Croucher Foundation

Registration now open: Croucher Summer Courses 2025 Seven intensive, week-long residential courses await postgraduate students and early-career researchers across diverse scientific disciplines. Led by world-class experts, these courses offer valuable opportunities to engage in focused discussions, share research insights, and participate in hands-on laboratory demonstrations. The courses are hosted by four Hong Kong universities between 23 June and 17 August 2025: Computational neuroscience (24 June — 29 June 2025) Marine ecosystems (30 June – 4 July 2025) Emerging viral infections (14 July — 18 July 2025) Information theory (3 August — 8 August 2025) Precision genome engineering (8 August — 13 August 2025) Arterial ageing (10 August — 15 August 2025) Neutron scattering (10 August — 16 August 2025) Application deadlines begin closing in late March. Visit our website for detailed course information and application procedures: https://lnkd.in/gNge6V2h #SummerSchool2025 #ResearchTraining #STEMEducation

Possible signs of life on another world? Scientists have detected potential biosignature molecules in the atmosphere of K2-18b, a planet 120 light-years from Earth, using NASA's James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). Croucher News spoke to Dr Man Hoi Lee, an associate professor in the Department of Earth Sciences at The University of Hong Kong, about his views on the findings. For his comments and the whole story, read here: https://lnkd.in/gdvv9J57 #ExoplanetScience #JWST #Astrobiology

Reforestation potential for the metropolis Part of our series on research into the biodiversity of Hong Kong. Plant ecologists are arguing that reforestation should feature prominently in plans for the Northern Metropolis and have identified up to 2,000 ha of degraded hillsides, including in country parks in the area, that could be turned into forest parks for the future. Read the full story here: https://lnkd.in/g_npPyyU #NorthernMetropolis #Reforestation #CarbonStorage

The changing world of diabetes Professor Ronald Ma from The Chinese University of Hong Kong recently published a study about NT-proBNP, a naturally occurring heart hormone that signals cardiac strain. His team found it to be a powerful predictor of both cardiovascular complications and kidney disease in diabetes patients. Read about this and much more in Croucher News' wide-ranging interview with Professor Ma here: https://lnkd.in/dQNPUYvP #DiabetesResearch #PrecisionMedicine #AsianHealth

Adaptive brain interface shows improved efficiency A research team which includes scientists from The University of Hong Kong has developed an innovative brain-computer interface (BCI) that adapts to changes in brain signals while maintaining high performance. The system uses a specialised chip containing 128,000 memristors. These electronic components act like artificial synapses, combining memory and processing functions, representing a step forward in making BCIs more practical for everyday use. For more on this story, click here: https://lnkd.in/gCHfpeXB #BrainComputerInterface #Memristors #AssistiveTech

Floating a nature-based solution Floating wetlands, also known as floating islands, are a nature-based solution for restoring habitats and managing surface water pollution that could be deployed in the Northern Metropolis and other urban areas of Hong Kong. Click here to read this story: https://lnkd.in/gFgxMraR #NatureSolutions #HKBiodiversity #FloatingWetlands

In case you missed it: An interview with Dr Lan Wang, Croucher Innovation Award in 2023. Her current research addresses the quality control pathways that regulate protein homeostasis on the mitochondria’s membranes and the maintenance of the mitochondrial genome. Dr Wang studied and carried out research at Tsinghua, Harvard and the University of California, San Francisco, before joining The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. Read our interview with Dr Wang here: https://lnkd.in/g2x2z2-7 #StructuralBiology #CryoEM #MitochondrialProteins

Single-system molecule for detecting both positive and negative ions Dr Yuen Cheong Richard TSE, Todd-Croucher Fellow at the University of Cambridge, has developed a novel molecular system that can detect both positive and negative ions using the same binding sites. For this purpose he has used specially designed rotaxanes with "dual personality" properties, potentially simplifying ion detection and extraction processes. Read here for more: https://lnkd.in/gCxXT_Eh #SupramolecularChemistry #ChemicalSensing #CroucherScholars

🌟 Croucher Science Week 2025 kicked off with a bang, captivating young minds and families during its exciting first weekend! 🎉 Running from 7 to 25 April, this year’s expanded edition features two action-packed weekends of interactive science fun. Highlights so far include: ✅ School tour performances at 15 local primary and secondary schools 🎓 & ✅ Fan-favourite science busking by David Price ✅ Signature theatre shows: "The journey of food" by The Royal Institution and "The Wow! show" by Scitech Missed out so far? Don’t worry—there’s plenty more to come from Easter Friday and onwards! Mark your calendar: https://lnkd.in/gtuu_pNS

Nitrogen plays key role in atmospheric light absorption, Hong Kong led study finds Research led by scientists from The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology has identified a crucial role for nitrogen in atmospheric chemistry, with implications for how we understand climate change. The findings indicate that a form of nitrogen, rather than carbon compounds, may be the primary factor in how airborne particles interact with solar radiation. For more on this story, click here: https://lnkd.in/gVapv5uZ #AtmosphericChemistry #ClimateScience #BrownNitrogen