Bringing research to life
Six more CUHK pioneering projects receive government’s RAISe+ funding
30 June 2025
Six CUHK research teams have secured funding from the second round of the Research, Academic and Industry Sectors One-plus (RAISe+) Scheme initiated by the Innovation and Technology Commission of the Hong Kong government.
Including the seven projects accepted last year, this brings the total number of CUHK projects to receive the funding to 13, the most among local institutions.
The RAISe+ Scheme aims to help local universities transform and commercialise their research and development outcomes and to facilitate collaboration between the government, academic and industrial sectors. The scheme provides funds, on a matching basis, to university research teams that have the potential to become successful start-ups, giving a maximum of HK$100 million to each approved project.
CUHK’s Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research) Professor Sham Mai-har (above, fourth from left) said projects using relatively mature technologies were identified and the University would strive to advance them towards commercialisation.
“These six projects span a wide range of research, all of which are key areas at CUHK, including biomedicine, artificial intelligence and robotics, and new energy technologies,” Professor Sham said at a press conference on the latest results on 23 June. “The projects draw on years of basic research done by our professors and will serve as training platforms for emerging talent.”
Below are brief introductions to the six awarded projects:
Professor Philip Chiu Wai-yan (Department of Surgery)
Conquering GI cancer with robots
To treat patients with early gastrointestinal (GI) cancers more effectively, Professor Chiu and his research team have pioneered a breakthrough robotic platform – the EndoR Surgical System – that integrates flexible robotics technology to revolutionise endoluminal surgery. The system enhances precision, dexterity and safety during endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD), a minimally invasive treatment offering complete tumour removal while preserving healthy tissues.
ESD’s steep learning curve and reliance on surgical expertise have limited its widespread adoption. The system ensures consistency in patient outcomes and reduces complications, representing a significant step forward in medical robotics and minimally invasive surgery.
Professor Kwok Ka-wai (Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering)
Evolving interventional endoscopy to treat GI and bladder cancers
Professor Kwok’s team has developed an endoluminal robotic platform for early-stage cancer resection and defect closure. It uses miniature (Ø2.8-3.5 mm), fully flexible robotic instruments to treat patients with upper and lower gastrointestinal cancer and bladder cancer. Unlike conventional instruments, which often make complex procedures difficult to perform and require extensive training, this innovative robotic system offers surgeons unprecedented dexterity and simplified control while being compatible with existing flexible and rigid endoscopes. The project aims to develop a GI indication that reaches regulatory submission and clinical trial stages and to introduce robotic capabilities to close and suture tissues. It will provide a comprehensive solution for endoluminal surgery, reducing complications and promoting faster recovery. The team envisions lowering training barriers to make advanced, incision-free surgical techniques more accessible.
Professor Lu Yi-chun (Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering)
Low-cost, safe batteries for mass storage of renewable energy
To store solar and wind power more efficiently as humankind moves towards a net-zero future, Professor Lu’s team, in partnership with CUHK spin-off company Luquos Energy, is pioneering a new battery technology for long-duration energy storage that is intrinsically safe, affordable and environmentally friendly. Unlike conventional lithium-ion batteries, which pose fire risks and are hard to recycle, this new solution uses a plentiful, low-cost material – sulfur – and water-based components to eliminate safety hazards while slashing costs by up to 50% compared to lithium-ion batteries and 75% compared to vanadium flow batteries.
The team will bring to life its innovations developed over the past decade, including high-performance membranes, power-boosting catalysts and smart AI battery systems, deploying them in real-world applications including renewable energy storage, data centres, electric vehicle charging and more. The team has a vision of positioning Hong Kong as a global leader in sustainable energy innovation and of supporting climate goals in Hong Kong, mainland China and beyond.
Professor Ng Siew-chien (Department of Medicine and Therapeutics)
Diagnosing diseases using your gut's personal signature
Professor Ng, Professor Francis Chan Ka-leung and MicroSigX Biotech Diagnostic Limited are pioneering a new generation of non-invasive diagnostics for two major health challenges, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The project introduces two breakthrough technologies: Enterosight, a stool-based polymerase chain reaction assay for IBD; and MetaGenie, an AI-powered metagenomic platform for ASD. These tests use microbial signatures to deliver accurate, affordable, rapid diagnostics from a single stool sample.
The project is expected to deliver the first microbiome-based diagnostic test fully developed in Hong Kong, with a clear roadmap to global regulatory approval, marking a pivotal step in establishing Hong Kong as a leader in the emerging microbiome industry.
Professor Ren Wei (Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering)
Intelligent laser sensing for the energy industry
The oil, natural gas and hydrogen energy sectors increasingly require advanced sensing systems for quality analysis, pipeline inspection and leak detection. To address these issues, Professor Ren’s team is working on leveraging its research in laser sensing technologies and artificial intelligence, aiming to develop and commercialise a series of intelligent, laser-based gas analysers and detectors.
These innovative devices will serve a wide range of applications across the oil and gas industry, including pipeline inspection, as well as hydrogen safety, and will be brought to market through the CUHK spin-off LaSense Tense Technology Limited. The systems will undergo large-scale field trials in Hong Kong and mainland China. The team has a vision of strengthening Hong Kong’s international competitiveness in high-end manufacturing and sustainable energy.
Professor Nathalie Wong (Department of Surgery)
Engineering T cells to attack cancer
Professor Wong and her team recognise the transformative potential of Chimeric Antigen Receptor Cell (CAR T cell) therapy in providing a cure for patients with hepatobiliary pancreatic (HBP) cancer. The therapy involves genetically engineering a patient’s own T cells to attack cancer cells. The team successfully identified novel tumour-specific antigens as targets and is driving innovations in CAR T cell therapies through a robust manufacturing platform and innovative clinical trials.
The team is joining hands with academic and industry partners to take new therapeutic concepts through pre-clinical developments to clinical trials and commercialisation. Its goal is to accelerate the clinical treatment of patients with HBP tumours through advanced CAR T cell engineering and innovative clinical trial designs.
Compiled by Gillian Cheng
Main photo by Steven Yan
