23 22 HKUST Annual Report 2020-2021 LAB TO MARKET Highlights of HKUST’s curiosity-driven breakthroughs and mission-encouraged cross-disciplinary solutions over 2020-2021. Research Excellence Deep-sea Snails Shed Light on Origins of life Spherical Molecules Open Up Drug Therapy Hope Br inging hope for therapeut i c drug deve l opment to combat cancers and other diseases, Prof . SUN Jianwei (Chemistry) and his collaborators discovered a method facilitating production of a unique family of spher i cal mol ecul es – chi ral tet raary lmethanes – for which synthesis strategies were previously limited. Preliminary testing has shown such molecules display good deterrent effects against cervical, lung, breast, and colorectal cancer cells, as well as the virus causing Hand, Foot and Mouth disease, and a type of coronavirus. Novel Imaging Technology Examines Brain Functions An imaging technology – the adaptive optics two-photon endomicroscopy system – devised by Prof . QU J ianan (Electronic and Computer Engineering), in collaboration with Prof. Nancy IP (Life Science), has provided a way to examine brain functions in regions previously difficult to explore. The new technology makes it feasible to carry out unprecedentedly high-resolution in vivo (live) imaging of deep brain structures. The system is expected to accelerate understanding of many neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease, and development of therapeutic pathways. Super-strong Polymer Nanofilm with High Application Potential Prof. GAO Ping (Chemical and Biological Engineering) and her team have developed an ultrathin super-strong polymer nanomembrane that is transparent, gas-permeable, and waterproof with adjustable porous properties, making it suitable for wearable devices, medical protection, desalination, electronics, solar cells, and many other technologies. The team went on to create a prototype transparent face mask with 99% filtration efficiency for viruses, bacteria, and particulate matter in tests in line with N95 respirator standards. The researchers have filed a total of seven patents for different applications of the material. New Era of Topological Phase Exploration Revealing a new connection between mathematics and physics that could potentially lead to novel applications, a research group led by Prof. CHAN Che-Ting (Physics) and his col laborators designed and constructed a system that carries non-Abelian topological charges in momentum space. The work serves as the first observation of non-Abelian topological charges and their bulk-edge correspondence, paving the way to a new era of topological phase exploration. Prof . QIAN Peiyuan (Ocean Science) and his resear ch team decoded the genomes of a deep-sea hydrothermal vent snail (Gigantopelta aegis), found at depths of around 2,800 meters, and two types of bacteria (sulfur-oxidizing and methaneoxidizing) housed within part of the snail’s digestive system. The team’s research provided insights into how the creature could survive the extreme conditions it inhabits. These conditions include high pressure, high temperatures, and low oxygen levels, resembling Earth’s early environment and offering fresh understanding of the origins of life on our planet.
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