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CUHK secures 18 awards at 51st International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva
Synbiotic liver health innovation wins Saudi Arabia Ministry of Health Excellence Award
The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) achieved outstanding recognition at the 51st International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva, with 17 innovative projects securing 18 awards. The accolades included four Gold Medals with Congratulations of the Jury, nine Golds and four Silvers. One project was honoured with the Saudi Innovation Excellence Prize from the Ministry of Health, highlighting CUHK’s dedication to advancing global technology innovation and its practical applications.
Professor Sham Mai-har, CUHK’s Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research), stated: “The outstanding achievements of CUHK at this year’s Geneva International Exhibition of Inventions demonstrate our exceptional strength in global research and innovation. This remarkable accomplishment affirms the dedication of our research teams to pursuing innovation and promoting knowledge transfer and practical applications. Our interdisciplinary research has made significant contributions to scientific and technological advancement, as well as to improving the quality of life for the general public. I sincerely congratulate all the award-winning teams and look forward to seeing them continue to shine on the international stage.”
A standout achievement came from the distinguished research team led by Professor Ng Siew-chien, Croucher Professor in Medical Sciences, Associate Dean (Research) of the Faculty of Medicine, Professor in the Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Director of CUHK InnoHK’s Microbiota I-Center (MagIC) and co-founder of CUHK startup Geniebiome Limited, alongside Professor Francis Chan Ka-leung, Choh-Ming Li Professor of Medicine and Therapeutics, Professor in the Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, and co-Director of CUHK InnoHK’s MagIC. Their project “A Novel Synbiotic Formula (SLD07) for Liver Health” won the Saudi Innovation Excellence Prize – Ministry of Health and a Gold Medal. This innovative formulation targets metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) and has demonstrated potential in preclinical models and pilot clinical studies, showing reductions in liver fat and stiffness, improved metabolic parameters and a strong safety profile.
CUHK’s award-winning projects this year span cutting-edge fields such as satellite technology, healthcare, AI, medical diagnostics, sustainable energy and robotics. Each possesses powerful potential for real-world translation, addressing some of the most pressing global challenges today. These innovations are poised to deliver profound societal impact and contribute to building a smarter, healthier, more sustainable future.
The International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva is the largest global exhibition dedicated solely to inventions. Each exhibited entry has been thoroughly evaluated by an international jury of experts. This year’s exhibition featured over 1,000 inventions from 40 countries and regions. The Hong Kong delegation, which contributed over 280 entries, comprised representatives from 10 universities and institutes, seven government departments, over 20 quangos and tech companies, and seven organisations supporting student teams.
CUHK claimed an impressive haul at the 51st International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva, winning 18 awards.
A CUHK team wins the Saudi Innovation Excellence Prize – Ministry of Health.
The project “A novel synbiotic formula (SLD07) for liver health”, led by Professor Ng Siew Chien from the Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, was awarded a Gold Medal and the Saudi Innovation Excellence Prize – Ministry of Health.
The project “Artificial intelligence driven virtual client system and method for real time simulated
supervision and training in Acceptance and
Commitment Therapy (ACT)”, led by Professor Chong Yuen Yu from the School of Nursing, was awarded a Gold Medal with Congratulations of the Jury.
The project “A multigradient organ-on-a-chip system for modeling complex tissue interfaces”, led Professor Alan Li Zhong from the Department of Biomedical Engineering, was awarded a Gold Medal with Congratulations of the Jury.
The project “Integrated biowaste-to-green fuels generator”, led Professor Song Chunshan from the Department of Chemistry, was awarded a Gold Medal with Congratulations of the Jury.
The projects “AI-enhanced InSAR data processing software for urban health monitoring” and “AI large language model-powered CUHK remote sensing satellite system for near-real-time disaster/geohazard monitoring”, led Professor Ma Peifeng from the Department of Geography and Resource Management, were awarded a Gold Medal with Congratulations of the Jury and a Gold Medal, respectively.
The project “For early screening of Alzheimer’s disease and assessment of brain health”, led Professor Carol Cheung Yim Lui from the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, was awarded a Gold Medal.
The project “Precision Nanobody-RiboTAC Platform: Targeted RNA Degradation Therapy” and “Methods for identifying non-canonical neoepitopes” led Professor Wang Xin at the Department of Surgery, were both awarded a Gold Medal.
The projects “An innovative RNF180 methylation detection kit for non-invasive diagnosis of gastric cancer” and “A novel blood-based biomarker panel for non-invasive diagnosis of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis”, led Professor Yu Jun from the Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, were both awarded Gold Medals.
The project “New disease-modifying osteoarthritis drug (DMOAD): AflexOA”, led Professor Jiang Yangzi from the School of Biomedical Sciences, was awarded a Gold Medal.
The project “Automatic myopia screening system”, led Professor Yam Cheuk Sing Jason from the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, was awarded a Gold Medal.
