HKUST Annual Report 2021-2022
27 HKUST Annual Report 2021-2022 Lab to Market In Vivo Imaging Sheds Light on Quantum Injuries A research team led by Prof. QU Jianan (Electronic and Computer Engineering) and Prof. LIU Kai (Life Science) has developed an innovative technology for in vivo imaging of the biological processes involved in the injury and repair of spinal cords. Currently, there is no effective method to capture the injured spinal cord at the cellular process level without activating an immune response. However, using their iodixanol-based optical clearing technique, the team has achieved long-term repetitive, stable, high-resolution, and inflammation-free in vivo spinal cord imaging in mouse models, assisting disease process investigations and facilitating development of potential treatments for such injuries. Banishing Bad Smells Researchers led by Prof. YEUNG King-Lun (Chemical and Biological Engineering/Environment and Sustainability) have devised an inexpensive and effective multifunctional hydrogel for odors from drainage sites and antimicrobial control in flushing systems. The MalOdor-Control hydrogel formula works by killing odor-causing microbes and preventing emissions of odorous gases emanating from manholes, nullahs, water channels, and other sites. The team’s antimicrobial hydrogel, AMGel, can eliminate bacteria and viruses in flush water, including the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron strain. It is being trialed at public housing blocks and an elderly care home. Solving Decentralized Finance Challenges Prof. Kani CHEN (Math) has derived four protocol solutions for decentralized finance (DeFi) challenges: Degis is a decentralized insurance platform, offering an innovative protection ecosystem and product matrix, including models for decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs) and non-fungible tokens (NFTs); Furion provides price references for NFTs based on historical performance, concentrates liquidity of NFTs, and connects them to other DeFi services to assist calculation and use cases; Prestare is a credit scoring platform that delivers a solution to over- collateralization, one of the leading shortcomings of DeFi; and Ovisor is a decentralized investment aggregator, using advanced analytics and algorithms to track market data and build portfolios and indices for cryptocurrency investors to choose from, saving effort and time. Advancing Catalysts for Hydrogen Fuel Cells Prof. SHAO Minhua (Chemical and Biological Engineering) and his research team have discovered new mechanisms for activity improvement of bimetallic catalysts for hydrogen generation and fuel cells. Through combined electrochemical, spectroscopic, and theoretical studies, the team has shown how surface ruthenium atoms can improve hydrogen evolution and oxidation activities of platinum. The discovery paves the way for rational design of more advanced catalysts that reduce the use of precious metals in water electrolyzers and hydrogen fuel cell applications.
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