The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), reaffirming its steadfast commitment to advancing healthcare innovation and interdisciplinary excellence, has secured HK$22.9 million in funding support from the Health and Medical Research Fund (HMRF) 2023 exercise to support 25 research projects focused on addressing pressing health challenges and enhancing patient welfare.
These projects encompass a diverse array of healthcare topics, ranging from advanced diagnostic technologies, rehabilitation management and training, and innovations in clinical approaches to mental health treatment, to caregiver support and community-based healthcare models. They showcase PolyU’s multidisciplinary research strengths across various academic units, including the Department of Biomedical Engineering, the Department of Food Science and Nutrition, the Department of Health Technology and Informatics, the Department of Language Science and Technology, the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, the School of Nursing, and the School of Optometry.
PolyU scholars are dedicated to leveraging advanced technologies to drive healthcare innovations. This is demonstrated in funded projects such as application of artificial intelligence in single-cell monitoring in the early detection of infection-associated thrombosis; the use of immersive virtual reality in cognitive stimulation therapy for older adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment; and the development of mobile health platforms to support postpartum depression and symptom management in pediatric patients.
Several initiatives focus on translational biomedical research, including time-resolved magnetic resonance fingerprinting for liver cancer radiotherapy assessment; multi-omic investigation of a novel Bartonella bacterium identified in human microbiome and originating from dermatophagoides farina; and personalised prediction of acute genitourinary toxicities. Other projects address chronic disease management and rehabilitation, including interventions for post-stroke fatigue, knee osteoarthritis, and upper limb motor recovery.
Beyond clinical advancements, the awarded projects place strong emphasis on community engagement and holistic well-being. These include research efforts addressing loneliness and mental health among the elderly, creative arts therapy for men recovering from prostate cancer treatment, and personalised interactive AI platform for diabetes management.
These initiatives exemplify PolyU’s commitment to fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and translating scientific research into impactful solutions that address the needs of patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals, ultimately improving health outcomes across physical, psychological, and social dimensions.
The Health and Medical Research Fund (HMRF), administered by the Health Bureau, aims to build research capacity and to encourage, facilitate and support health and medical research. Its objectives are to inform health policies, improve population health, strengthen the healthcare system, enhance healthcare practices, advance the standard and quality of care, and promote clinical excellence through generation and application of evidence-based scientific knowledge derived from local health and medical research.
List of PolyU Projects Supported by Health and Medical Research Fund in 2023 Exercise:
| Principal Investigator | Project Title | Amount Awarded (HK$) |
|---|---|---|
| Dr LEE Timothy Tin-yan, Research Assistant Professor of the Department of Biomedical Engineering |
Exploring Spine Flexibility and Spinal Deformities and their Association with Curve Progression in Skeletally Immature Patients with Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis: A Three-Dimensional Ultrasound Study | $724,600.00 |
| Prof. ZHU Yuyan, Associate Professor of the Department of Food Science and Nutrition |
Investigating the translational potential of parthenolide for ameliorating non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in obese adults | $1,499,999.00 |
| Prof. SIU Gilman Kit-hang, Associate Head, Professor, and Limin Endowed Young Scholar in Medical Laboratory Science of the Department of Health Technology and Informatics |
Application of Targeted Capture Sequencing for Diagnosis of Respiratory Infections – Simultaneous Pathogen Identification, Antimicrobial Resistance Gene Detection and Strain Typing in a Single Reaction | $1,499,950.00 |
| Prof. LI Tian, Assistant Professor of the Department of Health Technology and Informatics |
Investigation of Time-resolved Magnetic Resonance Fingerprinting (TR-MRF) for Liver Cancer Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy Response Assessment in a Pilot Clinical Trial | $1,459,000.00 |
| Prof. HUANG Chien-ling, Associate Professor of the Department of Health Technology and Informatics |
Integrated AI-driven single-cell monitoring system for early detection and pathway discovery in infection-associated thrombosis: advancing prevention and treatment strategies for long COVID | $1,499,000.00 |
| Dr XIONG Qing, Research Assistant Professor of the Department of Health Technology and Informatics |
Multi-omic investigation of a novel Bartonella bacterium identified in human microbiome and originating from Dermatophagoides farinae | $499,994.00 |
| Dr LEE Wing-tung, Postdoctoral Fellow of the Department of Health Technology and Informatics |
Unveiling the risk of developing cervical cancer in HPV-negatives through vaginal microbiome analysis | $496,500.00 |
| Dr LEUNG Wan-shun Vincent, Associate Professor of Practice of the Department of Health Technology and Informatics |
Personalized prediction of acute genitourinary toxicities of prostate stereotactic body radiotherapy: a combined retrospective-prospective study | $1,180,814.00 |
| Dr WONG Winsy Wing-sze, Research Assistant Professor of the Department of Language Science and Technology |
Utilization of Immersive Virtual Reality in Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (IVR-CST) for Elderly with Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Study | $499,996.00 |
| Prof. NGAI Sing Bik Cindy, Associate Professor of the Department of Language Science and Technology |
Connecting the Dots: Examining the Impact of Risk and Protective Factors on Loneliness Types and Mental Health in Hong Kong's Elderly | $267,200.00 |
| Dr ZHANG Jiaqi, Research Assistant Professor of the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences |
Optimizing the intensity of priming theta burst stimulation to improve hemiparetic upper limb motor functions after stroke: a randomized controlled trial | $726,600.00 |
| Prof. LIN Jingxia, Assistant Professor of the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences |
Enhancing Clinical Care for Postpartum Depression Using Ecological Momentary Assessment and Intervention: A Feasibility Randomized Controlled Trial with "MotherCare" Mobile App | $499,920.00 |
| Prof. TSANG Sau-Lan, Assistant Professor of the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences |
Effects of self-initiated perturbation-based balance training on the postural stability of community-dwelling older adults with an increased risk of falling: A randomised controlled trial | $498,008.00 |
| Prof. HUANG Meizhen, Assistant Professor of the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences |
Effect of High-Intensity Interval Training Intervention on Post-Stroke Fatigue in Chronic Stroke Survivors: A Pilot Randomized Clinical Trial | $489,700.00 |
| Prof. WONG Yu-lok Arnold, Professor of the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences |
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy plus exercise for older people with chronic low back pain: a pragmatic cluster randomised controlled trial | $1,314,035.00 |
| Dr LI Ye, Research Assistant Professor of the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences |
Double-blind, randomized controlled pilot study to assess the effect of pulsed electromagnetic field on inflammatory knee osteoarthritis | $424,500.00 |
| Dr SHE Rui, Research Assistant Professor of the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences |
A multi-faceted self-management intervention for improving patient activation and lifestyle behavior modification among people with cardiometabolic multimorbidity: A pilot randomized controlled trial | $491,730.00 |
| Prof. Jed MONTAYRE, Associate Head (Strategy) and Associate Professor of the School of Nursing |
Dyadic management intervention in older people with co-occurring cognitive impairment and diabetes as a supplementary approach to Chronic Diseases Self-Management Program: A hybrid effectiveness-implementation study | $1,345,318.00 |
| Prof LAM Winsome Yuk-yin, Assistant Professor of the School of Nursing |
Nurse parental support using a proactive mobile app in symptom management for children with medical complexity requiring mechanical ventilation: an effectiveness-implementation hybrid 2 study | $1,496,336.00 |
| Dr MA Chak-fai Dennis, Assistant Professor of Practice of the School of Nursing |
Effectiveness of a tele-group cognitive behavioural family intervention (tgCBFI) for people with schizophrenia and their families: A mixed-method study |
$1,500,000.00 |
| Prof. YEUNG Wing-fai, Associate Professor of the School of Nursing |
An implementation Science Approach to Evaluate Self-administered Acupressure for Knee Osteoarthritis in Older-Aged Adults in the Community | $1,499,989.00 |
| Prof. YANG Lin, Associate Professor of the School of Nursing |
A Personalized Interactive Patient Empowerment Artificial Intelligence Platform (PIPE-AI) Enhanced by DiabetesGPT in Prediabetes and Diabetes Patients in Primary Healthcare Settings | $500,000.00 |
| Prof. XIE Yaojie, Associate Professor of the School of Nursing |
Migraine features and silent brain infarction in predicting stroke risk progression: A cohort study with neuroimaging analysis in Hong Kong Chinese women | $1,499,907.00 |
| Dr Hammoda ABU-ODAH, Research Assistant Professor of the School of Nursing |
Effects of creative arts therapy on body image, self-esteem, anxiety and depression in men with prostate cancer after active treatment: a feasibility randomised controlled trial | $498,400.00 |
| Prof. LEUNG Tsz Wing, Assistant Professor of the School of Optometry |
Investigating the Role of the Magnocellular-Dorsal System in Reading Chinese: A Pilot Study Exploring the Effect of Middle Temporal Visual Area Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation | $499,550.00 |
