deep learning to leverage complex and informative datasets that include disease phenotypes, neuroimaging and genetics to further her research, which yielded high-impact publications in Nature, Nature Neuroscience, Nature Mental Health, American Journal of Psychiatry, Biological Psychiatry, IEEE Transactions in Medical Imaging and Medical Image Analysis, among others. More recently, Prof. Qiu has been elected as Council Chair of the Organization for Human Brain Mapping, an international society dedicated to advancing the understanding of the anatomical and functional organization of the human brain using neuroimaging. MHRC would like to thank Prof. Chen, Associate Dean of Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, Chair Professor of Social and Cultural Psychology and Former MHRC Interim Director, for her contributions to the Centre, and extend warmest welcome to Prof. Qiu for taking MHRC to new heights.  

Prof. SO Kwok-fai shares lifestyle interventions for mental health at PAIR Distinguished Lecture

Prof. SO Kwok-fai, Director of GHM Institute of CNS Regeneration at Jinan University, Guangzhou, China, delivered the 37th PAIR Distinguished Lecture titled “Mental Health and Lifestyle Intervention” on 17 April 2025 on the PolyU campus. The lecture attracted about 100 participants to join in person and captivated an online audience of over 13,300 from different countries and regions who watched the live broadcast on multiple social media platforms, including Bilibili, WeChat, Weibo and YouTube. The lecture commenced with a warm welcome by Prof. ZHANG Weixiong, Associate Director of PAIR, followed by an introduction of the speaker by Prof. WONG Kwok-yin, Vice President (Education). Prof. So kickstarted his presentation by emphasising the importance of disease prevention in safeguarding human health. He highlighted that rapid economic development, an increasingly fast-paced lifestyle, heightened social competition and other factors have contributed to a rise in mental health challenges, chronic conditions, sub-health syndromes and aging-related diseases. Prof. So elaborated on several neuropathological mechanisms, such as monoamine neurotransmitters, neural circuits, and neuroglial cells. In addition to these central factors, he also discussed how circulating hormones, including glucocorticoids, profoundly influence mental functions, suggesting the interplay between peripheral tissues and central nervous system nuclei.  Additionally, he highlighted the antidepressant effects of light therapy, underscoring the role of the nucleus reuniens in mediating the spatial memory-enhancing outcomes of such treatment. Furthermore, Prof. So presented evidence that taking glucagon-like peptides can alleviate symptoms of depression and reduce the side effects of traditional treatments on the body. Last but not least, Prof. So underscored the need for healthcare focus to shift from curative to preventive medicine, advocating lifestyle strategies such as regular exercise, light therapy and using supplements derived from goji glycopeptide as effective preventive measures. The event concluded with a dynamic question-and-answer session moderated by Prof. Sylvia CHEN, the then Interim Director of Mental Health Research Centre (MHRC) and Associate Dean of Faculty of Health and Social Sciences (FHSS), where attendees engaged in in-depth discussions with Prof. So. Please click here for an online review.

The Success of the ReST Hub Celebration

Resilient Students Training Hub (ReST Hub), made possible by the generous funding and support from the Seal of Love Charitable Foundation, is a campus-wide research-driven service and education initiative that was fully launched this academic year to support university student mental health and resilience.  To commemorate this year’s achievements, a ReST Hub Celebration was held on 3 April 2025 with interactive games and experience sharing with local music artist, Mr. Alfred HUI and Olympic badminton player, Mr. LEE Cheuk Yiu, as well as music performance featuring the PolyU Music Society. Over 200 participants from PolyU and the local community joined the event at Block X Sports Centre to show support. The Celebration was attended by Guest of Honour Dr the Honourable LAM Ching-choi, SBS, JP, Prof Horace MUI (Interim Dean of Students), Prof David SHUM (Dean of Faculty of Health and Social Sciences), Prof Sylvia CHEN (Interim Director of Mental Health Research Centre), Prof Justina LIU (Associate Head of School of Nursing), and Dr Florence WU (Section Head of Counselling and Wellness).  ReST Hub kickstarted their 5-year project with success and hopes to implement more initiatives in upcoming years to transform university campuses into mental health and resilience promotive ecosystems.  

PolyU trains ambassadors to support mental health of carers of persons with disabilities

With funding support from Phase 2 of the Mental Health Initiatives Funding Scheme, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) collaborated with the Spastics Association of Hong Kong (SAHK) and the New Life Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association (NLPRA) in the project titled “Enhancing the Mental Health of Carers of Persons with Disabilities with Support Services Delivered by Trained Carer Support Ambassadors”, which aims to implement a short-term certificate programme for frontline workers such as occupational therapy assistants, rehabilitation assistants, patient care assistants and welfare workers to become Carer Support Ambassadors who will deliver mental health support to carers of persons with disabilities.  Under the project, 25 frontline workers were trained to become Carer Support Ambassadors, providing support to 110 carers.  PolyU held a symposium cum graduation ceremony on 16 January 2025, bringing together carers, ambassadors and experts participating in the project to celebrate project achievements. The event was graced by the presence of leaders in mental health profession, including Prof. Hector TSANG, Principal Investigator of the project, Chair Professor of Rehabilitation Sciences, and Member the Mental Health Research Centre (MHRC); Mr Fletch CHAN, Commissioner for Rehabilitation of the HKSAR; Ms Maggie LEUNG, Assistant Director (Rehabilitation & Medical Social Services), Social Welfare Department of the HKSAR; and Prof. Sylvia CHEN, Associate Dean of the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, Chair Professor of Social and Cultural Psychology, and Interim Director of MHRC. At the symposium, different parties in the project gave sharing and keynote presentations on the project details and outcomes.  Prof. Tsang gave a brief overview about the project, while Ms Edith HUNG of SAHK and Ms Sara CHAN of NLPRA shared the experiences and benefits from participating in the project.  Dr TSUI Chi-man, Research Assistant Professor in the RS Department, who is also a member of the project team, explained the components of the training programme, which included common mental health issues related to carers, therapeutic communication, lifestyle redesign, complementary approaches for mental health, and useful skills to manage crisis.  Another project team member, Dr Erin LU, Research Assistant Professor in the same department and Member of MHRC, gave details about the Pilot Program on Carer Mental Health Support, which provided carers with various support services including ongoing monitoring of mental health using psychological scales, peer support workshops, and support in accessing professional help for individuals in need. The program was delivered by the train ambassadors. At the graduation ceremony, two carers and three trained ambassadors participating in the project gave heartful sharing about their first-hand experiences in the project, explaining how they benefitted from receiving proactive mental health support and participating in meaningful ambassador services respectively.  The officiating guests also presented certificates to trained ambassadors attending the event. The event concluded with resounding success, not only promoting greater awareness of the mental health of carers of persons with disabilities, but also building connections among the higher education, social welfare and government sectors for future collaborations in the development of carer mental health support policies and services.  

Prof. Sylvia Xiaohua CHEN elected as Fellow of The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS)

Prof. Sylvia Xiaohua CHEN, Associate Dean of the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, Chair Professor of the Department of Applied Social Sciences, Interim Director of the Mental Health Research Centre, and Director of the Yan Oi Tong Au Suet Ming Child Development Centre at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, has been elected as a Fellow of The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS). Prof. Chen is the only elected fellow in Hong Kong, and the only Chinese scholar elected in the field of Social & Economic Sciences this year. TWAS is a global science academy based in Trieste, Italy, dedicated to promoting scientific capacity and excellence for sustainable development in developing countries. Elected TWAS fellows represent the world’s distinguished scientists in various disciplines, including some Nobel laureates. This year, a total of 74 new fellows from 28 countries and regions worldwide have been elected for 2025, and 10 are from Chinese institutions. Prof. Chen is a Chartered Psychologist of the British Psychological Society, a Registered Psychologist of the Hong Kong Psychological Society, Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, the flagship journal of the International Association for Cross-Cultural Psychology, and General Editor of Cambridge University Press Culture and Psychology Series. Her research focuses on personality and social psychology, cross-cultural psychology, as well as the psychosocial and cultural aspects of mental health. She investigates the social psychology of bilingualism and biculturalism, globalization and multiculturalism, personality and social behavior in cultural contexts, as well as cultural diversity and mental health. Her research team established the framework of immigration-based acculturation and globalisation-based acculturation, and developed the theoretical construct of Global Orientations, which have been empirically extended to 35 countries and regions, significantly contributing to the study of social integration and post-COVID cooperation. She is a Fellow of the Hong Kong Academy of the Humanities, the Association for Psychological Science, the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, and the Hong Kong Psychological Society, and a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (now Advance HE), United Kingdom. She served as President of the Asian Association of Social Psychology, and received various academic awards, including the Outstanding International Psychologist Award conferred by the Division of International Psychology (Division 52) of the American Psychological Association, and the Humanities and Social Sciences Prestigious Fellowship Scheme awarded by the Research Grants Council (RGC).

4 MHRC Scholars Ranked World's Top 2% Scientists (2024)

Four Mental Health Research Centre (MHRC) members have been listed among the top 2% of scientists in a global list released by the prestigious Stanford University. The named MHRC scholars were included in the “Career-long Impact” list based on their career-long citation impact. The latest ranking reflects the influential research of MHRC researchers and PolyU’s leading position in multiple research areas. The ranking compiled by Stanford University covers over 100,000 top scientists across the globe. The database grouped scientists under 22 subject fields and 174 sub-fields. The list was based on indicators including citations, scientific research output and a composite indicator for citation impact, up to the end of 2023. MHRC's Top 2% Scientists in the Global List: Name (by alphabetical order of surname) Subject Field Prof. NG Sheung-mei, Shamay Rehabilitation Prof. QIN Jing, Harry Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing Prof. TSANG Wing Hong, Hector Psychiatry Prof. YEE Kay Yan, Benjamin Neurology & Neurosurgery   *As per the data published by Elsevier on 16 September 2024 (version 7): https://elsevier.digitalcommonsdata.com/datasets/btchxktzyw/7

【An overwhelming success! PolyU InnoTech Open Day x Alumni Homecoming 2024】

What a great success for our flagship event “PolyU InnoTech Open Day x Alumni Homecoming 2024”, and thank you all for your tremendous support. The event was graced by the presence of the Hon. Duncan Chiu, Legislative Council Member (Technology and Innovation Constituency) of HKSAR, and Ms Wu Cheng, Deputy Director General of Education and Technology Department in the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the HKSAR, as the officiating guests. This year’s InnoTech Open Day, themed “Vision through Innovation, Connecting Intelligence”, showcased PolyU’s achievements in interdisciplinary research, knowledge transfer and entrepreneurship, which contribute to the development of Hong Kong into an international I&T hub. The PolyU Academy for Interdisciplinary Research (PAIR) showcased inspiring inventions of its constituent research units. Visitors marvelled at the food waste-derived 3D-printed materials, smart companion doll, cutting-edge foot scanner, novel 3D model depicting the topography and landscape of the lunar south pole, and low-carbon construction materials. Prof. Sylvia Xiaohua CHEN, Associate Dean of the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, Chair Professor of the Department of Applied Social Sciences, Interim Director of the Mental Health Research Centre (MHRC), and Director of the Yan Oi Tong Au Suet Ming Child Development Centre, presented MHRC’s innovative research projects on health and well-being at the Innovation and Technology Forum. These projects not only showcased the latest scientific achievements but also highlighted the significance of interdisciplinary collaboration. The MHRC booth set up at the Jockey Club Auditorium allowed visitors to gain deeper insights into our research directions and positive impact on society, fostering greater awareness and discussions on mental health topics. The InnoTech Day brought together PolyU academics, students, alumni, I&T entrepreneurs, industry partners, researchers, students, and technology enthusiasts to explore and experience the benefits of innovation and technology. The MHRC remains committed to contributing to the advancement of innovation and mental health research through technology, benefiting Hong Kong, the nation, and the world!

MHRC Interim Director appointed as General Editor of Cambridge University Press Culture and Psychology Series

Prof. Sylvia Xiaohua CHEN, Associate Dean of the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, Chair Professor of the Department of Applied Social Sciences, Interim Director of the Mental Health Research Centre (MHRC), and Director of the Yan Oi Tong Au Suet Ming Child Development Centre, has been appointed as the General Editor of the Cambridge University Press Culture and Psychology Series. The Cambridge University Press Culture and Psychology series is dedicated to publishing the best scholarship and research in the emerging interdisciplinary area of culture as it relates to emotion, cognition, and behavior. The books published in this series serve as essential reference works for advanced undergraduates, graduate students, and researchers in all areas of psychology.

PAIR to showcase at PolyU InnoTech Open Day x Alumni Homecoming 2024

You are cordially invited to join the PolyU InnoTech Open Day x Alumni Homecoming on 19 October 2024 on PolyU campus. The I&T community, researchers, industry partners, entrepreneurs, as well as PolyU alumni, staff and students, family and friends are all welcome! This year’s Open Day features a series of thought-provoking events, including the Power of Innovation: PAIR Research Impact at the Jockey Club Auditorium. You will be inspired by some exhibits including some novel food waste-derived 3D-printed materials, energy saving batteries, advanced optical fibre sensor, smart companion doll, interactive treadmill, cutting-edge foot scanner, space explorations equipment, multi-purposed robot, low-carbon construction materials, innovative AI camera, smart watch, and many more. Register now!   Another highlight of the day would be the PAIR InnoTech Forum in the afternoon. At the Forum, you will be able to learn from some keynote speakers regarding our ground-breaking innovations and technologies in good health and well-being, artificial intelligence, as well as resilient urban infrastructure. Register now!