HKUST Annual Report 2019-2020

RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS Statistical Genomics Insights 3D Topological Matter Simulation with Ultracold Atoms Prof. YANG Can (Mathematics) deepened understanding of the architecture of complex traits and diseases in the human genome by developing statistical methods to quantify the regulatory role of genetic variants, identify cell type-specific risk-CpG sites in epigenome-wide association studies, and predict disease risks to stratify high-risk individuals. The methods effectively accounted for confounding factors in biomedical data analysis, greatly improving statistical power in detecting biological signals of interest, and established rigorous theories to guarantee model identifiability and algorithm convergence. These studies have been published in Nature Communications, Proceedings of the National Academy of Science (PNAS), NARGenomics and Bioinformatics, and Annals of Statistics. Artificial Eye on the Future Prof. FAN Zhiyong (Electronic and Computer Engineering) created the first spherical artificial eye with 3D retina, bringing fresh hope to the visually impaired and the potential for humanoid robots to see. The Electrochemical Eye replicates the structure of a natural eye using nanowires and external electronic circuitry to enable high-density sensors on a curved surface. The resulting biomimetic eye prototype has 30 times more sensors on the artificial retina than the human eye and may thus offer sharper vision in the future, along with extra functions such as the ability to detect infrared radiation in darkness. The research was published in Nature . Rechargeable Liquid Fuels Prof. ZHAO Tianshou (Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering) and his team developed an environmentally friendly rechargeable liquid fuel to power electric vehicles in minutes, a substantial enhancement on existing battery technology that usually takes hours. The “e-fuel” is carbon neutral if charged with solar or wind energy and can be readily dispatched to the power grid in addition to recharging vehicles. One of the approaches in cross- university research, led by HKUST, is based around the Prof. JO Gyu-Boong (Physics) and his group unveiled the world’s first quantum simulation of 3D topological matter with ultracold atoms, a breakthrough that may eventually lead to the development of less noisy and more robust quantum devices. The team realized a 3D spin– orbit coupled semimetal in an engineered optical lattice filled with ultracold fermions, and observed a collection of singular points (also known as a nodal-line) in the band structure. The topological semimetal with emergent symmetry allows us to detect nodal lines by effectively reconstructing the 3D topological band from a series of measurements of integrated spin textures. The novel detection technique can be applied generally to explore 3D topological states of similar symmetries. The research was published in Nature Physics . Green Oxidation The research group of Prof. TONG Rongbiao (Chemistry) reported a unified, efficient halide catalysis for three oxidation reactions of indoles using oxone as the terminal oxidant, namely oxidative rearrangement of tetrahydro- β -carbolines, indole oxidation to 2-oxindoles, and Witkop oxidation. The halide catalysis protocol represented a general, green oxidation method and is expected to be used widely due to advantages including waste prevention, less hazardous chemical synthesis, and sustainable halide catalysis. The work appeared in Nature Communications . development of a stable lithium-sulfur battery and its transformation to a flow system (e-fuel). Work is on- going, with selected results already published in Nature Communications . III-V Semiconductor Laser Advance Prof. Kei May LAU (Electronic and Computer Engineering) and her team achieved a significant global optoelectronic advance by developing the first bufferless telecommunication wavelength (1.5 micro-meter) III-V semiconductor lasers grown directly on industry-standard 220-nanometer silicon-on-insulator (SOI) wafers. The breakthrough heralds the way to the long-sought goal of fully integrated silicon (Si)-based photonic integrated circuits with on-chip laser sources, and brings major improvements to the infrastructure of high-speed network communications in data centers a step closer. The findings were published in Optica . Satellite Estimate Effectiveness A team comprising Prof. Abhiroop MUKHERJEE, Prof. George PANAYOTOV, and PhD student SHON Janghoon (Finance) measured the extent to which commercial satellite-based estimates affected the value of a government macro announcement, using asset price impact. Their identification relied on cloud cover that prevented satellites from observing economic activity at a few key hubs. The researchers found that some satellite estimates are now so effective that markets are no longer surprised by government announcements, pointing to a future in which the resolution of macro uncertainty is smoother, and governments have less control over macro information. The study won Best Paper Award from the CFA Institute’s Asia-Pacific Research Exchange and CFA Society Melbourne. An article in the Journal of Financial Economics is forthcoming. HKUST ANNUAL REPORT 2019-2020 23 22 Lab to Market