News

Prof. Sonata YAU writes in Ming Pao on link between sarcopenia and depression

Prof. Sonata YAU, Member of Mental Health Research Centre (MHRC) and Associate Professor of Department of Rehabilitation Sciences at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, recently penned an article for Ming Pao on the link between sarcopenia (commonly known as “muscle loss”), explaining the close bidirectional relationship between the two conditions. In the article, she mentioned that approximately 10% of Hong Kong’s elderly population suffers from depression, and several large-scale studies have shown that persons with sarcopenia have a higher risk of depression than the general population. An eight-year longitudinal study in China revealed that sarcopenia and depression interact with each other: individuals with sarcopenia have about 70% higher risk of depression, while individuals with depression have 50% increased risk of developing sarcopenia, thus forming a vicious cycle. Prof. Yau emphasised that consistent exercise, balanced diet and structured lifestyle can help improve the situation. She recommended the public to regularly engage in the following two types of physical exercise to prevent and reverse the problem of co-occurring sarcopenia and depression: Resistance training (e.g., dumbbell lifting, resistance band workout, squats): it promotes protein synthesis in muscle cells, helping improve muscle strength and mass; and promotes brain neuroplasticity, helping reduce depressive symptoms with noticeable antidepressant effects in the short term. Aerobic exercise (e.g., brisk walking, cycling, swimming): it maintains mitochondrial function in muscles and reduces muscle protein breakdown, helping to fight sarcopenia; and enhances cerebral blood flow as well as the secretion of serotonin and neurotrophic factors in the brain, supporting mood regulation. Online coverage: Ming Pao Daily News - https://polyu.me/3HTksBg      

PolyU research reveals sustained obesity may accelerate brain ageing

With the global prevalence of obesity on the rise, it is crucial to explore the neural mechanisms linked to obesity and its influence on brain and cognitive health. However, the impact of obesity on the brain is complex and multilevel. To address this, Prof. Anqi QIU, Professor of the Department of Health Technology and Informatics at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) and Global STEM Scholar, has unveiled novel research to advance our understanding of the neural mechanisms underlying the relationship between obesity and its implications for cognitive health in adults.

MHRC members named among 2025 World’s Best Scientists by Research.com

Twelve members of the Mental Health Research Center (MHRC) have been named by leading academic research portal Research.com among the world’s best scientists in their respective disciplines, including Computer Science, Medicine, Neuroscience, Psychology, and Social Sciences and Humanities. The ranking is compiled based on a scientist’s D-index (Discipline H-index), which includes exclusively papers and citation metrics for an examined discipline. This international recognition highlights MHRC members’ exceptional contributions to their fields and the significant impact their research has had on the society. *Based on the 4th edition of Research.com ranking *In alphabetical order of disciplines and surnames of scholars   World Ranking National Ranking MHRC Member D-Index Citations Publications Discipline 1504 185 (China) Prof. QIN Jing 72 19,492 316 Computer Science 716 79 (United Kingdom) Prof. Keith HAWTON 158 85,107 724 Medicine 7181 121 (China) Prof. Georg KRANZ 38 4,729 173 Neuroscience 3954 52 (China) Prof. QIU Anqi 54 10,038 206 Neuroscience 2758 35 (China) Prof. Benjamin YEE 63 15,473 186 Neuroscience 10011 99 (China) Dr Alma AU 30 2,879 106 Psychology 9782 5062 (United States) Prof. CAI Huajian 30 6,185 107 Psychology 8737 82 (China) Prof. Sylvia CHEN 34 5,092 83 Psychology 137 82 (United States) Prof. Patrick CORRIGAN 130 78,129 589 Psychology 2740 23 (China) Prof. David SHUM 62 15,108 366 Psychology 3840 35 (China) Prof. Winnie MAK 54 11,382 213 Psychology 49 1 (China) Prof. Paul YIP 104 180,365 557 Social Sciences and Humanities

MHRC receives donation from Bright Future Charitable Foundation to develop mobile app for enhancing adolescent mental health

Prof. Hector TSANG, Chair Professor of Rehabilitation Sciences and Co-Founder of the Mental Health Research Centre (MHRC) of PolyU, has received a generous donation from the Bright Future Charitable Foundation for the project “E-Breathing to Reduce Psychological Distress in Adolescents”. The two-year project aims to develop a mobile-based intervention for the early detection of Hong Kong adolescents at risk of psychological distress. The app “E-Breathing” uses Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) to capture the psychological symptoms and support needs of adolescents and prompts users to engage in slow-paced breathing exercises when they score high on negative affect. The study will conduct a randomised controlled trial (RCT) with 148 participants and evaluate the app’s effectiveness in improving users’ mood.

DoMHRC honoured among Top 50 Asia Women Tech Leaders 2025 for advancing mental health and brain research

Prof. QIU Anqi, Director of the Mental Health Research Centre (MHRC), Professor in the Department of Health Technology and Informatics and Global STEM Scholar, has been recognised as one of the “Top 50 Asia Women Tech Leaders 2025”. This recognition stands as a testament to Prof. Qiu’s outstanding contributions to the fields of neuroimaging and biomedical engineering, particularly in advancing research on mental health and brain development. Prof. Qiu has spearheaded ground-breaking projects utilising advanced neuroimaging and computational techniques, significantly advancing research on early brain development. Her innovative approach has uncovered critical insights into how maternal mood influences fetal brain health, leading to transformative changes in prenatal mental health screening. Additionally, she pioneered a non-invasive imaging method that enhances MRI safety for paediatric patients, setting new standards in the field. Moreover, Prof. Qiu has introduced novel research that advances our understanding of the neural mechanisms underlying the relationship between obesity and its implications on cognitive health in adults. The research underscores the clinical importance of a multifaceted approach to the long-term monitoring and management of obesity. It reveals a distinct and progressive pattern of brain deterioration linked to obesity, suggesting that sustained obesity may accelerate brain ageing. Beyond Prof. Qiu’s professional achievements, this award also recognises her remarkable leadership. As a dedicated mentor, she continues to inspire and empower women in STEM. Her influence and commitment to fostering the next generation of female technology leaders are commendable. The Asia Women Tech Leaders Awards was recently held in Singapore. Its “Top 50 Asia Women Tech Leaders” aims to honour women who drive technological innovation, lead research, and manage complex tech projects with expertise and operational excellence. For more about Prof. Qiu’s impactful research: PolyU research reveals sustained obesity may accelerate brain ageing PolyU scholar confirms maternal positive mental health correlated to children’s brain development  

Jockey Club C • Care Programme concludes with closing ceremony cum sharing session

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) held a closing ceremony cum sharing session for the “Jockey Club C • Care Programme” on 19 March 2025. Funded by the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) Charities Trust and led by the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences of PolyU, the three-year project aims to develop a mobile app which includes Carer Risk and Needs Assessment Tool (CRNAT) that helps social welfare organisations in identifying carers’ levels of risks and service needs and mapping appropriate support services for them. The mobile app “Care4u” was launched in September 2024, and has benefitted 175 carers in nine participating organisations. The participating non-governmental organisations (NGOs) include: St. James’ Settlement, SAHK, Fu Hong Society, Hong Kong Down Syndrome Association, Heep Hong Society, New Life Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association, Hong Chi Association, Christian Family Service Centre, and Hong Kong PHAB Association. The event was graced by a line-up of mental health professionals including Prof. Hector TSANG, Principal Investigator of the project, Chair Professor of Rehabilitation Sciences and Co-Founder of the Mental Health Research Centre (MHRC) of PolyU; Prof. Sylvia CHEN, Associate Dean of the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, Chair Professor of Social and Cultural Psychology, and the then Interim Director of MHRC; Mr Horace LIT, Executive Manager, Charities (Positive Ageing & Elderly Care; and Healthy Community) of HKJC; and representatives of the participating organisations. The event commenced with an opening speech by Mr Lit, who recognised the project’s contribution to advancing carer support through technology-based solutions. It was followed by Prof. Tsang’s overview on the application of the assessment tool, as well as sharing by NGO representatives, delineating how the app has helped them in providing risk assessment and service matching for carers. In a thank you video played during the ceremony, carers participating in the project also shared their experience using the app and expressed their appreciation for the project and the timely support they received from service providers. The mobile app developed from the project has demonstrated its effectiveness in systematically identifying carers’ needs and risk levels, mapping appropriate services, and enabling evidence-based service evaluations. Moving forward, the PolyU team will strive to further integrating artificial intelligence-driven features into the app to optimise risk prediction, service recommendations and user experience. Collaboration with additional NGOs is also planned, with a view to extending CRNAT’s coverage and utilisation, as well as consolidating its role in advancing carer support services across Hong Kong.  

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.