News

Grand Inauguration of the Research Institute for Microbiology Led by Prof Chen Sheng

The Department of Food Science and Nutrition (FSN) warmly congratulates our Head of Department, Prof. Chen Sheng, on the successful inauguration of the Research Institute for Microbiology (RIM) at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU). Prof. Chen serves as the founding Director of RIM.   Held on 23 October 2026 at Room AG204, PolyU, the inauguration ceremony marked a milestone in advancing interdisciplinary microbial research. The occasion was officiated by distinguished university leaders and guests:   Prof. TENG Jin-Guang, President of PolyU Prof. GAO Fu, Professor and Director, CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences Prof. DONG Cheng, Associate Vice President (Knowledge Transfer) and Associate Director of RIM Prof. CHEN Sheng, Head of FSN, Chair Professor of Microbiology, and Director of RIM Prof. ZHANG Weixiong, Associate Director of PAIR and Associate Director of RIM Prof. HUANG Jian, Associate Director of RIM   Established as an interdisciplinary platform under the One Health framework, RIM brings together microbiology, food science, environmental science, health sciences, and artificial intelligence. The Institute is dedicated to translating cutting-edge research into transformative solutions—spanning precision diagnostics and novel therapeutics—to safeguard public health and position RIM as a globally recognized research hub.   The ceremony featured a keynote lecture by Prof. Gao Fu titled "AI-Empowered Vaccine Development," offering inspiring insights into the future of biosecurity and health technology.   We extend our heartiest congratulations to Prof. Chen Sheng and RIM on this landmark achievement and wish the Institute tremendous success in driving scientific innovation!

Establishment of the Research Institute for Microbiology

We are pleased to announce the establishment of the Research Institute for Microbiology (RIM) with effect from 1 September 2026 as a constituent research unit of PAIR. RIM aims to become a world-leading hub for cutting-edge microbiological research, dedicated to addressing global microbial challenges that pose significant threats to human health, environmental sustainability, food security and biotechnological advancement, while also advancing the beneficial applications of microorganisms to improve human health. Prof. CHEN Sheng, Head and Chair Professor of Microbiology in the Department of Food Science and Nutrition, will lead the Institute as Director. Prof. DONG Cheng, Associate Vice President (Knowledge Transfer) and Chair Professor of Cell Engineering and ImmunoMedicine in the Department of Biomedical Engineering; Prof. HUANG Jian, Chair Professor of Data Science and Analytics in the Department of Data Science and Artificial Intelligence and Department of Applied Mathematics; and Prof. ZHANG Weixiong, Associate Director of PAIR and Chair Professor of Systems Biology and Artificial Intelligence in the Department of Health Technology and Informatics, will serve as Associate Directors. Please join us in welcoming them and all members of RIM to the PAIR family!