Research Report 2002-03

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The twenty-first century will bring forth a phenomenal transformation of the socio-economic structure of the mankind. We will witness the full bloom of the knowledge-based society in which science and technology will be recognized as the engine of economic growth. Research and development will gain increased prominence among all human endeavors. Through research and development, knowledge will be generated, disseminated and utilized to benefit society at a very fast pace previously unimagined.

A research university is distinguished by the quality and accomplishment by its faculty, staff and students. It is also characterized by the leadership it demonstrates in bringing forth the fruits of research to impact the society. HKUST, since its inception in 1991, has strived to excel and to attain world-class standing in its chosen fields of pursuit.

While the University has encouraged its members to pursue any field of intellectual curiosity and challenge, it has also focused on several specific fields to establish areas of core impact and excellence. These include: advanced materials and manufacturing, biotechnology, e-commerce, environment, executive education, infrastructure, IC electronic packaging design, internet and information technology, logistics, microelectronics and microsystems, molecular neuroscience, nano technology, social survey studies, South China research, traditional Chinese medicine, transportation, and wireless communication.

This publication highlights the research activities of HKUST faculty members. It is the University's objective to engage in the forefront of global research as well as in areas of significant relevance to Hong Kong. We hope this publication will serve as a useful reference to benchmark our progress toward this goal.

Professor Roland T Chin

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The twenty-first century will bring forth a phenomenal transformation of the socio-economic structure of the mankind. We will witness the full bloom of the knowledge-based society in which science and technology will be recognized as the engine of economic growth. Research and development will gain increased prominence among all human endeavors. Through research and development, knowledge will be

generated, disseminated and utilized to benefit society at a very fast pace previously unimagined.

A research university is distinguished by the quality and accomplishment by its faculty, staff and students. It is also characterized by the leadership it demonstrates in bringing forth the fruits of research to impact the society. HKUST, since its inception in 1991, has strived to excel and to attain world-class standing in its chosen fields of pursuit.

While the University has encouraged its members to pursue any field of intellectual curiosity and challenge, it has also focused on several specific fields to establish areas of core impact and excellence. These include: advanced materials and manufacturing, biotechnology, e-commerce, environment, executive education, infrastructure, IC electronic packaging design, internet and information technology, logistics, microelectronics and microsystems, molecular neuroscience, nano technology, social survey studies, South China research, traditional Chinese medicine, transportation, and wireless communication.

This publication highlights the research activities of HKUST faculty members. It is the University's objective to engage in the forefront of global research as well as in areas of significant relevance to Hong Kong. We hope this publication will serve as a useful reference to benchmark our progress toward this goal.

Professor Roland T Chin

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HONG KONG UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

ANNUAL REPORT ON RESEARCH ACTIVITIES 2002-03

to

RESEARCH GRANTS COUNCIL

RGC REPORT 1

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OVERVIEW

1. YEAR IN REVIEW

HKUST is now in its twelfth year. It is a young but maturing university, with a firm foundation of research infrastructure and accomplishments, and with a faculty that has established a reputation for excellence. HKUST is now firmly on the global map of research universities. At the same time, the University is building collaborative linkages with business and industry to make, as its ordinance requires, a contribution to the economic and social development of Hong Kong and the region.

Scholarship, research and its development and application are central to the mission of HKUST. A selection of highlights presented below cover the spectrum from the most basic research to commercialization and business development. They demonstrate that HKUST is building on its achievements as a world-class research university with substantial local relevance.

Basic/Fundamental Research & Scholarship

HKUST researchers continue to make rich contributions at the forefront of their disciplines.

• Prof. James Hackett's research team discovered a new virulence mechanism in the typhoid fever pathogen, Salmonella typhi. Variable toggle rates of a DNA "shufflon" switch regulate bacterial self-association using pili, a prelude to human invasion. This work identifies the pili protein as a candidate subunit vaccine against typhoid, and was published in Infection

and Immunity.

• Profs. Nancy Ip and Guang Zhu have determined the solution structure of the BC domain of CNTFR and studied the interactions of CNTFR with LIFR and gp130. This work, which has been published in Journal of Biological Chemistry, sheds light on the understanding of cytokine biology and the detailed mechanism of related diseases.

• Prof. Robert Qi has identified new regulators and effectors of the Cdk5 kinase, which plays an important role in a variety of activities occurring in the nervous system. The findings, which have been published in Journal of Biological Chemistry, provide new insights into the molecular mechanism underlying neuronal differentiation degeneration.

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• Prof. Shengcai Lin has identified a casein kinase I as a possible switch mechanism for Axin's dual function in the regulation of Wnt signaling and the Axin/JNK pathway. His findings have been published in Journal of Biological Chemistry.

• Prof. Peng Li discovered that CIDE-A plays an important role in the development of obesity and diabetes by regulating uncoupling protein activity. Her findings are being reported in

Nature Genetics.

• Prof. Karl Tsim elucidated a novel mechanism of transcriptional regulation of acetylcholinesterase and acetylcholine receptors, key molecules of the neuromuscular junction, based on the activation of the postsynaptic nucleotide receptor by ATP released from the nerve terminal. This work was published in Journal of Neuroscience.

• Prof. Benjamin Peng’s lab delineated a novel neurotrophic control in the development of the neuromuscular junction. This work was published in Journal of Neuroscience.

• Prof. Pei-Yuan Qian’s lab discovered that metabolites from marine bacteria contain signals for larval settlement in the marine polychaete Hydroides elegans. This work was published in Journal of Chemical Ecology.

• Prof. Donald Chang’s lab invented a novel probe for measuring dynamics of caspase-8 activation in single living HeLa cells during programmed cell death based on fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET). This work was published in Biochemical and

Biophysical Research Communications.

• Prof. Maria Lung’s lab, using monochromosome transfer technique, found functional evidence for growth-suppressive genes on chromosome 14 in nasopharyngeal carcinoma. This work was published in Genes, Chromosomes and Cancer.

• Prof. Guo-Chen Jia demonstrated that osmium is the first element to form a metallabenzyne with a formal osmium-carbon triple bond in a six-membered ring and first triple-decker complex prepared containing a central metallabenzene ligand. Work has been published in

Angewandte Chemie.

• Prof. Bing Xu’s group has developed the first hydrogel containing water and an antibiotic, which also inhibits the growth of vancomycin resistance enteroccoci (VRE). Their findings have been published in Journal of the American Chemical Society.

• Prof. Shihe Yang has synthesized single crystalline Cu(OH)2 nanotube arrays by a novel

solution route at room temperature. His findings have been published in Advanced Materials. • Prof. Jianzhen Yu and her student have developed a novel approach for the determination of

airborne carbonyl compounds at sub- and low-ppb levels using a combination of derivatization sampling and thermal desorption for GC analysis. This work, which has been published in

Analytical Chemistry, opens up the potential for on-line analysis of polar organic chemicals in

ambient air.

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• Prof. Benzhong Tang discovered novel aggregation-induced and cooling-enhanced emissions in silole-containing conjugated polymers with linear and hyperbranched molecular structures. The results were published in Macromolecules and Chemistry of Materials.

• Prof. Chris Chang’s group has synthesized the world’s first totally fluorinated corrole and its metal complexes, which showed excellent stability as a catalyst to bring about interesting oxidation chemistry. A paper has appeared in Organic Letters.

• In Physics, colleagues have successfully fabricated planar metallic space-filling curves and demonstrated both experimentally and theoretically the electromagnetic multiple-bandgap characteristics of such structures. The results have been published in Physical Review

Letters.

• Also in Physics, a research team has shown theoretically that a new type of photonic bandgap can be formed from a layered stack of positive and negative index materials. The novel bandgap is invariant upon a change of scale of the stacking structure and is also insensitive to disorder. This result was published in Physical Review Letters.

• In addition, HKUST’s physicists have uncovered a curious discontinuous variation of friction on the surfaces of single crystals of C60. Detailed study has revealed this variation to

be associated with the partial freezing of the C60 rotation. This discovery was reported in

Physical Review Letters.

• Researchers in physics have resolved a classical puzzle related to the flow of immiscible fluids. It was known for some time that the motion of the contact line, defined as the intersection of the fluid-fluid interface with the solid wall, is incompatible with the classic non-slip boundary condition. They have shown that by accounting for the tangential stress arising from the deviation of the fluid-fluid interface from its static configuration, one can obtain continuum hydrodynamics whose predictions are in quantitative agreement with the molecular-dynamic simulations. This work will appear in Physical Review E.

• Prof. Wai Ho Mow is one of the earliest researchers to formulate a communication detection problem from a lattice viewpoint so that it can be solved by the so-called universal lattice (or sphere) decoding algorithm, which has recently received much attention in the communications literature.

• Prof. Vidhan Goyal (with a colleague at UBC) examined the pecking order theory of corporate leverage based on a broad cross-section of publicly traded American firms. They found that, contrary to the pecking order theory, net equity issues track the financing deficit more closely than do net debt issues. The findings, which have been published in the Journal

of Financial Economics, show that financing deficit is less important in explaining net debt

issues over time for firms of all sizes.

• Prof. Lewis Chan (with colleagues at Harvard University) developed a rigorous and yet easy-to-implement framework for optimal investment decisions in a dynamic setting. The framework allows for multiple asset classes and multiple predictive variables into the decision problem. The model is published in Journal of Financial Economics.

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• In a study conducted by Prof. Kalok Chan (with colleagues at NUS and NTU), it is shown that after the Jardine Group moved trading from Hong Kong to Singapore, the stock returns are correlated more with the Hong Kong market and less with the Singapore market. The findings have been published in Journal of Finance.

• Dynamic Control of Quality in Production-Inventory Systems written by Prof. Shaohui Zheng and Prof. David Yao of Columbia University was published by Springer Verlag in August 2002. This book aims to address the coordination of quality control with other aspects of a firm's production system and supply chain. To address these issues, the authors have in recent years developed a set of dynamic approaches based on Markov decision programming and using stochastic comparison techniques.

• Prof. Chris Westland has published a new book on Financial Dynamics: A System for

Valuing Technology Companies. This book lays out the structure, components and

application of the Financial Dynamics system of valuation. It is designed to provide managers, investors and other stakeholders with an accurate and comprehensive tool to answer the question, "what is the value of a technology product, project or firm?" Financial

Dynamics offers a comprehensive system of valuation for businesses whose core

competencies are knowledge-intensive.

• Prof. Xu Yan has published a book on Chinese Telecommunications Policy. It features a unique review and analysis of the topic. Published in the Artech House Telecommunications Library series, the book contains first-hand information obtained from interviews with senior figures in the Chinese telecommunications industry. It also analyzes the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats facing new entrants, along with issues of ownership, the broad economic background of 3G licensing and implications of WTO accession.

• Prof. TING Pang-Hsin edited the volume The Study of Min Dialects and their Relationship

with Other Peripheral Dialects (with Chang Song-hing). This book was published by The

Chinese University Press, Hong Kong, 2002.

• Prof. Chang-tai HUNG wrote the volume The New Cultural History and Chinese Politics, which was published in Taipei by iFront.

• Prof. Zongli LU wrote Power of the Words: Chen Prophecy in Chinese Politics, AD

265-618. This monograph was published by Peter Lang AG.

• Prof. William TAY produced A Map of Fiction, published in Taipei by iFront.

• Prof. Kam-ming YIP wrote Logical Analysis and Chinese Logic. Xuesheng Book Company, in Taiwan published this volume.

• Prof. Carsten Holz questioned the widely accepted view that Chinese statistics, in particular economic growth statistics, are false. The evidence in favor of falsification is not compelling. While a positive proof of the truthfulness of Chinese data is impossible, double-checks on data and an examination of statistical compilation procedures in China point towards unfalsified nationwide data which, however, come with a large margin of error.

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• Prof. David Zweig wrote Internationalizing China: Domestic Interests and Global Linkages. This book is included in the Cornell Series in Political Economy and published by the Cornell University Press.

Applied Research

Examples of successful applied research are evident across most disciplines of the University:

• A team of researchers of the Biotechnology Research Institute (BRI) has successfully integrated into a single silicon chip the micro processes of amplification and analysis of genetic material (DNA). They have demonstrated that the technology can be applied in the genotyping of Chinese medical plants.

• Clinical studies conducted by United Christian Hospital (UCH) in collaboration with HKUST have demonstrated that human epidermal growth factor (hEGF), produced using a biotechnological approach, can be an effective treatment for diabetic foot ulcers.

• Prof. Yong Xie’s lab developed a method for the detection of the antibiotic tylocin (a widely used animal antibiotic) in meat and animal products based on ELISA and biosensor methods using monoclonal antibodies generated in his lab. Since the use of antibiotics in animals is a serious public health hazard, this method should contribute to the monitoring of these chemicals in food products.

• Prof. Chi-Kwong Chang has developed new cationic sulfonamide-substituted benzochlorin and porphycenes whose application in photodynamic therapeutic agents for treatment of nasopharyngeal cancer is under examination.

• Prof. Jianzhen Yu's group, in collaboration with Georgia Institute of Technology and Beijing University, has been using their expertise in atmospheric measurements to study the sources of fine particles in Hong Kong and the Pearl River Delta. Results from this project will provide information to assist policy-makers in managing air quality in this region.

• Profs. Siu-Wing Cheng and Mordecai Golin have pioneered an approach to obtain a provably good reconstruction of 2D curves from noisy samples. This research, “Curve Reconstruction from Noisy Samples”, was conducted with Dr. Stefan Funke, Dr. Piyush Kumar, Dr. Sheung-Hung Poon, and Dr. Edgar Ramos, and was published in the Proceedings of the 19th

Annual ACM Symposium on Computational Geometry held in June

2003.

• Prof. Andrew Poon’s research group from the newly established Optical Communications Laboratory has fabricated and characterized circular- and polygonal-shaped optical micro-resonator apparatus on silicon chips. Such photonic microchips are highly wavelength selective and have potential impact for optical signal processing in the area of dense wavelength division multiplexed (DWDM) optical communications.

• Prof. Chin-Tau Lea’s research team created several new concepts in packet processor and switch fabric design. They showed how to design a programmable state machine (PSM) with a minimal complexity. This approach allows the use of a PSM to replace a finite-state

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machine that may need programmability later. The concept is best suitable for tasks that need mild programmability which cannot justify the use of a packet processor.

• A new ultra-low power current mode pixel architecture was recently developed by Prof. Amine Bermak with F. Boussaid and A. Bouzerdoum. The new pixel is expected to provide significant improvement in terms of power consumption and will allow the realization of very high resolution CMOS imagers.

• Prof. Howard Luong and his students were granted a second US patent on a novel design technique to boost up the performance of low-voltage high-frequency phase-locked loops and frequency synthesizers for wireless transceiver systems. They also filed two other US patents on new designs of voltage-controlled oscillators and phase-locked loops for wireless and communication systems.

• Prof. Mansun Chan’s research team has demonstrated a CMOS image sensor architecture operating at a voltage below 1V. This CMOS image sensor consumes the lowest power and operates at lowest voltage reported. Their findings have been published in the 2002 International Solid-State Circuit Conference (Chip Olympics 2002) and later in Journal of

Solid-State Circuit.

• A joint project of researchers in HKUST’s Industrial Engineering Department, Stanford University and Eindhoven University is studying the relationships between quick response and inventory performance. The project is sponsored by DHL with participation of more than 15 major corporations including HP, CISCO, IBM, Solectron, Sun and others.

• Prof. Andrew Lim and his colleagues have obtained best results on the following well-known problems: Vehicle Routing, Traveling Tournament, Matrix Bandwidth Minimization, Linear Ordering, K-LCS, Bicriteria Single Machine Scheduling, Multicoloring and Bandwidth Multicoloring, and Assignment.

• A novel thermally driven micropump has been invented and investigated by Prof. Tim Zhao. This micropump can move liquids in microchannels without using any moving parts and has potential applications in the areas of biotechnology and chemical analyses.

• A research team led by Prof. Suren Mansinghka with Profs. Lewis Chan, Dilip Soman and Ying Zhao as co-investigators has undertaken a project on consumer bankruptcies and delinquencies in Hong Kong. The project aims to characterize, analyze and predict credit card related bankruptcy and delinquency behavior. The analysis is based on a unique and comprehensive dataset provided by a consortium of six banks in Hong Kong, which also granted HK$450,000 for the project. The project also received hardware donation from SUN Microsystems and a software donation from SAS.

• In a Journal of Accounting and Economics Paper by Profs. Joseph Fan and T J Wong, it is shown that concentrated ownership and the associated of pyramidal and cross-holding structures create agency conflicts between controlling owners and outside investors. Consequently, controlling owners are perceived to report accounting information for self-interested purposes, causing the reported earnings to lose credibility to outside investors. Also, concentrated ownership is associated with low earnings in formativeness as ownership concentration prevent leakage of proprietary information about the firms’ rent-seeking activities.

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• Prof. Anne Tsui has co-edited a book with CM Lau, entitled “The Management of Enterprise

in the People’s Republic of China”, Kluwer Academic Press, 2002. The book begins with a

mapping of research management in PRC and offers theoretical insights for cross-context, institutional, and behavioral studies and then reports the results of fourteen empirical studies of management issues in the PRC firms including state enterprise transformation, employment relationships, corporate culture and leadership.

Developmental Activities

Towards the development end of the R&D spectrum, there have been many achievements:

• A combination of new research and cutting-edge technology is being applied at HKUST's High-Throughput Drug Screening Center to help the pharmaceutical industry discover new drugs. Prof. Yung-Hou Wong is responsible for the development of a unique series of "universal G16-based chimeric adapters for the detection of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCR)". GPCRs are targets for around 50% of all currently marketed prescription drugs. As each newly discovered GPCR represents a potential therapeutic target, Prof. Wong is able to use to the adaptor proteins to screen traditional Chinese medicines (TCM) and search for lead compounds with which to treat a range of afflictions, including neuro-related diseases and drug addiction.

• Prof. Richard Haynes reports that his new anti-malaria drug developed at HKUST in collaboration with Bayer AG Leverkusen and Medicines for Malaria Venture in Geneva has been given an international non-proprietary name, 'Artemisone', and all aspects of preclinical testing have been completed. It is now undergoing Phase I trials, with Phase II trials scheduled for later in 2003.

• Prof. Reinhard Renneberg and Dr Vincent Li have developed a novel biosensor system for detection of nitrate, phosphate and biodegradable pollution in HK’s wastewater.

• Prof. Howard Huang has developed a new technology to provide a high level of primary wastewater treatment without using chemical coagulants. The Drainage Services Department is now supporting a pilot trial at the Stonecutters Island Sewage Treatment Works. With adoption of this new technology, future sewage treatment costs in Hong Kong can be significantly reduced.

• Prof. Mounir Hamdi’s research on chip design and implementation of high-speed switches/routers was presented in the prestigious HOT-Chips Symposium – 2002, which only accepts the best 15 chip designs of the year including those coming from industry. This paper was the only one accepted from academia.

• Prof. Bertram Shi and his research team, in collaboration with researchers at the University of Pennsylvania, have developed a silicon chip that implements critical components of a nonlinear functional model of the visual cortex, which is the primary area in the brain that processes visual information. This chip is a key component in an artificial vision system based on recent neurobiological models of the visual cortex. The system is intended for real-time vision processing in autonomous robots and intelligent human computer interfaces.

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• Profs. Manhung Siu and Brian Mak, in collaboration with ASTRI and HK PolyU developed the Sonic Ranger, a multi-media learning tool that uses state-of-the-art speech recognition technologies to provide instantaneous feedback on users’ English pronunciation. Sonic

Ranger has been licensed to book publishers and will be on the market in 2003.

Commercialization and Business Development

HKUST is striving to make a contribution to economic development in Hong Kong and the region by human resource development, technology diffusion and transfer processes, intellectual property protection and licensing, and the incubation of start-up companies.

Human resources are considered the most effective means of technology diffusion. Many of the 66112 Masters and 2 778 doctoral graduates from HKUST in 2002-03 moved into the 8

private and public sectors, taking with them in-depth knowledge of their discipline, know-how and an ability to be creative and innovative. These graduates, and indeed those at the bachelors level, are a force for change and can play a major role in the transition of Hong Kong to a knowledge-based society.

To highlight our partnerships with industry, we note that:

HKUST has been allocated $295 million in ITF funding over the four-year period 1999-2003 (i.e. since the beginning of the ITF program) - - substantially more than any other institution in Hong Kong.

Over this same period, HKUST has received $155 million in industrial funding for contract research and collaborative R&D

The University’s Technology Transfer Center (TTC) and the HKUST RandD Corporation Ltd (RDC) collaborate to establish university-industry collaboration, R&D partnerships, and the protection and licensing of intellectual property. Examples include:

• Prof. Howard Luong and his colleagues organized the Industrial Consortium in Integrated Circuits (IC2) to strengthen and promote IC design activities in HK, to provide IC design support to industry, and to foster close collaboration in IC design between HKUST researchers and the industry. Through this effort, Prof. Luong successfully worked with several local companies and completed several industrial contracts for IC technology transfer and IC product development.

• Prof. Philip Mok and Mr. Ki Leung Mak (EEE) have successfully developed a temperature-compensated voltage-controlled crystal oscillator in collaboration with Pericom Semiconductor (HK) Ltd and with support from the Innovation and Technology Fund (ITF). The oscillator has less than ±2.5ppm temperature stability from -45°C to 85°C and will serve as the advanced technological core on which the next generation of high-speed digital and mixed-signal interface ICs will be based.

• The Semiconductor Product Analysis and Design Enhancement (SPADE) Center, led by Prof. Johnny Sin, continues to serve the semiconductor industry in Hong Kong with semiconductor product and failure analysis. With cutting-edge technology and newly

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developed analytical skills, the Center is helping over 50 semiconductor design users and foundry companies in Hong Kong and the region to solve their product development and failure analysis problems.

• A project entitled mass customization technology for men’s shirt business is establishing a product family platform for Esquel that expands competitive strengths from manufacturing to design and marketing. Customers/buyers requirements and satisfaction can be met at a reasonable economy of scale with minimum inventory. Mass customization technology integrates marketing science, inventory theory, design methodology and production management to best satisfy customers individually with near mass production efficiency. • Profs. Kalok Chan and John Wei have helped HSBC to revamp their investment advisory

system by redesigning Rule-based Investment Solutions for their clients. The deliverables include questionnaires to assess the risk tolerance for investors and an executable Excel program to suggest the asset allocations among different markets.

In 2002-03 alone:

TTC evaluated 1111 invention disclosures from HKUST researchers

TTC arranged for the filing of 2222 patent applications, mostly with the US Patent Office HKUST received notification of the granting of 9 patents 9

RDC signed 7755 R&D contracts with industrial clients, worth more than $14.6 million RDC signed 1166 license agreements for the transfer of intellectual property to regional

companies

RDC continues to incubate 18 start-up companies based on technology created at HKUST BRI was granted HK$175 million from the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust in July 2002 to support the set up of a biotechnology company specializing in the discovery and development of novel therapeutics. An action plan for initiating the establishment and business/research endeavors of the biotechnology company is in the final stage.

The first phase of the Nansha IT Park was opened in December 2002, the result of a collaboration between HKUST (concept, design, project management, training and development), the Fok Ying Tung Foundation (land, capital and community development facilitator), and the Guangzhou government (policy, transportation and infrastructure). The Park is intended to provide a base for creative IT and technology industries, R&D, start-ups, and training, boosting regional competitiveness and building the area’s global reputation as a hub of technological innovation.

HKUST displayed its latest R&D achievements at the 4th annual China Hi-Tech Fair in Shenzhen, in October 2002. HKUST’s groundbreaking research, innovative applications and entrepreneurial ventures were showcased to visitors and potential investors.

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Awards and Recognition

Recognition of the accomplishments of individual researchers and of HKUST as an institution are increasingly evident :

• Profs. Mingjie Zhang and Tong-yi Zhang were among five Hong Kong scholars to receive a Croucher Senior Research Fellowship in 2003. It should be noted that Prof. Mingjie Zhang is the fourth faculty member in Biochemistry who has been honored with this prestigious Award for his/her research excellence; the other three faculty members being Profs. Nancy Ip, Yung-Hou Wong and Randy Poon.

• Prof. Guang Zhu was one of two NMR scientists to receive the WANG Tianjuan Prize for Young Chinese NMR Spectroscopists in October 2002.

• Prof. Wen-Xiong Wang received Biwako Prize for Ecology for his contribution in aquatic environmental studies. This prize is awarded by Shiga Prefectural Government of Japan to most distinguished Asian environmental scientists on a yearly basis.

• Prof. Irene Lo was the recipient of the Best Paper and Presentation Award for the technical paper entitled “Performance of Permeable Reactive Barrier on Remedying Aliphatic Chorinated Organic Contaminated Groundwater”, International Conference on Soil and Groundwater Contamination & Cleanup in Arid Countries, January 2003, Oman.

• Profs. Khaled Ben Letaief and Hoi-Sing Kwok were elected Fellows of the prestigious Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) in January 2003.

• Prof. Ping Cheng received the 2003 Thermophysics Award from the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) in recognition of his seminal work in thermophysics. • Prof. Ricky Lee was given a CPMT President's Award in December 2002 for his outstanding

contributions to IEEE-CPMT (Components, Packaging, & Manufacturing Technologies) Society.

• Prof. Tongxi Yu, together with Prof. XM Tao of HK PolyU, received the IFAI Technical Fabrics Excellence Award in November 2002 for their research on cellular textile composites with applications to energy absorption.

• Prof Christopher Chao was conferred the Yaglou Award in July 2002 from the International Academy of Indoor Air Sciences for his significant research accomplishments in the field of indoor air quality studies.

• Prof. Howard Luong and one of his students presented, for the third time, pioneering work at the International Solid-State Circuit Conference (ISSCC) – also well known as Chip Olympics – in February 2003. The work proposed and demonstrated several novel IC design techniques to realize an ultra-low-power and low-voltage signal-conditioning integrated system for biomedical applications.

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• Profs. Kalok Chan and Angela Ng were awarded the Best Paper Award in the 2002 PACAP Research Conference for their paper Investibility and Return Volatility.

• Dr. Vincent Cheung, Prof. Howard Luong's PhD student, was selected as the 2002 Asian Innovator by EDN Magazine, and his special biographical column was published in December 2002 issue.

• The Financial Times of London ranked HKUST Business School among the top 20 in the world in research. Among public universities, HKUST Business School was ranked 6th in research worldwide.

• The HKUST Department of Accounting ranked 12th_{in the world in main articles in the}

top-five accounting research journals in 2002. In 2000 and 2001, HKUST ranked 1st. During the past five years, only three universities have consistently ranked among the top 12: HKUST, Pennsylvania (Wharton), and Stanford.

• According to a study commissioned by the European Economics Association, HKUST was ranked 37th in the world, and the first in Asia, in terms of performance in economic research. • In a report in Economic Theory, HKUST was ranked 17th_{for its publications in three core}

Econometrics journals, and 26th in all theoretical econometrics publications in the world during 1989-1999.

• David Li was elected President of the Chinese Economists Society in 2002. The Society has more than 500 members, including economists from Mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Canada, and the United States who are interested in the Chinese economy.

• The Department of ISMT is ranked 12th_{in the world in terms of scholarly research output in}

Operation and Information Systems Research from 1997-2002 (OR/MS Today, December 2002)

• Prof. Xu Yan has been appointed a Board member of the International Telecommunications Society – an influential telecommunications policy and regulation association.

• Prof. Jiing-Lih Farh became the Associate Editor in Chief for Journal of International Business Studies. JIBS is the official of the Academy of International Business, which has about 2600 members in over 65 countries. It is widely considered the top journal in the field of international business.

• Prof. Yanjie Bian has been re-elected President of the North American Chinese Sociologists Association (2002, 2003).

Major Events

• The 3rd_{International Symposium for Chinese Medicinal Chemists organized by Prof. Wei-Min}

Dai was held on campus in December 2002. The symposium offered a wealth of outstanding science in all aspects of medicinal chemistry, including bioinformatics, virtual screening, combinatorial chemistry, chirotechnology and TCM. Over 200 delegates attended.

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• International Specialized Conference - Creative Water and Wastewater Treatment Technologies for Densely Populated Urban Areas (organized by Profs. Guanghao Chen and Chii Shang, September 2002).

• The Logistics and Supply Chain Forum invited Professor Warren Powell (Princeton) and Professor Gang Yu (Texas) as speakers in a series of seminars in January. They attracted over 150 executives from the logistics industry for fruitful discussions and interaction.

Research Funding

In the RGC Competitive Earmarked Research Grants program announced in June 2003, HKUST researchers were awarded $91.6 million - - 20% of the total awarded to Hong Kong’s tertiary institutions. In this annual internationally peer-reviewed competition, HKUST can claim:

the highest success rate (62%), for the eleventh consecutive year the highest funding per eligible faculty ($199,956)

the highest total funding and the largest number of new projects from the Engineering panel

the highest individual award from the Engineering panel

ـ to Prof. Ping Ko of Electrical & Electronic Engineering, for micro-electro DNA detection system by microfabrication techniques ($1.07 million)

the highest participation rate (34% of eligible faculty were awarded funding)

Noting that success in this competition is dependent on the quality of proposals, as perceived by international peers, and on the track record of the applicants, these funding results are testimony to the excellence of research and scholarship at HKUST.

HKUST has received $295 million from the Innovation & Technology Fund since its inception in 1999; more than any other tertiary institution in Hong Kong. During 2002-03, two large projects were funded. The Institute of Nanomaterials and Nanotechnology (INMT) received $60 million for the development of functional nanomaterials and technologies, focusing on eco-friendly microfuel cells, nanoelectronics display units, and integrated nanomaterial manufacturing. The HKUST/WebEx Information Technology Institute received $29 million to develop a next generation online multimedia collaboration system in collaboration with WebEx Communications, Inc.

HKUST has achieved much. It has helped to redefine the academic and R&D culture of Hong Kong. It has grown from a dream to become a dynamo for change, a force and catalyst in Hong Kong’s transition to a knowledge-based society. And it has found recognition on the world stage of research universities in just twelve short years.

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2. INSTITUTIONAL POLICY ON RESEARCH

While the foundational research policies have served the University well, we continue to review and fine-tune our operational practices to ensure that resources are used effectively towards achieving our mandate to serve economic, social and technological development in Hong Kong and the region.

Research is integral to the mission of the University. HKUST’s research policies are formulated to achieve both world-class excellence and techno-economic benefits to Hong Kong through quality, focus and synergy.

Quality is achieved through human and physical resources. HKUST has attracted, and continues to attract, senior faculty of great distinction and established reputation, junior faculty of proven research capability, and postgraduate students with great promise. The University has created an environment that is both supportive and demanding. Our strong record of publication, success in winning competitive grants, and growing international reputation attest to the quality of research being conducted at HKUST.

Focus is achieved as a result of the identification of strategic areas of research and the recruitment of faculty to build strengths in these areas. Synergy is fostered by establishing research units that provide both support and coordination. Entities such as the Hongkong Telecom Institute of Information Technology, Sino Software Research Institute, Biotechnology Research Institute, Center for Coastal and Atmospheric Research, Center for Display Research, and the Cyberspace Center are showing that collaboration can be effective to stimulate research excellence and to build strengths in areas that are important for Hong Kong and the region.

3. RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN RESEARCH POLICY AND OTHER

INSTITUTIONAL POLICIES

It is difficult to segregate research and other policies, as research is woven into the fabric of the University. Research plays a major role in personnel policies and represents a principal criterion in the appointment, advancement and retention of faculty. It is an integral component of educational programs, not just for PhD and MPhil students, but also at the undergraduate level. Faculty at the leading edge of their disciplines enrich undergraduate programs, and participation in research by undergraduates is encouraged and opportunities to do so are provided throughout the year.

The timely application of the fruits of research to serve societal needs and to create economic development opportunities is central to the mission of the University. In this regard, HKUST encourages and assists researchers to recognize the value of intellectual property, and the University has a well-established business arm, the HKUST RandD Corporation Ltd., to protect, market and license intellectual property with commercial potential.

4. ORGANIZATION OF RESEARCH FUNDING

Each academic unit has a mentoring and peer review process to assist in the development of research proposals. Draft applications are reviewed by Schools for intellectual merit and by the Office of Contract and Grant Administration (OCGA) for compliance and presentation.

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Research proposals are finally approved and signed by senior administrative officers of the University for submission to the appropriate agency.

The University also has internal competitions for project funding from the block grant, direct allocation and private gifts. Proposals for such funding are reviewed and adjudicated by the Senate Research Committee for institution-wide funds, or by the Research Committees of the Schools for funds earmarked for such units.

OCGA provides extensive administrative and support services for faculty, both in preparing proposals and in managing the awards and reporting processes.

5. CRITERIA FOR DETERMINING PRIORITIES

All academic Departments and Schools and organised research units have well-established processes for determining priorities. Each School has an external advisory board that provides counsel on academic programs and research priorities. Within this framework, each department has a dynamic planning process, which includes strategic recruitment to achieve its largely research-based objectives. Each organised research unit also has its own Advisory Committee or Board with external representation to assist in identifying needs, opportunities and developmental directions.

Internal research funding tends to be used to help junior faculty to achieve their potential, to meet the modest research program needs of some faculty, and to provide seed funding for strategic new initiatives. Excellence or potential for excellence is the dominant criterion in internal funding decisions.

6. USAGE OF DIRECT ALLOCATION GRANT

In 2002-03, HKUST received a Direct Allocation Grant from RGC of $9.7 million. The funding was allocated to Schools on a formula basis for allocation by the Research Committees of these Schools.

In total, the four Schools and other qualifying units at HKUST allocated funding of $9.69 million to 168 projects from the Direct Allocation Grant, as follows:

School of Science 24 ($1.66 million) School of Engineering 49 ($3.44 million)

School of Business & Management 78 ($3.40 million) School of Humanities & Social Science 16 ($1.10 million) Language Center 1 ($0.09 million)

Consistent with the guidelines established by RGC and HKUST’s Senate Research Committee, the above resources were committed to assist newly appointed staff and junior faculty in developing their initial research activities and to support new and on-going research programs for which funding requirements are below the threshold amounts of RGC grants.

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In addition, UGC funding in the amount of $1.4 million was used for Research Travel Grants. This funding was adjudicated on a competitive basis to assist senior postgraduate students and junior faculty to present the results of their research at international conferences.

7. EFFORTS MADE TO ATTRACT PRIVATE FUNDS

Many of the organised research units at HKUST were established through major gifts made in the early days of the University. Efforts to obtain major gifts for research continue, but recent efforts have been extended to establishing collaborative activities and contract research with the private sector, as well as an involvement in civil and commercial projects. An increasingly significant component is contributed by the private sector in Hong Kong. Our engagement with the private sector demonstrates both the commitment of HKUST to foster techno-economic development in Hong Kong and the recognition by industry of the value of developing partnerships with researchers at HKUST.

Commercial activities are still in their early stages, but in time we anticipate that they will provide a significant source of funds for research at HKUST.

8. OPPORTUNITIES AND DIFFICULTIES IN INTER-INSTITUTIONAL COLLABORATION

Academics can and do collaborate well, and applications to programs such as the China/Hong Kong, Germany/Hong Kong and France/Hong Kong joint research schemes show that the availability of resources can stimulate joint research programs.

Collaboration exists at the inter-institutional level and between research groups and individual researchers. We have established partnerships with a number of leading research universities in Mainland China , North America and Europe.

Collaboration with our sister institutions in Hong Kong is growing. Under the right circumstances, such collaboration can reduce duplication, foster synergy among institutions and create an atmosphere of mutual assistance that is highly beneficial to both research and education and that can yield better value to the community from the investment of public resources. When sharing of resources or joint work is mandated or highly encouraged by funding agencies, collaboration can be fruitful, but it also requires careful management to ensure that such linkages are mutually beneficial, productive and sustainable, rather than just opportunistic.

9. ANALYSIS OF RESEARCH ACTIVITIES

HKUST is a research university that seeks to undertake research of the highest quality and impact from an international perspective, but in the context of an equally strong commitment to education and application. While these are compatible and synergistic goals, in practice they impose a high work load on faculty and an optimal balance is difficult to achieve. This is especially true in a young institution in which policy formulation, facilities development, and academic management have drawn on the time and energies of the predominantly junior faculty.

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A major inhibiting factor in building research excellence remains the modest number of PhD students per faculty member. This is related to the perceived lack of need and career opportunities in Hong Kong for persons with postgraduate degrees. While any major improvement in this situation would need a significant policy change, for example admitting more students from the Chinese mainland, there are near-term measures that are being taken. These include greater collaboration among faculty members and a greater reliance on postdoctoral researchers and professional staff.

The excellence and productivity of research at HKUST and the effectiveness with which resources provided by UGC, RGC and other agencies have been utilized should be evident from this Annual Report of our research output.

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[BICH] [BIOL] [CHEM] [MATH] [PHYS] [AMCE]

DEPARTMENT OF BIOCHEMISTRY

DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGY

DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY

DEPARTMENT OF MATHEMATICS

DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS

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Department of Biochemistry

Nancy Yuk-Yu IP, Professor and Department Head; Associate Dean of Science; Director, BRI

and Co-Director, Molecular Neuroscience Center

David S C TU, Visiting Professor

Yung Hou WONG, Professor and Associate Director of Biotechnology Research Institute

Mingjie ZHANG, Professor

Jerry H C WANG, Adjunct Professor and Professor Emeritus; Co-Director, Molecular

Neuroscience Center

Jeffrey Tze-Fei WONG, Adjunct Professor

James A HACKETT, Associate Professor

Yifan HAN, Associate Professor

Robert K M KO, Associate Professor

Chun LIANG, Associate Professor

Shengcai LIN, Associate Professor

Randy Yat Choi POON, Associate Professor

Wan-Keung R WONG, Associate Professor

Hong XUE, Associate Professor and Director, Hong Kong Bioinformatics Center

Guang ZHU, Associate Professor

Raymond S C WONG, Adjunct Associate Professor and Director, Animal and Plant Care Facility

Robert Zhong QI, Assistant Professor

Dawn Mae WONG, Visiting Assistant Professor

Zhenguo WU, Assistant Professor

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Nancy Yuk-Yu IP

Professor and Department Head; Associate Dean of Science; Director, BRI and Co-Director, Molecular Neuroscience Center

(2358 7289 ; [email protected])

PhD (1983) and Postdoctoral Fellow (1983-84), Harvard Medical School Laboratory Head, Medical Genetics, Lifecodes Corporation (1987-89) Senior Staff Scientist, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals (1989-93)

Academician, CAS (2001- )

Current Research Activities:

The functional roles of trophic factors in neuronal differentiation and synapse formation, and their potential applications in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.

Active Projects as Principal Investigator:

Molecular neuroscience: Basic research and drug discovery

UGC - Areas of Excellence HK$24,300,000 01 Oct 2001

Mapping signal transduction networks by a genomic approach

RGC - Central Allocation Vote HK$2,300,000 01 Apr 2004

Gordon research conference on "Molecular and cellular neurobiology"

Croucher Foundation HK$100,000 06 Feb 2004

Collaborative project with Mainland partners on TCM

UGC - Collaboration with Mainland Institutions HK$100,000 19 Nov 2003 Gordon research conference on "Molecular and cellular neurobiology"

UGC - Government's Matching Grant Scheme HK$10,000 06 Feb 2004 Delineating the functional roles of cdk5/p35 in synapse formation

RGC - Competitive Earmarked Research Grant HK$1,411,000 01 Nov 2001 Characterization of the functional roles of Pctaire1 in neural development

RGC - Competitive Earmarked Research Grant HK$1,473,000 01 Nov 2003 Elucidation of the functional roles of Eph receptor signaling at the neuromuscular synapse

RGC - Competitive Earmarked Research Grant HK$1,923,250 01 Nov 2002 Applied genomics for drug discovery

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Representative Research Publications:

Cheung, Zelda H., Ip, Nancy Y. (2004) "Cdk5: mediator of neuronal death and survival", Neurosci.

Lett., 361:47-51.

Fu, Amy K. Y., Fu, Ada W. Y., Ng, Alberto K. Y., Chien, Winnie W. Y., Ng, Yu Pong, Wang,

Jerry H., Ip, Nancy Y. (2004) "Cyclin-dependent kinase 5 phosphorylates STAT3 and regulates its

transcriptional activity", Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 101:6728-6733.

Lai, Kwok On, Chen, Yu, Po, Hoi Man, Lok, Ka Chun, Gong, Ke, Ip, Nancy Y. (2004)

"Identification of the Jak/Stat proteins as novel downstream targets of EphA4 signaling in muscle: implications in the regulation of acetylcholinesterase expression", J. Biol. Chem., 279:13383-13392. Cheng, Kai, Ip, Nancy Y. (2003) "Cdk5: A new player at synapses", NeuroSignals, 12:180-190. Ng, Yu Pong, He, Wei, Ip, Nancy Y. (2003) "Leukemia inhibitory factor receptor signaling

negatively modulates nerve growth factor-induced neurite outgrowth in PC12 cells and sympathetic neurons", J. Biol. Chem, 278:38731-38739.

Lai, Kwok On, Ip, Nancy Y. (2003) "Postsynaptic signaling of new players at the neuromuscular junction", J. Neurocytol., 32:727-741.

Lai, Kwok On, Ip, Nancy Y. (2003) "Central synapse and neuromuscular junction: same players, different roles", Trends in Genetics, 19: 395-402.

Xu, Z., Lai, Kwok On, Zhou, H.M., Lin, S.C., Ip, Nancy Y. (2003) "Ephrin-B1 reverse signaling activates JNK through a novel mechanism that is independent of tyrosine phosphorylation", J. Biol.

Chem., 278: 24767-24775.

David S C TU

Visiting Professor

(2358 6108 ; [email protected]) PhD, Cornell University (1973)

Professor, University of Houston (1985- )

Enzymology of redox reactions, bioluminescence and bacterial drug resistance; development of enzyme-based biotechnology

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Low, John, Tu, Shiao-Chun (2002) "Functional Roles of Conserved Residues in the Unstructured-Loop of Vibrio harveyi Bacterial Luciferase", Biochemistry, 41, 1724-1731.

Tu, Shiao-Chun (2001) "Reduced Flavin: Donor and Acceptor Enzymes and Mechanisms of Channeling", Antioxid. Redox Signal., 3, 881-897.

Yung Hou WONG

Professor and Associate Director of Biotechnology Research Institute (2358 7328 ; [email protected])

PhD, University of Cambridge (1988)

The role of G-proteins in cell proliferation, differentiation and the development of drug tolerance; cell-based high throughput drug screening.

Functional roles of Ga16 in chemokine signaling

RGC - Direct Allocation Grant HK$80,000 01 Dec 2003

Signaling mechanisms in cell growth and differentiation

UGC - High Impact Area HK$1,299,000 13 Nov 2002

Deciphering the role of the £\-subunit of Gz in cellular signaling

RGC - Competitive Earmarked Research Grant HK$699,600 01 Oct 2001 Development of novel subtype-specific agonists for melatonin receptors

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Tian, Y.J., New, D.C., Yung, L.Y., Allen, R.A., Slocombe, P.M., Twomey, B.M., Lee, M.M.K.,

Wong, Y.H. (2004) "Differential chemokine activation of CCR1-regulated pathways: selective activation

of Galpha14-coupled pathways.", Eur. J. Immunol., 34: 785-795.

Chan, A.S.L., Wong, Y.H. (2004) "Epidermal growth factor differentially augments Gi-mediated stimulation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase activity.", Br. J. Pharmacol., 142: 635-646.

Ho, M.K.C., Chan, J.H.P., Wong, C.S.S., Wong, Y.H. (2004) "Identification of a stretch of six divergent amino acids on the alpha5 helix of Galpha16 as a major determinant for the promiscuity and efficiency of receptor coupling.", Biochem. J., 380: 361-369.

Kam, A.Y.F., Chan, A.S.L., Wong, Y.H. (2004) "Phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase is distinctively required for mu- but not kappa-opioid receptor-induced activation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase.", J.

Neurochem., 89: 391-402.

Hazari, A., Lowes, V., Chan, J.H.P., Wong, C.S.S., Ho, M.K.C., Wong, Y.H. (2004) "Replacement of the alpha5 helix of Galpha16 with Galphas-specific sequences enhances promiscuity of Galpha16 toward Gs-coupled receptors.", Cell. Signal., 16: 51-62.

Lo, R.K.H., Wong, Y.H. (2004) "Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 activation by the delta-opioid receptor via Galpha14 involves multiple intermediates.", Mol. Pharmacol., 65: 1427-1439. Lo, R.K.H., Cheung, H, Wong, Y.H. (2003) "Constitutively active Galpha16 stimulates STAT3 via a c-Src/JAK- and ERK-dependent mechanism.", J. Biol. Chem., 278: 52154-52165.

Wong, C.S.S., Ho, M.K.C., Wong, Y.H. (2003) "The beta6/alpha5 regions of Galphai2 and

Galphao1 increase the promiscuity of Galpha16 but are insufficient for pertussis toxin-catalyzed ADP-ribosylation.", Eur. J. Pharmacol., 473: 105-115.

Mingjie ZHANG

Professor

(2358 8709 ; [email protected] ; http://bcz102.ust.hk) PhD, University of Calgary (1993)

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High resolution nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and biochemical studies of regulatory proteins in neuronal signal transductions.

CAS-HKUST Life Science and Biotechnology Joint Laboratory

UGC - Collaboration with Mainland Institutions HK$320,000 19 Nov 2003 Solution structure and function of neuronal scaffold protein GKAP

RGC - Competitive Earmarked Research Grant HK$2,094,00001 Sep 2001 Structural basis for novel functions of tandem-arranged domains in multi-modular neuronal organization proteins

RGC - Competitive Earmarked Research Grant HK$2,352,00001 Sep 2002

Structural and biochemical basis of Lin-2,-7(L27) domain-mediated membrane targeting of neuronal signaling proteins

RGC - Competitive Earmarked Research Grant HK$1,511,00001 Sep 2003 Neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors signaling mechanisms

Philip Morris USA Inc. HK$5,645,95201 Jun 2002

Feng, Wei, Long, Jiafu, Fan, Jing-Song, Suetake, Tetsuya, Zhang, Mingjie (2004) "Hetero-tetrameric L27 (Lin-2, Lin-7) domain complexes as organization platforms for supra-molecular assemblies", Nat. Struct. & Mol. Biol., 11, 475-480.

Zhang, Mingjie, Wang, Wenning (2003) "Organization of Signaling Complexes by PDZ-Domain Scaffold Proteins", Acc. Chem. Res., 36, 530-538.

Wang, Wenning, Lo, Kevin L.-W., Kan, Ho-Man, Fan, Jing-Song, Zhang, Mingjie (2003) "Structure of the monomeric 8-kDa dynein light chain and mechanism of the domain swapped dimer assembly", J. Biol. Chem., 278, 41491-41499.

Long, Jia-Fu, Tochio, Hidehito, Wang, Ping, Fan, Jing-Song, Sala, Carlo, Niethammer, Martin, Sheng, Morgan, Zhang, Mingjie (2003) "Supramodular Structure and Synergistic Target Binding of the N-terminal Tandem PDZ Domains of PSD-95", J. Mol. Biol., 327, 203-214.

Feng, Wei, Shi, Yawei, Li, Ming, Zhang, Mingjie (2003) "Tandem PDZ repeats in glutamate receptor interacting proteins have a novel mode of PDZ domain-mediated target binding", Nat. Struct.

Biol., 10, 972-978.

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Receptor Interacting Protein Binds to its Target via a Novel Hydrophobic Surface Area", J. Biol. Chem., 277, 41140-41146.

Tochio, H, Tsui, Marco M. K., Banfiel, David K., Zhang, Mingjie (2001) "An Auto-Inhibitory

Mechanism for Non-Syntaxin SNARE Proteins Revealed by the Structure of Ykt6p", Science, 293, 698-702.

Zhang, Qiang, Fan, Jing-Song, Zhang, Mingjie (2001) "Inter-domain Chaperoning Between PSD-95, Dlg, and Zo-1 (PDZ) Domains of Glutamate Receptor Interacting Proteins", J. Biol. Chem., 276, 43216-43220.

Jerry H C WANG

Adjunct Professor and Professor Emeritus; Co-Director, Molecular Neuroscience Center

(2358 8701 ; [email protected]) PhD, Iowa State University (1965)

Professor of Biochemistry (1982-94), University of Calgary Director, MRC Signal Transduction Group (1990-94)

Enzymology of signal transduction; novel signal transduction processes in neurons; protein kinases and protein phosphatases.

Deng, Yu, Pang, Andy S.H., Wang, Jerry H.C. (2003) "Regulation of mammalian STE20-like kinase 2 (MST2) by protein phosphorylation/dephosphorylation and proteolysis.", J Biol Chem, 278(14): 11760-7.

Cheng, K, Li, Z, Fu, W.Y., Wang, Jerry H.C., Fu, K.Y., Ip, Nancy Y (2002) "Pctaire1 Interacts with p35 and Is a Novel Substrate for Cdk5/p35", J Biol Chem, 277: 31988-93.

Song, Y., Wang, Jian, Teng, S.F., Kesuma, D., Deng, Yu, Duan, J., Wang, J.H., Qi, R.Z., Sim, M.M. (2002) "Beta-carbolines as specific inhibitors of cyclin-dependent kinases", Bioorg. Med. Chem.

Lett., 12: 1129-1132.

Ching, Y.-P., Pang, A.S.H., Lam, W.-H., Qi, R.Z., Wang, J.H. (2002) "Identification of a neuronal Cdk5 activator-binding protein as Cdk5 inhibitor", J. Biol. Chem., 277: 15237-15240.

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peptides in the study of cyclin-dependent kinase5 and neuronal cyclin-dependent kinase5-activator",

Peptides - Biology and Chemistry, 152-156.

Qu, D., Li, Q., Cheung, N.S., Li, R., Wang, J.H., Qi, R.Z. (2002) "The protein SET binds neuronal CDK5 activator p35nck5a and modulates Cdk5/p35nck5a activity", J. Biol. Chem., 277: 7324-7332.

Jeffrey Tze-Fei WONG

Adjunct Professor

(2358 7288 ; [email protected]) PhD, University of Toronto (1963)

Professor of Biochemistry, University of Toronto (1976-90)

Origin of genetic coding; evolution of codon usages; identity elements of transfer RNA.

Tong, Ka-Lok, Wong, J. T.-F. (2004) "Anticodon and wobble evolution", Gene, 333: 169-177. Xue, Hong, Ka-lok, Tong, Marck, Christian, Grosjean, Henri, Wong, J. Tze-Fei (2003) "Transfer RNA Paralogs: Evidence for Genetic Code-Amino Acid Biosynthesis Coevolution and an Archaeal Root of Life.", Gene, 310, 59-66.

Wong, J. Tze-Fei (2002) "Mutation and Expansion of the Genetic Code", Engineering Enzymes for

Biocatalysis by Using Directed Evolution, Pasteur Institute, Paris, France.

Xue, Hong, Tong, Ka-Lok, Wong, J. Tze-Fei (2002) "Sequence Identities Between Extremely Slow-Evolving Aminoacyl-tRNA Synthetase and Transfer RNA Paralogs: Evidence for Genetic Code-Amino Acid Biosynthesis Coevolution and an Archaeal Root of Life", The 4th International Congress on

Extremophiles 2002, Complesso Universitario, Monte Sant'Angelo, University Federico II of Naples, Naples, Italy, L54, p. 84.

Gong, Qingguo, Guo, Qing, Tong, Ka-Lok, Zhu, Guang, Wong, Tze-Fei Jeffrey, Xue, Hong (2001-2002) "NMR analysis of bovine tRNATrp. Conformation dependence of Mg2+ binding.", J. Biol.

Chem., 277, 20694-20701.

Guo, Qing, Gong, Qingguo, Tong, Ka-Lok, Vestergaard, Bente, Costa, Annie, Desgres, Jean, Wong, Mansim, Grosjean, Henri, Zhu, Guang, Wong, Tze-Fei Jeffrey, Xue, Hong (2001-2002) "Recognition by tryptophanyl-tRNA synthetases of discriminator base on the tRNATrp from three biological domains.", J. Biol. Chem., 277, 14343-14349.

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Wong, Tze-Fei Jeffrey, Xue, Hong (2001-2002) "Self-perfecting evolution of heteropolymer building blocks and sequences as the basis of life", In 'Fundamentals of Life' (ed. Palyi, G. et al), Elsevier, 473-494.

James A HACKETT

Associate Professor

PhD, University College Dublin (1978)

Senior Lecturer, University of Adelaide (1992)

Molecular cloning and analysis of virulence genes of Salmonella typhi; vaccine development against Salmonella; molecular genetics of plasmid incompatibility and partition.

The characterization of positive regulatory genes in Salmonella typhi

RGC - Direct Allocation Grant HK$80,000 01 Nov 2003

Genetic and environmental controls on the expression of the Salmonella typhi type IVB pili RGC - Competitive Earmarked Research Grant HK$1,608,000 01 Dec 2001 The characterization of positive regulatory genes in Salmonella typhi

RGC - Competitive Earmarked Research Grant HK$939,968 01 Jul 2004

Tsui, I. S. M., Yip, C. M. C., Hackett, J., Morris, C. (2003) "The Type IVB pili of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi bind to the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR)", Infect. Immun, in press (Oct. 2003).

Morris, C., Tam, C. K. P., Wallis, T. S., Jones, P. W., Hackett, J. (2003) "Salmonella enterica serovar Dublin stains which are Vi antigen-positive use Type IVB pili for bacterial self-association and human intestinal cell entry.", Mirobial Pathogenesis, in the press.

Morris, Christina, Tsui, Inez, Yip, Cecilia, Wong, Danny K.H., Hackett, Jim (2003) "The shufflon of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi regulates Type IVB pilus-mediated bacterial self-association",

Infect. Immun., 71, 1141-1146.

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Controls Bacterial Self-Association Using Type IVB Pili", American Society for Microbiology 102nd

General Meeting, Salt Lake City, Utah, 65, abstract B-192.

Wong, Danny, Morris, Christina, Hackett, Jim (2001) "The Plasmid-Stabilizing Ytl2 Protein Coats DNA in a Sequence-Independent Manner", Plasmid, 46, 65-70.

Zhang, X. -L., Tsui, I. S. M., Yip, C. M. C., Fung, A. W. Y., Wong, D. K. -H., Dai, X., Yang, Y.,

Hackett, J., Morris, C. (2000) "Salmonella typhi uses Type IVB pili to enter human intestinal epithelial

cells", Infect. Immun., 68, 3067-3073.

Wong, W.K.R., Lam, E., Wong, R.S.C., Morris, C., Hackett, J. (2000) "Applications, and efficient large-scale production, of recombinant human epidermal growth factor", Biotechnology and Genetic

Engineering Reviews, 18, 51-71.

Yifan HAN

Associate Professor

(2358 7293 ; [email protected]) PhD, Medical College of Ohio (1991) Visiting Scientist, Hoechst AG (1985-86)

Molecular mechanisms of learning and memory; neuropsychopharmacologic research and development of anti-Alzheimer's agents, including those from Chinese medicinal herbs.

Novel anti-Alzheimer's dimers: Molecular elucidation of memory-enhancing and neuroprotective activities and structural modification

RGC - Competitive Earmarked Research Grant HK$816,000 01 Oct 2002

Novel dimeric AChE inhibitors: Probing antiapoptotic functions against neurodegeneration following cerebral ischemic and ß-amyloid insults

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Wong, D.M., Carlier, P.R., Han, Y.F., Sussman, L. (2003) "Acetylcholinesterase complexed with bivalent ligands related to huperzine A: experimental evidence for species-dependent protein-ligand complementarity", J. Am. Chem. Soc., Vol. 125, Issue 2, pp. 363-373.

Pan, S.Y., Han, Yi Fan, Carlier, P.R., Pang, Y.P., Mak, Duncan Hon Fai, Lam, Brian Yee Hong,

Ko, Kam Ming (2001-2002) "Schisandrin B protects against tacrine- and bis(7)-tracrine-induced

hepatoxicity and enhance cognitive function in mice", Planta Med, 68:217-220.

Robert K M KO

Associate Professor

PhD, University of British Columbia (1990)

Myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury and carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatotoxicity; protection against such injuries by antioxidants; antioxidant properties of traditional Chinese medicine.

Further application of metabolic pathways interaction software - Department of Biochemistry

Teaching Development Grants HK$50,000 03 Dec 2003

Online approach to introduction to biochemistry

Teaching Development Grants HK$59,000 03 Dec 2003

Investigation on molecular mechanism of schisandrin B induced hepato- and cardioprotection: Correlation between induction of heat shock proteins and enhancement of antioxidant status in vitro and in vivo

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Ko, K.M. (2003-2004) "Challenges in the globalization of Chinese herbal medicine.", Asia-Pacific

Biotech News., 7:1287-89.

Kwan, R.C.H., Ko, K.M., Renneberg, R. (2003-2004) "Comparing an in vitro electrochemical measurement of superoxide scavenging activity with an in vivo assessment of antioxidant potential in Chinese tonifying herbs.", Phytotherapy Res., 18:149-153.

Ko, K.M. (2003-2004) "East meets west in anti-aging medicine.", Annal Asia Anti-aging Med.

Assoc., 2004:39-44.

Tang, M.H., Chiu, Po Yee, Ko, K.M. (2003-2004) "Hepatoprotective action of schisandrin B against carbon tetrachloride toxicity was mediated by both enhancement of mitochondrial glutathione status and induction of heat shock proteins in mice.", Biofactors., 19:33-42.

Chiu, Po Yee, Tang, Man Ho, Mak, Duncan H.F., Poon, Michel K.T., Ko, K.M. (2003-2004) "Hepatoprotective mechanism of schisandrin B: Role of mitochondrial glutathione antioxidant status and heat shock proteins.", Free Radic. Biol. Med., 35:368-380.

Poon, Michel K.T., Chiu, Po Yee, Mak, Duncan H.F., Ko, K.M. (2003-2004) "Metformin protects against carbon tetrachlordie hepatootoxicity in mice: Enhancement of mitochondrial glutathione redox status.", J. Pharmacol. Sci. (formerly Jpn J Pharmacol), 93:501-504.

Ko, K.M., Mak, Duncan H.F., Chiu, Po Yee, Poon, Michel K.T. (2003-2004) "Pharmacological basis of 'Yang-invigoration' in Chinese medicine.", TiPs., 25:3-6.

Chiu, Po Yee, Ko, K.M. (2003-2004) "Time dependent enhancement in mitochondrial glutathione status and ATP generation capacity by schisandrin B treatment decreases the susceptibility of rat hearts to ischemia-reperfusion injury.", Biofactors., 19:43-51.

Chun LIANG

Associate Professor

(2358 7296 ; [email protected]) PhD, Brown University (1993)