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The University of Hong Kong has secured more than HK$72 million in the Research Grants Council’s 2025/26 Exercise, reflecting the institution’s growing role in technology-driven and translational research. Twelve projects led by HKU have been funded, with three supported under the Research Impact Fund and nine under the Collaborative Research Fund. The Research Impact Fund projects highlight technologies that could reshape critical industrial and environmental domains.
One project centres on gallium nitride chip technology designed to enable vertical power delivery to artificial intelligence processors in data centres. By rethinking power architecture at the semiconductor level, the research aims to improve energy efficiency thermal performance and system density in high-performance computing environments that increasingly underpin cloud services machine learning and digital infrastructure.
A second RIF project focuses on single-base m6A epitranscriptomic profiling, an emerging molecular technique that could refine cancer biomarker discovery and precision medicine. By mapping chemical modifications on RNA at unprecedented resolution, the research seeks to generate new diagnostic tools and therapeutic targets that go beyond traditional genomic approaches, potentially improving how clinicians detect and treat complex diseases.
The third RIF-funded initiative addresses the sustainability of Hong Kong’s oyster industry through advanced environmental and biological research. By studying ecological stressors and developing science-based restoration strategies, the project integrates marine science with environmental management to protect aquaculture livelihoods while strengthening resilience in coastal ecosystems.
Under the Collaborative Research Fund, HKU leads a diverse portfolio of multi-disciplinary projects with a strong technological and scientific orientation. One initiative is developing an angle-resolved ultrafast cathodoluminescent microscope to support research in quantum optics and quantum materials.
This highly specialised imaging platform is expected to provide new insights into light-matter interactions at the nanoscale, a capability with implications for next-generation photonic devices sensors and computing systems.
Another CRF project examines the neural mechanisms of consolidated memory editing in both humans and mice. By combining neuroscience advanced imaging and computational analysis, the research could deepen understanding of how memories are modified stored and retrieved, informing future technologies in brain-computer interfaces cognitive rehabilitation and artificial intelligence modelling.
Several projects concentrate on biomedical and molecular technologies. One investigates immune dynamics and drug resistance in FGFR2-altered intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, using molecular and computational tools to identify new therapeutic pathways.
Another explores how non-homologous end joining regulates nucleosome remodelling during human DNA repair, a fundamental process relevant to genome stability and cancer treatment.
A further study examines the mechanisms of coronavirus RNA replication and movement within replication organelles, research that could strengthen antiviral drug development and pandemic preparedness.
A separate project analyses human centromere structure and its maintenance, contributing to the broader understanding of chromosome stability and cellular division.
Beyond biomedical science, HKU is also advancing technology for climate resilience and sustainable infrastructure. One CRF project proposes an adaptive transboundary flood risk governance framework for the Greater Bay Area, integrating social ecological and technological systems. By combining data modelling sensor networks and policy analysis, the research aims to improve predictive capabilities and coordinated disaster management across regional boundaries.
Materials science is another focal area. A project on sustainable structural materials is investigating microstructure evolution alongside simulation tools and experimental methods. The work seeks to inform the design of stronger lighter and more environmentally responsible materials for construction manufacturing and transport.
The final CRF project centres on wafer-scale integration of III-V semiconductors with lithium niobate to create advanced lasers and photonic circuits. This research targets scalable fabrication techniques for high-performance optical components that could support faster communications quantum technologies and integrated photonics platforms.
The funded projects illustrate HKU’s emphasis on technology-driven research that spans semiconductors quantum science biomedical innovation environmental resilience and advanced materials.
