HKUST Annual Report 2017-18

20 Research Highlights Breakthroughs in and across science, engineering, business and management, and humanities and social science added to global knowledge and catalyzed change CHINESE RISK GENES INDICATE IMMUNE SYSTEM’S ROLE IN AD A research team led by Prof. Nancy IP (Life Science) identified Alzheimer’s disease genetic risk factors in the Chinese population through the first whole-genome sequencing study in a Chinese Alzheimer’s disease cohort, comprising thousands of participants. The team identified variants of well-studied genetic marker APOE as well as two novel risk genes, GCH1 and KCNJ15 associated with the disease. They also discovered that these risk factors were associated with the alteration of immune pathways, specifically changes in immune biomarkers in the brain and blood. The findings provided critical new evidence of the immune system’s role in Alzheimer’s disease pathology. The study was published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. SYNTHETIC ROUTE TO CHIRAL MOLECULES Over half of the approved drugs now in use worldwide are chiral, treating conditions including cardiovascular, respiratory and gastrointestinal diseases. But production is complex, costly, and generally requires rare and expensive raw materials. Researchers led by Prof. SUN Jianwei (Chemistry) uncovered a synthetic way to produce chiral molecules, discovering that chiral allenes can be produced through organic catalysis using racemic propargylic alcohols, which are inexpensive and readily available. The catalyst is also recyclable, reusable, and does not create metal wastes. The research, which may lead to safer and more affordable medicines, appeared in Nature Communications. INSIGHTS INTO LIFE AT SUB-CELLULAR LEVEL Prof. DU Shengwang, Prof. Michael LOY Ming-Tak (both Physics), and their students invented a Line-Bessel sheet microscope. The new microscope is 1,000 times less photo-toxic and 1,000 times faster in taking a high-resolution 3D smooth live-cell video than existing confocal microscopes, providing an avenue for life scientists to unlock the dynamics of life at the sub- cellular level. The technology has been transferred to Light Innovation Technology (LiT) Limited, a start-up co-founded by Prof. Du and his team.