Media Releases

PolyU wins two Silvers and one Bronze in QS Reimagine Education Awards 2025

Placing great emphasis on advancing teaching and learning innovation, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) is committed to enhancing student engagement and learning outcomes through the use of cutting-edge educational technologies. Three PolyU teams have integrated generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) and metaverse technologies into their teaching initiatives, winning two Silver Awards and one Bronze Award at the QS Reimagine Education Awards 2025 — the highest number of awards among Hong Kong universities. A teaching team led by Dr Richard LUI, Senior Lecturer of the Department of Computing, has developed GPTutor, a GenAI-powered learning platform, to strength AI literacy and essential workplace skills among students from diverse disciplines. Their project, “AI Literacy to Workplace Excellence: Transforming Education for Next-Generation Professionals”, received a Silver Award in the AI in Education by Higher Education Institutions category. GPTutor offers a range of self‑directed learning support to help students explore course content and consolidate their learning, including an AI chatbot that answers students’ questions about lecture materials, and the automatic generation of personalised revision questions and quizzes. In GPTutor, instructors can create three-dimensional avatars that enable students to practise practical application skills needed in real‑world scenarios through simulated interaction. GPTutor has been integrated in courses in multiple disciplines, with more than 3,000 PolyU students using this platform to support their learning last academic year. The team also tailored AI‑enhanced experiential learning activities for students from over 20 programmes to bridge online learning with real-world AI applications. Prof. Shirley NGAI, Associate Head and Associate Professor of the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences and her team won a Sliver Award in the Nurturing Employability category with the project “Standardised Programme for Advancing Clinical Education” (SPACE). The project provides students with authentic clinical simulations to facilitate their transition from classroom learning to clinical placements, reshaping traditional physiotherapy education. As a pre‑clinical training framework, SPACE is designed for senior physiotherapy students. It immerses students in lifelike clinical settings where they assess, diagnose and treat highly trained standardised patients while also navigating workplace challenges such as hierarchical dynamics. All scenarios are co-designed with local industry experts to reflect real-world demands; GenAI is also employed to increase case diversity. After each session, teaching faculty provide immediate feedback to further enrich learning outcomes. The framework comprehensively enhances students’ clinical competency, decision-making skills and adaptability, equipping them with stronger professional proficiency and employability. Winning a Bronze Award in the Nurturing Values and Ethics category, the project “vCare: A Multiplayer Metaverse Game for Interprofessional Healthcare Education” (vCare) is spearheaded by Dr Kitty CHAN, Associate Professor of Practice of the School of Nursing, and her team. Grounded in self-determination theory, the team has developed a metaverse educational game to foster students’ autonomy, competence and relatedness. vCare is a multiplayer online role‑playing game in which students navigate customisable virtual clinical environments, solo or collaboratively, on scenario-based missions. Its gamified design features interactive elements such as knowledge checks, leaderboards and peer recognition. Supporting up to 100 participants in small-group game rooms, the game brings together students from different health professions — such as nursing, rehabilitation and radiography — to collaborate in the virtual space, allowing them to understand other professional perspectives, values and ethical stands, learn to resolve team conflicts and build a strong ethical framework. The team is planning enhancements, including the inclusion of real cases, to further foster empathy inclusive and value‑driven healthcare education. Known as the “Oscars” of the education sector, the QS Reimagine Education Awards honour pioneering pedagogical approaches that improve student learning outcomes and employability. This year, the Awards attracted over 1,650 submissions worldwide, which were rigorously judged by more than 1,300 international experts in the higher education and educational technology sectors, with winners selected across 21 award categories.   ***END***

PolyU develops “zero-hallucination” AI literature review system to usher in new era of super research brain

Literature review underpins all academic studies. Whether for governments formulating national strategies or corporations seeking to gain industry insights, this requires reading, screening, sorting and analysing a very considerable number of sources. Prof. LIU Yan, Associate Professor and Group Leader of the Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (AIR) Research Group at the Department of Computing of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), has led her team to develop the AI literature review system “Write For You”, which can conduct in-depth analysis across extensive bodies of literature and generate reports. Since its launch in the first quarter of this year, it has registered over 40,000 active users worldwide. The academic paper on this system was presented at the AI conference held by the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence in February this year. Prof. Liu Yan explained that the team was inspired by Prof. CAO Jiannong, PolyU Vice President (Education), who suggested in 2022 that AI could be utilised to automate educational research. Mr ZHANG Zhi, a PhD student of the department, then leveraged the latest techniques of intelligent agents to address the problem of generating inaccurate content due to AI “hallucination”, succeeding in achieving “zero-hallucination” literature reviews with reliable logical reasoning and the capability to integrate academic resources across languages. Meanwhile, Dr CHEN Gong, a PhD graduate of the same department, designed and developed a user-friendly system for literature review generation, enabling users across industries to obtain a comprehensive and in-depth report in a matter of minutes by simply describing their topic of interest. Prof. Liu Yan added, “Compared with traditional reading that requires considerable time and human resources, the ‘Write For You’ system can significantly enhance research efficiency while also reducing costs. It has therefore been well received by users around the world. In just a few months since its launch, users have spanned dozens of countries and regions.” Prof. Cao Jiannong noted, “With the trend of AI-empowered education and research, PolyU is committed to leveraging leading generative AI technologies to enhance research efficiency. Our team has successfully addressed the challenge of AI hallucination, substantially improving the system’s reliability and overcoming commonly faced technical hurdles. Looking ahead, the team will build on its literature review foundation, seizing the opportunity to boost new AI-powered quality productive forces. Committed to developing autonomous intelligent systems, the team seeks to construct an ‘AI Super Research Brain’ that covers all disciplines and the entire research process, helping humanity push the boundaries of knowledge while leading the development of a new global paradigm of technological innovation with Hong Kong-developed AI technologies.” Project website: https://www.writeforyou.net/ ***END***

PolyU builds advanced human-robot collaboration system, empowering high-end manufacturing tasks

With human-robot collaboration at the core of Industry 5.0, a research team at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has made significant progress in this field, developing a new generation of “human-machine symbiotic” collaborative manufacturing systems. In addition to perceiving complex environments in real time and accurately interpreting operators’ intentions, the system can achieve skill transfer and self-learning via simple demonstration, while carrying out autonomous process code generation and automatic adjustment for highly accurate task execution. It has been successfully applied to high-end manufacturing tasks such as autonomous drilling on large aircraft and the disassembly of electric vehicle batteries, laying a solid foundation for a new model of human-centric smart manufacturing. The goal of human-robot synergy is to combine the adaptability and responsiveness of humans with the precision and stability of machines. Led by Prof. ZHENG Pai, Wong Tit Shing Young Scholar in Smart Robotics and Associate Professor of the PolyU Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, the research team has developed the “Mutual Cognitive Human-Robot Collaboration Manufacturing System” (MC-HRCMS). With a shift away from pre-programmed operations, this system is centred upon holistic scene perception—by collecting and analysing multimodal sensing data including vision, haptics, language and physiological signals, it enables highly accurate and comprehensive environmental analysis, while carrying out autonomous decision-making and flexible task execution. The system features advanced machine learning and 3D scene perception capabilities that deliver efficiency and safety, greatly enhancing fluid human-robot interaction in complex manufacturing scenarios. Through industry collaboration projects, the team has tailored human-robot collaboration systems for multiple leading enterprises and successfully deployed them across various scenarios that involve precision and/or complex work procedures. Prof. Zheng said, “The global manufacturing industry is shifting towards a human-machine symbiotic paradigm that emphasises more flexible automation. Our research aims to develop a paradigm that offers multimodal natural perception, cross-scenario skill transfer and domain foundation-model autonomous execution, so that robots are no longer just tools, but intelligent agents that can evolve with human operators. This provides smart factories with a new path beyond pre-programmed automation.” Semi-structured and unstructured production scenarios, such as personalised manufacturing, often involve large-scale, complex assembly, disassembly and inspection processes that demand high cognition and rapid adaptation. In this regard, the team introduced a “novel vision-language-guided” planning framework that combines Large Language Models (LLMs), Deep Reinforcement Learning (DRL), and Mixed-Reality Head-Mounted Displays (MR-HMD), enhancing the ability to execute personalised and other unpredictable production tasks. A key innovation of the framework is the combination of a vision-language-guided target object segmentation model with language-command-driven task planning, allowing the system to integrate visual information with language-based instructions. This enables robots to comprehend complex task semantics, interpret dynamic scenes and collaborate efficiently with human operators. In particular, the head-mounted device enables real-time data acquisition and provides immediate, intuitive guidance to operators, redefining the human-machine interaction interface. Prof. Zheng said, “The future of smart manufacturing is not about machines getting smarter to replace humans, but about creating systems where humans and robots learn, adapt and succeed together to achieve higher productivity and flexibility. To meet this need, the next-generation robot manipulators should be capable of continual learning and optimisation under human guidance, enabling efficient and natural human-robot interaction.” To further advance human-robot collaboration, Prof. Zheng will also lead his team in exploring self-configurable human-robot networks, skill transfer mechanisms and autonomous multi-agent task execution. By building a deeply human-centric intelligent manufacturing system and expanding it into more key domains, the team strives to guide society towards a technology-empowered, empathetic and human-oriented smart era. With his dedication to researching “human-machine symbiotic” collaborative manufacturing systems, Prof. Zheng was awarded funding from the Excellent Young Scientists Fund by the National Natural Science Foundation of China in 2024. He now leads the RAIDS research team on the above projects. For more details, please visit: https://www.raids.group/    ***END***  

PolyU delegation visits Fujian to deepen Fujian-Hong Kong collaborative development

Chinese version only

PolyU 13 projects secure funding of over HK$20 million under NSFC/RGC Collaborative and Joint Research Schemes

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has secured funding for 13 research projects totalling approximately HK$20.3 million under the 2025/26 funding exercise of the Collaborative Research Scheme (CRS) and Joint Research Scheme (JRS), jointly administered by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) and the Research Grants Council (RGC) of Hong Kong. Actively promoting high-impact collaborative research with Chinese Mainland researchers, PolyU ranked among the top three Hong Kong universities for funding amounts received under both schemes, reflecting the University’s solid research and innovation capabilities. Prof. Christopher CHAO, Senior Vice President (Research and Innovation) of PolyU, said, “We are delighted by this recognition of PolyU’s sustained research leadership and collaborative strength. It reflects the dedication and talent of our researchers in addressing critical scientific and societal challenges. We will continue to foster impactful research and strong partnerships that drive innovation and contribute to Hong Kong’s growth as a vibrant centre for technology and knowledge, thereby supporting the Nation’s development.” The two PolyU research projects funded under CRS were both spearheaded by scholars from the Faculty of Construction and Environment. They are “Development of high performance and durable solid oxide electrolysis cells (SOECs) for coupling with Fischer-Tropsch (F-T) reactor for green synthetic liquid fuel production”, led by Prof. NI Meng, Associate Dean (Research) of the Faculty of Construction and Environment, Head and Chair Professor of Energy Science and Technology of the Department of Building Environment and Energy Engineering; and “FRP-Reinforced Concrete Structures for Marine Environments: Material and Structural Innovations for Ductility Enhancement and Prefabricated Construction”, led by Prof. YU Tao, Associate Head (Research) and Professor of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. These projects seek to introduce novel green fuel and marine engineering technologies, paving the way for a more sustainable future. In addition, 11 PolyU projects have received approximately HK$13.2 million in funding support under JRS, ranking second among local universities in terms of the number of awarded projects and the total amount of funding. Spanning a broad spectrum of areas — including biomedical imaging, musculoskeletal health, infrared sensing, superconducting materials, ferroelectric crystals, energy storage, organic photovoltaics, navigation systems and urban resilience — these projects exemplify PolyU’s continued commitment to research excellence across multiple fields to advance technology and address societal needs. For further details on PolyU’s funded projects, please refer to the Appendix. NSFC/RGC CRS supports larger-scale collaborative research across disciplines and universities in the Chinese Mainland and Hong Kong with a view to enhancing research output and impact on both sides, while JRS aims to promote collaboration between researchers and research teams in Hong Kong and the Chinese Mainland on the basis of complementing the existing strengths of both sides. ***END***  

PolyU develops ultra-stable, mucus-inspired hydrogel to boost gastrointestinal wound healing

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has developed an acid-resistant “ultra-stable mucus-inspired hydrogel” (UMIH), marking a breakthrough in the field of gastrointestinal medicine. Traditional hydrogels—gelatin-like materials that absorb and retain water—are widely used to aid wound healing and extend drug release. However, they usually break down in acidic environments like the stomach. Inspired by the natural properties of gastric mucus, a PolyU research team has developed UMIH, a hydrogel that adheres 15 times more strongly than conventional gastric mucosal protectants, showing considerable potential for wound repair and targeted drug delivery and promising large‑scale commercialisation. The research was carried out by the PolyU team in collaboration with researchers and clinicians from Sichuan University. The research showed that UMIH significantly improved gastrointestinal wound healing in animals and outperformed a clinically approved mucosal protectant used to protect the stomach lining. The study, “Mucus-inspired hydrogels with protonation-driven adhesion for extreme acidic conditions,” has been published in Cell Reports Physical Science. Prof. WANG Zuankai, Associate Vice President (Research), Dean of the Graduate School, Kuok Group Professor in Nature-Inspired Engineering, Chair Professor of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Director of Research Center for Nature-Inspired Science and Engineering at PolyU, who led the study, said, “UMIH shows promise in treating gastroesophageal reflux and gastric ulcers, and in protecting post-surgical wounds. It can also be combined with endoscopic drug delivery for minimally invasive therapy. This research establishes UMIH as a transformative, extremely acid-tolerant platform, with immediate applications in gastrointestinal repair and targeted drug delivery, while also opening avenues for next-generation implantable devices to accelerate translation to the clinic.” Prof. Wang explained that aluminium phosphate gel (APG)—a clinically approved mucosal protectant and antacid—has long been used to treat gastric ulcers and gastro‑oesophageal reflux. The experimental data show that, under simulated gastric conditions (pH 2), UMIH achieved a wet adhesion strength of 64.7 kilopascals (kPa), 15-fold higher than APG; APG fully degraded after three days, whereas UMIH retained about 50% of its structural integrity after seven days. In vitro tests on cultured gastrointestinal cells found no signs of toxicity, while UMIH also inhibited the growth of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, indicating antibacterial potential. Like conventional hydrogels, UMIH consists of a meshwork of polymers that absorb water to create a strong but jelly-like consistency. To enhance its acid resistance, the research team integrated three key molecular components into UMIH’s structure: ELR-IK24, a protein that binds hydrogen ions under acidic conditions to reduce local acidity; tannic acid, which boosts adhesion of hydrogel; and HDI, a molecule that stabilises the hydrogel’s structure under acidic conditions. “Our hydrogel is a synergistic combination of three essential molecular components. This multi-crosslinking architecture keeps UMIH firmly intact in strong acid while maintaining softness and injectability—qualities well suited to clinical use,” said Ms Yeung Yeung CHAU, a Research Associate of the PolyU Department of Mechanical Engineering and a member of the research team. “We tested UMIH in pig and rat models of esophageal injury. Compared with control animals and APG‑treated animals, UMIH adhered more firmly to wound faces and improved healing. UMIH reduced  tissue damage and inflammation and promoted the growth of new blood vessels, which is essential for healing,” explained Dr Xiao YANG, a Postdoctoral Fellow of the PolyU Department of Mechanical Engineering and a member of the research team. While clinical trials will be needed to validate UMIH’s safety and efficacy in humans, it holds strong potential for commercialisation. It is low-cost, easy to mass-produce and developed from components with established safety profiles. The material is ready to use both in operating room and on the production line. Looking ahead, the research team plans to integrate UMIH with drug release systems and implantable flexible electronics to create smart gastrointestinal devices capable of real-time treatment and monitoring. ***END***

PolyU hosts Quantum HK 2025, convening global experts to probe frontier advances in quantum technologies

As a pivotal hub fostering international research collaboration between the Greater Bay Area and the rest of the world, Hong Kong serves as a unique intermediary in driving the innovation and translation of quantum technologies. The “International Conference on Quantum Technology 2025” (Quantum HK 2025), hosted by The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), has recently concluded, having attracted more than 200 experts, scholars, researchers and industry leaders. The Conference fostered in-depth discussion on cutting-edge breakthroughs and future developments in quantum technologies, further expanding the breadth and depth of academic exchange and academia-industry collaboration. The event’s co-organisers were The University of Hong Kong (HKU), The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK), the Physical Society of Hong Kong, and the Beijing-Hong Kong Academic Exchange Centre. Prof. Christopher CHAO, PolyU Senior Vice President (Research and Innovation) remarked, “As this year marks the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology, quantum technologies have become a key agenda item of global interest. Over the past year, breakthroughs in quantum computer, quantum communication and quantum metrology have laid important foundations for the application of artificial intelligence and secure communications. PolyU has successfully established Hong Kong’s first quantum chip-based communication network, completing a quantum encrypted transmission test that spanned a 55km-long optical fibre network—demonstrating Hong Kong’s leadership in quantum innovation. Looking ahead, PolyU will continue to nurture talent, foster interdisciplinary collaboration and accelerate the translation of quantum technology scientific achievements into societal applications, contributing to global quantum development.” Prof. Ai-Qun LIU, the Conference Co-Chairman, Director of the Research Institute for Quantum Technology, Chair Professor of the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, and Hong Kong Global STEM Scholar, noted, “This conference gathered experts bringing insights from academia and industry, building an interdisciplinary platform for exchange and collaboration in quantum technologies. Moving forward, it will continue to unite diverse stakeholders to expedite research translation and industrialisation, injecting new momentum into the development of quantum technologies in Hong Kong, the Greater Bay Area and the Nation.” The Conference was co-chaired by Prof. Ai-Qun Liu, Prof. Oscar DAHLSTEN and Prof. Din-Ping CAI from CityUHK, as well as Prof. Giulio CHIRIBELLA from HKU. There were also multiple keynote talks aimed at facilitating in-depth discussions on quantum computing, quantum information security and metrology. The speakers included: Academician Dapeng YU from the Shenzhen Institute for Quantum Science and Engineering; Prof. Xicheng ZHANG from the University of Rochester; Prof. Guilu LONG from Tsinghua University; Prof. Leong Chuan KWEK from Nanyang Technological University; Prof. Abolfazl BAYAT from the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China; Prof. Tim BYRNES from NYU Shanghai; Prof. Yanoar P. SARWONO from the Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore; Prof. Qi ZHAO from HKU; and Prof. Haidong YUAN from CUHK. Meanwhile, representatives from other leading organisations and companies—including Huawei, QBosoN, SpinQ, Tencent Quantum Lab and Xuntai Quantum Technology—engaged in roundtable discussions, focusing on industrialisation of research outcomes. They also offered forward-looking recommendations on standardisation, modularisation and scalability in quantum technologies, while also emphasising the need to accelerate the development of a stable and multi-tier talent pipeline to effectively support innovation and growth in the quantum industry. ***END***

PolyU hosts Technology Transfer and Commercialisation Conference cum 1st Annual General Meeting of Mainland Translational Research Institutes

To deepen industry-academia-research integration and accelerate the translation of research outcomes, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), in collaboration with the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office (HKMAO) of the People’s Government of Fujian Province, hosted the two-day “PolyU Technology Transfer and Commercialisation Conference cum 1st Annual General Meeting of Mainland Translational Research Institutes (2025)” in Jinjiang, Fujian Province. The event attracted over 3,500 participants from government, academia, the innovation and technology sector, the investment sector and the public. Through the Conference, roundtable forums, exhibition and project roadshows, the event showcased PolyU’s cutting-edge research achievements and built bridges between research and industry, supporting the Nation’s innovation-driven development strategy. The event was held at the Jinjiang International Convention and Exhibition Center. The opening was officiated by Dr LAM Tai-fai, Council Chairman of PolyU; Mr LIN Ruiliang, Vice Governor of Fujian Province; Mr LI Zhizhong, Director of the Department of Science and Technology of Fujian Province; Prof. Jin-Guang TENG, President of PolyU; Prof. Wing-tak WONG, Deputy President and Provost of PolyU; Mr LI Lin, Director General of HKMAO of Fujian Province; Mr LEI Lianming, Vice Mayor of Quanzhou Municipal Government; Mr WANG Mingyuan, Mayor of Jinjiang; Prof. Christopher CHAO, Senior Vice President (Research and Innovation) of PolyU; and Prof. CAO Jiannong, Vice President (Education) of PolyU. In his address, Prof. Jin-Guang Teng said, “The PolyU Technology Transfer and Commercialisation Conference will become a significant annual event. The inaugural conference in Jinjiang further highlights Jinjiang’s pivotal role in the PolyU innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem. Together, we will witness a series of PolyU research outcomes transitioning from ‘laboratory to production line’ and from ‘academic papers to products’, fostering a more advanced innovation ecosystem through pragmatic collaboration and achieving deeper synergistic development. Guided by our University motto ‘To learn and to apply, for the benefit of mankind’ and our mission ‘To pursue world-leading research and innovation for societal benefits’, PolyU has established 12 Translational Research Institutes in different Chinese Mainland cities, as well as two Research Institutes and a Disruptive Technology and Innovation Research Centre in Shenzhen. Until now, nine InnoHub centres have been launched to support research translation and entrepreneurial talent cultivation. Each Institute focuses on specific areas, aligning precisely with local industrial and societal development needs to facilitate the translation and application of PolyU research outcomes. We look forward to driving the implementation of further high-level research outcomes, achieving mutual benefit and coordinated development, and contributing to building a technologically advanced nation and promoting high-quality development.” During the event, PolyU and Anta (China) Co., Ltd signed a collaboration agreement. Meanwhile, the PolyU-Jinjiang Technology and Innovation Research Institute entered into partnerships with Fujian Panpan Food Co., Ltd, Quanzhou Normal University, Kaida Group, Jinjiang New Silk Road Health Industry Co. and Jinjiang Nursing Association. Additionally, agreements were signed with Fujian Jinjiang Industrial Development Investment Group Co., Ltd and AnLight Optoelectronic Technology Inc., further strengthening technological innovation cooperation and deepening industry integration. The event featured distinguished speakers: Prof. Jin-Guang Teng highlighted PolyU achievements in knowledge transfer and tech entrepreneurship; Mr FANG Bing, Co-founder of Hai Robotics in Shenzhen, shared insights on intelligent manufacturing collaboration; Mr MI Lei, Founding Partner of CASStar, discussed investment in future industries; and Mr WANG Jun, Deputy Executive President of Bank of China Group Investment Limited, shared practical experiences in technology investment. PolyU and the PolyU-Jinjiang Technology and Innovation Research Institute signed collaboration agreements with multiple local corporations, and higher education and professional institutions, strengthening technological innovation cooperation and deepening industry integration. Mr Fang Bing, Co-founder of Hai Robotics in Shenzhen, shared insights on intelligent manufacturing collaboration. Mr Mi Lei, Founding Partner of CASStar, discussed investment in future industries. Mr Wang Jun, Deputy Executive President at Bank of China Group Investment Limited, shared practical experiences in technology investment. Two roundtable forums explored key topics in innovation and technology: “Talent and Research”: Moderated by Prof. DONG Cheng, Associate Vice President (Mainland Research Advancement) of PolyU, with participation from Prof. WANG Zuankai, Associate Vice President (Research) of PolyU; Prof. Yi-Qing NI, Director of the PolyU-Hangzhou Technology and Innovation Research Institute and Chair Professor of Smart Structures and Rail Transit of PolyU; Prof. LEE Ming-yuen, Chair Professor of Biomedical Sciences of the PolyU Department of Food Science and Nutrition; Prof. Hongxia YANG, Executive Director of the PolyU Academy for Artificial Intelligence and Associate Dean (Global Engagement) of the PolyU Faculty of Computer and Mathematical Sciences; and Prof. YU Hongyu, Professor of the PolyU Department of Mechanical Engineering “Incubation and Translation”: Moderated by Prof. Zijian ZHENG, Director of the PolyU-Daya Bay Technology and Innovation Research Institute and Chair Professor of Soft Materials and Devices of PolyU, with participation from Prof. Christopher CHAO, Senior Vice President (Research and Innovation) of PolyU; Ms Yuxia ZHANG, Chairperson of the Zhongcai Financial New Media Fund; Prof. ZHENG Yongping, Henry G. Leong Professor in Biomedical Engineering and Chair Professor of Biomedical Engineering of PolyU; and Prof. Tommy WEI, PolyU-Qianhai Technology and Innovation Research Centre and Professor of the PolyU Department of Building Environment and Energy Engineering Prof. Dong Cheng, Associate Vice President (Mainland Research Advancement) of PolyU (1st from left), moderated a panel discussion on “Talent and Research” with Prof. Wang Zuankai, Associate Vice President (Research) of PolyU (3rd from right); Prof. Yi-Qing Ni, Director of PolyU-Hangzhou Technology and Innovation Research Institute and Chair Professor of Smart Structures and Rail Transit of PolyU (3rd from left); Prof. Lee Ming-yuen, Chair Professor of Biomedical Sciences of the PolyU Department of Food Science and Nutrition (2nd from right); Prof. Hongxia Yang, Executive Director of the PolyU Academy for Artificial Intelligence and Associate Dean (Global Engagement) of the PolyU Faculty of Computer and Mathematical Sciences (2nd from left); and Prof. Yu Hongyu, Professor of the PolyU Department of Mechanical Engineering (1st from right). Prof. Zijian Zheng, Director of the PolyU-Daya Bay Technology and Innovation Research Institute and Chair Professor of Soft Materials and Devices of PolyU (1st from left), moderated a panel discussion on “Incubation and Translation” with Prof. Christopher Chao, Senior Vice President (Research and Innovation) of PolyU (middle); Ms Yuxia Zhang, Chairperson of Zhongcai the Financial New Media Fund (2nd from right); Prof. Zheng Yongping, Henry G. Leong Professor in Biomedical Engineering and Chair Professor of Biomedical Engineering of PolyU (2nd from left); and Prof. Tommy Wei of the PolyU-Qianhai Technology and Innovation Research Centre and Professor of the PolyU Department of Building Environment and Energy Engineering (1st from right). A concurrent exhibition showcased technological outcomes across five themed zones: Smart Manufacturing and Materials, Biomedicine and Medical Devices; Information and Artificial Intelligence; Smart City and Transportation; and Green, Low-Carbon and Energy. With over 140 booths, the exhibition featured nearly 250 outstanding research projects from PolyU, 15 research institutes and research centre in Chinese Mainland, startups, Future Challenge winners and alumni, attracting industry representatives for on-site engagement. The guests visited the technological outcomes exhibition which highlighted nearly 250 PolyU research projects. The technological outcomes exhibition featured five themed zones with over 140 booths, showcasing outstanding research projects from PolyU, 15 research institutes and research centre from Chinese Mainland, startups, winners from PolyU International Future Challenge, and alumni. The exhibition also featured PolyU postgraduate and undergraduate admission briefings. Among the speakers, Prof. HE Mingguang, Programme Director of the Master of Technology Entrepreneurship and Chair Professor of Experimental Ophthalmology of the PolyU School of Optometry, introduced the newly launched Master of Technology Entrepreneurship, which aims to cultivate the next generation of technological entrepreneurs. Students will primarily study at the PolyU main campus and subsequently undertake a practical immersion project at one of the Mainland Translational Research Institutes, equipping students with skills to transform innovative ideas and cutting-edge research into successful startups. The Exhibition also included PolyU postgraduate and undergraduate admission briefings, highlighting the newly launched Master of Technology Entrepreneurship. PolyU has long been committed to technological innovation and research translation, establishing 12 Translational Research Institutes in Jinjiang, Wuxi, Hangzhou, Wenzhou, Nanjing, Huizhou, Zhongshan, Wuhan, Shaoxing, Hefei, Ganzhou and Zibo, two Research Institutes in Shenzhen, and a Disruptive Technology and Innovation Research Centre in Qianhai. These form a robust network integrating industry, academia and research. This event marks a significant step in integrating innovation resources and deepening collaboration with Chinese Mainland. The PolyU Fujian Alumni Network and the PolyU Finance Industry Alumni Network were also officially established, further uniting alumni strength. Looking forward, PolyU will continue to leverage its research and talent advantages, deepen cooperation with governments and industry partners across Chinese Mainland, contributing to the Nation’s technological self-reliance and Hong Kong’s development as an international innovation and technology hub. ***END***

Three PolyU scholars honoured with iCANX Young Scientists Award

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) is committed to nurturing research talent and fostering innovation. Three young PolyU researchers were recently honoured with the 2025 iCANX Young Scientists Award for their pioneering work in advanced materials, wearable systems and healthcare technologies. The Awards were presented at the 2025 Hong Kong International Talent Festival. Seven PolyU scholars advanced to the Grand Final this year, showcasing the University's excellence in research innovation and talent cultivation. Established in 2021, the iCANX Young Scientists Award is an annual award that recognises and honours leading young scientists worldwide for their exceptional achivements.  This year’s awardees from PolyU are: Prof. TIAN Tian, Assistant Professor of the Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, was honoured for his research project “Advances in Monolithic Metal-Organic Frameworks: From Development to Applications”. It aims to develop novel nanoporous material platforms that enable efficient hydrogen storage under milder operation conditions. This innovative approach addresses traditional challenges in hydrogen storage systems, providing a safer and more cost-effective solution. Prof. MA Yuan, Assistant Professor of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, received recgonition for his project “Sensation by Design: Tailoring Friction for Next-Gen Human-Machine Synergy”. His work revolutionises tactile experiences by leveraging predictive modelling and dynamic control of friction at the finger-material interface. This enables the design of advanced haptic technologies and interactive surfaces, enhancing accessibility, user experience and inclusivity in digital devices through adaptive, multisensory feedback and robust, environmentally resilient tactile cues. Dr Man Ting AU, Research Assistant Professor of the Department of Biomedical Engineering, earned praise for her breakthrough research “Revitalising joints – In situ CAR Therapy for Osteoarthritis Treatment”. Her innovative Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) therapy targets senescence in osteoarthritic joints, offering a long-lasting, disease-modifying treatment to halt progression and revitalise joint tissue without the need for surgery. PolyU’s young researchers are making their mark on the international research stage. Prof. WANG Zunkai, PolyU Associate Vice President (Research), Dean of the Graduate School, Kuok Group Professor in Nature-Inspired Engineering and Chair Professor of Nature-Inspired Engineering, said, “These achievements underscore PolyU’s dedication to fostering world-class research talent. We are confident that our emerging scholars will continue to push boundaries and pioneer impactful innovations that shape a better future.” Prof. Wang was also invited to deliver a keynote address at the concurrent Science Talent Forum to share his expert insights on the topic of “AI for Science.” Prof. Wang remarked, “AI has evolved from an auxiliary tool to a core engine for scientific exploration, profoundly reshaping research methodologies from theory to data analysis and experimental design.” ***END***

PolyU wins 18 awards at Asia Exhibition of Innovations and Inventions — Grand Award retained for second consecutive year and startups claim seven

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) achieved noteworthy results at the 5th Asia Exhibition of Innovations and Inventions Hong Kong (AEII), taking home 18 accolades from 16 participating projects and retaining the event’s Grand Award for the second consecutive year. The PolyU haul comprised one Grand Award, one Special Award, two Gold Medals with Congratulations of Jury, five Gold Medals, eight Silver Medals and one Bronze Medal. Among them, two winning projects were developed by the InnoHK Centre for Eye and Vision Research (CEVR), a partnership between PolyU and the University of Waterloo. These commendable achievements underscore the University’s commitment to leveraging research innovation to address pressing societal challenges, contributing to Hong Kong, the Nation and the world. Prof. Christopher CHAO, PolyU Senior Vice President (Research and Innovation), remarked, “We are greatly motivated by the exceptional accomplishments of PolyU researchers and startups at this prominent event, which marks another pivotal milestone for the University. PolyU takes pride in tackling global issues with innovations and cutting-edge technologies. By harnessing our research excellence and knowledge transfer capabilities, we will continue to proactively translate innovative ideas into real-world applications, creating significant societal impact and driving constructive changes globally.” Developed by Prof. Roderick SLAVCEV, Associate Professor of the School of Pharmacy at the University of Waterloo and Principal Investigator of CEVR and Prof. HUANG Chien-ling, Associate Professor of the Department of Health and Informatics at PolyU and Principal Investigator of CEVR, the project “Viromids: A Redosable, Low-Cost Gene-Delivery Platform for Ocular Therapy” garnered the Grand Award and a Gold Medal with Congratulations of Jury. Viromids is a virome-inspired, redosable gene-delivery platform that offers immune silence, large payload capacity (8–15 kb), and bacterial-scale manufacturability. By enabling single-vector delivery of large genes and repeatable dosing while significantly reducing production costs, Viromids offer a practical, globally accessible solution to preserve and restore sight for patients with inherited retinal diseases. Its scalable production model also positions Viromids as a foundational technology for affordable next-generation gene therapy worldwide. Securing the First Prize of Inventions Geneva Award and a Gold Medal with Congratulations of Jury was another project titled “PD-001R – A New Breakthrough for the Treatment of Neurodegenerative Diseases”, led by Prof. Simon LEE Ming-yuen, Cally Kwong Mei Wan Professor in Biomedical Sciences and Chinese Medicine Innovation, Chair Professor of Biomedical Sciences at the Department of Food Science and Nutrition, and Founder of PolyU startup AIM Pharmaceutical International Limited, in collaboration with Dr ZHAO Chen, Postdoc Fellow at the Department of Food Science and Nutrition and Chief Technology Officer of PolyU startup AIM Pharmaceutical International Limited. PD-001R is a first-in-class, novel small-molecule drug candidate for Parkinson’s disease (PD), derived from Alpinia oxyphylla Fructus and synthesised as a new molecular entity. Its primary mechanism of action is the promotion of pathological α-synuclein aggregate degradation. Preclinical studies show that PD-001R efficiently crosses the blood–brain barrier and exerts neuroprotective effects in animal models of PD and Alzheimer’s disease. It also exhibits favourable oral bioavailability and safety. The strong performance of the PolyU teams at this year’s AEII embodies the essence of PolyImpact—PolyU inventions and innovations that benefit the world. Among the award-winning innovations, seven were developed by PolyU startups, a testament to the strength of the University’s signature startup ecosystem, PolyVentures, which provides comprehensive support to PolyU startups throughout their developmental phases. It has nurtured over 600 startups to date, including three unicorns and two listed companies. AEII is a prestigious annual exhibition cum competition devoted to innovations and inventions in Asia, organised by The Hong Kong Exporters’ Association in partnership with Palexpo, the organiser of the International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva. This year the event attracted about 140 projects from around Asia. Project details: https://www.polyu.edu.hk/kteo/docdrive/Press/20251211_AEII_Appendix_Eng.pdf Projects Principal Investigators Awards Viromids: A Redosable, Low-Cost Gene-Delivery Platform for Ocular Therapy Prof. Roderick SLAVCEV Associate Professor, School of Pharmacy, University of Waterloo; Principal Investigator, InnoHK Centre for Eye and Vision Research   Prof. HUANG Chien-ling Associate Professor, Department of Health and Informatics, PolyU; Principal Investigator, InnoHK Centre for Eye and Vision Research Grand Award   Gold Medal with Congratulations of Jury PD-001R: A New Breakthrough for the Treatment of Neurodegenerative Diseases   Prof. Simon LEE Ming-yuen Cally Kwong Mei Wan Professor in Biomedical Sciences and Chinese Medicine Innovation; Chair Professor of Biomedical Sciences, Department of Food Science and Nutrition, PolyU; Founder, AIM Pharmaceutical International Limited (a PolyU startup)   Dr ZHAO Chen Postdoc Fellow, Department of Food Science and Nutrition, PolyU; Chief Technology Officer, AIM Pharmaceutical International Limited (a PolyU startup) 1st Prize of Inventions Geneva Award   Gold Medal with Congratulations of Jury Intelligent Construction Site Layout Design Platform   Dr WANG Dong Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Building and Real Estate, PolyU; Founder, ICC (Hong Kong) Limited (a PolyU startup) Gold Medal   PolyPi: Edge-AI Empowered Autonomous Robot for Pipeline Inspection and Maintenance Prof. CAO Jiannong Vice President (Education); Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Professor in Data Science; Chair Professor of Distributed and Mobile Computing, PolyU; Founder and Chief Scientist, UbiquiTech Innovations Limited (a PolyU startup)   Dr LIANG Zhixuan Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Computing, PolyU; Founder and CEO, UbiquiTech Innovations Limited (a PolyU startup) Gold Medal WING: Wireless Infrastructure for Next-Generation EV Charging   Prof. CHAU Kwok-tong Chair Professor of Electrical Energy Engineering, Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, PolyU   Prof. Lucian LIU Wei Assistant Professor, Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, PolyU Gold Medal Intelligent Driving Training and Evaluation System for Heavy-duty Trucks   Prof. FU Xiaowen Professor and Head, Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, PolyU   Dr TANG Yuk-ming Senior Lecturer, Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, PolyU Gold Medal BodyMate: A Smart Textile-Based Health Monitoring Vest for Continuous Elderly Vital Sign Detection   Ms Sisi TANG PhD student, School of Fashion and Textiles, PolyU; Founder, Leopitorca Global Limited (a PolyU startup) Gold Medal ProMuki - Wearable Ultrasound Monitoring and Analysing of Muscle Activities for Fitness, Sports, and Rehabilitation   Prof. ZHENG Yongping Henry G. Leong Professor in Biomedical Engineering; Chair Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Department of Biomedical Engineering, PolyU Silver Medal ORal-motor Assessment and Rehabilitation mobile App (ORAR App)   Dr WONG Wing-sze Research Assistant Professor, Department of Language Science and Technology, PolyU; Clinical Consultant and Co-inventor, Feelings Group Ltd (a PolyU startup)   Ms YIP Chi-hay Founder, Feelings Group Ltd (a PolyU startup) Silver Medal MetaBridge: A 3D Gaussian Splatting and Blockchain Platform for Cultural Heritage Digital Assetisation and Immersive Experience   Prof. Peter NG Hiu-fung Assistant Professor, Department of Computing and Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, PolyU Silver Medal A Proactive Early Warning System for Structural Health Monitoring of Wind Turbine Blades and Towers Based on Finite Element Simulation, Fiber Bragg Grating Sensing and Reinforcement Learning   Prof. YU Changyuan Professor, Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, PolyU   Ms MA Zhiqin PhD student, Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, PolyU Silver Medal Dr. Fresh: Natural and Eco-friendly External Preservation Technology   Mr HE Shuidong Doctoral student, Food Science and Management Department of Food Science and Nutrition, PolyU; Co-founder, Dr. Fresh Biotech Limited (a PolyU startup) Silver Medal PipeInspect: Cutting-Edge Inspection on Water Distribution Network with Fiber-optic Positioning Prof. DING Xiaoli Chair Professor of Geomatics, Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics, PolyU Silver Medal Automated Freeform Eyeglass for Instant Refractive Control Dr Elie Aymard Jonathan de LESTRANGE-ANGINIEUR Research Fellow, School of Optometry, PolyU   Prof. George WOO Senior Advisor, School of Optometry, PolyU Silver Medal Biomimetics Nanoplatform for the Treatment of Retinal Diseases Prof. DO Chi-wai Associate Professor, School of Optometry, PolyU; Principal Investigator, InnoHK Centre for Eye and Vision Research   Prof. Emmanuel HO Professor, School of Pharmacy, University of Waterloo Principal Investigator, InnoHK Centre for Eye and Vision Research Silver Medal Non-invasive, Ultrasensitive and Portable Saliva Glucose Sensors Prof. YAN Feng Chair Professor of Organic Electronics, Department of Applied Physics, PolyU; Co-founder, Intellisense & Cognisense Technology Limited (a PolyU startup)   Dr ZHAO Zeyu Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Applied Physics, PolyU; Co-founder, Intellisense & Cognisense Technology Limited (a PolyU startup) Bronze Medal ***END***