pdf version - seng, hkust

Empowering Excellence
Major Research Areas
Advanced Materials
• Exploration of polymer and polymer composites including
polymer bamboo composites.
• Development of ultra-high strength polymers.
• Membranes for fuel cells and water treatment.
• Advanced catalytic materials, for SOX and NOX destruction
and Fenton’s reagents for water pollution treatment.
• Novel adsorbents derived from wastes such as bagasse pith,
vehicle tires, plastics, waste construction wood and bamboo.
• Ion exchangers for metal removal from effluents using
e-waste.
• Packaging materials.
• Nanochitosans for pollution treatment, dairy waste treatment
and textile applications.
• Nano-porous MCM-41 and derivatives for metal ion removal
from effluents, selective metal separations and health
product.
• Use of DNA and engineering materials for templates
for the applications of controlled drug delivery and
biomacromolecular characterizations.
• Nano product transdermal microneedles made from
nanoporous zeolite-polymer composites for controlled and
sustained drug delivery are being developed, translated into
patches, and tested for insulin delivery.
• More than 10 research projects covering applications in
a range of fields, including health, environment, medical,
microelectronics, textiles, catalysts, and polymers.
Biochemical
Biofuels
• The production of biofuels from algae, agricultural
plants including jatropha and sugarcane.
• Conversion of bio-mass such as wood, bamboo,
jatropha seedcake into biofuel by pyrolysis.
Computer models to predict the production yield
as well as energy consumption of the process,
allowing better design and operation of the
pyrolysis plant.
• Conversion of algae into biodiesel, including the
mechanism of transesterification reaction from lipid
to oil, and extraction and separation techniques. Six
patents have been filed to date on processing and
algae cell culture.
Bioprocessing
• Uses quantitative design methods including
SuperPro and software developed in-house for
specialized applications related to biochemical and
environmental biotechnology. Applications include
drying wastes and antibody production.
Drug Delivery
• Design of biomaterials and nanocarriers for drug
delivery, with applications in ocular and cancertargeted
delivery.
Microsystems
• Development of new DNA-based sensing
technologies and integrated device platforms for
point-of-care application.
• Widely recognized research in electrochemistrybased
real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR)
technology. This e-approach promises a new
diagnostic product competing with existing
fluorescence based counterparts.
• Microbial engineering using a synthetic biology
approach. Microorganisms can be reengineered
or re-assembled for interesting applications in
bioenergy and bioassay.
Proteomics and Metabolomics
• Enhancement of technology through method
developments in sample preparation, mass
spectrometer instrumentation, data analysis and
integration.
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