KE Spotlight - Community Engagement - HKU Knowledge Exchange

HKU develops new technology for identifying rare cancer cells and detecting early cancer

A multi-disciplinary research project, led by the HKU Engineering Faculty with members from the Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, has developed a new optical microcopy approach integrating existing fiber-optic and laser technologies, called Asymmetric-detection Time-stretch Optical Microscopy (ATOM), which can better detect rare cancer cells at an earlier stage in an ultrafast speed more accurately and efficiently. The development and application of this technology will hold great promise in advancing early cancer diagnosis or post-chemotherapy relapse detection.

HKU holds Science and Art Crossover Programme for secondary students

Over 100 junior secondary students from 48 secondary schools took part in a workshop organised by the HKU Faculty of Science in January 18. The participants learned about the intertwining possibilities between science and art through drawing the spiral patterns in nature, making molecular gastronomy, folding paper Platonic solids, etc. Artworks of the participants are on exhibition at the University until February 17, and will be showcased at the Central MTR station in April.

HKU to expand "Youth Quitline" services to contribute to a smoke-free Hong Kong

HKU's "Youth Quitline", established to help young people quit smoking, has received over 5,000 telephone enquiries and provided cessation counselling for 1,257 (up till September, 2013) youth smokers over the past eight years. 21.9% of participants quitted smoking after receiving services of the "Youth Quitline". It was found that the main reasons for young people to quit smoking were to lead a healthy life and save money. The Tobacco Control Office has granted further funding for the University to continue the existing services, as well as to expand the services through multi-media platforms to reach more youth smokers.

KE in The Review 2013

The Review 2013 looks back at another fruitful year for knowledge exchange. "Knowledge exchange is the third pillar in our mission, alongside research and teaching and learning. The University has formally recognised knowledge exchange activities, which cover such things as contribution to society and technology transfer, by making it a key performance indicator in the annual Faculty Development Plan," says Professor Lap-Chee Tsui, Vice-Chancellor and President.

HKU's artificial mussel technology helps fight marine pollution globally

HKU Director of School of Biological Sciences Professor Rudolf Wu Shiu-sun has developed a technology called artificial mussel to test water quality. Professor Wu has been invited by Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia (PEMSEA) and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to provide a two-month training scheme for scientists from Tunisia, Tanzania, Ghana, Thailand and the Philippines to learn how to use the technology to test for heavy metals that affect ecosystems and food chains.

UGC's TV Programme on KT/KE

The University Grants Committee (UGC) recognizes that knowledge transfer (KT)/knowledge exchange (KE) has become an important mission of Hong Kong's higher education institutions. In order to increase public awareness of the good work that has been done by institutions in this area, the UGC has commissioned TVB to produce a 30-minute programme in the form of a documentary, and selected a KT/KE project from each of the 8 UGC-funded institutions to be featured in this programme. The programme will be broadcast on TVB Jade on December 18, 2013 at 7pm.

HKU Young Brain Scientist Program holds its first public lecture on December 13, 2013

The HKU Department of Psychology will hold six public lectures designed for secondary students to raise their awareness of the potential impact of brain science from December 2013 to June 2014. Outstanding participants will be invited to tour brain science laboratory and take part in workshops.