Ever seen a cucumber launch its seeds like a tiny rocket? CUHK researchers did, and they thought “Why not use that for robots?” Inspired by the squirting cucumber plant’s explosive method of launching its seeds, a CUHK research team developed a groundbreaking power amplification system that propels mini robots to new heights of speed and agility, making them perfect for medical missions deep inside the human body. With machine learning enhancing their control and navigation, these micro marvels are set to revolutionise the field of medicine.
Most of us think of the Renaissance as something that happened in Europe. Not so, says Professor Stuart M. McManus from CUHK’s Department of History. His work, which has scooped him the Dan David Prize, the world’s leading history award, represents a highly ambitious attempt to set the record straight, yoking together different regions and eras to understand how cultures influence and reflect each other across the globe.
It might be commonplace, but the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) can be deadly, causing several types of cancer, including nasopharyngeal carcinoma, one of Hong Kong’s most lethal. CUHK researchers have developed a groundbreaking mRNA-based drug that effectively makes cancer cells infected with EBV self-destruct. By selectively eliminating virally infected cancer cells, this innovative therapy could offer a more effective and gentler way to treat this challenging form of cancer.
Let’s envision a future where sustainable practices ensure food security, innovative battery technologies power our lives, and logistics solutions streamline our world. At CUHK’s 10th Entrepreneur Day, a special exhibition highlighted groundbreaking projects that showcase the University’s commitment to innovation. These pioneering initiatives illuminate the path toward a brighter, more sustainable tomorrow.
CUHK is making waves around the world. Its consistent academic excellence has earned it the top spot among Hong Kong universities and a notable 42nd place in the prestigious U.S. News and World Report’s Best Global Universities ranking. Delving deeper, the exceptional contributions of its medical scholars in the realm of digestive health have garnered global recognition. What’s more, its commitment to sustainability shines through its hosting of the influential THE Global Sustainable Development Congress, solidifying its position as a leader in fostering a greener future. Read more to discover the full extent of CUHK’s remarkable achievements.
Over 100 earthquakes of magnitude six or higher occur globally each year, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), causing numerous casualties. While plate tectonics are their primary cause, along with other factors such as volcanic activity, understanding and predicting their occurrence remains elusive. Now, a CUHK study has unearthed a novel cause: the stress exerted on faults by landslide-dammed lakes. It offers valuable insights for earthquake risk management and prediction.
It’s not often that a new species of abelisaurid dinosaur gets discovered – the habitat of the famous Carnotaurus hasn’t yielded another abelisaurid since it was found 40 years ago – but that’s exactly what a CUHK-led team has just done. The extensive set of bones they found in South America come from Koleken inakayali, an agile apex predator that inhabited the ancient southern supercontinent of Gondwana 60-plus million years ago. The discovery sheds light on how predatory dinosaurs evolved and shows that more than one top predator lived side by side in Late Cretaceous ecosystems.
Picture the tropical forest - hot, humid and full of obstacles. The dense plant life, uneven terrain and wild animals make it extremely difficult for researchers to monitor temperatures near the forest floor, crucial data for understanding the impact of climate change. Yet CUHK scientists have braved this inhospitable realm, overcoming immense challenges to discover cooler microclimates close to the ground, and offering vital clues about how these precious ecosystems are responding to our warming world.
Standing proud as the first comprehensive research university in mainland established by a Hong Kong academic institution, CUHK-Shenzhen is now celebrating its 10th anniversary and has embarked on a series of celebratory activities under the theme of “Decade of Success, Fusion of Innovation”. As CUHK-Shenzhen reflects upon its remarkable journey, it continues to inspire with the way it has turned its vision into reality.
A landmark CUHK-Elsevier report unveils the research prowess of the Greater Bay Area, with a 17.9% annual growth in output over five years. This dynamic region now hosts 420,000 active researchers – nearly doubling since 2018. CUHK has emerged as a standout performer, accounting for a significant share of the GBA’s cutting-edge research in fields like biomedicine and AI, while boasting the highest field-weighted citation impact (FWCI) among top institutions.
Recent CUHK medical discoveries provide hope for patients battling a range of diseases. An international study helps with the fight against diabetes, potentially facilitating early intervention and changing clinical practice. The development of novel retrievable nanorobots for targeted and enhanced thrombolysis may save stroke patients from brain damage. And a study reveals antiviral drug tenofovir disoproxil fumarate increases fracture risk in elderly patients with chronic hepatitis B.
CUHK is celebrating a range of accomplishments that solidify its status as a preeminent global leader in higher education and research. From a historic rise in prestigious university rankings to a sweep of awards at an esteemed international invention showcase, CUHK has consistently demonstrated its unparalleled commitment to academic excellence, innovative thinking and pioneering discoveries across its diverse programmes and world-class faculties.
As a world-renowned university, CUHK is devoted to fostering dialogue to exchange views on a variety of issues. Recently, CUHK organised a number of activities, including a climate conference that brought together scientists from China’s first homemade polar icebreaker, a dialogue that explored the ethical complexities of biomedicine through the lens of Buddhism, and an international finance forum for the 60th anniversary of CUHK Business School.
Imagine being trapped in a freezing body from head to toe, losing the ability to move, speak and even breathe. ALS, a mysterious condition that causes these symptoms, has long puzzled researchers. CUHK and University of Oxford researchers have discovered our bodies work like an intricate symphony orchestrated by our genetic instructions. A transcription factor called Yin Yang 1 (YY1) is playing the wrong notes, potentially leading to ALS.
Cardiovascular disease, hypertension and diabetes are considered diseases of affluence – and now another potential candidate has been added to the list. Researchers from CUHK and APRU found a surprising correlation between per capita GDP and laryngeal cancer instance rates, which are alarmingly high in the Caribbean and Europe due to unhealthy lifestyles. In addition, women in Japan, Switzerland and the Czech Republic are defying the global trend to register an increasing number of cases.
Prepare to be amazed by what kombucha can become. CUHK researchers have discovered that this beloved beverage holds the key to eco-friendly food packaging. It can be used to make a bio-based material that stretches like plastic but decomposes naturally, promising to revolutionise packaging. Best of all, it’s harmless and can even be eaten. Goodbye plastic pollution, thanks to the extraordinary potential of kombucha.
Dragons are intimately intertwined with Chinese culture – so much so that we’re not even sure of these mythological creatures’ origins. Whether they be an offshoot of ancient religious worship, a composite of animals like alligators, snakes or something else, they have long fascinated scholars. As a recent CUHK exhibition demonstrated, ancient Chinese artefacts with dragon designs can profoundly illuminate socio-cultural attitudes of people across different times.
Countries and regions worldwide fiercely compete to attract top talent. Support and infrastructure play a crucial role in academics’ and scientists’ decisions about where to pursue their research endeavours. Five world-renowned scientists have recently joined CUHK to establish cutting-edge STEM labs in Hong Kong. Let’s find out what drew them to do so and what they aspire to accomplish.
As an international university, CUHK is committed to promoting exchanges among tertiary institutions in different places. In late 2023, the University organised several presidential forums, and was involved in inaugurating the Belt & Road Alliance for Traditional Chinese Medicine. In celebration of CUHK’s 60th anniversary, it has held a series of commemorative events in the past few months, such as an anniversary banquet and a visit to CUHK from renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma.
CUHK scholars continue to garner international accolades for their academic excellence. Remarkably, 13 of them were recognised among the most cited researchers of 2023 globally, while one has been elected as the only new Hong Kong member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Read more to find out what else they have achieved.
Dialysis is inconvenient and debilitating for millions of people worldwide with chronic kidney disease (CKD), with a major negative impact on their daily lives. Even worse, there are no treatments for the major marker of the condition, kidney fibrosis – meaning the root of the problem cannot be tackled. However, thanks to a CUHK research team, that could change: while searching for an effective gene therapy for the disease, they discovered something surprising – tiny particles of gold alone are capable of treating it. So far, they’ve proved it works in mice; now they’re working towards trialling it in people.
Tick-tock, tick-tock: the climate clock is making an alarming sound, counting down the amount of time we have left to save the earth. Scorching heat and potentially devastating flooding are both on the rise. Two recent CUHK studies have explored what we can do about that: while one is helping the authorities map floods and take contingency measures, the other predicts an ever hotter future, and suggests ways we can mitigate the heat’s most debilitating effects.
It might surprise you that our immune systems have a memory, and it is crucial in our battle against diseases like COVID-19. The secret of improving this memory might be living inside you already. A research team from CUHK’s Faculty of Medicine has discovered the critical role that certain gut bacteria can play in lengthening the duration of immune responses to COVID-19 vaccines. The problem is, not everyone has them. As a result, they’ve come up with a supplement containing the beneficial bacteria, and demonstrated how effective it can be in boosting immunity. Now they’re looking at what our gut microbiome can do to protect us from other diseases.
CUHK has recently organised several events that demonstrate its research excellence in promoting innovation and technology. At the Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine International Society – Asia Pacific Conference 2023, 1000 research leaders and industry experts from around the world shared the latest breakthroughs; Innovation Day gathered over 40 CUHK start-ups to showcase the results of industry-academia-research collaboration; Entrepreneur Day provided a platform for academics, students, alumni, investors and industry to advance the entrepreneurship agenda; and the CUHK Robotics Open Day presented cutting edge discoveries to the wider community.