PolyU ULS

Thank you very much for your participation in the ULS survey for 2025. The following participants have been randomly selected to each receive 2 hours of free equipment usage in May 2026 for their laboratories:

Manyin WU
Elena BOLONOVA
Xiaohui ZHANG
Jordy Evan SULAIMAN
Chiu Tsun Philip TANG
Boxin ZHENG
Hong HU
Yao LU
Hongjin LAN
Jianyun XIONG
Kit Ying CHOY
Xiaobo LIU
Yuexin SONG
Man Ka CHAN
Feng PAN
Wing Hei LEUNG
Wing Leung WONG
Sze Wan SHAN
Yidi WANG
Qiwen LIAO

【理大研發全聲學腦機接口系統 有望為柏金遜症提供高效新療法✨】

隨着人口老化，柏金遜症等常見長者疾病愈見普遍。現時的治療方法多依賴藥物或外科手術。理大無創腦機接口研究中心主任、生物醫學工程學系教授孫雷教授與其學系博士畢業生丘志海教授帶領科研團隊研發新一代「全聲學腦機接口系統」，運用「經顱超聲神經調控技術」，以超聲波實現完全無創、深腦穿透和高精度的神經調控，可望為柏金遜症以至抑鬱症等神經及精神疾病患者，帶來嶄新治療方案。💡

團隊已透過小鼠實驗驗證技術成效。下一階段，團隊將擴充臨床實驗的規模，計劃聯合中國內地共五間頂級醫療中心，招募100名柏金遜症患者開展臨床研究，驗證其超聲波技術的安全與療效。🏥未來，團隊亦期望與香港的醫院合作進行臨床研究，並研發更輕便的家用醫療裝置，讓患者日後可在家中進行持續治療。💪

更多：https://polyu.hk/SFKqt

【PolyU all-acoustics brain-computer interface system forges new paths for Parkinson’s disease therapy✨】

An ageing population is often accompanied by an increase in age‑related disorders such as Parkinson’s disease, an incurable neurodegenerative disorder that impairs body movement and which is mainly alleviated by medicines or surgical procedures.
A research team led by Prof. Sun Lei, Director of the Research Centre for Non-invasive Brain Computer Interface and Prof. Qiu Zhihai, a PhD graduate and Professor of the Department of Biomedical Engineering at PolyU, has developed the next‑generation “All‑Acoustics Brain‑Computer Interface (BCI) System”, leveraging “transcranial ultrasound neuromodulation” to deliver fully non‑invasive, deep‑brain and high‑precision neural modulation with ultrasound. The system presents a promising new therapeutic approach for treating Parkinson’s disease, as well as other neurological and psychiatric disorders. 💡

The team has validated the technology’s efficacy through animal studies. In the next stage, Prof. Sun will expand the scale of clinical validation. He plans to collaborate with five leading medical centres in China to conduct a clinical study involving 100 Parkinson’s disease patients and systematically assess the ultrasound technique’s safety and efficacy, paving the way for regulatory approval and commercialisation. 🏥 Looking ahead, the team also aims to partner with Hong Kong hospitals for clinical study and develop a more portable household version of the system, enabling patients to receive continuous treatment at home. 💪

More: https://polyu.hk/FxesE

#香港理工大學 #理大科研 #腦機接口 #柏金遜症治療

ULS Workshop - Exploring the STELLARIS 8 FALCON Confocal Platform from Leica

The University Research Facility in Life Sciences (ULS) is co-organizing a workshop on advanced confocal and functional imaging with Leica. This workshop will focus on the STELLARIS 8 FALCON, a next-generation platform that integrates high-speed lifetime imaging with a fully tunable white light laser to push the boundaries of conventional confocal microscopy. On-site imaging advice will be provided by Application Specialists from Leica Microsystems.

Key Specifications:

White Light Laser: Fully tunable excitation (405nm, 440–790nm)
High-Sensitivity Detection: 5 detectors (HyD S, HyD X, and HyD R) for optimized photon counting
FALCON & LIGHTNING: Fast lifetime imaging and super-resolution (120nm XY, 200nm Z)
High-Speed Imaging: 22 mm FOV scanner with 10 ps temporal resolution
Recommended Applications:

Advanced Multiplexing: Precise excitation of multiple fluorophores with minimal crosstalk
Functional Imaging:Monitor metabolic states, pH changes, and protein-protein interactions (FLIM-FRET) via TauSense and FALCON
Deep Tissue with High Resolution: Perform high-resolution 3D imaging of thick specimens with LIGHTNING and specialized HyD detectors.
The details of the upcoming workshop are as follow:

Date and Time: 11 March, 2026 (3 sessions)
1. 2:30 pm – 3:30pm
2. 3:30 pm – 4:30pm
3. 4:30 pm – 5:30pm

Venue: Y210

Note: Workshops are filled on a first-come, first-served basis. You are highly encouraged to bring your sample to the Demo sessions.

For registration or enquiries, please contact Dr. Idy Ho ([email protected]).

All are welcome! Thank you for your attention.

【理大研發新型抗體針對脂肪細胞蛋白 為代謝相關肝癌治療帶來新方向】

肝癌是全球三大最致命癌症之一，而「脂肪肝」近年亦愈見普遍。由理大應用生物及化學科技學系副系主任及教授李建華教授及其研究團隊發現了一種由脂肪細胞分泌、能促進腫瘤生長的蛋白質，並成功研發可中和該蛋白質的新型抗體，在抑制肝癌進展方面取得重要進展。隨著這項基於脂肪細胞分泌物的免疫方案日漸成熟，未來有望為「脂肪肝」病患者帶來更多治療選擇。

更多：https://polyu.hk/HQnGA

【PolyU develops novel antibody targeting fat cell protein, offering new approach to treating metabolism-related liver cancer】

Liver cancer is one of the three deadliest cancers worldwide, and metabolic dysfunction-related cases have become increasingly common in recent years. A research team led by Prof. Terence LEE, Associate Head and Professor of the PolyU Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology has identified an adipocyte-derived protein that promotes cancer growth and has successfully developed a novel antibody that neutralises this protein, marking a significant breakthrough in impeding the progression of liver cancer. The team believes that, as this adipocyte-targeted immunotherapy continues to mature, it will bring more treatment options to MASLD patients.

More: https://polyu.hk/fAkza

#香港理工大學 #理大科研 #肝癌 #免疫療法

The University Research Facility in Life Sciences (ULS) has recently acquired the CytoFLEX S flow cytometer, which enables both conventional and spectral flow cytometry.
https://www.polyu.edu.hk/uls/equipment-and-service/cell-and-molecular-biology/beckman-coulter-cytoflex-s-flow-cytometer/

This system combines the conventional flow cytometer, the CytoFLEX S flow cytometer, and the spectral flow cytometer, the CytoFLEX Mosaic 63 Spectral Detection Module. It allows switching between true conventional and spectral modes. The CytoFLEX S conventional flow cytometer has 4 active lasers (405 nm, 488 nm, 561 nm, 638 nm) and 13 channels for fluorescence detection. The Mosaic 63 Spectral Detection Module enables spectral capabilities and offers 1 FSC channel, 4 SSC channels, and 58 fluorescent channels, for a total of 63 channels of detection. Both conventional and spectral modules offer superior fluorescence sensitivity for dim and complex multicolour staining and can detect nanoparticles as small as 80 nm.

Beckman Coulter CytoFLEX S FC | Cell and Molecular Biology | Equipment and Service | ULS The CytoFLEX S flow cytometer with Mosaic 63 Spectral Detection Module is combined of the conventional flow cytometer, the CytoFLEX S and the spectral flow cytometer, the Mosaic 63 Spectral Detection Module. It allows seamless switching between true conventional and spectral modes. The CytoFLEX mosa...

Mass Photometry: Weighting Molecules with Light

The ULS is equipped with a Refeyn TwoMP Mass Photometer, which applies light-scattering technique to determine the molecular mass of biomacromolecules, such as proteins and DNA, in their native state. This instrument offers highly sensitive, rapid, and label-free molecular mass measurements, making it ideal for a broad range of applications, including studying protein–protein interactions, determining protein oligomerization states, assessing sample purity, etc.

https://www.polyu.edu.hk/uls/equipment-and-service/biochemical-analysis/refeyn-twomp-mass-photometer/?sc_lang=en

理大研究破解中藥提取物粉防己鹼的關鍵標靶機制 為治療病毒感染、阿茲海默症等開啟新途徑

過去有研究發現源自傳統中藥粉防己根部的化合物粉防己鹼（tetrandrine）能有效防止伊波拉病毒感染，但當中的確切作用機制仍未被證實。由理大應用生物及化學科技學系副教授柯子斌教授帶領的研究團隊發現，粉防己鹼能藉由阻斷細胞訊號傳導的關鍵脂質分子鞘氨醇（sphingosine）的輸送，抑制鈣通道，首次揭示了粉防己鹼的關鍵作用機制。此外，這項發現啟發了以溶酶體相關機制作為藥物研發的新方向，為治療常見由鈣失衡引起的問題，例如阿茲海默症、帕金森氏症等神經退化性疾病，以及部分癌症的轉移，提供了創新的治療策略。

更多：https://polyu.hk/wVYjo

PolyU researchers uncover target and mechanism of Chinese medicine extract tetrandrine, paving the way for new treatments for viral infection and Alzheimer’s Disease

Tetrandrine, a compound isolated from the root of the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) Stephania tetrandra, has shown promise in combating Ebola virus infection in previous studies. Its precise mechanism of action, however, had remained unclear. Research team led by Prof. Ben KO Chi-bun, Associate Professor of the PolyU Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology has discovered that tetrandrine works by blocking the transport of sphingosine – a lipid molecule essential for cellular signalling – and inhibiting the calcium channels. Their research has revealed the critical mechanism of tetrandrine for the first time. Importantly, these findings highlight lysosome-related mechanisms as a new frontier for drug discovery, offering novel strategies for treating diseases caused by calcium imbalance, including neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, as well as certain metastatic cancers.

More: https://polyu.hk/wobQU

#香港理工大學