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Prof. Nathanael JIN Ling receives World Young Aerosol Scientist Award 2026

Warmest congratulations to Prof. Nathanael JIN Ling, Associate Professor of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and the Department of Health Technology and Informatics, on receiving the World Young Aerosol Scientist Award 2026 from the International Aerosol Research Assembly (IARA), in recognition of his outstanding contributions and remarkable achievements in aerosol science and technology. Prof. Jin is a member of the Research Institute for Future Food (RiFood), the Research Institute for Microbiology (RIM), the Research Institute for Sustainable Urban Development (RISUD), and the Mental Health Research Centre (MHRC). His interdisciplinary work is at the intersection of environmental chemistry, microbiology, toxicology, and data science, where he leverages scientific innovation to address pressing planetary health challenges and advance sustainable development. His research focuses on the impacts of air pollution on human health, the threats posed by marine pollution to wildlife health, and the challenges that solid waste presents to ecological health.     金靈教授榮獲「2026年世界青年氣溶膠科學家獎」 熱烈祝賀土木及環境工程學系及醫療科技及資訊學系副教授金靈，獲國際氣溶膠研究聯合會頒發「2026年世界青年氣溶膠科學家獎」，以表揚其在氣溶膠科學與技術領域的傑出貢獻和卓越成就。 金教授為未來食品研究院、微生物研究院、可持續城市發展研究院及精神健康研究中心成員，其研究工作橫跨環境化學、微生物學、毒理學、和數據科學等跨學科領域，致力以科研創新應對嚴峻的地球健康挑戰，並促進可持續發展。其研究重點包括空氣污染對人類健康的影響、海洋污染對野生動物健康的威脅，以及固體廢棄物對生態健康帶來的挑戰。  

Prof. HUANG Xinyan proposes novel autonomous firefighting emergency response agent integrating smart fire prediction and LLMs

 A research team led by Prof. HUANG Xinyan, Associate Professor of Department of Building Environment and Energy Engineering at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), has published a pioneering “LLM-AI” autonomous firefighting emergency response agent framework in Engineering, a flagship journal of the Chinese Academy of Engineering.  The study presents a new solution for the future development of smart firefighting. Powered by a Large Language Model (LLM) as its reasoning and task coordination core, the system integrates the ConvLSTM-Fire prediction model based on artificial intelligence of things (AIoT) technology.  To overcome the constraints of manual data handling during emergencies, the system incorporates a self-driven mechanism.  It can autonomously translate users’ natural-language requests related to fireground conditions and emergency response needs into executable tasks, generate and execute code, and automatically debug and retry upon encountering errors.  This establishes a fully closed-loop workflow spanning data acquisition, model invocation, analytical reasoning, and result visualisation. Experimental evaluations demonstrate that even under extreme fireground conditions where sensor failures occur, the system maintains a prediction accuracy of over 97% for two-dimensional temperature fields and smoke propagation pathways, exhibiting exceptional robustness.  This research advances LLMs beyond conventional “static Q&A” interfaces, transforming them into intelligent firefighting emergency decision-making entities endowed with perception, computation and execution capabilities, thereby enhancing the usability and reliability of smart firefighting technologies in real-world fireground environments.  Moving forward, the team aims to incorporate multimodal sensory data, strengthen cross-scenario generalisation capabilities, and accelerate the real-world deployment of this technology in smart buildings and municipal firefighting. Prof. Huang is currently a member of the Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Smart Cities Research Institute (SCRI), the Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Research Institute for Smart Energy (RISE), the Research Institute for Sustainable Urban Development (RISUD), and the Research Centre for Resources Engineering towards Carbon Neutrality (RCRE) at PolyU. Read the full paper: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2095809926001244?via%3Dihub   Online coverage: Sciencenet - https://polyu.me/4yhr5Cj     黃鑫炎教授提出新型自驅動消防應變智能體 融合智慧火災預測與大語言模型   香港理工大學建築環境及能源工程系黃鑫炎副教授與團隊，於中國工程院院刊《Engineering》發表「LLM-AI」自驅動消防應急智能體框架，為未來智慧消防提出全新解決方案。 該系統以大語言模型作為推理與任務協調核心，整合基於人工智能物聯網技術的 ConvLSTM-Fire 火災預測模型。針對緊急情況下人工處理複雜數據的局限，系統引入自驅動機制，能依據使用者以自然語言提出的火場狀況查詢或應急決策需求，自主拆解任務、生成並運行程式碼，並且能在出錯時自動修正及重試，實現了從數據獲取、模型調用、分析推理到結果視覺化的全流程閉環。 實驗顯示，即使在火場極端條件環境下部分感測器失效，系統對二維溫度場與煙氣路徑的預測準確率仍高達97%以上，展現極高穩健性。此項研究推動大語言模型從傳統的「靜態問答」模式，升級為具備感知、計算與執行能力的「消防應急智能主體」，提升智慧消防技術在真實火場環境中的可用性與可靠性。未來，團隊將進一步整合多模態感知資訊，增強跨場景泛化能力，加速推動相關技術在智慧建築與城市消防領域的實際部署。 黃教授現為理大潘樂陶慈善基金智慧城市研究院、潘樂陶慈善基金智慧能源研究院、可持續城市發展研究院及碳中和資源工程研究中心成員。 閱讀研究全文 : https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2095809926001244?via%3Dihub   網上報導： Sciencenet - https://polyu.me/4yhr5Cj  

Two RISUD members elected to Hong Kong Academy of Engineering Young Member Section

Four PAIR members have been elected Members of the Hong Kong Academy of Engineering (HKAE) Young Member Section (YMS), in recognition of their breakthroughs and contributions in their respective fields. Among them, two are RISUD members. This remarkable achievement highlights the University’s success in nurturing young research talent and driving scientific research and innovation.   The four elected PAIR members are: HKAE Young Member Research Contributions Prof. DUAN Huan-Feng Member of RILS and RISUD Associate Head (Research) and Professor of Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Innovation in engineering science and technology, enhancing the resilience of urban water infrastructure and supporting climate sustainability Prof. LIU Liang Member of RIAIoT Assistant Professor of Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering Next-generation cellular technologies Ir Prof. ZHENG Pai Member of RIAM Wong Tit Shing Young Scholar in Smart Robotics Associate Professor of Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering Mutual cognitive human-robot collaborative manufacturing systems Prof. ZHOU Chao Member of RILS and RISUD Tsui Tack Kong Young Scholar in Civil Engineering Associate Professor of Department of Civil and Environment Engineering Engineering advances in THM-coupled soil mechanics and geo-sustainability   Full list: https://hkae.hk/en/twenty-young-academics-and-industrial-leaders-elected-members-hkaes-young-member-section#gsc.tab=0   理大高等研究院四名成員當選香港工程院青年部會員​ 理大高等研究院四名成員憑藉在各自領域取得的突破成果及重要貢獻，當選為香港工程院青年部會員，展現理大在科研人才培育及創新研究方面的卓越成果，當中兩位是可持續城市發展研究院成員。 當選的四位成員︰ 香港工程院青年部會員 研究貢獻 段煥豐教授 土地及空間研究院及可持續城市發展研究院成員 土木及環境工程學系副系主任（研究）兼教授 工程科學及技術創新，提升城市水利基礎設施韌性，並促進氣候可持續發展 劉亮教授 人工智能物聯網研究院成員 電機及電子工程學系副教授 新一代蜂窩網絡技術 鄭湃教授、工程師 先進製造研究院成員 黃鐵城智能機器人青年學者 工業及系統工程學系副教授 互認知人機協作製造系統 周超教授 土地及空間研究院及可持續城市發展研究院成員 崔德剛土木工程青年學者 土木及環境工程學系副教授 熱—水—力耦合土力學及地質可持續發展工程技術   完整名單︰https://hkae.hk/en/twenty-young-academics-and-industrial-leaders-elected-members-hkaes-young-member-section#gsc.tab=0  

Three RISUD members shine at PolyU Patents Achievement Award

The PolyU Patents Achievement Award (PPAA) is a prestigious university-level accolade that recognises academic departments and faculty members for their exceptional commitment to knowledge transfer.  This award celebrates outstanding contributions to innovation and commercialisation while encouraging a strong culture of research impact across the University. PAIR is proud to celebrate 13 members who were recognised at the PPAA 2025, earning awards across four of the five award categories. Among them, three are RISUD members. This achievement highlights PAIR’s strong commitment to innovation, intellectual property development, and research commercialisation. The PPAA comprises the following award categories: Top Patents Filing Award (Department and Individual Award): IP filing achievements over the past three years (2022–2025); Most Active Patents Filing Award in the Year (Department and Individual Award): Outstanding IP filing activities within year 2025; Most Active IP Commercialisation in the Year (Department Award): Highest number of licensing cases within year 2025; Outstanding IP Commercialisation Award (Individual Award): High-value licensing achievements over the past three years (2022–2025); Outstanding IP Commercialisation Awards in the Year (Individual Award): High-value licensing achievements within year 2025.   The PAIR awardees are as follows: Awardee Award Category Prof. Benny CHEUNG Chi-fai Associate Director of RCSV Management Committee Member of RCRE Member of RIAM Chair Professor of Ultra-precision Machining and Metrology Top Patents Filing Award Most Active Patents Filing Award in the Year Ir Prof. NI Yiqing Member of RISUD Yim, Mak, Kwok & Chung Professor in Smart Structures Chair Professor of Smart Structures and Rail Transit Top Patents Filing Award Ir Prof. POON Chi-sun Management Committee Member of RCRE Member of RILS and RISUD Michael Anson Professor in Civil Engineering Distinguished Research Professor of Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Top Patents Filing Award Ir Prof. ZHENG Yongping Director of RISA Member of RI-IWEAR, RISports and RCSV Henry G. Leong Professor in Biomedical Engineering Chair Professor of Biomedical Engineering Top Patents Filing Award Outstanding IP Commercialisation Award Prof. ZHENG Zijian Associate Director of RI-IWEAR Management Committee Member of RISE Member of RIAIoT and PRI Vice President (Knowledge Transfer) Chair Professor of Soft Materials and Devices Top Patents Filing Award Most Active Patents Filing Award Ir Prof. ZHENG Pai Member of RIAM Wong Tit Shing Young Scholar in Smart Robotics Associate Professor of Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering Most Active Patents Filing Award Prof. Carly LAM Member of RiFood, RISports and RCSV Adjunct Professor of School of Optometry   Prof. TO Chi-ho Member of RCMI and RCSV Visiting Chair Professor of Experimental Optometry   Prof. Dennis TSE Yan-yin Member of RCMI and RCSV Associate Professor of School of Optometry Outstanding IP Commercialisation Award Prof. YANG Hongxing Former Management Committee Member of RISUD Former Member of RISE Retired Professor of Department of Building Environment and Energy Engineering Outstanding IP Commercialisation Award Prof. Justina LIU Yat-wa Member of RILS and RISA Associate Head (Education) and Professor of School of Nursing Outstanding IP Commercialisation Award Prof. TAO Xiaoming Management Committee Member of PAIR Director of RI-IWEAR Member of RISE, RISA, RISports and RCTFF Chair Professor of Textile Technology Vincent and Lily Woo Endowed Professorship in Textile Technology Outstanding IP Commercialisation Award Prof. WONG Ka-hing Management Committee Member of PAIR Director of RiFood Member of RCRE Professor of Department of Food Science and Nutrition Outstanding IP Commercialisation Award in the Year     十三位理大高等研究院成員榮獲理大專利成就獎殊榮   「理大專利成就獎」是香港理工大學（理大）頒發的大學級殊榮，旨在表揚學術部門及教研人員在知識轉移方面的卓越貢獻。此獎項不僅肯定了研究人員在科技創新與商業化方面的傑出表現，亦進一步推廣重視研究影響力的深厚學術文化。 PAIR 共有 13 位成員於 「理大專利成就獎 2025」中獲表揚，並於五個獎項類別中的四個類別獲獎，當中三位是RISUD成員。此佳績充分展現 PAIR 在創新研發、知識產權保護及科研成果轉化方面的卓越表現。 「理大專利成就獎」設有以下五個獎項類別： 專利申請卓越獎（學系及個人獎）：過去三年（2022–2025 年）在專利申請表現卓越發明家及學系； 年度最活躍專利申請獎（學系及個人獎）：2025年度在專利申請方面表現最活躍的發明家及學系； 年度最活躍知識產權商品化獎（學系獎）：2025年度達成最多授權許可案例數量的學系； 專利知識產權商品化卓越獎（個人獎）： 過去三年（2022–2025 年）在知識產權商品化方面取得卓越成果，並創造重大社會價值及經濟貢獻的學者； 年度專利知識產權商品化卓越獎（個人獎）： 2025年度在知識產權商品化方面取得卓越成果，並創造重大社會價值及經濟貢獻的學者。   PAIR 獲獎成員名單如下： 得獎者 獎項 張志輝教授 視覺科學研究中心副主任 碳中和資源工程研究中心管理委員會成員 先進製造研究院成員 超精密加工與計量學講座教授 專利申請卓越獎 年度最活躍專利申請獎 倪一清教授、工程師 可持續城市發展研究院成員 嚴、麥、郭、鍾智能結構教授 智能結構與軌道交通講座教授 專利申請卓越獎   潘智生教授、工程師 碳中和資源工程研究中心管理委員會成員 土地及空間研究院、可持續城市發展研究院成員 安禮信土木工程教授 土木及環境工程學系傑出研究教授 專利申請卓越獎   鄭永平教授、工程師 智齡研究院院長 智能可穿戴系統研究院、體育科技研究院、視覺科學研究中心成員 梁顯利生物醫學工程教授 生物醫學工程講座教授 專利申請卓越獎 專利知識產權商品化卓越獎 鄭子劍教授 智能可穿戴系統研究院副院長 潘樂陶慈善基金智慧能源研究院管理委員會成員 人工智能物聯網研究院、量子技術研究院成員 副校長（知識轉移） 軟材料及器件講座教授 專利申請卓越獎 年度最活躍專利申請獎 鄭湃教授、工程師 先進製造研究院成員 黃鐵城智能機器人學青年學者 工業及系統工程學系副教授 年度最活躍專利申請獎 林小燕教授 未來食品研究院、體育科技研究院、視覺科學研究中心成員 眼科視光學院客座教授   杜嗣河教授 中醫藥創新研究中心、視覺科學研究中心成員 眼科視光學訪問講座教授   謝欣然教授 中醫藥創新研究中心、視覺科學研究中心成員 眼科視光學院副教授 專利知識產權商品化卓越獎 楊洪興教授 可持續城市發展研究院前管理委員會成員 潘樂陶慈善基金智慧能源研究院前成員 建築環境及能源工程學系前教授 專利知識產權商品化卓越獎 雷逸華教授 土地及空間研究院、潘樂陶慈善基金智慧能源研究院成員 護理學院副院長（教育）及教授 年度專利知識產權商品化卓越獎 陶肖明教授 理大高等研究院管理委員會成員 智能可穿戴系統研究院院長 潘樂陶慈善基金智慧能源研究院、智齡研究院、體育科技研究院、未來服裝紡織科技研究中心成員 紡織科技講座教授 吳文政及王月娥紡織科技教授 年度專利知識產權商品化卓越獎 {"commands":[{"click":"chrome:field:editcontrol({command:\"webedit:edithtml\"})","header":"Edit Text","icon":"/temp/iconcache/office/16x16/pencil.png","disabledIcon":"/temp/pencil_disabled16x16.png","isDivider":false,"tooltip":"Edit the text","type":null},{"click":"chrome:field:execute({command:\"bold\", userInterface:true, value:true})","header":"","icon":"/temp/iconcache/office/16x16/font_style_bold.png","disabledIcon":"/temp/font_style_bold_disabled16x16.png","isDivider":false,"tooltip":"Bold","type":null},{"click":"chrome:field:execute({command:\"Italic\", userInterface:true, 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Ir Prof. NI Yi-Qing receives the Chinese Academy of Engineering’s 16th Guanghua Engineering Science and Technology Award

Ir Prof. NI Yi-Qing, Chair Professor of Smart Structures and Rail Transit at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University and Member of the Research Institute for Sustainable Urban Development (RISUD), has recently been honoured with the 16th Guanghua Engineering Science and Technology Award. Established by the Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE), the Guanghua Engineering Science and Technology Award recognises Chinese engineers and scientists for their outstanding achievements and contributions in the fields of engineering, technology and management.  Presented biennially, the award comprises two categories: the Guanghua Engineering Science and Technology Achievement Award and the Guanghua Engineering Science and Technology Award.  Following a rigorous process involving nomination, preliminary assessment, public announcement and final review, CAE academicians selected 40 awardees from a pool of 471 outstanding candidates, including one recipient of the Guanghua Engineering Science and Technology Achievement Award and 39 recipients of the Guanghua Engineering Science and Technology Award.  The awardees span a wide range of disciplines, including mechanical engineering, information technology, chemical engineering, metallurgy, materials and energy.  Among them, three awardees are from Hong Kong. Prof. Ni has devoted more than 30 years to the research and application of structural health monitoring technologies.  He pioneered an integrated modular design approach for large-scale structural health monitoring systems and a life-cycle structural health monitoring paradigm.  These innovations have been widely applied in the design and implementation of health monitoring systems for major civil engineering structures. Online coverage: Wen Wei Po - https://polyu.me/4bdy5Hi; https://polyu.me/4vRzYBJ Ta Kung Pao - https://polyu.me/4vnsnd4 Lion Rock Daily - https://polyu.me/44ojtkF China News - https://polyu.me/3Tt14AL Sina - https://polyu.me/4pbUqLh     香港理工大學智能結構與軌道交通講座教授、可持續城市發展研究院成員倪一清教授、工程師，近日榮獲第十六屆光華工程科技獎。 光華工程科技獎是由中國工程院設立，旨在表彰在工程科技及管理領域取得卓越成就、作出重大貢獻的中國工程師和科學家。獎項每兩年評選一次，分為「光華工程科技成就獎」和「光華工程科技獎」兩個類別。本屆評選經過提名、初評、公示及終評等嚴格程序，最終由中國工程院各學部院士從471位優秀候選人中遴選出40位獲獎者，包括1位光華工程科技成就獎得主和39位光華工程科技獎得主。得獎者涵蓋機械、信息、化工、冶金、材料、能源等多個學科領域，當中三位來自香港。 倪教授深耕結構健康監測技術的研究與應用超過30年，其提出大型結構健康監測系統的集成模塊化設計方法及全壽命期結構健康監測範式，已廣泛應用於大型土木結構健康監測系統的設計與實踐。   網上報導： 文匯報 - https://polyu.me/4bdy5Hi；https://polyu.me/4vRzYBJ 大公報 - https://polyu.me/4vnsnd4 香港仔 - https://polyu.me/44ojtkF 中國新聞網 - https://polyu.me/3Tt14AL 新浪財經 - https://polyu.me/4pbUqLh  

PolyU research reveals snow droughts continue to threaten global food security and calls for climate-resilient agriculture practices to promote sustainable development

A research team led by Prof. WANG Shuo, Member of Research Institute for Land and Space (RILS), Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Smart Cities Research Institute (SCRI) and Research Institute for Sustainable Urban Development (RISUD), and Associate Professor of Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics, has utilised innovative explainable machine learning to uncover the persistent and significant negative impact of snow droughts on winter wheat yields, highlighting that global food security is facing unprecedented challenges.  This breakthrough study provides key scientific evidence for building climate-resilient agriculture, ensuring food security and promoting sustainable development.  The study was conducted in collaboration with scholars from The University of Hong Kong and the University of California, Irvine.  The findings have been published in the international journal Nature Food. Over the past 60 years, the frequency of snow droughts across the Northern Hemisphere’s winter wheat croplands has increased significantly.  The proportion of croplands affected by snow drought surged from 46–54% in 1960–1970 to 70–99% in 2010–2020, reflecting the fact that snow droughts have evolved from a localised risk into a widespread phenomenon. The research team developed the XGB-SHAP model framework to accurately identify the direct impact of snow drought on crop yields.  The framework combines Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) with Shapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) to effectively exclude interference from other climate factors such as high temperature and rainfall, enabling a quantitative analysis of the direct impact of snow drought on winter wheat yields.  This study also systematically analysed snow–crop–water interactions, providing a robust empirical basis for developing climate-resilient agricultural systems. Using the XGB-SHAP framework, the study found that approximately 45% of croplands in the Northern Hemisphere experienced significant adverse impacts from snow droughts, with Europe, Central Asia and the United States being the most severely affected regions.  Meanwhile, in East Asia, the yield benefits of longer growing seasons due to warmer winters are gradually diminishing and the regional hydrothermal balance is becoming increasingly unstable.  The study also identifies increased fertiliser use, intensified freezing stress and reduced precipitation as the three primary factors contributing to winter wheat’s increased sensitivity to snow drought.  While enhanced soil nutrient levels can promote crop growth, they also make crops more dependent on the water supply and thermal insulation provided by snow cover.  When snow drought occurs, these factors can amplify the risk of yield loss. Looking ahead, the research team recommends strengthening the climate resilience of agricultural systems by enhancing crop varieties, improving agricultural management and monitoring risks.  Alongside intensifying efforts to develop crop varieties with both cold and drought tolerance, agricultural management models have to shift from traditional, input-intensive production to more precise and sustainable nutrient management systems.  Furthermore, snow cover monitoring should be incorporated into agricultural risk assessment and early warning systems.  Identifying snow drought risks at an early stage and enhancing the resilience of agricultural systems will ensure that stable food production is maintained in the face of climate change, steering global agriculture towards a more sustainable future.   Press release: https://polyu.me/4nOZhRH Online coverage: The National Tribune - https://polyu.me/4dNTZ4t Mirage - https://polyu.me/42YLSx2 Ta Kung Pao - https://polyu.me/4e8weVZ Wen Wei Po - https://polyu.me/3RKk4dd   由理大土地及空間研究院、潘樂陶慈善基金智慧城市研究院及可持續城市發展研究院成員兼土地測量及地理資訊學系副教授王碩教授帶領的研究團隊，利用創新的可解釋機器學習技術，揭示雪旱對冬小麥產量帶來顯著而持續的負面影響，反映全球糧食安全正面對前所未有的挑戰。這項突破性研究為建構氣候韌性農業、保障糧食安全及推動可持續發展，提供關鍵的科學依據。此研究與香港大學及美國加州大學爾灣分校學者合作進行，研究結果已刊登於國際權威期刊《Nature Food》。 過去60年間，北半球冬小麥種植區的雪旱發生頻率顯著上升。受雪旱影響的農地比例，已由1960至1970年間的46%至54%，大幅增至2010至2020年間的70%至99%，反映雪旱已由局部風險演變為廣泛性影響。 為準確識別雪旱對作物產量的直接影響，研究團隊開發了XGB-SHAP模型框架，結合極端梯度提升（XGBoost）與夏普利加性解釋（SHAP）方法，有效排除高溫、降雨等其他氣候因素的干擾，定量分析雪旱對冬小麥產量的直接影響。研究亦系統性分析積雪、作物生長與水分條件之間的交互關係，為推動氣候韌性農業系統建設提供堅實的實證基礎。 透過XGB-SHAP模型分析，研究發現北半球約45%的農地受到雪旱顯著衝擊，其中以歐洲、中亞及美國情況最為嚴重。至於東亞地區，過往因暖冬而延長作物生長期所帶來的增產效益正逐步消退，區域水熱平衡亦愈見不穩。研究進一步指出，施肥量增加、凍害加劇及降水減少，是提高冬小麥對雪旱敏感度的三大主因。雖然提升土壤養分有助促進作物生長，但同時亦會增加作物對水分供應及積雪保溫的依賴；一旦發生雪旱，減產風險反而會被進一步放大。 展望未來，研究團隊建議從作物品種改良、農業管理及風險監測三方面提升農業系統的氣候韌性。除了應加強培育兼具抗寒及抗旱能力的作物品種，農業管理模式亦需由傳統投入密集型生產，逐步轉向更精準且可持續的養分管理系統，而積雪監測亦應納入農業風險評估與預警系統。透過及早識別雪旱風險並提升農業系統適應能力，將有助在氣候變化下維持糧食生產穩定，推動全球農業邁向更可持續的未來。   新聞稿：https://polyu.me/4u1BBv3 網上報導： The National Tribune - https://polyu.me/4dNTZ4t Mirage - https://polyu.me/42YLSx2 大公報 - https://polyu.me/4e8weVZ 文匯報 - https://polyu.me/3RKk4dd  

PolyU research reveals hidden health risks from urban airborne microbes

Public concern about air pollution has traditionally focused on chemical pollutants in fine particulate matter (PM2.5), such as vehicle exhaust and industrial emissions.  However, recent research from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) shows that microbial components in the air — including bacteria, fungi, viruses and cellular debris — may also pose significant but overlooked health risks. The study was led by Prof. Nathanael Jin Ling, Assistant Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Department of Health Technology and Informatics.  The research team carried out a systematic analysis of the microbial components of PM2.5 and found that bacteria make up the largest share.  In particular, they identified endotoxin, a structural component of bacterial cell walls, as a major concern.  Although endotoxin represents less than 0.0001% of the total mass of PM2.5, it can account for up to 17% of the inflammatory response in the human respiratory system.  In other words, among all currently known PM2.5 components, endotoxin exhibits the highest toxicity and health impact relative to its mass. The findings suggest that reducing the overall mass of PM2.5 alone may not be enough to lower the health risks of air pollution. Instead, more effective protection may depend on identifying and controlling trace components with very high toxicity, even when present at extremely low concentrations.  The study was published in Environmental Science & Technology under the title “Disproportionately Higher Contribution of Endotoxin to PM2.5 Bioactivity than Its Mass Share Highlights the Need to Identify Low-Concentration, High-Potency Components”. In a separate study, Prof. Jin’s team collaborated with researchers from overseas universities to investigate airborne Candida in urban air and assess its potential transmission routes and community infection risks.  Candida species are classified by the World Health Organization as priority pathogens.  The researchers detected multidrug-resistant Candida parapsilosis in urban air and found close genetic links between these airborne strains and clinical strains from infected patients.  This suggests that people may unknowingly be exposed to drug-resistant fungi through everyday breathing or skin contact, thereby increasing the potential risk of community infection. The study also showed that Candida species are seasonally common in urban air and widely distributed across various built environments, including wastewater treatment plants, healthcare settings and residential ventilation systems.  Among the species studied, Candida parapsilosis showed particularly strong environmental resilience and drug resistance, making it a notable fungal threat in urban air.  This study was published in Environmental Science & Technology Letters under the title “Public Health Implications of Airborne Candida: Viability, Drug Resistance, and Genetic Links to Clinical Strains”. Prof. Jin is a member of several research units under PAIR, including the Research Institute for Future Food (RiFood), the Research Institute for Sustainable Urban Development (RISUD) and the Mental Health Research Centre (MHRC). Read the full studies: https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.est.5c07255 https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.estlett.5c00795 Press release: https://polyu.me/48CazTc Online coverage: Mirage - https://polyu.me/3QKCiuI The National Tribune - https://polyu.me/4cJzdnm Bastille Post - https://polyu.me/42EmA6X EurekAlert - https://polyu.me/3OLPTBx   公眾過往對空氣污染的關注，主要集中於細懸浮粒子（PM2.5）中的化學污染物，例如車輛廢氣及工業排放。然而，香港理工大學（理大）最新研究顯示，空氣中的微生物物質，包括細菌、真菌、病毒及細胞碎片等，亦可能對人類健康構成長期被忽視、卻不容小覷的風險。 該研究由理大土木及環境工程學系以及醫療科技及資訊學系助理教授金靈領導。研究團隊對 PM2.5 中的微生物成分進行了系統性分析，發現細菌佔其中最大比例，當中尤以「內毒素」最值得關注。內毒素是細菌細胞壁的結構成分，雖然其質量只佔 PM2.5 總質量的不到 0.0001%，卻可引發高達 17% 的人體呼吸系統發炎反應。換言之，內毒素在目前所有已知 PM2.5 成分中，其毒性及對健康影響最高。 研究結果顯示，單純降低 PM2.5 的總質量，未必足以減低空氣污染帶來的健康風險。相反，更關鍵的是識別並控制那些濃度極低、但毒性極高的微量成分。相關研究已發表於《Environmental Science & Technology》，題目為「Disproportionately Higher Contribution of Endotoxin to PM2.5 Bioactivity than Its Mass Share Highlights the Need to Identify Low-Concentration, High-Potency Components」。 在另一項研究中，金教授的團隊與外地大學研究員合作，聚焦於城市空氣中的念珠菌，探討其潛在的傳播途徑及社區感染風險。念珠菌被世界衛生組織列為重點關注的病原體。研究人員在城市空氣中，檢測到具多重耐藥性的「近平滑念珠菌」（Candida parapsilosis），並發現這些空氣中的菌株與受感染病人身上的菌株，基因排列存在高度相似性。這顯示人們在日常呼吸或皮膚接觸過程中，可能無意間暴露於耐藥真菌之下，從而增加社區感染的潛在風險。 研究亦指出，念珠菌物種在城市空氣中具有季節性及普遍存在的特徵，並廣泛分布於多種人造環境之中，包括污水處理廠、醫療場所及住宅通風系統。在所研究的物種中，近平滑念珠菌表現出特別強的環境適應力和耐藥性，使其成為城市空氣中一項值得高度關注的真菌威脅。該研究以「Public Health Implications of Airborne Candida: Viability, Drug Resistance, and Genetic Links to Clinical Strains」為題，發表於《Environmental Science & Technology Letters》。 金教授為理大高等研究院轄下多個研究單位的成員，包括未來食品研究院、可持續城市發展研究院及精神健康研究中心。 閱讀研究全文： https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.est.5c07255 https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.estlett.5c00795 新聞稿：https://polyu.me/4tKokYg 網上報導： Mirage - https://polyu.me/3QKCiuI The National Tribune - https://polyu.me/4cJzdnm 巴士的報 - https://polyu.me/42EmA6X EurekAlert - https://polyu.me/3OLPTBx Head Topics - https://polyu.me/49nP8Wb  

Prof. Raymond WONG elected Fellow of Chinese Chemical Society

Congratulations to Prof. Raymond WONG Wai-yeung, Dean of Faculty of Science, Clarea Au Professor in Energy and Chair Professor of Chemical Technology, on his election as a Fellow of the Chinese Chemical Society (FCCS).  He is the only Fellow from a Hong Kong institution to have been elected this year, among a total of 50 Fellows. Established in 2019, the Chinese Chemical Society (CCS) Fellowship is the highest level of membership conferred by the Society.  It recognises senior members who have made significant contributions to chemistry and related fields, or outstanding contributions to the development of the Society, and encourages their continued efforts in advancing science and technology, while also promoting the development of China’s chemical industry.  To date, 346 scholars have been elected as FCCS fellows. Prof. Wong is a distinguished scholar in the field of advanced materials and energy science. His research focuses on the design and synthesis of molecular functional materials and one‑ and two‑dimensional metallopolymers with photofunctional properties and energy applications.  His team is committed to transforming cutting-edge chemistry research into meaningful solutions for sustainable energy. Prof. Wong is currently Associate Director of the Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Research Institute for Smart Energy (RISE), Member of the Research Institute for Sustainable Urban Development (RISUD), the Research Institute for Intelligent Wearable Systems (RI-IWEAR) and the Research Institute for Sports Science and Technology (RISports).     熱烈恭賀理學院院長、歐雪明能源教授、化學科技講座教授黃維揚教授，當選為中國化學會會士。他是今年當選的 50 位會士中，唯一來自香港院校的會士。 中國化學會會士始於2019年，屬該會授予的最高會員資格，旨在表彰在化學及相關領域作出重大貢獻，或對該會發展作出突出貢獻的高級會員，並鼓勵他們持續推動科學與技術進步，促進中國化學工業的發展。迄今，共有346位學者獲選為中國化學會會士。 黃教授是先進材料及能源科學領域的傑出學者。他的研究重點包括設計及合成具有光功能特性和能源應用的分子功能材料和一維及二維金屬聚合物。其團隊致力於將前沿化學研究轉化為可持續能源的創新解決方案。 黃教授現為潘樂陶慈善基金智慧能源研究院副院長、可持續城市發展研究院、智能可穿戴系統研究院及體育科技研究院成員。

Three PAIR members receive PolyU Young Innovative Researcher Award 2026

Congratulations to the following three rising stars at PAIR for winning the PolyU Young Innovative Researcher Award (YIRA) 2026! YIRA aims to honour young PolyU researchers under the age of 35 who have demonstrated originality, contributed to technological advancement, and propelled transformational innovation into solutions to addressing global challenges through their research. Each awardee will receive a research funding support of HK$500,000 and a personal cash prize of HK$20,000 to encourage their continued pursuit of innovative and impactful research. Awardee Affiliated PAIR Research Unit Research Focus Prof. Jingjie GE Assistant Professor, Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology Member of Research Institute for Advanced Manufacturing (RIAM), Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Research Institute for Smart Energy (RISE) and Research Centre for Resources Engineering towards Carbon Neutrality (RCRE) Designing Low-cost, High-efficient Anodic Catalysts for Electrocatalytic Hydrogen Production Prof. Tao LIU Assistant Professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Member of Research Institute for Sustainable Urban Development (RISUD) and RCRE Net-Zero Wastewater Management through Circular Resource Utilisation Prof. Lidong YANG Assistant Professor, Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering Member of RIAM, Research Institute for Sports Science and Technology (RISports) and Research Centre for Deep Space Explorations (RCDSE) Trustworthy AI-assisted Magnetic Microcatheter (AI-M2) System: An Enabling Paradigm for Intelligent Superselective Endoluminal Interventions      熱烈恭賀以下三位理大高等研究院新晉之星榮獲理大2026 年度「青年創新研究者獎」！ 此獎項為35 歲以下的理大研究人員而設，旨在表彰其研究展現出原創性，推動科技進步，及為應對全球挑戰提供變革性創新解決方案。每位得獎者將獲發50萬港元的研究經費資助和2萬港元的個人現金獎勵，以鼓勵他們繼續發展創新且具影響力的研究。 得獎者 高等研究院轄下單位 重點研究領域 葛婧捷教授 應用生物及化學科技學系助理教授 先進製造研究院﹑潘樂陶慈善基金智慧能源研究院及碳中和資源工程研究中心成員 用於電催化製氫之低成本、高效率陽極催化劑設計 劉濤教授 土木及環境工程學系助理教授 可持續城市發展研究院及碳中和資源工程研究中心成員 透過循環資源利用實現淨零廢水管理 楊立冬教授 工業及系統工程學系助理教授 先進製造研究院﹑體育科技研究院及深空探測研究中心成員 可信賴的 AI 輔助磁性微導管（AI-M2）系統：實現智慧型超選擇性腔內介入治療的關鍵範式

PolyU secures funding for four cutting-edge projects in Third Round of RAISe+ Scheme

PolyU has earned funding support for four high-impact research projects in the third round of the Research, Academic and Industry Sectors One-plus (RAISe+) Scheme, administered by the Innovation and Technology Commission of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government.  Spanning areas from advanced manufacturing to artificial intelligence (AI), these projects demonstrate significant potential for industry impact—a testament to the University’s research excellence and translation.  All the funded projects are led by PAIR members. Details of the projects: Project Title and Description Project Leader Forging with Clarity: Intelligent In-Situ Laser Melt Pool Monitoring Technology IntraSpect™ is redefining precision manufacturing with its 3rd-generation intelligent in-situ melt pool control technology. By integrating advanced high-frequency optical tomography with a multi-modal AI engine, the team has developed an “industrial eye” capable of penetrating metal vapour to deliver micron-level 3D real-time monitoring and closed-loop control, effectively eliminating hidden defects such as porosity. This solution matches the performance of top-tier international competitors at half the cost, offering a rapid ROI of less than one year. Closely aligned with the “15th Five-Year Plan” and “China Intelligent Manufacturing 2030”, IntraSpect™ empowers the EV battery and electronics sectors to transition from passive defect detection to proactive quality prevention. Prof. H.C. MAN Founding Director and Member of Research Institute for Advanced Manufacturing (RIAM), Member of Research Institute for Sports Science and Technology (RISports), Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, Cheng Yick-chi Chair Professor in Manufacturing Engineering and Chair Professor of Materials Engineering WiseLaw: Next Generation Agentic AI for Legal Services WiseLaw Digital Technology Co., Ltd is Hong Kong’s first technology enterprise specialising in AI applications for cross-border legal and compliance services. Incubated by PolyU, WiseLaw brings together PolyU alumni and technical experts from leading internet companies in Chinese Mainland. WiseLaw deeply integrates AI with professional legal and compliance expertise, driving the intelligent transformation of legal services and corporate compliance management. As WiseLaw’s core product, “Lawrence” is an AI Digital Employee designed to empower corporations, financial institutions and law firms. Distinct from conventional software tools, Lawrence is built to “work like an employee”. It provides continuous support across cross-border business scenarios, including legal research, compliance review, contract analysis, risk identification, knowledge management and workflow coordination. Leveraging world-leading LLM capabilities and professional knowledge, further enhanced by WiseLaw’s proprietary Harness Engineering and Agentic Memory solutions, Lawrence enables users to improve operational efficiency, reduce compliance costs and mitigate legal risks. It provides enterprises with a more sophisticated and efficient framework for navigating global expansion and international operations. Prof. LU Haitian Management Committee Member of Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Smart Cities Research Institute (SCRI) and Research Centre for Environmental, Social, and Governance Advancement (RCESGA), Member of Research Institute for Sustainable Urban Development (RISUD), and Hong Kong Sustaintech Foundation Professor in School of Accounting and Finance ShieldTrade: Multi-layer Defense System for Secure Web3 Transactions The project aims to develop ShieldTrade, a next-generation Web3 security system that prevents users from transacting with blacklisted or sanctioned addresses, malicious or deceptive smart contracts, and phishing or fraudulent applications that attempt to obtain unauthorised token approvals or asset transfers. ShieldTrade provides end-to-end security protection for Web3 users by detecting risky transactions before execution and blocking malicious activities in real time. It analyses wallet interactions, smart-contract behaviours and transaction patterns to identify blacklisted or sanctioned addresses, malicious or deceptive contracts, and phishing or fraudulent “dApps” designed to steal assets or token approvals. Through advanced binary analysis, fuzzing and symbolic execution, ShieldTrade delivers proactive defence against emerging Web3 threats and ensures safer participation in decentralised ecosystems. Prof. Allen AU Man-Ho Member of Research Institute for Quantum Technology (RIQT), Associate Head (Research and Development) and Professor of the Department of Computing New Generation of Miniature Quantum Chip with Embedded System for Cybersecurity In today’s information-driven era, safeguarding data has become an exceptionally critical concern. Traditional encryption methods may prove highly vulnerable in the face of potential quantum computing attacks in the near future, underscoring the need to develop new technological solutions with high security standards. The project aims to develop a new generation of miniature quantum chips with embedded systems that enable secure communication by integrating optical quantum components with classical electronics (ARM and FPGA) on a single chip, often using CMOS fabrication to reduce size and cost. These chip-scale devices support high-speed communication, while allowing easy integration into IoT devices, handheld devices, fibre-optic networks, data centres and other applications. Prof. LIU Ai-Qun Director of RIQT, Chair Professor of Quantum Engineering and Science of Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering and Hong Kong Global STEM Scholar     香港理工大學（理大）於香港特別行政區政府創新科技署的第三輪「產學研1+計劃」中，共有四個具影響力的研究項目獲資助。這些項目具備帶領行業發展的深厚潛力，涵蓋先進製造、人工智能等多個領域，充分印證理大具備卓越科研及研究成果轉化的實力。所有獲資助項目均由理大高等研究院成員領導。 有關研究項目詳情如下： 項目名稱及簡介 項目領導 灼見精工：智慧原位熔池精控科技 IntraSpect™（英特珀激光科技）憑藉第三代智慧原位熔池精控技術，重新定義高端精密製造的質量標準。團隊採用領先的高頻光學斷層掃描結合多模態 AI 引擎，打造能穿透金屬蒸汽的「工業透視眼」，實現微米級熔池內部 3D 實時監測與閉環控制，徹底解決氣孔及虛焊等隱蔽缺陷。 產品性能對標國際頂尖品牌，成本僅需一半，回本期短於一年。為緊貼「十五五」規劃與「中國智造 2030」戰略，項目致力賦能新能源電池及 3C 電子等高增值產業，助力企業實現從「攔截缺陷」到「主動預防」的品質革命。 文効忠教授 先進製造研究院創始院長及成員、體育科技研究院成員、工程學院院長、鄭翼之製造工程學講座教授及材料工程講座教授   智法數科：新一代法律服務智能體系統 WiseLaw 智法數科是香港首家專注於跨境法律及合規 AI 應用的科創企業，由理大孵化，匯聚香港理工大學優秀校友及內地頭部互聯網企業技術專家，致力於將AI技術與法律、合規專業知識深度融合，推動法律服務與企業合規管理智能化升級。 作為WiseLaw 旗下核心産品 ，「Lawrence」是面向企業、金融機構及律師事務所打造的法律合規 AI 數字員工。不同於傳統軟件工具，Lawrence 更強調「像員工一樣工作」，圍繞跨境業務場景持續提供法律檢索、合規審查、合同分析、風險識別、知識管理及流程協同等服務。 依托全球領先的大模型能力、多法域專業知識庫及法律專家的經驗、WiseLaw獨有的Harness工程技術和Agentic Memory解決方案，Lawrence 能夠有效幫助客戶提升工作效率、降低合規成本、規避法律風險，爲企業出海和國際化經營提供更智能、更高效的支持。 陸海天教授 ，潘樂陶慈善基金智慧城市研究院及環境, ，社會, 和治理促進研究中心管理委員會成員、可持續城市發展研究院成員、香港可持續技術基金會教授   ShieldTrade：安全 Web3 交易的多層防護系統 項目旨在開發新一代 Web3 安全防護系統ShieldTrade，其致力於保護使用者免受黑名單或受制裁地址、惡意智能合約，以及企圖獲取未經授權代幣授權或資產轉移之釣魚應用程式的侵害。 ShieldTrade 為 Web3 用戶提供端對端的安全保障，能於交易執行前偵測高風險操作，並即時阻截惡意行為。系統會深入分析錢包互動、智能合約行為及交易模式，藉此識別黑名單或受制裁地址、惡意或具欺騙性的合約，以及旨在竊取資產或代幣授權的釣魚或詐騙類「去中心化應用程式」。透過先進的二進制分析、模糊測試與符號執行技術，ShieldTrade 針對新興的 Web3 威脅提供主動式防禦，確保用戶能更安全地參與去中心化生態系。 區文浩教授 、量子技術研究院成員,電子計算學系副系主任（研究及發展）及教授   新一代嵌入式微型量子芯片及網絡安全應用 在數位化與智能化快速發展的今天，數據及通信安全已成為社會運行和產業發展的核心需求。隨着量子計算技術不斷發展，傳統密碼體系在未來面臨安全考驗，因此亟需發展更高安全等級的新型技術方案。 本項目致力於研發新一代嵌入式微型量子芯片及網路安全應用，通過將量子物理與微電子技術深度融合，將光量子器件與經典電子系統（如 ARM、FPGA）集成於同一芯片之上。基於 CMOS 製造工藝，該技術有望實現芯片的小型化、低成本和高集成度。該量子安全芯片不僅可支援高速安全通信，還能夠進一步嵌入物聯網終端、手持設備、光纖通信網路及數據中心等應用場景，為未來訊息安全提供新一代核心技術。 劉愛群教授 量子技術研究院院長、電機及電子工程學系量子工程與科學講座教授、香港全球傑出創科學人