News

MHRC holds Nobel Laureate Lecture

MHRC and the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences jointly organised a Nobel Laureate Lecture on 13 December 2023. Delivered by Prof. Thomas C. SÜDHOF, Nobel Laureate in Physiology or Medicine (2013), the lecture titled “The Molecular Architecture of Synapse Formation” attracted over 1,000 online attendees from 17 countries and regions, including China, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, Bhutan, United Kingdom, U.S.A. and Canada, etc. The event was also broadcasted live on multiple platforms, including YouTube, Bilibili, Weibo, WeChat and CSTCloud, drawing an impressive audience of over 15,000 in total. In the lecture, Prof. Südhof described the recent progress in understanding how selected trans-synaptic interactions guide and shape the formation of synapses and thereby control the molecular logic of neural circuits. A question-and-answer session moderated by Prof. Hector TSANG, Interim Director of MHRC, Chair Professor and Head, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences and Dr Sonata YAU, Associate Professor, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, was followed. The audience and Prof. Südhof had a thought-provoking and fruitful discussion, exchanging views and knowledge in the field of neuroscience.   Online review: https://www.polyu.edu.hk/mhrc/news-and-events/video-gallery/

Two PAIR projects receive Smart Traffic Fund to enhance bridge monitoring and parking management

Two innovative projects led by PAIR researchers were awarded a total funding of around HK$17.36 million from the Smart Traffic Fund of the HKSAR government. The project “Digital Twin-based Long-span Bridge Health Monitoring”, led by Prof. XIA Yong, Management Committee Member of the Research Institute for Artificial Intelligence of Things (RIAIoT), Member of the Research Institute for Sustainable Urban Development (RISUD) and Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, aims to develop a digital twin-based long-span bridge health monitoring platform, which will be applied to the Tsing Ma Bridge. Another project “Blockchain-enabled Cyber Physical System for City-wide Parking Management”, led by Dr TSANG Yung-po, Member of the Research Institute for Advanced Manufacturing (RIAM) and Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, aims to utilise Web 3.0 and blockchain technology in enabling intelligent access control to car parks, as well as AI to evaluate the supply of and demand for parking spaces. Press release: https://polyu.me/3RI3E2Q   Online coverage: Oriental Daily News - https://polyu.me/3GGaQpJ Yahoo HK - https://polyu.me/3RFbaLB

Turing Award Laureate Prof. Jack Dongarra enlightens 160+ audiences on high performance computing at PAIR Distinguished Lecture

The 10th PAIR Distinguished Lecture titled “An Overview of High Performance Computing and Future Requirements”, delivered by Prof. Jack DONGARRA, 2021 A. M. Turing Award Laureate and University Distinguished Professor of Computer Science, University of Tennessee, USA, on 6 December 2023 achieved massive success! The hybrid lecture attracted over 160 participants joining in person and online from more than 50 countries and regions in Australia, Asia, Europe and North America. It was also broadcast live on multiple social media platforms and viewed by an online audience of over 12,000 in total. The lecture commenced with a warm welcome address by Prof. CHEN Qingyan, Director of PAIR, and a brief speaker introduction by Prof. CAO Jiannong, Dean of Graduate School, setting the stage for Prof. Dongarra’s inspiring presentation. In his sharing, Prof. Dongarra highlighted how computing pervades all aspects of the society and cloud vendors are pursuing breakthroughs in computer architectures such as processors, accelerators, interconnects and operating systems, with a view to achieving high performance computing. He mentioned how countries worldwide are in a race to build top exascale supercomputers. Prof. Dongarra also pointed out that the emergence of artificial intelligence and machine learning demands advancements in software and hardware. To conclude the lecture, he emphasised that the hardware for high performance computing is constantly evolving, and a new generation of software libraries and algorithms is needed for effective and reliable dynamic, distributed, and parallel computing.  A question-and-answer session moderated by Prof. Cao was followed. The audience and Prof. Dongarra had a thought-provoking and fruitful discussion, exchanging views on issues in computing development. Please click here for an online review.

Southeast University delegation visits PAIR

Prof. ZHONG Wenqi, Member of the Standing Committee of the Party Committee and Vice President of Southeast University (SEU), led a delegation to visit The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) on 11 December 2023. The delegation was warmly welcomed by Prof. CHEN Qingyan, Director of the PolyU Academy for Interdisciplinary Research (PAIR), Prof. Eric TSUI, Co-Director of the Policy Research Centre for Innovation and Technology (PReCIT) and PAIR’s Research Institutes’ and Research Centres’ directors and representatives. The two groups had an exchange meeting and a guided tour to the laboratory of the Research Centre for Resource Engineering towards Carbon Neutrality (RCRE). This visit intended to enhance SEU’s engagement and partnership with PolyU in the areas of carbon neutrality and energy storage technology, and to explore the possibility of jointly establishing a high-level interdisciplinary research centre, with a view to accelerating the construction of a higher education talent training system for carbon peaking and neutrality.

PAIR contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goals

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has recently published its first “Sustainable Development Goals Report 2021–2022”. The Report summarises the University’s strategic actions, research and activities that respond to the United Nation (UN) Sustainable Development Goals. It includes over 20 events and research projects conducted by constituent research institutes and research centres of the PolyU Academy for Interdisciplinary Research (PAIR). As the largest interdisciplinary research hub in the Greater Bay Area, PAIR will continuously strive for research and knowledge transfer excellence to provide world-leading interdisciplinary solutions for major social challenges. Read the report: https://polyu.hk/CtuTm Download the report: https://polyu.hk/QGeyR

The molecular architecture of synapse formation

The brain processes information via signals that are processed in a vast number of neural circuits that operate in a parallel, interleaved, or sequential fashion. In each neural circuit, information transmitted from one neuron to the next at synapses that computationally process the information as it is being transmitted, translating a presynaptic spike code into distinct postsynaptic signals depending on the properties of the synapses. Information processing by neural circuits critically depend on the number and location of synapses between their constituent neurons and equally on the computational properties of these synapses that vary greatly. We posit that the synaptic architecture of neural circuits is based on a molecular logic that governs the establishment and functional specification of synapses. Moreover, we posit that this molecular logic is controlled by transsynaptic adhesion complexes formed between pre- and postsynaptic recognition and signaling molecules. Multiple cell-surface and signaling molecules contributing to the molecular logic of neural circuits have been characterized. Two types of complexes mediating trans-synaptic interactions that control the architecture of synapses stand out: Presynaptic neurexin adhesion molecules and their multifarious postsynaptic signaling partners, including neuroligins and cerebellins, and postsynaptic latrophilins and Bai’s that act as adhesion-GPCRs and interact with presynaptic ligands, including teneurins and RTN4Rs, in synapse formation. In my lecture, I will describe recent progress in understanding how selected trans-synaptic interactions guide and shape the formation of synapses and thereby control the molecular logic of neural circuits. I will focus on only a few example given the amount of material available but encourage the audience to access our publications for more information. Find out more and register at : https://polyu.hk/lgyWr

Triumphantly Executed: PAIR's Seminar on Chinese Medicine

Prof. CHE Chun-Tao, Harry H.S. Fong Professor of Pharmacognosy in the College of Pharmacy, University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) and Director of the World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Traditional Medicine, delivered the PAIR seminar titled “Challenges and Opportunities for Chinese Medicine Research” in hybrid mode on 1 December 2023. The Seminar attracted over 200 participants joining onsite and online from over 30 countries and regions in Asia, Europe and North America. It was also broadcasted live on multiple social media platforms, including Bilibili and Weibo, and viewed by an online audience of over 16,500 in total. The seminar commenced with a warm welcome address from Prof. CHEN Qingyan, Director of PAIR, setting the stage for an enlightening session. Prof. Che then took the floor, shedding light on the scientific hurdles in the development of Chinese medicine, particularly regarding the quality, safety, and efficacy of herbal products. He emphasized how these challenges can be transformed into opportunities for international collaborative research, ultimately meeting the growing demand for top-notch Chinese medicine products. A question-and-answer session moderated by Prof. WONG Man-sau, Director of the Research Centre for Chinese Medicine Innovation (RCMI), was followed.  The Seminar was pushed to the climax by a panel discussion joined by Prof. Karl Wah Keung TSIM, Director of the Center for Chinese Medicine Research and Development and Director of HKUST Shenzhen Center for Chinese Medicine of The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST); Prof. Hongjie ZHANG, Director of the Chinese Medicine - Teaching and Research Division of the Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU); Prof. Clara LAU, Associate Director of the Institute of Chinese Medicine of The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK); as well as Mr Harry YEUNG, Chairman of the Modernized Chinese Medicine International Association Foundation (MCMIA).  The audiences were captivated and actively engaged in a stimulating exchange with Prof. Che and the panelists, leaving them inspired to delve deeper into the discussion. Please click here for an online review.

Dr Kenneth LO shares tips for healthy breakfast

Dr Kenneth LO Ka-hei, Member of the Research Institute for Future Food (RiFood) and the Research Institute for Smart Ageing (RISA) and Assistant Professor in the Department of Food Science and Nutrition, was interviewed by Now TV programme “Medicine Online” to expound upon the significance of eating breakfast and the healthy way to have it. Prof. Lo explained the benefits of breakfast, as well as the recommended food, timing and portion size for healthy breakfast. Online coverage: Now TV – Medicine Online - https://polyu.me/3RbqmyC (Chinese only)

DoRCDSE urges more resources from Hong Kong government for aerospace talent cultivation

Ir Prof. YUNG Kai-leung, Director of the Research Centre for Deep Space Explorations (RCDSE), Sir Sze-yuen Chung Professor in Precision Engineering, Chair Professor of Precision Engineering and Associate Head of the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, in an interview of the TVB News programme “A Closer Look”, expressed his views on Hong Kong’s aerospace talent cultivation. Prof. Yung hoped the government could provide more resources in this area, driving more public’s interest in science and technology.   Online coverage: TVB News - A Closer Look - https://polyu.me/3RpCA88 (1:48 – 2:42) (Chinese only)

RCTFF develops 3D cellular solar crystalliser to improve wastewater desalination

A study by the Research Centre of Textiles for Future Fashion (RCTFF), “3D Cellular Solar Crystallizer for Stable and Ultra-Efficient High-Salinity Wastewater Treatment”, was recently published in Advanced Science. The research aims to enhance the evaporation capability in seawater desalination. Solar-driven interfacial evaporation technology directly uses solar energy to evaporate water from brine and crystallise salts to achieve purification and desalination. However, the evaporation capability of the interfacial solar crystallisers used in existing technology remains a technical challenge. To address so, the research team developed an artificial tree solar crystalliser (ATSC), which was designed with a multi-branched and interconnected open-cell cellular structure that significantly increased evaporation surface. The ATSC achieved an ultra-high evaporation rate (2.30 kg m−2 h−1 during 2 h exposure) and high energy efficiency (128%) in concentrated real seawater; and maintained a stable evaporation rate (1.94 kg m−2 h−1) on average in concentrated seawater for 80 h continuous exposure. The ATSC can help minimise the discharge of high-salinity wastewater in industrial processes, marking a major step forward towards zero liquid discharge treatment.   Read the full article: http://doi.org/10.1002/advs.202305313