UM develops new drug screening technology for precision medicine

A research team led by Jia Yanwei, assistant professor in the Institute of Microelectronics at the University of Macau (UM), has developed a microfluidic system for drug screening using primary tumour cells, which can offer individual cancer patients a tailored treatment plan that exhibits the best therapeutic results. The system is expected to be used by clinicians in medication guidance, thereby realising the commercialisation of research results and facilitating technological innovation in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. The research findings have been published in the internationally renowned journal Nature Communications.

In recent years, precision medicine has emerged as a hot topic in the medical field. It represents a model of individualised healthcare that tailors the treatment plan and clinical decision for each patient based on the patient’s intrinsic biological information or clinical signs and symptoms. To date, the majority of precision medicine approaches have been based on the genetic abnormalities of each patient. Some drugs are prescribed to patients with certain genetic mutations with the aim of achieving an optimal response, whereas some other patients with specific mutations are not prescribed these drugs due to predicted reduced responsiveness or a high risk of adverse effects. However, clinical data have indicated that an increasing number of genes are involved in the cancer response to a certain drug, making the therapeutic effect based on genetic precision medicine unsatisfying. An alternative approach is to perform drug screening on primary tumour cells derived from patient biopsies or tumour resection samples. This provides direct information on the drug susceptibility of the specific tumour. However, biopsy samples contain only a limited number of cells, which makes drug screening with traditional 96-well microplates challenging. While multiple biopsies could provide sufficient tumour cells, this also carries an increased risk of cancer metastasis and causes the patient to experience more pain.

The research team has therefore developed a novel clinician-friendly drug screening device that enables the immediate collection of highly active cancer cells and on-site drug screening. It is a portable digital microfluidic (DMF) device with low power consumption that integrates all the controls into a handheld box with user-friendly control panels, enabling the handling of tiny samples. A single biopsy of a small quantity of cell samples is sufficient to produce drug screening results with the DMF chip, thus avoiding the risks and discomfort associated with repeated biopsies for patients. The device has been applied to clinical liver cancer samples for targeted drug screening. The results obtained are consistent with those derived from genetic sequencing and provide a more direct reflection of the individual patient’s response to the drug.

According to the research team, the DMF technology can provide clinicians and patients with reliable medication guidance, and low cost of equipment in comparison with that of gene sequencing. The technology should enable mass production and the realisation of precision medicine for all. It also provides researchers with a platform for high-throughput drug screening and significant savings in samples and reagents, which can help explore new therapeutic strategies and develop new drugs to further improve treatment efficacy. In addition, the DMF technology has been commercialised, resulting in the establishment of a high-tech service organisation called Promedicine Technology, which specialises in the research, development, production, and retail of precision medical equipment, contributing to technological innovation in the Greater Bay Area.

The corresponding author of the paper is Prof Jia, while UM postdoctoral fellow Zhai Jiao and UM doctoral student Liu Yingying are the co-first authors. Yao Hailong, professor at the University of Science and Technology Beijing, and Yi Shuhong, chief physician at the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, are the co-corresponding authors. UM professors Rui Martins and Mak Pui In, and the technical and management team of the State Key Laboratory of Analog and Mixed-Signal VLSI also made significant contributions to the study.

The research project was supported by the Science and Technology Development Fund of the Macao SAR (File no: 0029/2021/A1 and 004/2023/SKL), UM (File no: MYRG2020-00078-IME and MYRG-GRG2023-00034-IME), Dr Stanley Ho Medical Development Foundation (File no: SHMDF-OIRFS/2024/001), Zhuhai Huafa Group (File no: HF-006-2021), the Key Program of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (File no: 62034005), and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (File no: 61974084). The full version of the research article is available at https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-48616-3.

To read the news on UM’s official website, please visit the following link:
https://www.um.edu.mo/news-and-press-releases/presss-release/detail/58468/

UM students join study trip to Peking University

Cheng Yu Tung College (CYTC) of the University of Macau (UM) organised a study trip to Yuanpei College of Peking University. The aim of the study trip was to enhance students’ understanding of Chinese history and culture and foster exchanges between colleges of higher education institutions.

The theme of the seven-day study trip was ‘A Journey through Beijing’s History and Culture’. Students and faculty members from the two colleges visited the campus of Peking University and some of Beijing’s famous landmarks such as Tiananmen Square, the Summer Palace, the National Museum of China, and Beihai Park. In addition, they attended several talks on history and culture given by professors at Peking University, where they learned about the history of the Peking University campus and the relics on campus, Kunqu Opera, and the connection between history and contemporary society. They also participated in a variety of cultural activities, such as a guqin workshop. The study trip enabled UM students and faculty members to learn more about traditional Chinese culture and arts and the country’s development status, and promoted exchanges between members of the two colleges. Later this year, Yuanpei College will also send students to visit CYTC to foster cooperation between the two colleges.

To read the news on UM’s official website, please visit the following link:
https://www.um.edu.mo/news-and-press-releases/presss-release/detail/58460/

UM holds First International Forum on Traditional Chinese Medicine Culture

The Centre for Chinese History and Culture (CCHC) of the University of Macau (UM) held the First International Forum on Traditional Chinese Medicine Culture. The forum brought together experts, scholars, and leading figures in the field of Chinese medicine from around the world to discuss the close connection between health and Chinese medicine.

Zhu Shoutong, director of CCHC, said in his speech that, Chinese medicine is a treasure of traditional Chinese culture, hoping that the forum would enable participants to discover new values in the Chinese cultural system by bringing together Chinese medicine and traditional culture. Li Peng, deputy director of the Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences at UM, said that Chinese medicine does not only represent an industry that the Macao SAR Government has focused on in recent years, but also is a research field that the university greatly supports. He added that the forum could take advantage of Macao’s role as a bridge for cultural exchanges between China and the West, and promote Chinese medicine on the international stage.

The forum featured Maha Guru Anand, a Malaysian practitioner of Chinese medicine and an international yoga instructor, as a speaker. Maha Guru has extensive experience in both medicine and yoga and is dedicated to promoting physical and mental health education. He mentioned that Chinese medicine deserves more attention in the medical field as it can explain the complex relationships between different parts of the human body. During the forum, experts and scholars held in-depth discussions and exchanges on various topics, such as the integration between Chinese medicine and natural medicine, and the development trend of Chinese medicine in the context of technological advancement.

To read the news on UM’s official website, please visit the following link:
https://www.um.edu.mo/news-and-press-releases/presss-release/detail/58458/

UM students excel in ICT competition global final as Macao representatives

A team of students from the Faculty of Science and Technology (FST) of the University of Macau (UM) represented Macao in the Huawei ICT Competition 2023-2024 Global Final. A total of 470 participants from 49 countries and regions competed in the global final and the UM team won the second prize in the Practice Competition – Cloud Track.

The Huawei ICT Competition is an information and communications technology competition for university students worldwide. This year’s competition is the largest in scale since its inception, with more than 170,000 students from over 2,000 institutions in more than 80 countries and regions around the world signing up for the competition. The UM team, comprising FST students Wong Iok Keong, Zhou Wenjie and Xie Daixu, is one of more than 160 teams that made it through national and regional competitions and reached the global final.

To read the news on UM’s official website, please visit the following link:
https://www.um.edu.mo/news-and-press-releases/presss-release/detail/58455/

UM students visit universities and media organisations during Shanghai study trip

The Communications Office (CO) of the University of Macau (UM) organised a five-day study trip to Shanghai for its PR Student Ambassadors and UM Reporters. The delegation visited several universities and media organisations in Shanghai to gain an in-depth understanding of the promotion strategies of the universities, how their students engage in news reporting and editing, as well as the operations strategies of media organisations in the age of new media.

Led by Katrina Cheong, director of CO, the UM delegation visited Fudan University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and East China Normal University to gain a deeper understanding of these universities’ new media and international promotion strategies, how they operate their integrated media platforms, and how they improve the effectiveness of their promotion strategies. The delegation also visited Shanghai Media Group and the headquarters of Xiaohongshu, where they gained insights into the operations strategies of these organisations, how to enhance communication in the age of AI, as well as how social media influencers boost their visibility and reach. In addition, the delegation explored several cultural landmarks in the city, including the Shanghai Museum, Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Center, and the Oriental Pearl Radio & Television Tower.

The PR Student Ambassador Programme and the UM Reporter Programme were launched by CO in 2010 and 2012, respectively. As part of the Media Integration Training Platform for Students, the programmes aim to provide practical experience and exchange opportunities for students interested in delivering guided tours, conducting interviews, and news production, so that they can apply their knowledge and realise their potential. To date, the two programmes have nurtured more than 1,000 students.

To read the news on UM’s official website, please visit the following link:
https://www.um.edu.mo/news-and-press-releases/presss-release/detail/58453/

UM shines at International Elite Universities Water Sports Open

The Dragon Boat Team of the University of Macau (UM) participated in the 2024 International Elite Universities Water Sports Open held in Hangzhou. They competed against student-athletes from world-renowned universities at home and abroad, including Harvard University, Yale University, the University of Cambridge, Peking University, Tsinghua University, Zhejiang University, and the Chinese University of Hong Kong, and won several awards.

Twelve members of the UM Dragon Boat Team took part in the competition. Cheong Sin Yi finished second in women’s kayak single 200m. Cheong Sin Yi and Chan Kuan Io took the second place in mixed kayak double 200m. The team also won the fourth place (second prize) in the 12-athlete dragon boat 200m race. In addition, UM students and faculty attended a conference and discussed youth development and water sports with other participants.

To read the news on UM’s official website, please visit the following link:
https://www.um.edu.mo/news-and-press-releases/presss-release/detail/58445/

UM Honours College students and faculty join study trip to Shanghai

At the invitation and with the support of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council and the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Macao SAR, students and faculty of the Honours College (HC) of the University of Macau (UM) joined a study trip to Shanghai, to gain a better understanding of China’s development in the fields of politics, economy, industry, culture and youth exchanges. The participating students said that the trip enabled them to gain more insights into their home country and Shanghai, as well as the integration of history and culture with modern industry.

The delegation included 25 students and faculty members of HC, representatives of the Liaison Office, the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the Shanghai Municipal Government, and the Macao New Chinese Youth Association. During the five-day trip, the delegation visited the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the Shanghai Municipal Government, Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China Ltd, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Fudan University, as well as some companies and museums in Shanghai.

To read the news on UM’s official website, please visit the following link:
https://www.um.edu.mo/news-and-press-releases/presss-release/detail/58444/

UM’s stem cell research discovers new mechanism for anti-tumour immunity

A research team led by Xu Ren-He, Distinguished Professor in the Faculty of Health Sciences (FHS) at the University of Macau (UM), has made important progress in understanding the mechanisms of tumour immune evasion. They used stem cells to simulate mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) in the tumour microenvironment (TME), and found that MSCs can produce a cascade of intercellular signals by interacting with tumour cells, thereby enhancing the resistance of tumour cells against natural killer (NK) cells and promoting tumour metastasis. These findings, validated in clinical samples, reveal a novel mechanism of tumour immune evasion and provide a new therapeutic target for anti-tumour immunotherapy. The research findings have been published in the internationally renowned journal Advanced Science.

During tumour progression, cancer cells can evade the host immune system by recruiting inhibitory immune cells and secreting cytokines to form an immunosuppressive TME. Studies have demonstrated that MSCs, as an essential component of the TME, not only promote tumour cell proliferation, invasion, and metastasis, but also inhibit the functions of immune cells such as NK cells and T cells. Therefore, MSCs are considered to play a crucial role in tumour progression. However, there has been little research into the ability of MSCs to directly regulate tumour cell resistance to immune cells.

The research team observed that after coculturing with MSCs, the cancer cells exhibited an increased resistance to NK cell cytotoxicity. Further transcriptome analysis revealed that cocultured tumour cells expressed higher levels of NK inhibitory ligands, which helped the tumour cells escape NK cell-mediated cytotoxicity. It is noteworthy that this phenomenon is dependent on direct coculture between the cells. When MSCs and tumour cells were co-cultured indirectly or when gap junctions between the two cell types were blocked, the NK resistance disappeared. Further studies showed that abundant double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) is accumulated in the cytoplasm of tumour cells, which can be recognised by cGAS. cGAS then synthesises the second messenger cGAMP, which is transferred through gap junctions to surrounding MSCs, thereby activating the STING signalling pathway and inducing IFNβ production. IFNβ binds to tumour cells and upregulates their expression of NK inhibitory ligands, thereby enhancing tumour cell resistance to NK cells. In patients with breast cancer, non-small cell lung cancer and pancreatic cancer, expression levels of IFN receptors and the NK inhibitory ligands are significantly and negatively correlated with overall survival. Therefore, the study suggests that the interaction between tumour cells and MSCs, and the signalling pathway triggered by this interaction, may become a new target for tumour therapy.

The corresponding author of the paper is Prof Xu, and the first author is Yi Ye, a PhD student in FHS. FHS Dean Chuxia Deng, Professor Luo Qian, Associate Professor Liu Tzu-Ming, postdoctoral fellows Jia Hao, Yang Hongmei and Zeng Qibing, and PhD students Qin Guihui, Ye Sen, Zheng Dejin and Zhang Zhiming also made significant contributions to the study. All the core facilities of FHS, especially the Animal Research Core and the Biological Imaging and Stem Cell Core, provided substantial support for the research. The research project was supported by the National Key R&D Program of the Ministry of Science and Technology (File no: 2022YFA1105000), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (File no: 32270842), the Science and Technology Development Fund of the Macao SAR (File no: 0002-2021-AKP and 0071-2022-A2), and UM (File no: CPG2024-00037-FHS, MYRG2020-00140-FHS, and MYRG2022-00044-FHS). The full version of the research article is available at https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/advs.202400888.

To read the news on UM’s official website, please visit the following link:
https://www.um.edu.mo/news-and-press-releases/presss-release/detail/58440/

Tsinghua professor gives talk at UM on cultivation of innovative talent

The University of Macau (UM) held a talk titled ‘Elation in Learning and Teaching: The Practice and Thinking on Personalised Education in the Digital and AI Era’ today (3 June) as part of the University Lecture Series. Zheng Quanshui, academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, chair professor of the Tsien Excellence in Engineering Program at Tsinghua University and founding principal of the X-Institute in Shenzhen, was the speaker. The talk was well attended by scholars, UM students and faculty, as well as members of the public.

Yonghua Song, rector of UM, said in his speech that Zheng’s achievements in innovative teaching and research have earned him many national awards. Zheng, who is a pioneer in the theory and application of structural superlubricity, has also dedicated himself to training top-notch and innovative students and pursuing innovative education, and has a wealth of experience in talent cultivation.

During the talk, Zheng pointed out that in the digital and AI era, innovation is the key to the competitiveness of countries, higher education institutions and talent, adding that interest, imagination, curiosity and insight are the essential elements of innovation. He also shared his insights into the cultivation of innovative talent from his experiences at Tsinghua University and the X-Institute. In addition, Zheng engaged with the audience during the Q&A and discussion sessions.

To read the news on UM’s official website, please visit the following link:
https://www.um.edu.mo/news-and-press-releases/presss-release/detail/58439/

UM holds Congregation and graduates over 1,700 students

The University of Macau (UM) held the Congregation 2024 today (2 June). Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture Ao Ieong U, who represented the chief executive of the Macao SAR and chancellor of UM at this year’s congregation, said that UM has made continuous advancements in its academic standards and research quality, remained steadfast in its pursuit of becoming a leading international university, and made significant contributions to producing top-notch talent who love the country and Macao.

Secretary Ao Ieong officiated at the congregation in the company of UM University Council Chair Lam Kam Seng Peter, UM Rector Yonghua Song, and Vice Rectors Rui Martins, Ge Wei, Mok Kai Meng, and Xu Jian. Representatives of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Macao SAR and the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China in the Macao SAR; government officials; members of the University Assembly, University Council and Senate of UM; prominent members of the community; UM faculty and staff members; and student representatives also witnessed the ceremony. In addition, a live stream was available in designated areas on campus to enable families and friends of the graduates to witness the ceremony. Those who were unable to be present physically also joined this special occasion virtually through the live stream.

In her speech, Secretary Ao Ieong said that the SAR government is putting effort into the comprehensive implementation of the ‘1+4’ strategy for economic diversification, while actively playing a strategic role in the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), the Guangdong-Macao In-depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin, and other major national development initiatives. Meanwhile, the SAR government will continue to encourage higher education institutions to optimise their curricula and talent development models as well as to accelerate the commercialisation of research results, so that the institutions can fully leverage their roles in promoting economic diversification. The SAR government is also optimising its top-down talent development strategies and developing various talent recruitment programmes, with the aim of providing quality human resources and introducing advanced technologies for key industries, as well as providing a wider array of development opportunities for Macao’s youth. She added that UM, as an international public comprehensive university serving Macao, has actively implemented the SAR government’s higher education policies, made continuous advancements in its academic standards and research quality, remained steadfast in its pursuit of becoming a leading international university, and made significant contributions to producing top-notch talent who love the country and Macao. In recent years, the university has also closely followed the major national development strategies regarding the GBA and the Cooperation Zone, and has achieved encouraging results in expanding regional and international cooperation. Secretary Ao Ieong also expressed hope that UM will seize the development opportunities, make greater contributions to building a talent pool in the GBA, including the Cooperation Zone, and play a more influential role in research innovation in its strong disciplines, thereby accelerating the formation of the country’s new quality productive forces.

In his speech, Rector Song said that this year marks the 10th anniversary of UM’s relocation to the Hengqin campus. Over the past decade, with the support of the central and Macao SAR governments, UM has consistently improved the diversity, openness, and inclusiveness of its campus culture. The university has also made significant progress in talent development and research collaboration, attracting a number of renowned scholars from around the world and producing outstanding talent for society. He also mentioned that last year, UM joined the Association of University Presidents of China (C9 League+) and became a member of a prestigious higher education consortium in China, along with Tsinghua University, Peking University and the University of Hong Kong. He added, ‘UM’s academic standing and international reputation have been significantly elevated. The university will keep marching towards its goal of becoming an internationally recognised university of excellence.’ Rector Song also shared three ideas with the graduates, ‘First, set high aspirations for yourselves and sharpen your skills. Second, shoulder the responsibilities of youth and stand firm at the forefront of the times. Third, make full use of the exuberance of youth and create a great future.’

Tang Cheok Man, a graduate of the Department of Government and Public Administration of the Faculty of Social Sciences and the Honours College, represented this year’s graduates. In addition to his excellent academic performance, Tang has served as the captain of the UM English Debating Team twice and won multiple awards. In his speech, he said, ‘Over the past four years, we have worked tirelessly and focused on our studies to earn our degrees, proving that we can overcome all kinds of incredible challenges. Even though we will be surrounded by other high achievers, we should not doubt ourselves. All we have to do is to follow our blueprint. With persistence and deliberate practice, we can become one of the best at whatever we choose to do. This belief will lead us to success, time and time again.’

This year, more than 1,700 undergraduate students graduated from the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Faculty of Business Administration, Faculty of Education, Faculty of Health Sciences, Faculty of Law, Faculty of Science and Technology, and Faculty of Social Sciences. Among them, 66 outstanding students have also completed the Honours College Certificate Programme.

In addition, the UM National Flag Team held a flag-raising ceremony at Lotus Square at 8:00am on the day of the congregation to send good wishes to all graduates. The ceremony was attended by representatives of graduates from all residential colleges, as well as their families and friends.

To read the news on UM’s official website, please visit the following link:
https://www.um.edu.mo/news-and-press-releases/presss-release/detail/58433/