UM SKL-IOTSC holds Academic Committee meeting and reports on its progress

The State Key Laboratory of Internet of Things for Smart City (SKL-IOTSC) of the University of Macau (UM) recently held its fifth Academic Committee meeting and reported on its latest research achievements and progress. The president and members of the committee highly praised the research achievements made by the laboratory.

The meeting was attended by Che Weng Keong, president of the Administrative Committee of the Science and Technology Development Fund of the Macao SAR; Mei Hong, Cheng Shijie, and Jin Hongguang, members of the Chinese Academy of Sciences; Fan Weicheng, Wang Endong, and Zhang Ping, members of the Chinese Academy of Engineering; Yonghua Song, rector of UM and director of SKL-IOTSC; Lionel Ni, founding president of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou); Lv Weifeng, vice president of Beihang University; Wu Jianping, professor at Tsinghua University; Jiang Tao, professor at Huazhong University of Science and Technology; and ten key researchers of SKL-IOTSC.

The meeting was chaired by Mei Hong, chair of the Academic Committee. Che Weng Keong said in his speech that SKL-IOTSC has made many significant breakthroughs since its inception. Under the leadership of Song and with the dedication of the researchers, it has made remarkable achievements and won a number of the Macao Science and Technology Award, the National Award for Excellence in Innovation, and the Guanghua Engineering Science and Technology Prize, which is regarded as the most prestigious award in the field of engineering in China. In the field of smart city development and technological innovation, the laboratory has built a world-class smart city research platform, covering a number of major areas such as urban big data, smart integrated energy management, autonomous driving technology, digital simulation of ocean disasters, and super intelligent computing. In response to the global energy crisis, it took UM as a pilot unit and has successfully developed the University of Macau Smart Integrated Energy Management Platform, which enables intelligent data collection and remote control of the energy system and effectively improves energy efficiency. The laboratory has also achieved remarkable results in the field of intelligent driving. It has developed the key technologies and platforms for Collaborative Intelligence‐driven Autonomous Vehicles and conducted testing and research on an autonomous bus for application in future intelligent transport systems. At the same time, the laboratory has developed a variety of sensors through unique and innovative research methodologies and interdisciplinary collaboration, such as the use of fibre optic sensing technology for monitoring and early warning of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge. These achievements of the laboratory provide strong support for the sustainable development and intelligent transformation of cities.

Song said that SKL-IOTSC will continue to adhere to its commitment, take outstanding talent as the cornerstone, and reach new heights in scientific research, so as to contribute to the city’s intelligent transformation and sustainable development with its strengths in science and technology and make substantial contributions to the development strategies of Macao and the country.

In addition, Ma Shaodan, associate director of SKL-IOTSC, reported on the development progress and research results of the laboratory in 2023 and introduced its future development plan and key tasks. The members of the Academic Committee highly praised the laboratory’s achievements in scientific and technological innovation, talent cultivation, industry-academia collaboration, and open research projects. They also suggested that it should strive to make progress in major research projects, deepen research on fundamental theories and technologies, continuously promote the commercialisation of research results, and make full use of Macao’s strengths to participate in major national science and technology projects.

To read the news on UM’s official website, please visit the following link:
https://www.um.edu.mo/news-and-press-releases/press-release/detail/56324/

UM research results exhibited at MIECF

Four research projects from the University of Macau (UM) were exhibited at the 2023 Macao International Environmental Co-operation Forum and Exhibition (2023 MIECF) and were well received by many guests and attendees. The research teams also established business connections with a number of companies. Through the event, the university hopes to strengthen the influence of its research results and promote industry-university-research collaboration with companies in the field of environmental protection. The research projects exhibited included: (1) a novel real-time automatic VFA & alkalinity analyser developed by Assistant Professor Hao Tianwei and Research Assistant Professor Qian Guangsheng in the Faculty of Science and Technology (FST); (2) a rapid diagnostic method for monitoring oxygen stoichiometry in proton exchange membrane fuel cells developed by Assistant Professor Zhang Ping in the FST; (3) a ‘plug-and-play, easy-to-modify and high-reliability’ indoor energy management system developed by Smart Energy in Macao (SEM); and (4) Macau BioPeTech eco-friendly BSG cat litter developed by an entrepreneurial team of Cheng Yu Tung College.

To read the news on UM’s official website, please visit the following link:
https://www.um.edu.mo/news-and-press-releases/press-release/detail/56310/

UM invites HKUST(GZ) president to give talk on AI and higher education

The University of Macau (UM) will hold a talk titled ‘Preparing Talents for the Future: Impact of AIGC on Higher Education’ on Monday 21 August, as part of its University Lecture Series. Lionel Ni, president of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou) (HKUST(GZ)) and chair professor of Computer Science and Engineering at HKUST, will be the guest speaker. During the talk, he will discuss the development of higher education in the age of artificial intelligence (AI), and analyse how the application of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AIGC) reinforces the further shifts of jobs in the labour market. He will also talk about how the HKUST(GZ) prepares students to thrive in the AI-driven era and to be equipped for the future of the workforce by offering transformative learning experiences characterised by individualisation and a digitally enhanced environment.

The talk will begin at 3:30pm in the Multi-function Hall of the UM Guest House (N1-G014) and will be conducted in English. All are welcome. To attend the talk, please make an online registration at https://isw.um.edu.mo/evm/register/uls_ni2023G. For enquiries, please call 8822 4504 or email uls@um.edu.mo.

To read the news on UM’s official website, please visit the following link:
https://www.um.edu.mo/news-and-press-releases/press-release/detail/56295/

UM welcomes 4,400 new students, rector hopes students to be courageous and innovative

The University of Macau (UM) today (15 August) held the Convocation and First Lecture of University of the 2023/2024 academic year, welcoming 4,400 new students. UM Rector Yonghua Song expressed hope that the new students will embark on their new journey with optimism and confidence, be diligent in their thoughts, be courageous and innovative, and become globally competitive talent who make contributions to the country and Macao.

The convocation was kicked off by a performance by UM Symphonic Band. In his speech, Song said that this year marks the beginning of a new phase in epidemic control, and that the university will follow closely the country’s development strategy and the Macao SAR government’s policy direction, continue to strengthen talent cultivation, promote industry-academia-research collaboration, and function as a high-level think-tank. He stressed that the university attaches great importance to research and innovation, and is committed to fostering an excellent academic culture and environment that provides students with more opportunities to participate in cutting-edge scientific and interdisciplinary research. He also encouraged the new students to face up to the undergoing unprecedented changes in the world, embrace the opportunities and challenges brought by a new round of technological revolution and industrial transformation, and develop their knowledge and ability.

UM has enrolled more than 1,900 undergraduates and nearly 2,500 postgraduates in the new academic year. It has also launched several degree programmes to meet the Macao SAR government’s policy objectives and social development needs. The new programmes include the Bachelor of Law in Chinese Law and Global Legal Studies, which is taught in English and has attracted students from Macao, mainland China, and overseas, as well as six postgraduate programmes in philosophy, artificial intelligence, robotics and autonomous systems, coastal environment and safety, innovative materials, and medicinal administration. Moreover, the university presented a range of scholarships and assistantships to nearly 700 new students to support their holistic development. These include the Grand Lotus Scholarship, Golden Lotus Scholarship, Silver Lotus Scholarship, and First Year Scholarship under the Principals’ Recommended Admission Scheme, the University of Macau Scholarship for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Programmes, the UM PhD Scholarship, and the UM PhD Research Assistantships and Teaching Assistantships.

At the convocation, Song also gave the first lecture to the new students, introducing them to the history, characteristics, and academic achievements of UM. He encouraged the new students to make good use of the university’s abundant resources and integrate their learning and living for a richer student life, adding that they should embrace the multicultural campus culture and actively participate in different activities so as to establish a social network and lay the foundation for their future career development. The university also awarded prizes to outstanding students who are on the Rector’s Honour List, and presented the award of The Most Supportive College to UM National Flag Team to Shiu Pong College. In addition, a flag-raising ceremony was held before the convocation, and was attended by about 2,000 UM students, faculty, and staff, including Rector Yonghua Song, Vice Rectors Michael Hui and Mok Kai Meng, deans of faculties, and residential college masters.

To read the news on UM’s official website, please visit the following link:
https://www.um.edu.mo/news-and-press-releases/press-release/detail/56279/

Delegation led by Guizhou Vice Governor Cai Chaolin visits UM

A delegation led by Cai Chaolin, vice governor of the Guizhou Provincial People’s Government, recently visited the University of Macau (UM) and was warmly received by UM Rector Yonghua Song. At the University Gallery, Song told the delegation about UM’s unique advantages, history, and development, as well as its commitment to nurturing more talent who love the country and Macao, creating more technological achievements, and helping the Macao SAR to promote economic diversification and integrate into national development. The delegation also visited the State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine and the Macao Centre for Research and Development in Chinese Medicine, where they learned about the university’s development and achievements in Chinese medicine R&D and the commercialisation of research results. The delegation members highly praised UM for its development in recent years as well as its remarkable research achievements.

To read the news on UM’s official website, please visit the following link:
https://www.um.edu.mo/news-and-press-releases/press-release/detail/56251/

UM establishes precise immunoassay platform for detecting cancer-related markers

A research team led by Kwok Hang Fai, associate professor in the Faculty of Health Sciences (FHS) at the University of Macau (UM), has made significant progress in establishing a robust photoelectrochemical (PEC) immunoassay platform to evaluate cancer-related markers with rapidity and accuracy. The research results have been published in the internationally renowned journal Biosensors and Bioelectronics and have received considerable attention.

Biomarkers are substances that can be used to distinguish cancer cells from normal cells. They can be measured in tissues, blood, or body fluids. In the clinic, biomarkers are often used to help cancer patients to choose the most appropriate treatment. Prof Kwok’s research team has successfully developed an ultra-sensitive and stable biosensing platform for the recovery of disease-related markers such as carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) in low-abundance serum samples. This method reduces additional expensive instrumentation support through a rationally constructed biocatalytic precipitation scheme with a stable photoanode system.

The experimental results revealed that the outer carbon layer introduced on the inorganic photoactive materials could cause the amplifying photocurrent by improving light harvesting and separating photo-generated e-/h+ pairs. Under optimum conditions, the split-type PEC immunosensing platform displayed good photocurrent responses within the dynamic range of 0.01-80 ng mL-1 CEA. It allowed the detection of CEA as low as a concentration of 3.6 pg mL-1 at the 3Sblank level. The strong attachment of the antibodies onto the nano label and high-performing photoanode produced good repeatability and reduced the intermediate precision to 9.83%. No significant differences at the 0.05 significance level were encountered in analysing six human serum specimens between the developed PEC immunoassay and the commercially available CEA ELISA kits.

The PEC bioimmunosensing strategy developed by Prof Kwok’s research team has the following advantages: (1) The split immunoincubation and catalytic procedures reduce the interference to the electrode signal by reducing the confusion of the test environment; (2) the CdS@C photoanode system exhibits efficient photoelectric conversion efficiency and stability; and (3) the developed assay has clear stability and resistance to interference. According to the research team, the established robust PEC immunoassay method can address the appearance of false reports due to signal fluctuations and can be used to evaluate cancer-related markers in the field with rapidity and accuracy.

Prof Kwok is the primary corresponding author of the study. FHS postdoctoral fellow Guo Libin and PhD graduate Li Bin share the co-first authorship. PhD student Wong Sin Wa and former postdoctoral fellow Ge Lilin also made contributions to the study. The research project was supported by the Science and Technology Development Fund of the Macao SAR (File no: 0027/2022/A1). The full version of the research article can be viewed at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0956566323003469.

To read the news on UM’s official website, please visit the following link:
https://www.um.edu.mo/news-and-press-releases/campus-news/detail/56246/

UM’s orientation activities help new students adapt to campus life

As the 2023/2024 academic year is about to start, the University of Macau (UM) recently organised a series of new student orientation activities themed ‘The Way to UM’ to help new students to adapt to the university environment. The activities also enabled new students to make new friends, obtain information about the campus, and established a good relationship of communication and cooperation between the university and the parents.

To facilitate the arrival of new students from mainland China, UM provided shuttle bus services at the Border Gate and Hengqin Port. Rector Yonghua Song, Vice Rector Mok Kai Meng, and Dean of Students Paul Pang visited ten residential colleges to welcome the new students and their parents during the move-in period.

Aidan Chen, a new student in the Faculty of Arts and Humanities and Cheong Kun Lun College, said that he was warmly welcomed by the upper-level students at the college, who introduced him to information about the college and helped him move into the college, believing that the college’s diverse activities would help students achieve personal growth. Lin Pui Chan, a new student in the Faculty of Business Administration and Stanley Ho East Asia College, mentioned that the ice-breaking activities and campus tours organised by the college helped new students from around the world feel more comfortable in the new environment, and he looked forward to enjoying his university life in such a free and fulfilling atmosphere. Dannie Chan, a second-year student in the Faculty of Health Sciences and Cheng Yu Tung College, said that helping new students moving into the college made him recall his similar experience last year, and he expressed hope that the new students would feel the care and warmth at the college.

To help new students prepare for their campus life, UM held the talk ‘First Step to UM’, during which representatives from the Student Affairs Office, Office of Sports Affairs, and the University of Macau Students’ Union introduced new undergraduate students to the university’s student services, training programmes, campus information and facilities, and academic regulations and guidelines. Moreover, the university invited the Judiciary Police to give four talks on the latest fraudulent practices and fraud prevention tips for students and parents in order to raise their awareness of fraud prevention. The Fire Services Bureau was also invited to give two talks on fire safety. A series of briefings was held to enable new students to access information on campus life, residence regulations, student care services, campus safety, and gender equity.

In addition, UM held the ‘Town Hall with Parents’ with the aim of promoting home-school cooperation and deepening parents’ understanding of the university. Rector Song gave a detailed presentation on UM’s whole-person education model and shared how the university addresses the challenges posed by global change. He also expressed hope that parents would build up mutual trust and respect with their children and cultivate their positive thinking and sense of responsibility, so that they could contribute to their families, society, and the country in the future. The parents appreciated UM’s educational philosophy and exchanged ideas with the rector and other department heads to find out more about their children’s studies and campus life.

To read the news on UM’s official website, please visit the following link:
https://www.um.edu.mo/news-and-press-releases/press-release/detail/56242/

UM develops novel antibacterial drug against drug-resistant bacteria

A research team led by Lee Tsz On, associate professor in the Faculty of Health Sciences (FHS) at the University of Macau (UM), has made a breakthrough in the study of bacteria. They have identified a novel antibacterial compound that can effectively kill bacterial pathogens that are resistant to antibiotic treatments, providing a new strategy for treating drug-resistant bacterial infections. The research results have been published in the internationally renowned journal International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents.

Bacterial infections were once one of the greatest threats to human health. The deadliest pandemic in human history, known as the Black Death, devastated medieval Europe, resulting in approximately 200 million deaths worldwide. It was later confirmed that the culprit behind the Black Death was the bacterium Yersinia pestis. In the past, due to the lack of effective treatment methods, even a minor bacterial infection in a wound could be life-threatening. With the advent of antibiotics, this dark period saw a ray of hope. Antibiotics enabled us to treat wound infections and respiratory tract infections effectively, as well as perform various surgeries safely. However, with the widespread use of antibiotics, bacteria have gradually evolved the ability to evade antibiotic killing, leading to antibiotic resistance. As more and more bacteria are proving resistant to multiple or even all clinically available antibiotics, it seems that another dark period similar to the pre-antibiotic era is upon us. Therefore, the development of new antibacterial drugs has become imminent to address the growing problem of antibiotic resistance.

To quickly identify new drugs that can effectively combat drug-resistant bacteria, the research team screened a commercial chemical compound library. Most of the compounds in the library are already approved for treating non-bacterial infections. Reutilising these approved drugs to treat drug-resistant bacterial infections would not only significantly reduce the time required for new drug development, but also avoid potential unknown side effects and fully explore the clinical value of these drugs. After a series of screenings, the research team discovered a compound called BMS. This compound can not only kill drug-resistant bacteria directly, but also enhance the therapeutic effects of the clinical antibiotic colistin. The results showed that the compound exhibits good therapeutic effects against many drug-resistant clinical bacteria and even multidrug-resistant bacteria. In addition, the research team also analysed the BMS compound’s target on bacteria and its mechanism of action. The study found that the compound primarily targets the phospholipids on the bacterial cell membrane and exerts its antibacterial effect by damaging the bacterial cell membrane and causing metabolic disturbances in the bacteria. The research provides new insights into the treatment of drug-resistant bacterial infections and the development of novel antibacterial drugs to combat the antibiotic resistance crisis.

Prof Lee and Zheng Jun, former associate professor in the FHS, are the corresponding authors of the study. PhD student Zhang Nian is the first author. Associate Professor Tam Kin Yip, and PhD students Shan Wenying, Gao Liangliang, and Kou Si Hoi in the FHS, technicians Lu Chang and Yang Huilin from Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, and Prof Peng Bo from Sun Yat-sen University also made important contributions to the study. The research was supported by the Science and Technology Development Fund of the Macao SAR (File no: 0016/2020/A1), and UM (File no: MYRG2020-00226-FHS and MYRG2022-00240-FHS). The full version of the paper can be viewed at https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37328075/.

To read the news on UM’s official website, please visit the following link:
https://www.um.edu.mo/news-and-press-releases/campus-news/detail/56239/

UM’s summer camp enables secondary school students to engage in health sciences research

The Faculty of Health Sciences (FHS) of the University of Macau (UM) recently organised two sessions of the Health Sciences Summer Camp, which attracted nearly 70 students from 34 local secondary schools. With the theme of ‘Biological Detectives’, the summer camp provided students with an opportunity to explore the world of biomedical sciences as ‘detectives’ and learn about biomedical research techniques under the guidance of professors and students in the FHS.

The summer camp, which included lectures, hands-on experiments, visits, and exchange sessions, aimed to cultivate students’ interest in health sciences and offer them a glimpse of university life. At the opening ceremony, Xu Ren-He, associate dean of the FHS, welcomed the participants and encouraged them to acquire new knowledge and take an interest in biomedical sciences. Poon Chuen Wai, associate professor in the FHS, told the students about the fundamental concepts, scope of application, and new technologies of biomedical sciences. The participants also visited the Animal Research Core to learn about how it breeds experimental animals that meet the recognised standards and uses transgenic and gene knockout technologies to build animal models, gaining an understanding of UM’s research progress and results in precision oncology.

Many participants said that the summer camp provided them with the opportunity to learn about cutting-edge technologies and experience the strong research atmosphere of UM. Xu Ziheng, a student at Pui Ching Middle School, said that the summer camp enabled him to acquire biological knowledge, and strengthened his interest in health sciences research through hands-on experiments. Leong Choi Io, a student at Colégio de Santa Rosa de Lima – Secção Chinesa, mentioned that engaging in hands-on experiments allowed her to apply basic knowledge to practical operations and made her realise that the accuracy of experiments depends on every single detail, adding that the summer camp enabled her to experience the life of university students and researchers. Chen Hanyang, a student at the School of the Nations, said that he and his teammates worked together to find out the ‘murderer’ using genetic identification technology in a course, which made him realise that scientific research and technology are closely linked to everyday life. Mok Weng Io, a student at Macau Anglican College, noted that the summer camp offered a wealth of activities. In addition to conducting hands-on experiments, she visited core facilities that are equipped with a lot of advanced biomedical equipment, which made her realise that every important invention is the result of the joint efforts of many parties.

To read the news on UM’s official website, please visit the following link:
https://www.um.edu.mo/news-and-press-releases/press-release/detail/56240/

UM SKL-IOTSC’s national key R&D project passes assessment

A key project titled ‘Data Fusion and Dynamic Cognition Technology and Platform for Urban Public Services’ (Project no: 2019YFB2102100), led by Xu Cheng-Zhong, dean of the Faculty of Science and Technology (FST) at the University of Macau (UM) and chief scientist of the State Key Laboratory of Internet of Things for Smart City (SKL-IOTSC) of UM, passed the assessment conducted by the Industry Development and Promotion Center of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and was highly praised by the expert panel. The project is part of the National Key Research and Development Programme in the fields of Internet of Things (IoT) and smart cities.

Song Yonghua, director of the advisory committee of the project, rector of UM, and director of SKL-IOTSC, remarked that the successful completion of the project marked a new milestone for the university in the research of smart city.

By conducting research on key technologies including real-time data collection and collaborative perception of diverse data sources in cities, knowledge association and dynamic growth of urban perception data, extraction of various urban scene patterns and enhancement of situation awareness, and efficient and low-consumption computing platforms, the project introduced the concept of urban knowledge association and environmental perception. In addition, it created the LibCity, an urban dynamic cognition algorithm library, and established a cloud-edge integrated urban brain open platform for small and medium-sized cities. The results of the project were applied in four types of scenarios, namely urban transportation, large-scale events, smart tourism, and public facilities. The relevant demonstrations and trials took place in several small and medium-sized cities and districts, such as Haikou, Jiashan, Mengzi, Jiujiang, Jiaxing, and Qiantang district in Hangzhou.

The project was jointly completed by Alibaba Cloud Co Ltd, Zhuhai UM Science & Technology Research Institute, Zhejiang Lab, South China University of Technology, Beihang University, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou Dianzi University, China Academy of Urban Planning and Design, Beijing Amap Technology, and Zhongjing Hengji, among others. It is also the first national key R&D project undertaken by a scholar from the west coast of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area as the project leader and chief scientist.

To read the news on UM’s official website, please visit the following link:
https://www.um.edu.mo/news-and-press-releases/press-release/detail/56229/