KE Spotlight - Community Engagement - HKU Knowledge Exchange

HKU develops novel probiotic mixture "Prohep" that may offer potential therapeutic effects on liver cancer

A research team led by Dr Hani El-Nezami and Dr Gianni Panagiotou of the HKU School of Biological Sciences, in collaboration with the HKU Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine and the School of Medicine, University of Eastern Finland, develops a novel probiotic mixture "Prohep" that may have potential therapeutic effects on Hepatocellular carcinoma. The research team found that Prohep, when tested on mice, could slow down the tumor growth significantly and reduce the tumor size and weight. Future research would be to find out how to consume the probiotic mixture to obtain the best results, and to develop more efficient bacterial cocktails. The commercialization of Prohep is being assisted by the HKU Technology Transfer Office and Versitech Limited.

HKU Stephen Hui Geological Museum exhibits fossils from the world famous Jurassic Solnhofen Limestone in Germany

The HKU Stephen Hui Geological Museum launches a two-month exhibition on "Snapshots of a Vanished Environment - Exceptional Fossils from the world famous Jurassic Solnhofen Limestone in Germany" on Earth Day (April 22, 2016), which will run until June 23, 2016. One of the world’s most famous fossil Lagerstaette is the Jurassic Solnhofen Limestone in Germany, which came to fame with the discovery of a number of complete Archaeopteryx fossils. The exhibition presents 11 rare and exceptionally preserved fossil animals from the 150 million-year-old Solnhofen Limestone, some up to 90 centimetres in diameter.

HKU marine ecologist and wildlife trade monitoring network TRAFFIC reveal widespread illegal and unreported Humphead Wrasse trade into and through HK

A study by TRAFFIC and Professor Yvonne Sadovy of HKU School of Biological Sciences revealed widespread illegal and unreported trade of the endangered and highly valued reef fish, the Humphead Wrasse (HHW, So Mei in Cantonese, also known as the Napoleon fish) in Hong Kong and the possible illegal trade in Mainland China. Thousands of this fish were seen in local and Mainland markets, and being sold in high-end luxury restaurants, of which only a few hundred were likely to have been legally imported over the last 15 months. Professor Sadovy said the situation calls for urgent action by the Hong Kong government to ensure that imports and sales are legal, and that existing regulations are complied with by importers and traders. The intensity and frequency of inspections of facilities trading the species should be increased.

HKU scientists discover a drought tolerance gene that may help plants survive global warming

In recent years, scientists have been researching how to improve drought resistance in plants, so as to enhance growth and productivity of crops in dry weather conditions. Groundbreaking technology from HKU may provide a solution to this problem on drought stress. Funded by the Wilson and Amelia Wong Endowment Fund, Professor Chye Mee Len at the HKU School of Biological Sciences and her lab members have identified a gene from the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana which encodes an acyl-CoA-binding protein (ACBP). The gene, designated as ACBP2, can confer drought tolerance in transgenic Arabidopsis. Overexpression of ACBP2 in these transgenic lines promoted stomatal closure, reduced water loss and enhanced drought tolerance. With the assistance of the University's Technology Transfer Office, the technology has been licensed to an internationally recognized agricultural company specializing in the development of biofuel and biolubricant production crop, Camelina sativa, for potential applications in oil production and commercialization.

Junior Chefs Master Science

A cooking competition organised by the Faculty of Science encouraged junior secondary school students to apply scientific principles in their daily lives. Dr Benny Ng of the Faculty led the SciChef Cooking Challenge, in which junior secondary school students had to select a recipe, find a way to improve it, explain the science behind their efforts to a panel of judges, and cook up the dish. Through this competition, the students learned to relate science to their daily lives.

HKU Swire Institute of Marine Science helping local oyster industry

The Hong Kong Oyster (Crassostrea hongkonggensis) is tasty and highly nutritious and has also helped to clean and enrich our deep bay waters, yet the local oyster industry is under threat. Dr V Thiyagarajan of the Swire Institute of Marine Science (SWIMS), led a programme to get the public involved through workshops and hands-on training aimed at raising public awareness and use technology to help local growers. The programme was funded by the HKU Knowledge Exchange Fund and the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department.

HKU botanists discover a new plant growth technology that may alleviate climate change and food shortage

A research team led by Dr Wallace Lim Boon-leong with his former student Dr Law Yee-song at the HKU School of Biological Sciences has developed a new strategy to promote plant growth and seed yield by 38% to 57% in a model plant Arabidopsis thaliana, hence increasing CO2 absorption from the atmosphere. The researchers have identified a plant-growth promoting gene, designated as "Purple acid phosphatase 2"(AtPAP2) from the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. AtPAP2 can modulate the import of a number of specific proteins into chloroplasts and mitochondria, and subsequently boost their capability to harvest solar energy and generate adenosine triphosphate. The technology may also have potential in boosting food production to address the problem of food shortage due to overpopulation. Several patent applications have been filed with the assistance of the University's Technology Transfer Office.