Annual meeting and forum of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau University Library Alliance held at UM

The annual meeting and forum of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau University Library Alliance (GHMULA) were recently held at the University of Macau (UM) Library. 70 representatives from 30 university libraries in Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao attended the meeting and exchanged ideas on the development of and cooperation between the libraries.

Fong Ka Kin, acting head of the Department of Higher Education of the Education and Youth Development Bureau of the Macao SAR government; Wu Jianzhong, university librarian of UM; He Wenping, university librarian of the Sun Yat-sen University; and Benjamin Meunier, university librarian of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, delivered speeches at the opening ceremony. Loi Chi Pang, head of the Department of Public Library Management of the Cultural Affairs Bureau of the Macao SAR government, and representatives of other member libraries of the alliance also attended the ceremony.

In his speech, Fong said that GHMULA had further deepened academic and professional exchanges and research collaboration among institutions in the three regions since its establishment and achieved fruitful results, adding that the alliance provides strong support for talent training in the era of innovation and knowledge-based economy. He expressed hope that the alliance would continue to integrate the strengths of university libraries in the three regions and contribute to the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area as well as the Guangdong-Macao In-depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin.

The theme of the forum was ‘Deepening Library Cooperation and Promoting Sustainable Development’. Speakers at the forum included Flora Ng, university librarian of the University of Hong Kong; Christopher Chan, university librarian of the Hong Kong Baptist University; Lily Ko and Leo Ma, heads of the Chinese University of Hong Kong Library; Yang Tao, director of the South China Normal University Library; Wang Liping, associate university librarian of the South China University of Technology; Qian Guofu, associate university librarian of the Guangdong University of Foreign Studies; Wang Lei, associate university librarian of the Sun Yat-sen University; Yan Shilei, associate university librarian of the Macau University of Science and Technology; and Wu Jianzhong, university librarian of UM.

The meeting was the first face-to-face meeting among the alliance members since the pandemic. During the pandemic, the university libraries not only accumulated experience and developed new methods to create new service models, but also built up sufficient energy for the future. All participants in the event expressed hope that the meeting would further facilitate exchanges and cooperation among university libraries in Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao, thereby contributing to the development of arts and humanities in the Greater Bay Area.

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/55638/

UM, Nam Kwong co-organise ‘May Fourth Cup’ football competition

To commemorate the 101st anniversary of the founding of the Communist Youth League of China and the 104th anniversary of the May Fourth Movement, the University of Macau (UM) and Nam Kwong (Group) Company Limited recently co-organised the ‘May Fourth Cup’ five-a-side football competition, with assistance from UM’s Student Affairs Office and Office of Sports Affairs.

A total of eight teams participated in the competition, including representatives from the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in Macau SAR, Macau Customs, Correctional Services Bureau, Judiciary Police, Bank of China Macau Branch, Zhen Hwa Harbour Construction Company Limited, Nam Kwong (Group) Company Limited, and the Postgraduate House of University of Macau.

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/55627/

UM representative visits Malaysia to expand international student recruitment

To encourage more international students to study at the University of Macau (UM), UM Rector Yonghua Song recently visited Malaysia as part of a delegation formed by representatives of seven higher education institutions in Macao and coordinated by the Education and Youth Development Bureau of the Macao SAR. During the visit, the delegation held a briefing session to promote student recruitment in Malaysia. Rector Song also visited various top universities in Malaysia to facilitate cooperation between UM and Malaysian universities. According to him, expanding UM’s international student body is an important part of the university’s strategy for internationalisation and this visit aimed to help Malaysian students learn more about UM’s education model, key disciplines, residential college system, research resources, and development strategy. In the future, UM will continue to attract outstanding international students by providing more scholarships for them.

During the visit to the United Chinese School Committees’ Association of Malaysia (Dong Zong), the delegation was warmly received by its chairman Tan Tai Kim. Dong Zong and the seven Macao higher education institutions, including UM, later signed a memorandum of understanding to strengthen cooperation in student recruitment in Malaysia, as well as in teacher training and student exchange. To help the public in Malaysia gain a better understanding of Macao and its higher education institutions, the delegation later visited the headquarters of Sin Chew Daily. Both parties exchanged ideas on how to effectively spread the information about studying in Macao among Malaysian students and their parents. The delegation also visited Tunku Abdul Rahman University (UTAR) and the University of Malaya (UM), and was warmly received by UTAR President Ewe Hong Tat and UM Associate Vice-Chancellor (Global Engagement) Yvonne Lim Ai Lian respectively. Rector Song later visited Xiamen University Malaysia and had a meeting with its president Wang Ruifang to discuss plans to strengthen research collaboration and talent training between the two universities.

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/55630/

UM develops therapeutic approach for Parkinson’s disease using curcumin

A research team led by Yuan Zhen, professor in the Faculty of Health Sciences (FHS) at the University of Macau (UM), has made a breakthrough in drug delivery for the therapy of Parkinson’s disease (PD). In response to a major clinical need for PD treatment, the team developed natural killer (NK) cell membrane-camouflaged curcumin (a traditional Chinese medicine) liposomes using cell membrane biomimetic technology. They also discovered that using meningeal lymphatic vessels (MLVs) as drug delivery routes could significantly improve the treatment efficacy of PD. The research results have been published in the internationally renowned journal Research.

PD is a major neurodegenerative disease. At present, about five million individuals are diagnosed with PD worldwide, and China has the largest number of PD patients in the world, with nearly three million cases. Current clinical treatments for PD mainly contain chemical drugs, supplemented with physical stimulation. The former is limited by the blood-brain barrier (BBB), whereas the latter is an invasive and expensive treatment with limited applicability to the population. Therefore, it is of great importance to actively develop new and efficient PD treatments for safeguarding health, reducing the financial burden on the government, and improving patients’ quality of life.

Recent studies on drug intervention in brain disorders have shown that MLVs are the most important component of the drainage system in the brain’s central nervous system. In 2020, Chinese researchers used MLVs as drug delivery routes for the first time, successfully bypassing the BBB to deliver nano-drugs to brain tissues, thereby significantly improving the efficiency of glioma treatment. However, MLVs contain large numbers of immune cells, such as macrophages, B cells, and T cells, which play an immune surveillance role and can quickly clear the nano-drugs, and reduce the efficiency of drug delivery to the brain. In addition, drugs delivered to the brain via the MLV route spread throughout the brain, making it difficult to efficiently target the lesion areas. Therefore, the development of an efficient drug delivery mechanism via MLVs for the treatment of severe brain diseases remains a major challenge.

In the study, NK cell membrane biomimetic liposomes demonstrated the ability to target damaged neurons, resist immune cell phagocytosis, and efficiently enter the brain via the MLV route, which significantly improved motor behaviour deficits and pathological damage in PD mice. In addition, biomimetic liposomes could inhibit MPP+-induced neuronal apoptosis and clear α-syn aggregates secreted by damaged cells, thus preventing more severe neuronal damage. Meanwhile, they could deplete reactive oxygen species (ROS) and exert a neuroprotective effect on neurons. The study not only offers new perspectives for biomimetic Chinese medicine for PD therapy, but also provides new ideas for drug delivery in the treatment of various brain disorders.

Prof Yuan and Shen Zonghai, a researcher at the Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, are the corresponding authors of the study. UM PhD student Liu Jing and PhD graduate Gao Duyang are the co-first authors. The project was funded by UM (File no: MYRG2022-00054-FHS). The full version of the research paper can be viewed at https://spj.science.org/doi/full/10.34133/research.0030.

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/55622/

Delegation led by deputy secretary of CPC Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region Committee visits UM

A delegation led by Erkin Tuniyaz, deputy secretary of the CPC Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region Committee and chairman of the People’s Government of Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, recently visited the University of Macau (UM) and was warmly received by UM Acting Rector Michael Hui. During the visit to the University Gallery, Hui gave the guests an introduction to UM’s history, academic structure, campus facilities, and direction of future development. Members of the delegation also visited Cheng Yu Tung College to learn about UM’s residential college system. They praised UM for its recent development and recognised its efforts in developing a whole-person education model.

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/55621/

UM invites expert Deng Zhixiong to give talk on new scientific research method

The University of Macau (UM) on Thursday 4 May will hold a talk titled ‘The Ingenious Application of the Sum-Difference-Product Principle — A New Scientific Research Method Based on Mathematics’ as part of the University Lecture Series. Deng Zhixiong, former director of the Bureau of Property Right Management and the Bureau of Planning and Development under the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council, will be the guest speaker. During the talk, he will share his insights on the Sum-Difference-Product Principle and discuss its applications as a new research method in social science.

The talk will begin at 10:30am in the Multi-function Hall of the UM Guest House (N1-G014) and will be conducted in Mandarin. All are welcome. To attend the talk in person, please make a registration at https://isw.um.edu.mo/evm/register/uls_0504G. To join the talk online, please register at https://umac.zoom.us/j/91562947196. For enquiries, please call 8822 4504.

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/55619/

UM Faculty of Health Sciences holds symposium on biomedical sciences

The Faculty of Health Sciences (FHS) of the University of Macau (UM) recently held the Seventh Symposium on Biomedical Sciences for Students, Postdoctoral Fellows and Research Assistants. Over 160 researchers participated in the event and had in-depth discussions on topics related to biomedical sciences.

In his speech, Chuxia Deng, dean of FHS, encouraged the participants to be innovative and persistent in scientific research, emphasising that researchers should dare to accept challenges, work hard, and overcome obstacles. He also expressed hope that the participants would take advantage of the symposium to enhance their research output and build their presentation skills.

Hao Dapeng, alumnus of FHS and professor at Harbin Medical University, served as a keynote speaker at the symposium and shared new perspectives on cancer research driven by multi-omics data. The event featured 12 presentations and over 80 research posters covering various topics in biomedical sciences, including cancer and stem cells, genomics, bioinformatics and bioimaging development, ageing and neuroscience, drug discovery and biotechnology, immunology and infectious diseases, and public health.

At the closing ceremony, Xu Renhe, associate dean of FHS, congratulated the 11 recipients of the presentation awards and the nine recipients of the poster awards. He also praised the organising committee for its great efforts in producing the symposium, adding that that the symposium provided a platform for researchers to exhibit their research results through presentations and posters to enhance their competitiveness.

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/55616/

Bank of China Trophy One Million Dollar
Macao Regional Entrepreneurship Competition held at UM

The Bank of China Trophy One Million Dollar Macao Regional Entrepreneurship Competition was held at the University of Macau (UM) again this year, with the trade show and elevator pitch session taking place at the Student Activity Centre. The shortlisted teams will compete in the Macao regional final. The top three teams that emerge from the regional final will represent Macao in the national final, where they will compete with other regional finalists for the grand prize of over RMB 1 million as start-up capital as well as financing opportunities.

During the trade show and elevator pitch session, the participating teams showcased their projects covering topics such as medical equipment, biotechnology, smart city, and financial technology. Through exhibitions and elevator speeches, the participants showcased the prototype of their products, highlighted the new technologies used in developing their products, and explained their innovative business plans. The 90-second elevator pitch aimed to train participants to accurately present the gist of their business plans to potential investors in a limited time frame.

The One Million Dollar Entrepreneurship Competition was launched in 2011 by the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. In recent years, regional competitions have been held in Hong Kong, Macao, Foshan, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Beijing, and the Yangtze River Delta. This is the eighth time that UM has hosted the Macao regional competition, and the event is sponsored by the Bank of China Macau Branch with total prizes worth over MOP 110,000.

Guests who attended the opening ceremony of the competition included Sou Man Kin, deputy general manager of the Personal Banking and Channel Management Department of the Bank of China Macau Branch; Lao Ieng Lam, head of the Scenario Development Division of the Personal Banking and Channel Management Department of the Bank of China Macau Branch; Wong Wai King, chairman of the Macao Legal Exchange and Promotion Association; Stella Lok, managing partner of Leng Kuan Certified Public Accountants; José Chan Rodrigues, president of Macau Live Streaming Association; Lio Kuong Man, supervisor of the Centre for Entrepreneurship and Career Planning at the Macau University of Science and Technology; Cindy Lam, director of the Alumni and Development Office at UM; Jerome Yen, head of the Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at UM; and Elvo Sou, head of the Student Counselling Section at UM.

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/55614/

Entrepreneurial team of UM’s residential college signs cooperation agreement with company in Nansha district

An entrepreneurial team of Cheng Yu Tung College (CYTC) at the University of Macau (UM) recently signed a strategic cooperation agreement with a company located in the Nansha district of Guangzhou. According to the agreement, the company’s OVO PLUS, an incubator in the Nansha district, will provide the team with resources, support, and preferential policies to help its members promote their products in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA). Tam Pui Si, on behalf of BioPeTech (Macau) Limited, a company established by the entrepreneurial team, signed the agreement. Fu Haoming, another member of the team, says that the agreement means that all parties have reached a consensus on the future development of the team in the Nansha district, which will help the team integrate business resources in the GBA, enhance its R&D and production capabilities, and launch its products on the market. The team’s key project is the BioPeTech malted cat litter, a natural and eco-friendly cat litter made from spent grain, a by-product of the beer brewing process. With the support of CYTC, members of the team developed a prototype of the malted cat litter and later founded their company. The project has been incubated at UM’s Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship.

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/55592/

UMSU holds May Fourth Youth Leadership Summit

To commemorate the 104th anniversary of the May Fourth Movement, the University of Macau Students’ Union (UMSU) will organise a string of activities to help young people learn more about the spirit of the May Fourth Movement and cultivate their sense of belonging to China and Macao. The 25th May Fourth Youth Leadership Summit was held today (25 April) to kick off the UMSU May Fourth Activity Series. The summit brought together student leaders from higher education institutions in Macao, the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, as well as other regions in China. Mok Kai Meng, vice rector of UM, said that young people should aspire to become future leaders of the new era with clear goals, a sense of responsibility, and diligence, in order to contribute to China’s modernisation. In her speech, Wu Weng In, vice director general of UMSU, said that this year’s summit focused on topics such as how to become future leaders that can contribute to China’s modernisation, as well as the role of Macao youths in the implementation of the ‘One Country, Two Systems’ policy.

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/55585/