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About the Hong Kong Laureate Forum

Welcome to the December 2023 issue of the
newsletter of the Hong Kong Laureate Forum!

Organised by the Council of the Hong Kong
Laureate Forum (“the HKLF”), and fully sponsored
by the Lee Shau Kee Foundation, the inaugural
Hong Kong Laureate Forum (“the Forum”) took
place successfully under the theme “Meeting of
Inspirational Minds” from 13 to 18 November at
the Hong Kong Science Park. The week-long Forum
was a notable event, featuring three captivating
plenary sessions, six insightful breakout
sessions, two in-depth exchanges on global
trends, two science seminars and over 20 diverse
visits and cultural activities. One significant
highlight was the four sessions of dialogues
with Shaw Laureates at secondary schools
simultaneously held in Hong Kong Island,
Kowloon, New Territories East and West, which
was first of its kind being organised in Hong
Kong! Some Forum programmes were live-streamed
and everyone is welcome to revisit the content
here.
Moreover, during the Forum, the HKLF organised a
“Hong Kong Laureate Forum – Media Visit” for
non-local media attendees, offering them an
opportunity to delve into the content of the
Forum and the scientific advancements in Hong
Kong, thus making this international scientific
event known to audience in Hong Kong and beyond.
For more information about the media visit,
please read the next article.

The Forum attracted over 2,400 participants,
successfully bringing together 23 Shaw Laureates
who have made outstanding contributions in the
disciplines of Astronomy, Life Science and
Medicine, and Mathematical Sciences, almost 200
young scientists and Forum Ambassadors from
around 30 different countries and regions, more
than 200 guests from various sectors and
institutions and local scientists, plus over
1,500 secondary school students with passion
about science as well as members of the public.
This prestigious event helped to foster
connections between participants, thereby
building up cross-generational, cross-cultural
and cross-disciplinary collaborations and
unlocking endless possibilities in science! The
highlights of the Forum have been uploaded onto
the photo
gallery and video
gallery of our website as well as our YouTube channel, so do
check them out!

The Forum covered a wide range of diverse topics,
allowing participants to explore and discuss
issues ranging from Astronomy’s gravitational
waves, black holes, space telescopes,
Mathematical Sciences’ moduli spaces, geometry,
fractals, to Life Science and Medicine’s genome,
cells, optogenetics etc. The Forum also featured
poster and flash presentations led by over 40
young scientists, who benefited from the
opportunities to present their current research
projects to the Shaw Laureates and received
valuable feedback.

Throughout the Forum, feedback from participants
has been overwhelmingly positive. Many
participants consider the Forum a bridge to
connect scientists of the current and next
generations. They applauded the overall
arrangement and expressed their desire to
participate in the next Forum, which we are
truly encouraged. One of the Shaw Laureates
commented that it is rare and remarkable to have
scientists from different disciplines coming
together, as international conferences tend to
assemble people from related specialty. Another
Shaw Laureate believed that one of the ideas of
the Forum, which gathers past laureates, young
scientists, and students, is to bring
cutting-edge science and technology to a wider
audience. He reckoned exposing them to bright
ideas and applications that engender human life
and experiences is a very critical and important
initiative. Some young scientists expressed that
through their participation in the Forum, they
were inspired by the Shaw Laureates from various
disciplines and different parts of the world.
They found the Shaw Laureates’ insights and
advice on the research journey highly valuable.
In addition, several young scientists expressed
their deeper determination to pursue what they
are passionate about and to continue their
scientific research journey.

The Forum would not have been a success without
the continued support from various sectors of
the society. The HKLF would like to take this
opportunity to express gratitude to the
following units:

Principal Sponsor
Lee Shau Kee
Foundation

Major Partner
The Shaw Prize

Official Travel Sponsor
Cathay
Pacific

Other Sponsor

Local Academic
Partner

Collaborating
Organisation

Looking ahead, in the near term, the HKLF will
continue the preparation work for “Exploring New
Horizons 2024”. The event themed “Exploring New
Horizons” would have been held for the third
consecutive year in 2024. From January to March
2024, the HKLF will arrange laboratory visits
and dialogue sessions for senior secondary
students in collaborations with local scientists
and research teams in Hong Kong. As in the past,
the aim of the event is to enhance the interest
of secondary students in scientific research by
creating opportunities for them to learn more
about the working environment of scientists, the
operation of laboratories, the difficulties
encountered by scientists in the process of
research and the latest research projects in
Hong Kong through hands-on experience and
enquiries.

Lastly, as we are fast approaching 2024, the HKLF
wishes everyone a prosperous and healthy new
year!

Hong Kong Laureate Forum – Media Visit

The HKLF held a media visit from 13 to 17
November and arranged the invited non-local
media representatives to attend programmes of
the inaugural Hong Kong Laureate Forum,
including plenary sessions, poster presentations
by young scientists, breakout sessions, trending
topic sessions and dialogues with Shaw Laureates
at secondary schools, etc. These programmes
enabled media representatives to delve into the
content of the Forum and immerse in the
atmosphere of scientific exchanges. In addition
to attending the Forum programmes, they also
visited top-notch research facilities in Hong
Kong, such as InnoHK research clusters, where
they could engage with the research teams and
thus gain in-depth knowledge of the latest
research projects in Hong Kong. Besides, they
visited famous landmarks in Hong Kong to
engender a deeper appreciation of this city.

More than 20 invited media representatives came
from Mainland China, including Beijing,
Shanghai, Shenzhen, etc., as well as India,
Kenya, Poland, South Korea, Thailand, the UK and
Turkey. Many media representatives expressed
their delight in attending the Forum programmes
and engaging in deep conversations with Shaw
Laureates, which facilitated a more thorough
understanding of the current scientific research
developments. Some media representatives also
stated that the dialogues between Shaw Laureates
and secondary students were very meaningful.
They believed that the Forum created
opportunities for students to interact with
award-winning scientists and to learn about
their research projects as well as the
challenges they faced. This experience would
help the students to plan for their scientific
research journey.

The HKLF would like to express our gratitude to
each unit for their support and hospitality,
which made the media visit a success. In
addition, the HKLF would also like to thank the
research teams and organisation representatives
in sharing details of various research projects
and facilities. They include:

The HKLF hopes that this media visit would
engender non-local representatives to spread the
news about the Forum to the four corners of the
world, which enables people in different regions
to learn about this cross-generational,
cross-cultural and cross-disciplinary
international scientific exchange event.

When the Stars Align: There’s Something Weird
Going On in the Centre of Our Milky Way

Sometimes, as a scientist, and if you are very
lucky, you come across something so crazy in
your research that you have to step back and
think what on earth is going on? This article
addresses this crazy story in terms of how it
actually happened – this is sometimes how real
science emerges.

Occasionally, we are fortunate to put out press
releases about various scientific discoveries of
my team that we consider sufficiently worthy to
merit such a thing. These can elicit interviews,
quotes and positive publicity for our activities
and sometimes they go viral. This was the case
with a press release back in July 2023 that went
viral and led to a popular science magazine
article, a 10-minute YouTube video on our
research from a major science influencer that
has garnered 100K views and a further
professional American Astronomical Society (AAS)
YouTube interview that has had more views than
nearly all other videos of its kind that arise
from the major AAS refereed journal articles
such as ours. These are all indicative of the
impact and importance of this “weird science
result” as will be clear below.

Authors:
Prof Quentin Parker, Director of Laboratory for
Space Research and Professor of Faculty of
Science, The University of Hong Kong
Ms Shuyu Tan, Research Assistant, Laboratory for
Space Research, The University of Hong Kong

Fingerprints: The Key to Our Individuality

Introduction

Before we delve into the complexities of blood
tests and DNA analyses to identify who we are,
society has already made a simple yet
straightforward method that we always see in
movies and when we are crossing the border: our
fingerprints which are also known as “friction
ridge skin”. Just like our faces, fingerprints
are key to our individuality and identity. But
have you ever wondered why each of us has unique
fingerprints? The answer lies deep in the
interaction between our genes, especially those
that control limb development, and the
environment. This results in the formation of
unique dermatoglyphic patterns which can be
classified into three categories: arch, loop,
and whorl.

Fig 1: The three
categories of fingerprint: arch, loop and whorl

Fingerprint Formation

There are multiple theories supporting
fingerprint development but dermatologists
believe the folding hypothesis is the most
promising one. Skin tissue consists of three
tightly connected vertical layers: epidermis,
basal layer and dermis. The different rates of
cellular growth in the top epidermis and the
bottom dermis create a tension across the
fast-growing basal layer, resulting in the
folding of the basal layer at individual sites
to relieve the stress. Cell proliferation
continues at those sites while the folds combine
and merge into clusters to form linear ridges in
a rather random fashion, creating the unique
pattern of wrinkles in our fingerprints.

Author: Charlton Sullivan, Student Editor,
Science Focus, The Hong Kong University of
Science and Technology
Design: Charley Lam, Graphic Designer,
Science Focus, The Hong Kong University of
Science and Technology
Translation: Daniel Lau, Managing Editor,
Science Focus, The Hong Kong University of
Science and Technology

Demystifying Wordle: A Crash Course in
Information Theory

The game Wordle took the world by storm last
year – you might have seen your friends posting
green and yellow boxes on social media, claiming
that they have solved this daily word puzzle in
three guesses, or that dreaded “X/6,” which
means that they didn’t manage to crack it. When
one considers what first word to guess, it might
be tempting to randomly put a five-letter word
at the beginning, but this can actually be
reduced to a scientific question. It is not hard
to see that some words would be a better first
guess than others; for example, the word “FUZZY”
would be far less ideal than “RAISE”, since the
letters in the former occur far less often than
the letters in the latter. What, then, is one’s
best shot at cracking the puzzle?

What Is Wordle?

We are assuming readers know how Wordle
functions. For those who do not, here is a quick
crash course.

Wordle’s database is made of 2,315 five-letter
words picked by the creator of the game as
solutions, and a pool of approximately 13,000
five-letter words that are valid guesses (which
include the 2,315 words above, and many more
words that are not commonly used). Each day, one
word from the database is selected to be the
answer to the puzzle. If your guess has a letter
that is in the word and in the same position,
the letter box shown will be green; if the guess
has a letter that is in the word but not in the
correct position, the letter box shown will be
yellow; otherwise the box is gray.

Author: Sonia Choy, Student Editor,
Science Focus, The Hong Kong University of
Science and Technology
Design: Ligeia Fu, Graphic Designer,
Science Focus, The Hong Kong University of
Science and Technology

About the Hong Kong Laureate Forum

Welcome to the March 2024 issue of the newsletter of the Hong Kong Laureate Forum!

The “Scientists and Their Contributions Voxel Art Design Contest”, jointly organised by the Council of the Hong Kong Laureate Forum (“the HKLF”), Index Game and The Sandbox, was staged and the award presentation ceremony concluded successfully on 2 March. We were honoured to have Ms Becky Wong, Chief Operation Officer and Co-founder of Index Game, Mr Erich Wong, Head of Growth (Hong Kong) of The Sandbox, Dr Jimmy Wong, Executive Director of the Hong Kong Academy of Gifted Education (HKAGE), and Prof Timothy Tong, BBS, JP, Chairman of the HKLF, to commend the participating teams. The Champion, 1st Runner-up and 2nd Runner-up teams were from Cotton Spinners Association Secondary School, Hong Kong University Graduate Association College and Fukien Secondary School respectively. These teams shared with the audience their experience and insights gained in the contest, including how they collaborated with their team members, the challenges they encountered during the production process, and how to enhance the likeness of their work. Members of the Champion team also talked about their experience in the two-day internship at Index Game, offering a glimpse of the daily work of a voxel art designer. The contest attracted 21 teams of students from 11 secondary schools. It was impressive that the participating teams went from attending the design software workshops to creating their own work in just two months. The award presenters recognised and appreciated the efforts and dedication of all participating teams. The masterpieces of the Champion, 1st Runner-up and 2nd Runner-up teams are now available on our website for everyone to visit. In addition, photos and highlights of the award presentation ceremony have been uploaded onto our photo gallery, video gallery and YouTube channel. Make sure you don’t miss the remarkable moments of the ceremony!

Time flies. Our signature event, “Exploring New Horizons”, has entered its third year. From January to March this year, we successfully organised “Exploring New Horizons 2024” – a series of 13 laboratory / enterprise visits along with sharing sessions specifically designed for senior secondary students in Hong Kong. The event garnered participation from over 300 individuals across 20 schools. The participating students had opportunities to interact with local scientists / research teams and delve into their work environment, laboratory operation, challenges faced by the research teams, and the latest scientific research projects in Hong Kong. We are delighted that a number of local scientists / research teams have supported this event for the second, or even the third consecutive year. Moreover, we are proud to announce that “Exploring New Horizons 2024” received support from a state key laboratory for the first time. This significant endorsement created opportunities for students to gain exposure to national key research projects. Also, we embarked on a collaboration with a local start-up, introducing students to medical metal 3D printing technology and application. The event photos and captivating highlights have been uploaded to our photo gallery, video gallery and YouTube channel and please enjoy! The HKLF extends its heartfelt gratitude to the enthusiastic participation of all students and teachers and the support of the local scientists / research teams / start-ups. They include:

Prof Chan Chi Hou and his research team from State Key Laboratory of Terahertz and Millimeter Waves (City University of Hong Kong)
Prof Kannie Chan and her research team from Hong Kong Centre for Cerebro-Cardiovascular Health Engineering
Prof Tom Cheung and his research team from the Division of Life Science of The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
Prof Chu Ming-chung and his research team from the Department of Physics of the Chinese University of Hong Kong
Dr Calvin Or and his research team from the Department of Industrial & Manufacturing Systems Engineering of the University of Hong Kong
Prof Patrick Tang and his research team from the Department of Anatomical and Cellular Pathology of the Chinese University of Hong Kong
Prof Carmen Wong and her research team from the Department of Pathology of the University of Hong Kong
Research team from Centre for Immunology & Infection
Research team from Koln 3D Technology (Medical) Limited
Research team from the University of Hong Kong – Pasteur Research Pole

Furthermore, the HKLF forged ‘G3 Alliance’, with HKAGE and Centum Charitas Foundation at the end of last year. Under the principles of ‘Gifted, Groom and Giving’, the alliance aims to identify and nurture the next generation of innovation and technology leaders. Its key event, the “Young STEAM Talent Award”, is now open for registration. This Award is an initiative to create a dynamic platform for Secondary 3 to 6 students in Hong Kong who are keen on STEAM to showcase their creativity, unleash their imaginative ideas and cultivate critical thinking abilities, so as to emerge as leaders in the realms of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices. This Award consists of numerous awards and prizes, including “Top Ten Young STEAM Talents Award”, “Young STEAM Talent of the Year Award” and “Nominator of the Award winners”. Young STEAM Talent Award winners will be entitled the HKAGE membership as well as receive a commendation certificate and scholarship. They will also be joining a well-structured nurturing programme. After the completion of the programme, they will have opportunities to share with the public their learning and research outcomes, paving their ways to scientific research and innovation. The registration deadline for the Award is 15 April 5:00pm. Please visit here for more information.

The HKLF looks forward to future collaborations with more organisations to promote education and exchanges in various disciplines in science and technology in Hong Kong, incubating more scientific research and innovation talents. For the latest news and our upcoming events, stay tuned to our website, social media and the next newsletter!

The Newly Developed High-Efficiency Carbon Dioxide Electroreduction System Targets to Reduce Carbon Footprint and Progress Carbon Neutrality Goals

Background: Global warming continues to pose a threat to human society and the ecological systems, and carbon dioxide accounts for the largest proportion of the greenhouse gases that dominate climate warming. To combat climate change and move towards the goal of carbon neutrality, researchers from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University have developed a durable, highly selective and energy-efficient carbon dioxide (CO₂) electroreduction system that can convert CO₂ into ethylene for industrial purposes to provide an effective solution for reducing CO₂ emissions. This research was recently published in Nature Energy and won a Gold Medal at the 48th International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva in Switzerland.

Ethylene (C₂H₄) is one of the most in-demand chemicals globally and is mainly used in the manufacture of polymers such as polyethylene, which, in turn, can be used to make plastics and chemical fibres commonly used in daily life. However, it is still mostly obtained from petrochemical sources and the production process involves the creation of a very significant carbon footprint.

Durable Electrocatalytic CO₂ Reduction to Ethylene System via Eliminating Carbonate Formation

Introduction: In the fight against climate change, finding efficient ways to reduce CO₂ emissions is crucial. Electrocatalytic CO₂ reduction (ECO₂R) using renewable energy sources has emerged as a promising solution. However, the presence of alkaline conditions and alkali cations during ECO₂R poses challenges, hindering the development of this technology. We explore a groundbreaking pure-water-fed membrane-electrode-assembly (MEA) system that overcomes these obstacles, paving the way for a more stable and efficient ECO₂R process.

Efficient CO₂ reduction is crucial in fighting climate change. ECO₂R with renewable energy is promising, but alkaline conditions and alkali cations pose challenges. Our pure-water-fed MEA system overcomes these, paving the way for a stable and efficient ECO₂R process.

Author:
Prof Daniel Lau, Chair Professor of Nanomaterials and Head of the Department of Applied Physics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Gut Microbiota Modulation for Post-Acute COVID-19 Syndrome: Current Evidence

Post-acute COVID-19 syndrome (“long COVID”) refers to long-term symptoms that persist after acute SARS-CoV-2 infection, affecting multiple organs and systems. Long COVID affects over 65 million people worldwide, yet effective treatment is limited. Our research team at the Faculty of Medicine of the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK Medicine) has completed a large-scale double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled clinical trial, which confirmed that patients who were given an oral synbiotic preparation (SIM01) developed by CUHK experienced significant alleviation in various long COVID symptoms. The landmark findings have been published in the world-leading journal in infectious diseases, The Lancet Infectious Diseases, and presented at the inaugural Hong Kong Laureate Forum in November 2023.

Earlier studies by CUHK Medicine showed close associations between gut microbiota dysbiosis and long COVID. However, no research has yet to confirm that gut microbiota modulation could alleviate long COVID symptoms. SIM01 is a patented oral synbiotic formula developed by CUHK Medicine, who has been keen to utilise big data and machine learning to develop synbiotic formulae of beneficial probiotics and prebiotics for different diseases. In this large-scale double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled clinical study (RECOVERY), our team have evaluated whether SIM01 could alleviate long COVID symptoms. In 2021 to 2022, we have recruited a total of 463 recovered COVID-19 patients to participate in the RECOVERY trial. Participants’ mean age was 49 years, and 65% were female. Nearly 70% of participants were Omicron cases, whilst others were earlier cases. They were enrolled into the study at a median of 4 months after COVID-19 diagnosis and were randomly assigned either into the SIM01 group or the control group at 1:1 ratio. The SIM01 group received SIM01 orally for 6 months, whilst the control group received placebo containing vitamin C orally for 6 months.

Author:
Ms Raphaela Iris Lau, Hong Kong PhD Fellow, Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong

Alpacas and Nanobodies

When we think of alpacas, the first things that pop up in our minds may be holiday farms or alpaca fleece. However, if you ask a biomedical scientist, they may have thought of nanobody, fragment of a special type of antibody.

To appreciate why nanobodies are so special, we must first understand what an antibody looks like (Fig 1). A conventional antibody is composed of two heavy chains and two light chains. These chains are joined by disulfide bonds to form a Y-shaped molecule. The two tips of the Y-shaped antibody are called variable regions, which are responsible for binding to a target antigen. Variable regions of antibodies literally vary greatly and they determine what antigen an antibody will bind to. In addition to conventional antibodies, members of the camelid family, such as alpacas, camels and llamas, also produce a special type of antibody that only consists of two heavy chains. Nanobodies are the variable regions of these special antibodies.

Fig 1: Structures of (a) a conventional antibody, (b) a camelid heavy chain-only antibody, and (c) a nanobody. (L: light chain, H: heavy chain; gray: variable region, purple: constant region)

Author:
Helen Wong, Student Editor, Science Focus, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

關於香港桂冠論壇

歡迎大家來到香港桂冠論壇2024年3月份通訊。

由香港桂冠論壇委員會、Index Game和The Sandbox合辦的「Scientists and Their Contributions立體像素藝術設計比賽」早前已順利舉行，而頒獎禮於3月2日圓滿結束。活動當日，我們很榮幸邀得Index Game營運總監及聯合創辦人王碧琪小姐、The Sandbox香港業務增長主管黃宏誠先生、香港資優教育學苑院長黃金耀博士以及香港桂冠論壇委員會主席唐偉章教授, BBS, JP擔任頒獎嘉賓，一同嘉許參賽隊伍。冠、亞及季軍隊伍分別來自棉紡會中學、港大同學會書院和福建中學，他們於頒獎禮期間向大家分享獲獎感受及參賽得著，包括如何與隊員分工合作、製作時遇到的挑戰、如何能提高作品的像真度等等，而冠軍隊伍亦談及於Index Game實習兩天的體會，並分享了立體像素藝術設計員的日常工作。是次比賽吸引來自11間中學一共21隊的學生參加比賽，他們於短短兩個月內由參加設計軟件工作坊以至製成自己的作品，實在不容易，頒獎嘉賓均對各隊的努力和付出，予以肯定及讚賞。冠、亞及季軍隊伍的作品已上載至我們的網站，歡迎大家按此欣賞！而頒獎禮的精華相片及片段亦已上載至我們的圖片庫、影片庫及YouTube頻道，大家請勿錯過！

不經不覺，我們的重點活動「探索新視野」已踏入第三年。今年1月至3月，我們順利舉辦了「探索新視野2024」，為香港高年級中學生安排一連13場的實驗室/企業參觀及分享會，活動吸引來自一共20間學校超過300人參與。學生透過參與活動，與本地科學家/研究團隊交流，從而了解科研團隊的工作環境、實驗室的運作、團隊於研究過程中遇到的困難，以及香港最新的科研項目等。我們很高興不少本地科學家/研究團隊已連續第二年，甚至第三年，支持這項活動，而「探索新視野2024」更首度獲國家重點實驗室支持，學生得以認識國家重點研究項目。同時，我們首次與本地初創企業合作，讓學生了解醫療金屬三維打印的技術及應用。活動的相片及精華片段已上載至我們的圖片庫、影片庫及YouTube頻道，供大家觀看。桂冠論壇衷心感謝各位學生及老師的踴躍參與，亦感謝一眾本地科學家/研究團隊/初創企業的支持，包括：

香港城市大學太赫茲及毫米波國家重點實驗室陳志豪教授及其研究團隊
香港心腦血管健康工程研究中心陳葦恩教授及其研究團隊
香港科技大學生命科學部張曉東教授及其研究團隊
香港中文大學物理系朱明中教授及其研究團隊
香港大學工業及製造系統工程系柯嘉倫教授及其研究團隊
香港中文大學病理解剖及細胞學系鄧銘權教授及其研究團隊
香港大學病理學系黃澤蕾教授及其研究團隊
免疫與感染研究中心研究團隊
科能三維技術(醫療)有限公司研究團隊
香港大學–巴斯德研究中心研究團隊

另外，桂冠論壇於去年年底與香港資優教育學苑、百仁基金組成「G3聯盟」，本著「Gifted、Groom及Giving」的理念，致力發掘及培育新一代創科領袖。而聯盟合辦的重點活動—「少年創科達人大獎」現已接受報名，這項比賽旨在為全港對STEAM有興趣之中三至中六學生締造多元互動的平台，讓年輕人展現創意丶發揮想像丶培養批判性思考能力，成為環境、社會和管治（ESG）的青年領袖。「少年創科達人大獎」設有多個獎項，包括「十大創科少年獎」丶「年度最佳創科達人獎」及「提名人獎項」，創科獎得獎者可獲得香港資優教育學苑學員資格丶嘉許證書丶及豐富的獎學金。除此之外，亦會接受一系列培訓。完成培育計劃後，他們更有機會與公眾分享學習和研究成果，邁向科研和創科之路。比賽報名截止時間為4月15日下午5時正，請按此瀏覽詳情。

桂冠論壇期望未來能與更多機構合作，推動香港科學和科技各個領域的教育和交流，孕育更多科研及創科人才。有關更多論壇最新的消息和活動資訊，記得留意我們的網站、社交媒體和下一期通訊！

新研發的高效能電催化二氧化碳還原系統 旨在減碳排放 促進邁向碳中和

背景：全球暖化給人類社會和生態系統持續帶來威脅，而主導氣候變暖的溫室氣體中，佔最主要比重的正是二氧化碳。為應對氣候變化的問題和邁向促進碳中和的目標，香港理工大學（理大）的研究團隊成功研發一套耐久、高選擇性、高效的二氧化碳電還原系統，可以將二氧化碳轉化成具有重要戰略意義的基礎化工原料乙烯，作其他工業用途，以為減低二氧化碳排放提供有效的解決方案。此研究成果已於國際科學期刊《Nature Energy》發表，並於第 48 屆瑞士日內瓦「國際發明展」獲得金獎。

乙烯（C₂H₄）是石油化工行業最重要的基礎原料，主要應用於製造聚合物等高分子材料，這些高分子材料可以製造日常使用的塑膠、化纖等。生產乙烯目前仍然主要依賴石化資源，製造過程碳排放高。

通過阻斷碳酸鹽的形成來實現電催化二氧化碳還原製備乙烯之耐久系統

簡介：在應對氣候變化的工作上，尋找減低二氧化碳排放的有效方法十分重要。使用可再生能源進行電催化二氧化碳還原(ECO₂R)已成為一項極具前景的解決方案。但是，在這個 ECO₂R 過程中，鹼性條件和鹼性陽離子的存在引起了一些難度，以致阻礙這種技術的發展。我們正探索採用一種突破性的純水膜電極組 (MEA) 系統，來克服上述障礙，為得出更為穩定、效率更高的 ECO₂R 過程而創造條件。

對於應對氣候變化，有效地減少二氧化碳排放極為重要。雖然採用可再生能源來實現 ECO₂R 過程大有可為，但當中涉及的鹼性條件和鹼性陽離子帶來了一些難題。我們的純水膜電極組系統能夠克服這些困難，為得出穩定、高效的 ECO₂R 過程創造條件。

作者︰
香港理工大學納米材料講座教授兼應用物理學系系主任劉樹平教授

透過改善腸道微生態紓緩新冠肺炎長期綜合後遺症：目前的研究進展

新冠肺炎長期綜合後遺症是指新冠病毒感染後長期持續而影響多個器官的症狀，又稱「長新冠」。長新冠影響全球超過6,500萬人，但仍缺乏有效的治療方法。香港中文大學醫學院的研究團隊完成了一項大型的雙盲、隨機、安慰劑對照臨床研究，證實患者透過服用香港中文大學研發的口服合生製劑（SIM01）有效紓緩多種長新冠症狀。研究結果已於全球權威醫學期刊《刺針傳染病學》（The Lancet Infectious Diseases）及去年十一月之首屆香港桂冠論壇上發表。

中大醫學院早期研究指出腸道微生態失衡與長新冠密切相關，但全球未有研究證實改善腸道微生態能紓緩長新冠症狀。SIM01是香港中文大學的專利配方，研究團隊借助大數據和機器學習，為不同的疾病研發益菌及益生元組合。在這項名為RECOVERY的大型雙盲、隨機、安慰劑對照的臨床研究中，研究團隊評估了SIM01配方能否紓緩長新冠症狀。團隊在2021至2022年共招募463名新冠康復者參與RECOVERY研究。參加者平均年齡49歲，當中女性佔65%，約70%是Omicron個案，其他為較早的個案。參加者平均於新冠確診四個月後參與研究，他們被隨機分成SIM01組及安慰劑組，兩組人數各佔約一半。其中，SIM01組服用了SIM01六個月，而對照組則服用含有維他命C的安慰劑六個月。

作者︰
香港中文大學醫學院內科及藥物治療學系博士研究生劉曉霖

羊駝與奈米抗體

談及羊駝，我們通常會想到假日農場或羊駝絨，但如果你問生物醫學範疇的科學家的話，他們卻可能會想起一種特殊抗體的片段 — 奈米抗體。

要明白奈米抗體的特殊之處，我們須先了解抗體的結構（圖一）。傳統抗體是由兩條重鏈和兩條輕鏈通過二硫鍵連接形成的 Y 形分子。Y形抗體的兩個尖端稱為可變區，負責與目標抗原結合。一如其名，可變區可以有不同的變化，它們決定抗體與甚麼抗原結合。除傳統抗體外，羊駝、駱駝和駱馬等駱駝科動物也會製造一種僅由兩條重鏈組成的特殊抗體，而奈米抗體就是這些特殊抗體的可變區。

圖一： (a) 傳統抗體、(b) 駱駝科動物只有重鏈的抗體及(c) 奈米抗體（L：輕鏈、H：重鏈、灰色：可變區、紫色：恆定區）

作者︰
香港科技大學《科言》學生編輯王思齊

关于香港桂冠论坛

欢迎大家来到香港桂冠论坛2024年3月份通讯。

由香港桂冠论坛委员会、Index Game和The Sandbox合办的「Scientists and Their Contributions立体像素艺术设计比赛」早前已顺利举行，而颁奖礼于3月2日圆满结束。活动当日，我们很荣幸邀得Index Game营运总监及联合创办人王碧琪小姐、The Sandbox香港业务增长主管黄宏诚先生、香港资优教育学苑院长黄金耀博士以及香港桂冠论坛委员会主席唐伟章教授, BBS, JP担任颁奖嘉宾，一同嘉许参赛队伍。冠、亚及季军队伍分别来自棉纺会中学、港大同学会书院和福建中学，他们于颁奖礼期间向大家分享获奖感受及参赛得著，包括如何与队员分工合作、制作时遇到的挑战、如何能提高作品的像真度等等，而冠军队伍亦谈及于Index Game实习两天的体会，并分享了立体像素艺术设计员的日常工作。是次比赛吸引来自11间中学一共21队的学生参加比赛，他们于短短两个月内由参加设计软件工作坊以至制成自己的作品，实在不容易，颁奖嘉宾均对各队的努力和付出，予以肯定及赞赏。冠、亚及季军队伍的作品已上载至我们的网站，欢迎大家按此欣赏！而颁奖礼的精华相片及片段亦已上载至我们的图片库、影片库及YouTube频道，大家请勿错过！

不经不觉，我们的重点活动「探索新视野」已踏入第三年。今年1月至3月，我们顺利举办了「探索新视野2024」，为香港高年级中学生安排一连13场的实验室/企业参观及分享会，活动吸引来自一共20间学校超过300人参与。学生透过参与活动，与本地科学家/研究团队交流，从而了解科研团队的工作环境、实验室的运作、团队于研究过程中遇到的困难，以及香港最新的科研项目等。我们很高兴不少本地科学家/研究团队已连续第二年，甚至第三年，支持这项活动，而「探索新视野2024」更首度获国家重点实验室支持，学生得以认识国家重点研究项目。同时，我们首次与本地初创企业合作，让学生了解医疗金属三维打印的技术及应用。活动的相片及精华片段已上载至我们的图片库、影片库及YouTube频道，供大家观看。桂冠论坛衷心感谢各位学生及老师的踊跃参与，亦感谢一众本地科学家/研究团队/初创企业的支持，包括：

香港城市大学太赫兹及毫米波国家重点实验室陈志豪教授及其研究团队
香港心脑血管健康工程研究中心陈苇恩教授及其研究团队
香港科技大学生命科学部张晓东教授及其研究团队
香港中文大学物理系朱明中教授及其研究团队
香港大学工业及制造系统工程系柯嘉伦教授及其研究团队
香港中文大学病理解剖及细胞学系邓铭权教授及其研究团队
香港大学病理学系黄泽蕾教授及其研究团队
免疫与感染研究中心研究团队
科能三维技术(医疗)有限公司研究团队
香港大学–巴斯德研究中心研究团队

另外，桂冠论坛于去年年底与香港资优教育学苑、百仁基金组成「G3联盟」，本著「Gifted、Groom及Giving」的理念，致力发掘及培育新一代创科领袖。而联盟合办的重点活动—「少年创科达人大奖」现已接受报名，这项比赛旨在为全港对STEAM有兴趣之中三至中六学生缔造多元互动的平台，让年轻人展现创意丶发挥想像丶培养批判性思考能力，成为环境、社会和管治（ESG）的青年领袖。「少年创科达人大奖」设有多个奖项，包括「十大创科少年奖」丶「年度最佳创科达人奖」及「提名人奖项」，创科奖得奖者可获得香港资优教育学苑学员资格丶嘉许证书丶及丰富的奖学金。除此之外，亦会接受一系列培训。完成培育计划后，他们更有机会与公众分享学习和研究成果，迈向科研和创科之路。比赛报名截止时间为4月15日下午5时正，请按此浏览详情。

桂冠论坛期望未来能与更多机构合作，推动香港科学和科技各个领域的教育和交流，孕育更多科研及创科人才。有关更多论坛最新的消息和活动资讯，记得留意我们的网站、社交媒体和下一期通讯！

新研发的高效能电催化二氧化碳还原系统 旨在减碳排放 促进迈向碳中和

背景：全球暖化给人类社会和生态系统持续带来威胁，而主导气候变暖的温室气体中，占最主要比重的正是二氧化碳。为应对气候变化的问题和迈向促进碳中和的目标，香港理工大学（理大）的研究团队成功研发一套耐久、高选择性、高效的二氧化碳电还原系统，可以将二氧化碳转化成具有重要战略意义的基础化工原料乙烯，作其他工业用途，以为减低二氧化碳排放提供有效的解决方案。此研究成果已于国际科学期刊《Nature Energy》发表，并于第 48 届瑞士日内瓦「国际发明展」获得金奖。

乙烯（C₂H₄）是石油化工行业最重要的基础原料，主要应用于制造聚合物等高分子材料，这些高分子材料可以制造日常使用的塑胶、化纤等。生产乙烯目前仍然主要依赖石化资源，制造过程碳排放高。

通过阻断碳酸盐的形成来实现电催化二氧化碳还原制备乙烯之耐久系统

简介：在应对气候变化的工作上，寻找减低二氧化碳排放的有效方法十分重要。使用可再生能源进行电催化二氧化碳还原(ECO₂R)已成为一项极具前景的解决方案。但是，在这个 ECO₂R 过程中，碱性条件和碱性阳离子的存在引起了一些难度，以致阻碍这种技术的发展。我们正探索采用一种突破性的纯水膜电极组 (MEA) 系统，来克服上述障碍，为得出更为稳定、效率更高的 ECO₂R 过程而创造条件。

对于应对气候变化，有效地减少二氧化碳排放极为重要。虽然采用可再生能源来实现 ECO₂R 过程大有可为，但当中涉及的碱性条件和碱性阳离子带来了一些难题。我们的纯水膜电极组系统能够克服这些困难，为得出稳定、高效的 ECO₂R 过程创造条件。

作者︰
香港理工大学纳米材料讲座教授兼应用物理学系系主任刘树平教授

透过改善肠道微生态纾缓新冠肺炎长期综合后遗症：目前的研究进展

新冠肺炎长期综合后遗症是指新冠病毒感染后长期持续而影响多个器官的症状，又称「长新冠」。长新冠影响全球超过6,500万人，但仍缺乏有效的治疗方法。香港中文大学医学院的研究团队完成了一项大型的双盲、随机、安慰剂对照临床研究，证实患者透过服用香港中文大学研发的口服合生制剂（SIM01）有效纾缓多种长新冠症状。研究结果已于全球权威医学期刊《刺针传染病学》（The Lancet Infectious Diseases）及去年十一月之首届香港桂冠论坛上发表。

中大医学院早期研究指出肠道微生态失衡与长新冠密切相关，但全球未有研究证实改善肠道微生态能纾缓长新冠症状。SIM01是香港中文大学的专利配方，研究团队借助大数据和机器学习，为不同的疾病研发益菌及益生元组合。在这项名为RECOVERY的大型双盲、随机、安慰剂对照的临床研究中，研究团队评估了SIM01配方能否纾缓长新冠症状。团队在2021至2022年共招募463名新冠康复者参与RECOVERY研究。参加者平均年龄49岁，当中女性占65%，约70%是Omicron个案，其他为较早的个案。参加者平均于新冠确诊四个月后参与研究，他们被随机分成SIM01组及安慰剂组，两组人数各占约一半。其中，SIM01组服用了SIM01六个月，而对照组则服用含有维他命C的安慰剂六个月。

作者︰
香港中文大学医学院内科及药物治疗学系博士研究生刘晓霖

羊驼与奈米抗体

谈及羊驼，我们通常会想到假日农场或羊驼绒，但如果你问生物医学范畴的科学家的话，他们却可能会想起一种特殊抗体的片段 — 奈米抗体。

要明白奈米抗体的特殊之处，我们须先了解抗体的结构（图一）。传统抗体是由两条重链和两条轻链通过二硫键连接形成的 Y 形分子。Y形抗体的两个尖端称为可变区，负责与目标抗原结合。一如其名，可变区可以有不同的变化，它们决定抗体与甚么抗原结合。除传统抗体外，羊驼、骆驼和骆马等骆驼科动物也会制造一种仅由两条重链组成的特殊抗体，而奈米抗体就是这些特殊抗体的可变区。

图一： (a) 传统抗体、(b) 骆驼科动物只有重链的抗体及(c) 奈米抗体（L：轻链、H：重链、灰色：可变区、紫色：恒定区）

作者︰
香港科技大学《科言》学生编辑王思齐

About the Hong Kong Laureate Forum

Welcome to the March 2024 issue of the newsletter of the Hong Kong Laureate Forum!

The “Scientists and Their Contributions Voxel Art Design Contest”, jointly organised by the Council of the Hong Kong Laureate Forum (“the HKLF”), Index Game and The Sandbox, was staged and the award presentation ceremony concluded successfully on 2 March. We were honoured to have Ms Becky Wong, Chief Operation Officer and Co-founder of Index Game, Mr Erich Wong, Head of Growth (Hong Kong) of The Sandbox, Dr Jimmy Wong, Executive Director of the Hong Kong Academy of Gifted Education (HKAGE), and Prof Timothy Tong, BBS, JP, Chairman of the HKLF, to commend the participating teams. The Champion, 1st Runner-up and 2nd Runner-up teams were from Cotton Spinners Association Secondary School, Hong Kong University Graduate Association College and Fukien Secondary School respectively. These teams shared with the audience their experience and insights gained in the contest, including how they collaborated with their team members, the challenges they encountered during the production process, and how to enhance the likeness of their work. Members of the Champion team also talked about their experience in the two-day internship at Index Game, offering a glimpse of the daily work of a voxel art designer. The contest attracted 21 teams of students from 11 secondary schools. It was impressive that the participating teams went from attending the design software workshops to creating their own work in just two months. The award presenters recognised and appreciated the efforts and dedication of all participating teams. The masterpieces of the Champion, 1st Runner-up and 2nd Runner-up teams are now available on our website for everyone to visit. In addition, photos and highlights of the award presentation ceremony have been uploaded onto our photo gallery, video gallery and YouTube channel. Make sure you don’t miss the remarkable moments of the ceremony!

Time flies. Our signature event, “Exploring New Horizons”, has entered its third year. From January to March this year, we successfully organised “Exploring New Horizons 2024” – a series of 13 laboratory / enterprise visits along with sharing sessions specifically designed for senior secondary students in Hong Kong. The event garnered participation from over 300 individuals across 20 schools. The participating students had opportunities to interact with local scientists / research teams and delve into their work environment, laboratory operation, challenges faced by the research teams, and the latest scientific research projects in Hong Kong. We are delighted that a number of local scientists / research teams have supported this event for the second, or even the third consecutive year. Moreover, we are proud to announce that “Exploring New Horizons 2024” received support from a state key laboratory for the first time. This significant endorsement created opportunities for students to gain exposure to national key research projects. Also, we embarked on a collaboration with a local start-up, introducing students to medical metal 3D printing technology and application. The event photos and captivating highlights have been uploaded to our photo gallery, video gallery and YouTube channel and please enjoy! The HKLF extends its heartfelt gratitude to the enthusiastic participation of all students and teachers and the support of the local scientists / research teams / start-ups. They include:

Prof Chan Chi Hou and his research team from State Key Laboratory of Terahertz and Millimeter Waves (City University of Hong Kong)
Prof Kannie Chan and her research team from Hong Kong Centre for Cerebro-Cardiovascular Health Engineering
Prof Tom Cheung and his research team from the Division of Life Science of The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
Prof Chu Ming-chung and his research team from the Department of Physics of the Chinese University of Hong Kong
Dr Calvin Or and his research team from the Department of Industrial & Manufacturing Systems Engineering of the University of Hong Kong
Prof Patrick Tang and his research team from the Department of Anatomical and Cellular Pathology of the Chinese University of Hong Kong
Prof Carmen Wong and her research team from the Department of Pathology of the University of Hong Kong
Research team from Centre for Immunology & Infection
Research team from Koln 3D Technology (Medical) Limited
Research team from the University of Hong Kong – Pasteur Research Pole

Furthermore, the HKLF forged ‘G3 Alliance’, with HKAGE and Centum Charitas Foundation at the end of last year. Under the principles of ‘Gifted, Groom and Giving’, the alliance aims to identify and nurture the next generation of innovation and technology leaders. Its key event, the “Young STEAM Talent Award”, is now open for registration. This Award is an initiative to create a dynamic platform for Secondary 3 to 6 students in Hong Kong who are keen on STEAM to showcase their creativity, unleash their imaginative ideas and cultivate critical thinking abilities, so as to emerge as leaders in the realms of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices. This Award consists of numerous awards and prizes, including “Top Ten Young STEAM Talents Award”, “Young STEAM Talent of the Year Award” and “Nominator of the Award winners”. Young STEAM Talent Award winners will be entitled the HKAGE membership as well as receive a commendation certificate and scholarship. They will also be joining a well-structured nurturing programme. After the completion of the programme, they will have opportunities to share with the public their learning and research outcomes, paving their ways to scientific research and innovation. The registration deadline for the Award is 15 April 5:00pm. Please visit here for more information.

The HKLF looks forward to future collaborations with more organisations to promote education and exchanges in various disciplines in science and technology in Hong Kong, incubating more scientific research and innovation talents. For the latest news and our upcoming events, stay tuned to our website, social media and the next newsletter!

The Newly Developed High-Efficiency Carbon Dioxide Electroreduction System Targets to Reduce Carbon Footprint and Progress Carbon Neutrality Goals

Background: Global warming continues to pose a threat to human society and the ecological systems, and carbon dioxide accounts for the largest proportion of the greenhouse gases that dominate climate warming. To combat climate change and move towards the goal of carbon neutrality, researchers from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University have developed a durable, highly selective and energy-efficient carbon dioxide (CO₂) electroreduction system that can convert CO₂ into ethylene for industrial purposes to provide an effective solution for reducing CO₂ emissions. This research was recently published in Nature Energy and won a Gold Medal at the 48th International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva in Switzerland.

Ethylene (C₂H₄) is one of the most in-demand chemicals globally and is mainly used in the manufacture of polymers such as polyethylene, which, in turn, can be used to make plastics and chemical fibres commonly used in daily life. However, it is still mostly obtained from petrochemical sources and the production process involves the creation of a very significant carbon footprint.

Durable Electrocatalytic CO₂ Reduction to Ethylene System via Eliminating Carbonate Formation

Introduction: In the fight against climate change, finding efficient ways to reduce CO₂ emissions is crucial. Electrocatalytic CO₂ reduction (ECO₂R) using renewable energy sources has emerged as a promising solution. However, the presence of alkaline conditions and alkali cations during ECO₂R poses challenges, hindering the development of this technology. We explore a groundbreaking pure-water-fed membrane-electrode-assembly (MEA) system that overcomes these obstacles, paving the way for a more stable and efficient ECO₂R process.

Efficient CO₂ reduction is crucial in fighting climate change. ECO₂R with renewable energy is promising, but alkaline conditions and alkali cations pose challenges. Our pure-water-fed MEA system overcomes these, paving the way for a stable and efficient ECO₂R process.

Author:
Prof Daniel Lau, Chair Professor of Nanomaterials and Head of the Department of Applied Physics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Gut Microbiota Modulation for Post-Acute COVID-19 Syndrome: Current Evidence

Post-acute COVID-19 syndrome (“long COVID”) refers to long-term symptoms that persist after acute SARS-CoV-2 infection, affecting multiple organs and systems. Long COVID affects over 65 million people worldwide, yet effective treatment is limited. Our research team at the Faculty of Medicine of the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK Medicine) has completed a large-scale double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled clinical trial, which confirmed that patients who were given an oral synbiotic preparation (SIM01) developed by CUHK experienced significant alleviation in various long COVID symptoms. The landmark findings have been published in the world-leading journal in infectious diseases, The Lancet Infectious Diseases, and presented at the inaugural Hong Kong Laureate Forum in November 2023.

Earlier studies by CUHK Medicine showed close associations between gut microbiota dysbiosis and long COVID. However, no research has yet to confirm that gut microbiota modulation could alleviate long COVID symptoms. SIM01 is a patented oral synbiotic formula developed by CUHK Medicine, who has been keen to utilise big data and machine learning to develop synbiotic formulae of beneficial probiotics and prebiotics for different diseases. In this large-scale double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled clinical study (RECOVERY), our team have evaluated whether SIM01 could alleviate long COVID symptoms. In 2021 to 2022, we have recruited a total of 463 recovered COVID-19 patients to participate in the RECOVERY trial. Participants’ mean age was 49 years, and 65% were female. Nearly 70% of participants were Omicron cases, whilst others were earlier cases. They were enrolled into the study at a median of 4 months after COVID-19 diagnosis and were randomly assigned either into the SIM01 group or the control group at 1:1 ratio. The SIM01 group received SIM01 orally for 6 months, whilst the control group received placebo containing vitamin C orally for 6 months.

Author:
Ms Raphaela Iris Lau, Hong Kong PhD Fellow, Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong

Alpacas and Nanobodies

When we think of alpacas, the first things that pop up in our minds may be holiday farms or alpaca fleece. However, if you ask a biomedical scientist, they may have thought of nanobody, fragment of a special type of antibody.

To appreciate why nanobodies are so special, we must first understand what an antibody looks like (Fig 1). A conventional antibody is composed of two heavy chains and two light chains. These chains are joined by disulfide bonds to form a Y-shaped molecule. The two tips of the Y-shaped antibody are called variable regions, which are responsible for binding to a target antigen. Variable regions of antibodies literally vary greatly and they determine what antigen an antibody will bind to. In addition to conventional antibodies, members of the camelid family, such as alpacas, camels and llamas, also produce a special type of antibody that only consists of two heavy chains. Nanobodies are the variable regions of these special antibodies.

Fig 1: Structures of (a) a conventional antibody, (b) a camelid heavy chain-only antibody, and (c) a nanobody. (L: light chain, H: heavy chain; gray: variable region, purple: constant region)

Author:
Helen Wong, Student Editor, Science Focus, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

關於香港桂冠論壇

歡迎大家來到香港桂冠論壇2024年3月份通訊。

由香港桂冠論壇委員會、Index Game和The Sandbox合辦的「Scientists and Their Contributions立體像素藝術設計比賽」早前已順利舉行，而頒獎禮於3月2日圓滿結束。活動當日，我們很榮幸邀得Index Game營運總監及聯合創辦人王碧琪小姐、The Sandbox香港業務增長主管黃宏誠先生、香港資優教育學苑院長黃金耀博士以及香港桂冠論壇委員會主席唐偉章教授, BBS, JP擔任頒獎嘉賓，一同嘉許參賽隊伍。冠、亞及季軍隊伍分別來自棉紡會中學、港大同學會書院和福建中學，他們於頒獎禮期間向大家分享獲獎感受及參賽得著，包括如何與隊員分工合作、製作時遇到的挑戰、如何能提高作品的像真度等等，而冠軍隊伍亦談及於Index Game實習兩天的體會，並分享了立體像素藝術設計員的日常工作。是次比賽吸引來自11間中學一共21隊的學生參加比賽，他們於短短兩個月內由參加設計軟件工作坊以至製成自己的作品，實在不容易，頒獎嘉賓均對各隊的努力和付出，予以肯定及讚賞。冠、亞及季軍隊伍的作品已上載至我們的網站，歡迎大家按此欣賞！而頒獎禮的精華相片及片段亦已上載至我們的圖片庫、影片庫及YouTube頻道，大家請勿錯過！

不經不覺，我們的重點活動「探索新視野」已踏入第三年。今年1月至3月，我們順利舉辦了「探索新視野2024」，為香港高年級中學生安排一連13場的實驗室/企業參觀及分享會，活動吸引來自一共20間學校超過300人參與。學生透過參與活動，與本地科學家/研究團隊交流，從而了解科研團隊的工作環境、實驗室的運作、團隊於研究過程中遇到的困難，以及香港最新的科研項目等。我們很高興不少本地科學家/研究團隊已連續第二年，甚至第三年，支持這項活動，而「探索新視野2024」更首度獲國家重點實驗室支持，學生得以認識國家重點研究項目。同時，我們首次與本地初創企業合作，讓學生了解醫療金屬三維打印的技術及應用。活動的相片及精華片段已上載至我們的圖片庫、影片庫及YouTube頻道，供大家觀看。桂冠論壇衷心感謝各位學生及老師的踴躍參與，亦感謝一眾本地科學家/研究團隊/初創企業的支持，包括：

香港城市大學太赫茲及毫米波國家重點實驗室陳志豪教授及其研究團隊
香港心腦血管健康工程研究中心陳葦恩教授及其研究團隊
香港科技大學生命科學部張曉東教授及其研究團隊
香港中文大學物理系朱明中教授及其研究團隊
香港大學工業及製造系統工程系柯嘉倫教授及其研究團隊
香港中文大學病理解剖及細胞學系鄧銘權教授及其研究團隊
香港大學病理學系黃澤蕾教授及其研究團隊
免疫與感染研究中心研究團隊
科能三維技術(醫療)有限公司研究團隊
香港大學–巴斯德研究中心研究團隊

另外，桂冠論壇於去年年底與香港資優教育學苑、百仁基金組成「G3聯盟」，本著「Gifted、Groom及Giving」的理念，致力發掘及培育新一代創科領袖。而聯盟合辦的重點活動—「少年創科達人大獎」現已接受報名，這項比賽旨在為全港對STEAM有興趣之中三至中六學生締造多元互動的平台，讓年輕人展現創意丶發揮想像丶培養批判性思考能力，成為環境、社會和管治（ESG）的青年領袖。「少年創科達人大獎」設有多個獎項，包括「十大創科少年獎」丶「年度最佳創科達人獎」及「提名人獎項」，創科獎得獎者可獲得香港資優教育學苑學員資格丶嘉許證書丶及豐富的獎學金。除此之外，亦會接受一系列培訓。完成培育計劃後，他們更有機會與公眾分享學習和研究成果，邁向科研和創科之路。比賽報名截止時間為4月15日下午5時正，請按此瀏覽詳情。

桂冠論壇期望未來能與更多機構合作，推動香港科學和科技各個領域的教育和交流，孕育更多科研及創科人才。有關更多論壇最新的消息和活動資訊，記得留意我們的網站、社交媒體和下一期通訊！

新研發的高效能電催化二氧化碳還原系統 旨在減碳排放 促進邁向碳中和

背景：全球暖化給人類社會和生態系統持續帶來威脅，而主導氣候變暖的溫室氣體中，佔最主要比重的正是二氧化碳。為應對氣候變化的問題和邁向促進碳中和的目標，香港理工大學（理大）的研究團隊成功研發一套耐久、高選擇性、高效的二氧化碳電還原系統，可以將二氧化碳轉化成具有重要戰略意義的基礎化工原料乙烯，作其他工業用途，以為減低二氧化碳排放提供有效的解決方案。此研究成果已於國際科學期刊《Nature Energy》發表，並於第 48 屆瑞士日內瓦「國際發明展」獲得金獎。

乙烯（C₂H₄）是石油化工行業最重要的基礎原料，主要應用於製造聚合物等高分子材料，這些高分子材料可以製造日常使用的塑膠、化纖等。生產乙烯目前仍然主要依賴石化資源，製造過程碳排放高。

通過阻斷碳酸鹽的形成來實現電催化二氧化碳還原製備乙烯之耐久系統

簡介：在應對氣候變化的工作上，尋找減低二氧化碳排放的有效方法十分重要。使用可再生能源進行電催化二氧化碳還原(ECO₂R)已成為一項極具前景的解決方案。但是，在這個 ECO₂R 過程中，鹼性條件和鹼性陽離子的存在引起了一些難度，以致阻礙這種技術的發展。我們正探索採用一種突破性的純水膜電極組 (MEA) 系統，來克服上述障礙，為得出更為穩定、效率更高的 ECO₂R 過程而創造條件。

對於應對氣候變化，有效地減少二氧化碳排放極為重要。雖然採用可再生能源來實現 ECO₂R 過程大有可為，但當中涉及的鹼性條件和鹼性陽離子帶來了一些難題。我們的純水膜電極組系統能夠克服這些困難，為得出穩定、高效的 ECO₂R 過程創造條件。

作者︰
香港理工大學納米材料講座教授兼應用物理學系系主任劉樹平教授

透過改善腸道微生態紓緩新冠肺炎長期綜合後遺症：目前的研究進展

新冠肺炎長期綜合後遺症是指新冠病毒感染後長期持續而影響多個器官的症狀，又稱「長新冠」。長新冠影響全球超過6,500萬人，但仍缺乏有效的治療方法。香港中文大學醫學院的研究團隊完成了一項大型的雙盲、隨機、安慰劑對照臨床研究，證實患者透過服用香港中文大學研發的口服合生製劑（SIM01）有效紓緩多種長新冠症狀。研究結果已於全球權威醫學期刊《刺針傳染病學》（The Lancet Infectious Diseases）及去年十一月之首屆香港桂冠論壇上發表。

中大醫學院早期研究指出腸道微生態失衡與長新冠密切相關，但全球未有研究證實改善腸道微生態能紓緩長新冠症狀。SIM01是香港中文大學的專利配方，研究團隊借助大數據和機器學習，為不同的疾病研發益菌及益生元組合。在這項名為RECOVERY的大型雙盲、隨機、安慰劑對照的臨床研究中，研究團隊評估了SIM01配方能否紓緩長新冠症狀。團隊在2021至2022年共招募463名新冠康復者參與RECOVERY研究。參加者平均年齡49歲，當中女性佔65%，約70%是Omicron個案，其他為較早的個案。參加者平均於新冠確診四個月後參與研究，他們被隨機分成SIM01組及安慰劑組，兩組人數各佔約一半。其中，SIM01組服用了SIM01六個月，而對照組則服用含有維他命C的安慰劑六個月。

作者︰
香港中文大學醫學院內科及藥物治療學系博士研究生劉曉霖

羊駝與奈米抗體

談及羊駝，我們通常會想到假日農場或羊駝絨，但如果你問生物醫學範疇的科學家的話，他們卻可能會想起一種特殊抗體的片段 — 奈米抗體。

要明白奈米抗體的特殊之處，我們須先了解抗體的結構（圖一）。傳統抗體是由兩條重鏈和兩條輕鏈通過二硫鍵連接形成的 Y 形分子。Y形抗體的兩個尖端稱為可變區，負責與目標抗原結合。一如其名，可變區可以有不同的變化，它們決定抗體與甚麼抗原結合。除傳統抗體外，羊駝、駱駝和駱馬等駱駝科動物也會製造一種僅由兩條重鏈組成的特殊抗體，而奈米抗體就是這些特殊抗體的可變區。

圖一： (a) 傳統抗體、(b) 駱駝科動物只有重鏈的抗體及(c) 奈米抗體（L：輕鏈、H：重鏈、灰色：可變區、紫色：恆定區）

作者︰
香港科技大學《科言》學生編輯王思齊

关于香港桂冠论坛

欢迎大家来到香港桂冠论坛2024年3月份通讯。

由香港桂冠论坛委员会、Index Game和The Sandbox合办的「Scientists and Their Contributions立体像素艺术设计比赛」早前已顺利举行，而颁奖礼于3月2日圆满结束。活动当日，我们很荣幸邀得Index Game营运总监及联合创办人王碧琪小姐、The Sandbox香港业务增长主管黄宏诚先生、香港资优教育学苑院长黄金耀博士以及香港桂冠论坛委员会主席唐伟章教授, BBS, JP担任颁奖嘉宾，一同嘉许参赛队伍。冠、亚及季军队伍分别来自棉纺会中学、港大同学会书院和福建中学，他们于颁奖礼期间向大家分享获奖感受及参赛得著，包括如何与队员分工合作、制作时遇到的挑战、如何能提高作品的像真度等等，而冠军队伍亦谈及于Index Game实习两天的体会，并分享了立体像素艺术设计员的日常工作。是次比赛吸引来自11间中学一共21队的学生参加比赛，他们于短短两个月内由参加设计软件工作坊以至制成自己的作品，实在不容易，颁奖嘉宾均对各队的努力和付出，予以肯定及赞赏。冠、亚及季军队伍的作品已上载至我们的网站，欢迎大家按此欣赏！而颁奖礼的精华相片及片段亦已上载至我们的图片库、影片库及YouTube频道，大家请勿错过！

不经不觉，我们的重点活动「探索新视野」已踏入第三年。今年1月至3月，我们顺利举办了「探索新视野2024」，为香港高年级中学生安排一连13场的实验室/企业参观及分享会，活动吸引来自一共20间学校超过300人参与。学生透过参与活动，与本地科学家/研究团队交流，从而了解科研团队的工作环境、实验室的运作、团队于研究过程中遇到的困难，以及香港最新的科研项目等。我们很高兴不少本地科学家/研究团队已连续第二年，甚至第三年，支持这项活动，而「探索新视野2024」更首度获国家重点实验室支持，学生得以认识国家重点研究项目。同时，我们首次与本地初创企业合作，让学生了解医疗金属三维打印的技术及应用。活动的相片及精华片段已上载至我们的图片库、影片库及YouTube频道，供大家观看。桂冠论坛衷心感谢各位学生及老师的踊跃参与，亦感谢一众本地科学家/研究团队/初创企业的支持，包括：

香港城市大学太赫兹及毫米波国家重点实验室陈志豪教授及其研究团队
香港心脑血管健康工程研究中心陈苇恩教授及其研究团队
香港科技大学生命科学部张晓东教授及其研究团队
香港中文大学物理系朱明中教授及其研究团队
香港大学工业及制造系统工程系柯嘉伦教授及其研究团队
香港中文大学病理解剖及细胞学系邓铭权教授及其研究团队
香港大学病理学系黄泽蕾教授及其研究团队
免疫与感染研究中心研究团队
科能三维技术(医疗)有限公司研究团队
香港大学–巴斯德研究中心研究团队

另外，桂冠论坛于去年年底与香港资优教育学苑、百仁基金组成「G3联盟」，本著「Gifted、Groom及Giving」的理念，致力发掘及培育新一代创科领袖。而联盟合办的重点活动—「少年创科达人大奖」现已接受报名，这项比赛旨在为全港对STEAM有兴趣之中三至中六学生缔造多元互动的平台，让年轻人展现创意丶发挥想像丶培养批判性思考能力，成为环境、社会和管治（ESG）的青年领袖。「少年创科达人大奖」设有多个奖项，包括「十大创科少年奖」丶「年度最佳创科达人奖」及「提名人奖项」，创科奖得奖者可获得香港资优教育学苑学员资格丶嘉许证书丶及丰富的奖学金。除此之外，亦会接受一系列培训。完成培育计划后，他们更有机会与公众分享学习和研究成果，迈向科研和创科之路。比赛报名截止时间为4月15日下午5时正，请按此浏览详情。

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新研发的高效能电催化二氧化碳还原系统 旨在减碳排放 促进迈向碳中和

背景：全球暖化给人类社会和生态系统持续带来威胁，而主导气候变暖的温室气体中，占最主要比重的正是二氧化碳。为应对气候变化的问题和迈向促进碳中和的目标，香港理工大学（理大）的研究团队成功研发一套耐久、高选择性、高效的二氧化碳电还原系统，可以将二氧化碳转化成具有重要战略意义的基础化工原料乙烯，作其他工业用途，以为减低二氧化碳排放提供有效的解决方案。此研究成果已于国际科学期刊《Nature Energy》发表，并于第 48 届瑞士日内瓦「国际发明展」获得金奖。

乙烯（C₂H₄）是石油化工行业最重要的基础原料，主要应用于制造聚合物等高分子材料，这些高分子材料可以制造日常使用的塑胶、化纤等。生产乙烯目前仍然主要依赖石化资源，制造过程碳排放高。

通过阻断碳酸盐的形成来实现电催化二氧化碳还原制备乙烯之耐久系统

简介：在应对气候变化的工作上，寻找减低二氧化碳排放的有效方法十分重要。使用可再生能源进行电催化二氧化碳还原(ECO₂R)已成为一项极具前景的解决方案。但是，在这个 ECO₂R 过程中，碱性条件和碱性阳离子的存在引起了一些难度，以致阻碍这种技术的发展。我们正探索采用一种突破性的纯水膜电极组 (MEA) 系统，来克服上述障碍，为得出更为稳定、效率更高的 ECO₂R 过程而创造条件。

对于应对气候变化，有效地减少二氧化碳排放极为重要。虽然采用可再生能源来实现 ECO₂R 过程大有可为，但当中涉及的碱性条件和碱性阳离子带来了一些难题。我们的纯水膜电极组系统能够克服这些困难，为得出稳定、高效的 ECO₂R 过程创造条件。

作者︰
香港理工大学纳米材料讲座教授兼应用物理学系系主任刘树平教授

透过改善肠道微生态纾缓新冠肺炎长期综合后遗症：目前的研究进展

新冠肺炎长期综合后遗症是指新冠病毒感染后长期持续而影响多个器官的症状，又称「长新冠」。长新冠影响全球超过6,500万人，但仍缺乏有效的治疗方法。香港中文大学医学院的研究团队完成了一项大型的双盲、随机、安慰剂对照临床研究，证实患者透过服用香港中文大学研发的口服合生制剂（SIM01）有效纾缓多种长新冠症状。研究结果已于全球权威医学期刊《刺针传染病学》（The Lancet Infectious Diseases）及去年十一月之首届香港桂冠论坛上发表。

中大医学院早期研究指出肠道微生态失衡与长新冠密切相关，但全球未有研究证实改善肠道微生态能纾缓长新冠症状。SIM01是香港中文大学的专利配方，研究团队借助大数据和机器学习，为不同的疾病研发益菌及益生元组合。在这项名为RECOVERY的大型双盲、随机、安慰剂对照的临床研究中，研究团队评估了SIM01配方能否纾缓长新冠症状。团队在2021至2022年共招募463名新冠康复者参与RECOVERY研究。参加者平均年龄49岁，当中女性占65%，约70%是Omicron个案，其他为较早的个案。参加者平均于新冠确诊四个月后参与研究，他们被随机分成SIM01组及安慰剂组，两组人数各占约一半。其中，SIM01组服用了SIM01六个月，而对照组则服用含有维他命C的安慰剂六个月。

作者︰
香港中文大学医学院内科及药物治疗学系博士研究生刘晓霖

羊驼与奈米抗体

谈及羊驼，我们通常会想到假日农场或羊驼绒，但如果你问生物医学范畴的科学家的话，他们却可能会想起一种特殊抗体的片段 — 奈米抗体。

要明白奈米抗体的特殊之处，我们须先了解抗体的结构（图一）。传统抗体是由两条重链和两条轻链通过二硫键连接形成的 Y 形分子。Y形抗体的两个尖端称为可变区，负责与目标抗原结合。一如其名，可变区可以有不同的变化，它们决定抗体与甚么抗原结合。除传统抗体外，羊驼、骆驼和骆马等骆驼科动物也会制造一种仅由两条重链组成的特殊抗体，而奈米抗体就是这些特殊抗体的可变区。

图一： (a) 传统抗体、(b) 骆驼科动物只有重链的抗体及(c) 奈米抗体（L：轻链、H：重链、灰色：可变区、紫色：恒定区）

作者︰
香港科技大学《科言》学生编辑王思齐