PolyU research on cancer therapy conducted by a PhD student team won Grand Prize at the 12th Hong Kong University Student Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) is dedicated to nurturing the next generation of innovation and technology talent. At the 12th Hong Kong University Student Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition, PolyU student teams achieved remarkable success, winning a total of nine awards. Among the awardees, a team of PhD students from the Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology received the Grand Prize in the Innovation category for their pioneering project on cell modification technology and solid tumour treatment.

Miss Rainbow Leung Wing Hei and Dr. Martina Lei Mang Leng, PhD student and graduate from the PolyU Department of Applied Biology and Chemistry, achieved an exceptional performance at the competition. With their research project, “Therapeutic efficacy of peptide-linked chimeric antigen receptor macrophages (pCAR-M) in solid tumors,” the team won the Grand Prize in the Innovation category as well as the First Prize in the Life Sciences category. The project was highly commended by the expert judging panel for its strong technological foundation and broad market potential, underscoring the breakthrough significance of their work.

Under the supervision of Prof. Terence Lee Kin-wah, Associate Head and Professor of Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, and Prof. Clarence Wong Tsun-ting, Assistant Professor of the same department, the pCAR-M platform developed by the student team pioneers a peptide-linked system that engineers macrophages rather than T cells. The modification process takes just two hours, and targets can be switched by simply changing the AI-designed peptide, enabling target-agnostic personalised therapy. This platform effectively overcomes the long-standing challenge of solid tumor infiltration that limits many CAR-T therapies. By harnessing macrophages’ natural ability to infiltrate dense tumour stroma, the pCAR‑M platform offers a novel approach to treating solid tumours.

This innovation demonstrates four major advantages: (1) macrophages naturally infiltrate solid tumors, overcoming the penetration failure of T cells; (2) the two-hour manufacturing process drastically reduces production time and cost; (3) no significant toxicity has been observed in preclinical models, indicating a strong safety profile; (4) rapid target switching is enabled by replacing the peptide, supporting personalised cancer therapy. Together, these features make pCAR-M a faster, safer, and more accessible cell therapy that targets 92% of malignancies and unlocks the vast solid tumor market.

Prof. Lee said, “This achievement comes as our department transitions into the Division of Life Sciences this July. It also aligns with the National 15th Five-Year Plan supporting Hong Kong as an international innovation and technology hub. We look forward to this new chapter and remain committed to advancing life science research and education — contributing to scientific discovery, innovation, and the training of future leaders in the field”

Organised by the Hong Kong New Generation Cultural Association, the Hong Kong University Student Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition is an annual flagship event that brings together students from local universities to showcase innovative projects.

PolyU students award-winning projects:

* Only the Chinese title is available at this time.

More: Awardee list – The 12th Hong Kong University Student Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition