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Prof. Mike LAI Kee-hung appointed as member of Hong Kong Logistics Development Council

Prof. Mike LAI Kee-hung, Co-Director of Research Centre for Environmental, Social, and Governance Advancement (RCESGA), Associate Dean (Academic Support) of Faculty of Business, Chair Professor of Shipping and Logistics and Interim Head of Department of Logistics and Maritime Studies, has been appointed as a member of the Hong Kong Logistics Development Council (LOGSCOUNCIL) for the 2026-2027 term. Established in December 2001, LOGSCOUNCIL serves as a forum for the HKSAR Government and industry stakeholders to advise on strategic initiatives that promote the development of Hong Kong’s logistics industry.  Its members represent a wide spectrum of stakeholders, bringing diverse expertise and knowledge from across the supply chain sector.

PAIR researchers shine at PolyU President’s Awards for Outstanding Achievement 2025

Congratulations to the following PAIR members for receiving the PolyU President’s Awards for Outstanding Achievement 2025! Category of Award Awardee Title(s) Research and Scholarly Activities   Prof. TAO Xiaoming Management Committee Member of PAIR Director of Research Institute for Intelligent Wearable Systems (RI-IWEAR) Member of Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Research Institute for Smart Energy (RISE), Research Institute for Smart Ageing (RISA), Research Institute for Sports Science and Technology (RISports), Research Centre of Textiles for Future Fashion (RCTFF), Chair Professor of Textile Technology Vincent and Lily Woo Professor in Textiles Technology Research and Scholarly Activities (Early Career Researcher) Prof. Tommy WEI Management Committee Member of Photonics Research Institute (PRI) Member of Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Smart Cities Research Institute (SCRI) Research Centre for SHARP Vision (RCSV), Research Centre for Digital Transformation of Tourism (RCDTT) Associate Head and Professor of Department of Building Environment and Energy Engineering Knowledge Transfer: Industry Prof. ZHENG Zijian Associate Director of RI-IWEAR Management Committee Member of RISE Member of Research Institute for Artificial Intelligence of Things (RIAIoT) and PRI Chair Professor of Soft Materials and Devices Knowledge Transfer: Society Prof. WONG Ka-hing Management Committee Member of PAIR Director of Research Institute for Future Food (RiFood) Member of Research Centre for Resources Engineering towards Carbon Neutrality (RCRE) Professor of Department of Food Science and Nutrition

Two PolyU research projects receive Outstanding Scientific Research Output Awards from Ministry of Education

Two research projects from PolyU have been awarded the second-class award in the 2025 Outstanding Scientific Research Output Awards (Natural Sciences and Engineering Technology) by the Ministry of Education. The accolades serve as recognition of the research teams’ breakthrough contributions in the frontier fields of antibiotic resistance mechanisms in bacteria and flexible electronics technology, affirming the University’s research strength in both fundamental research and technological innovation. The two projects are: “Research on the Convergent Evolution and Mechanisms of Carbapenem Resistance and Hypervirulence in Klebsiella pneumoniae” led by Prof. CHEN Sheng, Member of Research Institute for Future Food (RiFood), Head of the Department of Food Science and Nutrition and Chair Professor of Microbiology; and “Multiscale Coupling Regulation Mechanisms of Flexible Electronic Conductive Interfaces and Applications” led by Prof. ZHENG Zijian, Associate Director of the Research Institute for Intelligent Wearable Systems (RI-IWEAR), Management Committee Member of Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Research Institute for Smart Energy (RISE), Research Institute for Artificial Intelligence of Things (RIAIoT) and Photonics Research Institute (PRI), and Chair Professor of Soft Materials and Devices. Prof. Chen has closely collaborated with Prof. ZHANG Rong and Prof. DONG Ning from Zhejiang University, focusing on research in Klebsiella pneumoniae. The team successfully identified the molecular mechanisms underlying its antibiotic resistance and hypervirulence. This research is the first to confirm that carbapenem resistance and hypervirulence can converge through evolutionary pathways in Klebsiella pneumoniae and it clarifies the molecular mechanisms that accelerate their evolution and transmission. The breakthrough discovery revolutionises academic theories on the co-evolution of resistance and virulence, providing important scientific evidence for the formulation of global public health policies and clinical practices with far-reaching impact. Prof. Zheng led his research team in focusing on the multiscale coupling and regulation of conductive interfaces in flexible electronics, achieving multiple breakthroughs in metal-polymer interface engineering, porous conductive networks development and the design of fully flexible devices. The team established a collaborative framework that integrates molecular, micro-nano and macroscopic scales, successfully addressing core challenges such as electrical failure due to interfacial instability and limited device elasticity. Their research outcomes provide key theoretical foundations and technical support for the advancement of flexible electronic systems, driving innovation and application in related fields. Established by the Ministry of Education, the Outstanding Scientific Research Output Awards (Natural Sciences and Engineering Technology) recognises educators, researchers and relevant units of higher education institutions who have achieved outstanding results and significant impact in natural science research and engineering technology innovation, and those with contributions to the cultivation of innovative talent. Press Release: https://polyu.hk/BczFB Online coverage: Ta Kung Pao - https://polyu.me/4jONT6r Hong Kong Commercial Daily - https://polyu.me/4aY1Psq Wen Wei Po - https://polyu.me/4jSMrQH  

PolyU research teams and start-ups shine at Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2026

PolyU led 19 start-ups to the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2026, held from 6 to 9 January. In addition to the ground-breaking technologies presented by the participating start-ups, the University also showcased its research achievements across fields such as human security, digital health and energy optimisation. PolyU delivered an outstanding performance at this year’s Show, with three projects receiving one “Best of Innovation Award” and two “Innovation Awards”. This not only marks the University’s best result since it first participated in the event, but also accounts for two-thirds of all awards received by the Hong Kong start-up delegation, underscoring PolyU’s excellence in research, innovation and entrepreneurship. Organised by the Consumer Technology Association, CES is one of the world’s largest and most influential consumer electronics exhibitions, spotlighting cutting-edge technologies for modern living. This year, CES attracted over 4,500 exhibitors from around the globe. Five start-ups led by PAIR members took part in the Show: PolyU Start-ups Featured Innovations Company Representatives Eieling Technology Limited FattaLab® Fatty Liver Diagnostic Device (CES 2026 Innovation Award) Prof. ZHENG Yongping Henry G. Leong Professor in Biomedical Engineering, Chair Professor of Biomedical Engineering, PolyU; Founder and Chief Scientist, Eieling Technology Limited Immune Materials Limited Innovative long-lasting antimicrobial self-disinfection materials Prof. Chris LO Kwan-yu Professor, Department of Logistics and Maritime Studies, PolyU; Co-founder, Immune Materials Limited Prof. KAN Chi-wai Associate Dean and Professor, School of Fashion and Textiles, PolyU; Co-founder, Immune Materials Limited MedVision Limited AI-powered medical imaging solution Prof. CAI Jing Head and Professor, Department of Health Technology and Informatics, PolyU; Consultant, MedVision Limited UbiquiTech Innovations Limited Edge-AI robot for autonomous inspection and cleaning in confined spaces Prof. CAO Jiannong Vice President (Education), Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Professor in Data Science, Chair Professor of Distributed and Mobile Computing, PolyU; Founder and Chief Scientist, UbiquiTech Innovations Limited Widemount Dynamics Tech Limited Smart Firefighting Robot (CES 2026 Best of Innovation Award) Mr WANG Meng PhD candidate, Building Environment and Energy Engineering, PolyU; Founder, Widemount Dynamics Tech Limited Press release: https://polyu.me/4qe76AR;   Online coverage: Bastille Post - https://polyu.me/3LEjNG2 etnet - https://polyu.me/4bor7A2 Quamnet - https://polyu.me/3YwOwI4 Sina HK - https://polyu.me/3YxsMvC Associated Press - https://polyu.me/4qeLa8E Media OutReach - https://polyu.me/49cP8sy Mirage - https://polyu.me/3YtebBs BizWire Express - https://polyu.me/4pqlepn Post Register - https://polyu.me/49pxrVu Asia Business Newswire - https://polyu.me/4qPMr6g International Business News - https://polyu.me/456MFNL Washington City Paper - https://polyu.me/4psjiN5 Blackstone Valley’s Call and Times - https://polyu.me/49rvXKf CRWE World - https://polyu.me/4syYCG8 Channel News Asia - https://polyu.me/4jxe7dv Taiwan Business News - https://polyu.me/4qPKCGo The Daily Press - https://polyu.me/4qbxXxp The Manila Times - https://polyu.me/49kdnDK The Sun - https://polyu.me/4qb6Rqb Malay Mail - https://polyu.me/4szuIl4 Viet Nam News - https://polyu.me/4aSLTI6 Biz Hub - https://polyu.me/4aXvWQV Street Insider - https://polyu.me/45DhtWB Alvinology Media - https://polyu.me/4qEjidS Wapakoneta Daily News - https://polyu.me/49sHt8i The City Journals - https://polyu.me/4bqgE7a The Oxford Eagle - https://polyu.me/4bnVfeT The Community Post - https://polyu.me/4sz41gm The Demopolis Times - https://polyu.me/4bnu2Jh The Smart Investor - https://polyu.me/4bryWFb The Inyo Register - https://polyu.me/4qFw9fY DB Power - https://polyu.me/3NbvV1P Taos News - https://polyu.me/4aNCu4o Poteau Daily News - https://polyu.me/4pyVeZ9 Sausalito - https://polyu.me/49q6S2o News Patrolling - https://polyu.me/4puUTXi Newark Life Magazine - https://polyu.me/3Nly2A2 IT News Online - https://polyu.me/4stECEV Digital Journal - https://polyu.me/4sPMyR9 WRAL News - https://polyu.me/4qM4RVs MY Sinchew - https://polyu.me/4qQNmDr Minyanville - https://polyu.me/4jy2qmZ Ad Hoc News - https://polyu.me/3YzDlOW Wen Wei Po - https://polyu.me/3NdySir EDU Plus - https://polyu.me/4a1d8OD Headline Daily - https://polyu.me/465G9r5  

Prof. LIU Liang elected IEEE Fellow 2026

Prof. LIU Liang, Member of Research Institute for Artificial Intelligence of Things (RIAIoT) and Associate Professor of Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, has been elected a Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) in the Class of 2026. Prof. Liu has been recognised for his influential contributions to next-generation cellular networks, particularly in 6G integrated sensing and communication and massive IoT connectivity.  His pioneering research enables future networks to transmit data while simultaneously sensing environments, supporting applications such as drone operations in the low-altitude economy, robotic navigation, and smart city infrastructure. IEEE Fellow is the Institute’s highest grade of membership. This prestigious distinction honours individuals whose extraordinary accomplishments have significantly advanced engineering, science, and technology worldwide.

Prof. CHAI Yang appointed as Director of Research Institute for Artificial Intelligence of Things (RIAIoT)

We are honoured to announce the appointment of Prof. CHAI Yang as Director of the Research Institute for Artificial Intelligence of Things (RIAIoT) under the PolyU Academy for Interdisciplinary Research (PAIR), effective 1 January 2026.  Prof. CHAI’s leadership will further advance interdisciplinary research and innovation in this rapidly evolving field. Prof. Chai is a distinguished scholar specialising in nanoelectronics devices and emerging computation paradigms.  He currently serves as Associate Dean of the Faculty of Science, Director of the University Research Facility in Materials Characterization and Device Fabrication, and Chair Professor of Semiconductor Physics in the Department of Applied Physics.  His research has been published in prestigious journals such as Nature, Nature Electronics and Nature Nanotechnology, and featured in leading publications including Nature and IEEE Spectrum.  Prof. Chai’s outstanding research contributions have earned him recognition among the world’s top 2% most-cited scientists, as compiled by Stanford University. At PAIR, Prof. Chai holds multiple important roles, serving as a Management Committee Member of the Research Institute for Intelligent Wearable Systems (RI-IWEAR) and as a Member of the Photonics Research Institute (PRI).

Establishment of Research Centre for Environmental, Social, and Governance Advancement

We are pleased to announce the establishment of the Research Centre for Environmental, Social, and Governance Advancement (RCESGA) with effect from 1 January 2026 as one of the constituent research units of PAIR! RCESGA aims to serve as a leading research centre focusing on the interactions among environmental, social, and governance issues for balancing the needs of the environment, society, and economy to ensure the long-term prosperity and sustainability of Hong Kong, the Chinese Mainland and the world. Prof. WU Qiang, Associate Head (Research) and Professor of the School of Accounting and Finance, will lead the Centre as RCESGA Director.  Prof. Mike LAI Kee-hung, Associate Dean (Academic Support) of Faculty of Business, Interim Head and Chair Professor of Shipping and Logistics of the Department of Logistics and Maritime Studies (LMS) will serve as RCESGA Co-Director. Prof. Eric CHUI, Head of Department of Applied Social Sciences, Co-Director of Policy Research Centre for Innovation and Technology and Chair Professor of Social Work and Criminology, Prof. Jerry YAN, Editor-in-Chief of Nexus and Chair Professor of Energy and Buildings of the Department of Building Environment and Energy Engineering, and Prof. YANG Dong, Associate Head and Associate Professor of LMS, will serve as RCESGA Associate Directors.

Prof. LIN Jianguo elected as HKAE Fellow

Congratulations to Prof. LIN Jianguo, Associate Director of the Research Institute for Advanced Manufacturing (RIAM) and Chair Professor of Materials Technologies, on being elected as one of the 2025 Fellows of the Hong Kong Academy of Engineering (HKAE). Prof. Lin is a leading expert in metal forming, materials technologies, and process modelling.  His research focuses on developing models that simulate microstructural evolution and material formability during metals processing for a wide range of engineering materials and applications.  He pioneered Hot Form Quench (HFQâ) Technology, which has been used in automotive and aerospace industries.  This breakthrough process enables the production of complex-shaped, high-strength aluminium components for vehicles, contributing to lighter and more environmentally friendly designs.  Prof. Lin’s engineering excellence has been widely recognised.  In 2021, he was awarded a Gold Medal by the Institute of Sheet Metal Engineering for his outstanding contribution to the UK sheet metal industry.  His significant contributions to the field have also earned him recognition among the world’s top 2% most-cited scientists, according to an index compiled by Stanford University. He was elected as a Fellow of Royal Academy of Engineering (FREng) in 2013. 

Prof. Nathanael JIN Ling receives Asian Young Aerosol Scientist Award and James J. Morgan Early Career Award

Prof. Nathanael JIN Ling, Member of Research Institute for Future Food (RiFood), Research Institute for Sustainable Urban Development (RISUD) and Mental Health Research Centre (MHRC), and Assistant Professor of Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Department of Health Technology and Informatics, received the 2025 TSI Asian Young Aerosol Scientist Award from the Asian Aerosol Research Assembly, recognising his contributions to advancing mixture-toxicity modelling and uncovering chemical-microbial drivers of PM2.5 health risks. He has also been named one of the four winners of the 2026 James J. Morgan Early Career Award. The award, presented by Environmental Science & Technology (ES&T), Environmental Science & Technology Letters, and the American Chemical Society (ACS) Division of Environmental Chemistry (ENVR), recognises early career scholars who are pioneering new directions in environmental science and technology through innovative approaches. Prof. Jin’s research integrates environmental chemistry, microbiology, and toxicology to examine the ecological and health impacts of air and marine pollution, as well as solid waste. His notable achievements include developing the first full-length 18S rRNA database for harmful algae, establishing cell lines of the Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin (Chinese white dolphin) to study pollutant effects, and advancing PM2.5 mixture-toxicity modelling to inform regulatory policies. He also created a global atlas of plastic-associated bacteria and introduced the concept of the “microplastome”, deepening our understanding of the multifaceted impacts of plastic pollution.

PolyU wins 18 awards at Asia Exhibition of Innovations and Inventions

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) achieved noteworthy results at the 5th Asia Exhibition of Innovations and Inventions Hong Kong (AEII), taking home 18 accolades from 16 participating projects and retaining the event’s Grand Award for the second consecutive year. The PolyU haul comprised one Grand Award, one Special Award, two Gold Medals with Congratulations of Jury, five Gold Medals, eight Silver Medals and one Bronze Medal. Among them, 11 projects were led by PAIR members: Project Principal Investigator PAIR Constituent Research Unit Grand Award and Gold Medal with Congratulations of Jury Viromids: A Redosable, Low-Cost Gene-Delivery Platform for Ocular Therapy Prof. HUANG Chien-ling Associate Professor, Department of Health Technology and Informatics Management Committee Member of Research Institute for Future Food (RiFood) 1st Prize of Inventions Geneva Award and Gold Medal with Congratulations of Jury PD-001R: A New Breakthrough for the Treatment of Neurodegenerative Diseases Prof. Simon LEE Ming-yuen Cally Kwong Mei Wan Professor in Biomedical Sciences and Chinese Medicine Innovation; Chair Professor of Biomedical Sciences, Department of Food Science and Nutrition Management Committee Member of Research Centre for Chinese Medicine Innovation (RCMI); Member of RiFood, Research Institute for Smart Ageing (RISA) and Member of Mental Health Research Centre (MHRC) Gold Medal PolyPi: Edge-AI Empowered Autonomous Robot for Pipeline Inspection and Maintenance Prof. CAO Jiannong Vice President (Education); Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Professor in Data Science; Chair Professor of Distributed and Mobile Computing, Department of Computing Founding Director of Research Institute for Artificial Intelligence of Things (RIAIoT); Management Committee Member of Research Institute for Sustainable Urban Development (RISUD); Member of RiFood, Research Institute for Intelligent Wearable Systems (RI-IWEAR), Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Research Institute for Smart Energy (RISE), RISA, Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Smart Cities Research Institute (SCRI) and Research Institute for Quantum Technology (RIQT) Intelligent Driving Training and Evaluation System for Heavy-duty Trucks Prof. FU Xiaowen Professor and Head, Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering Management Committee Member of Research Institute for Advanced Manufacturing (RIAM); Member of SCRI, Research Centre for Environmental, Social, and Governance Advancement (RCESGA) and Research Centre for Digital Transformation of Tourism (RCDTT) Silver Medal ProMuki — Wearable Ultrasound Monitoring and Analysing of Muscle Activities for Fitness, Sports, and Rehabilitation Prof. ZHENG Yongping Henry G. Leong Professor in Biomedical Engineering; Chair Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Department of Biomedical Engineering Director of RISA; Member of RI-IWEAR, Research Institute for Sports Science and Technology (RISports) and Research Centre for SHARP Vision (RCSV) MetaBridge: A 3D Gaussian Splatting and Blockchain Platform for Cultural Heritage Digital Assetisation and Immersive Experience Prof. Peter NG Hiu-fung Assistant Professor, Department of Computing and Department of Rehabilitation Sciences Member of RISports and MHRC A Proactive Early Warning System for Structural Health Monitoring of Wind Turbine Blades and Towers Based on Finite Element Simulation, Fiber Bragg Grating Sensing and Reinforcement Learning Prof. YU Changyuan Professor, Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering Management Committee Member of Photonics Research Institute (PRI); Member of RISports, RI-IWEAR and Research Centre for Deep Space Explorations (RCDSE) PipeInspect: Cutting-Edge Inspection on Water Distribution Network with Fiber-optic Positioning Prof. DING Xiaoli Chair Professor of Geomatics, Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics Director of Research Institute for Land and Space (RILS) and Member of SCRI Automated Freeform Eyeglass for Instant Refractive Control Dr Elie Aymard Jonathan de LESTRANGE-ANGINIEUR Research Fellow, School of Optometry Prof. George WOO Emeritus Professor and Senior Advisor, School of Optometry Member of RCSV Biomimetics Nanoplatform for the Treatment of Retinal Diseases Prof. DO Chi-wai Associate Professor, School of Optometry Member of RiFood, RISA, RCMI and RCSV Bronze Medal Non-invasive, Ultrasensitive and Portable Saliva Glucose Sensors Prof. YAN Feng Chair Professor of Organic Electronics, Department of Applied Physics Associate Director of RI-IWEAR; Member of PRI, RISE, RISUD and RISports Press release: https://polyu.me/457hCkP Online coverage: Wen Wei Po - https://polyu.me/3Yv8ouV; https://polyu.me/4pIdpN2; https://polyu.me/3MBgX52 Bauhinia - https://polyu.me/4rZgWb7