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Prof. Sharon Y. C. RUAN’s research on “CFTR mediates Cl- transport in osteocytes to sustain cell viability and skeletal homeostasis” published in Nature Communications

Research paper titled “CFTR mediates Cl- transport in osteocytes to sustain cell viability and skeletal homeostasis”, with Professor Sharon Y. C. RUAN as the corresponding author, was recently published in Nature Communications. Prof. RUAN’s work has demonstrated for the first time that chloride channel CFTR keeps osteocytes alive and limits bone loss, revealing a new mechanism for maintaining long lived bone cells and suggesting a potential strategy to protect bone health. “CFTR mediates Cl- transport in osteocytes to sustain cell viability and skeletal homeostasis“ Peijie Hu, Wanting Du, Muyan Chu, Junjiang Chen, Xiaotian Zhang, Ziyi Chen, Jun Hu, Lei Qin, Wayne Yuk-Wai Lee, Jinghui Guo, Hui Chen, Ruiyao Xu, Xiaojun Cai, Xiaohua Jiang, Hsiao Chang Chan, Ling Qin*, Jiankun Xu* & Ye Chun Ruan* Nature Communications (2026). doi: 10.1038/s41467-026-72349-0   Abstract Osteocytes are long-lived with underlying mechanisms largely unknown. Here, we report that osteocyte-specific knockout of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) results in excessive osteocyte death, proinflammatory cytokine surge, osteoclast overactivation and bone formation impairment leading to bone loss in adult mice. Consistently in MLO‑Y4 osteocyte‑line, CFTR-knockout causes progressive cell death, which is reversed by CFTR overexpression or medium replenishment. A massive proinflammatory osteocyte secretome is evoked by CFTR-knockout, which deteriorates wild-type osteocytes, inhibits osteogenic differentiation, while robustly stimulates osteoclastogenic differentiation in vitro. Patch-clamp/Cl--imaging verifies CFTR to mediate Cl- transport in osteocytes, while Cl--deprivation mimics CFTR-knockout to trigger transcriptomic/proteomic changes, cell stress and death. Additionally, osteocyte CFTR is downregulated in aged human bones; local delivery of CFTR via adenovirus or a CFTR modulator increases viable osteocytes and bone mass in aged mice. Together, the present study reveals a direct role of CFTR-mediated Cl- transport in sustaining osteocyte viability and skeletal homeostasis.   About Nature Communications Nature Communications is an open access, multidisciplinary journal dedicated to publishing high-quality research in all areas of the biological, health, physical, chemical, Earth, social, mathematical, applied, and engineering sciences.   Source: Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University  

Prof. Puxiang LAI’s research on “From Disorder to Design: Physical Mechanisms Governing Generalization and Hallucination in Deep Learning for Imaging Through Scattering Media” published in Nature Communications

Research paper titled “From Disorder to Design: Physical Mechanisms Governing Generalization and Hallucination in Deep Learning for Imaging Through Scattering Media”, with Professor Puxiang LAI as the co-correspondence author, was recently published in Nature Communications (IF=18.1; ranked 8th out of 140 SCI journals in Multidisciplinary Sciences). This work leverages a physics-guided framework based on scattering media and developed a model system where controlled variations in light transmission matrices (T) isolates the long-standing challenges in the field, unravelling the mechanistic interplay between generalization limits and hallucination origins. Xuyu Zhang, Tianting Zhong, Haofan Huang] Dawei Zhang, Songlin Zhuang, Shensheng Han, Puxiang Lai*, and Honglin Liu*, "From Disorder to Design: Physical Mechanisms Governing Generalization and Hallucination in Deep Learning for Imaging Through Scattering Media", Nature Communications 17: 5616 (2026). doi: 10.1038/s41467-026-72304-z   Abstract Deep learning has revolutionized computational imaging, yet its real-world deployment remains constrained by two critical challenges: poor generalization under dynamic conditions and the emergence of hallucinatory artifacts. By leveraging a physics-guided framework based on scattering media, a model system where controlled variations in light transmission matrices (T) isolates these challenges, we unravel the mechanistic interplay between generalization limits and hallucination origins. We demonstrate that a network’s generalization capacity is fundamentally bounded by its ability to accommodate distinct inverse mappings (T -1), while hallucinations arise when this capacity is exceeded, resulting in unconstrained, non-physical predictions. We also identify residual ballistic light, if not negligible, as a stabilizing anchor, enabling robust predictions under scattering variability. Integrating experimental validation with wave-optics simulations, we establish a universal framework that links these phenomena, showing that strategic training on diverse physical mappings enhances generalization while suppressing hallucinations. This work bridges physics-driven interpretability with AI design, offering actionable strategies to develop reliable models for applications ranging from medical imaging through biological tissues to autonomous navigation in scattering environments.   About Nature Communications Nature Communications is an open access, multidisciplinary journal dedicated to publishing high-quality research in all areas of the biological, health, physical, chemical, Earth, social, mathematical, applied, and engineering sciences. Source: Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University  

Inaugural issue of Advanced Clinical Engineering is online

The inaugural issue of Advanced Clinical Engineering was published online in July 2026, marking a major milestone for the newly established journal. This first issue presents high-quality research in clinical engineering, biomedical innovation and translational healthcare, and strengthens the journal’s role as an international platform for academic exchange and collaboration.

Prof. Xiaoling HU’s research on “Sensorimotor Integration by Targeted Priming in Muscles with Electromyography-Driven Electro-vibro-feedback in Robot-Assisted Wrist/Hand Rehabilitation after Stroke” published in Cyborg and Bionic Systems

Research paper titled “Sensorimotor Integration by Targeted Priming in Muscles with Electromyography-Driven Electro-vibro-feedback in Robot-Assisted Wrist/Hand Rehabilitation after Stroke”, with Professor Xiaoling HU as the corresponding author, was recently published in Cyborg and Bionic Systems, an open access journal, published in association with BIT, that promotes the knowledge interchange and hybrid system codesign between living beings and robotic systems.   “Sensorimotor Integration by Targeted Priming in Muscles with Electromyography-Driven Electro-vibro-feedback in Robot-Assisted Wrist/Hand Rehabilitation after Stroke“ Legeng Lin, Yanhuan Huang, Wanyi Qing, Man-Ting Kuet, Hengtian Zhao, Fuqiang Ye, Wei Rong, Waiming Li, and Xiaoling Hu* Cyborg and Bionic Systems. Vol 7. Article ID: 0507. doi: 10.34133/cbsystems.050   Abstract Restoring precise muscular control in the poststroke wrist/hand (W/H) demands sensorimotor integration to correct compensatory neuroplasticity. However, current rehabilitation robots inadequately modulate ascending somatosensory pathways from specific muscles. This study developed an electromyography (EMG)-driven soft robot with electro-vibro-feedback (EVF-robot) for targeted somatosensory priming in W/H muscles. This system integrates (a) focal vibratory stimulation and neuromuscular electrical stimulation for recruiting the somatosensory pathways of the targeted W/H flexors and extensors; (b) an EMG-driven control algorithm for strengthening the voluntary motor control of a driving muscle; and (c) robot assistance to achieve coordinated joint extension and flexion. In a single-arm trial with 20 sessions, 15 chronic stroke participants assisted by the system achieved significant improvements in voluntary W/H behavioral control, somatosensory feedback, and intermuscular coordination in the paretic upper limb (P   Source: Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University  

Establishment of the new journal “Advanced Clinical Engineering”

In January 2026, the new journal Advanced Clinical Engineering was established jointly by The Hong Kong Polytechnic University and Peking University. Professor Mo Yang serves as Co-Editor-in-Chief, providing academic leadership and editorial direction. The journal aims to provide an international platform for high-quality research in clinical engineering, biomedical innovation, medical technologies, translational healthcare, and precision medicine. It will publish original research articles, reviews, perspectives and special issues addressing emerging challenges in clinical practice and healthcare technology. The establishment of this journal strengthens academic collaboration between Hong Kong and Mainland China and enhances global visibility in clinical engineering research.

Congratulations to Prof. Chunyi WEN for receiving the 2025/26 RGC Collaborative Research Project Grant (CRPG)

Hong Kong's Research Grants Council (RGC) has recently announced the funding results of the Collaborative Research Fund (CRF) in 2025/26, including Collaborative Research Project Grant (CRPG), Collaborative Research Equipment Grant (CREG) and Young Collaborative Research Grant (YCRG). PolyU has three CRPG, two CREG and two YCRG full proposals supported by RGC in the 2025/26 exercise. One of the three CRPG funded projects is Prof. Chunyi WEN's proposal titled "Endothelins in mechanoaging and osteoarthritis: biomarker discovery and drug development",  Congratulations to Prof. WEN!   About the Collaborative Research Fund (CRF) The Collaborative Research Fund (CRF) aims to encourage research groups in UGC-funded universities to engage in collaborative research across disciplines and across universities, with a view to enhancing the research output of universities in terms of the level of attainment, quantity, dimensions and/or impact. In assessing proposals, the Research Grants Council (RGC) puts emphasis on capacity building and the potential of a proposal to develop into an area of research strength. Source: Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University  

Professor Mo Yang promoted to Chair Professor

Congratulations to Professor Mo Yang on his promotion to Chair Professor on 1 February 2025. Prof. Yang is Chair Professor of Precision Theranostics at the Department of Biomedical Engineering (BME), The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. He is also Associate Head (Research) of Department of BME, as well as Director of Joint Research Center for Biosensing and Precision Theranostics. Prof. Yang’s research focuses on microfluidic device for biosensing, and nanomaterials based bioprobes for bioimaging, biosensing and precision theranostics.

RCBPT co-organized the International Forum on Medical Molecular Imaging 2024

The Joint Center of Biosensing and Precision Theranostics co-organized the International Forum on Medical Molecular Imaging 2024 with the Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Chinese Academy of Sciences from Nov 22-23, 2024 in Hong Kong.

Prof. Yang Mo attended the 2024 academic committee meeting of Key Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering of Ministry of Education in Zhejiang University

Prof. Yang Mo attended the 2024 academic committee meeting of Key Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering of Ministry of Education in Zhejiang University as the academic committee member on November 12, 2024.

Dr. Wen Chunyi received ANR//RGC Joint Research Scheme in 2024/25 Exercise

The RGC announced the results of the applications for the French National Research Agency (ANR) / Research Grants Council (RGC) Joint Research Scheme in 2024/25 Exercise.  The RGC and the ANR have agreed to fund a total of 4 research projects, out of 27 eligible joint applications received. Dr. Wen Chunyi is the only one in PolyU who received the ANR//RGC Joint Research Scheme Grant. Details are as follows: Title: Deciphering and Targeting Cholinergic Signaling to Treat Osteoarthritis Award amount: HK$2,271,643