HKU Laidlaw Project Details.xlsx

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1	HKU Projects available for application
2	(See next tab for UCL project list)
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4	No.	Project Supervisors (First Name, Last Name)	Position & Name of Department/School/Faculty	Proposed research project topic(s)	Brief description (100 words in maximum) on each project	Maximum number of students to take on	HKU students	Incoming students	Selection criteria, if any	Preferred mode of supervision	Is lab work required?	Contact e-mail

5	1	Dr Rio, Sugimura	Asst Prof, SBMS	Fate prediction of human immune cells with single-cell live imaging	The applicant will work on the exciting nexus between single-cell analysis and immunology under the supervision of our staff. This project is in collaboration with the Faculty of Engineering. The applicant will learn the basics of immunology, imaging, and data analysis at the single-cell level.	1	Yes	Yes	Team player	Face to face	Yes	rios@hku.hk
6	2	Professor Anthony Kong	Unit Head, Academic Unit of Human Communication, Development, and Information Sciences (CDIS), Faculty of Education	Spoken discourse impairments in Chinese speakers with brain injuries.	Spoken discourse is defined as units of language larger than a sentence. Discourse impairments are commonly found in speakers with acquired brain injuries. This project will focus on examining how different factors such as age, cognitive deficits, bilingual status, or language environment affect the manifestation of discourse symptoms in spoken language output. Students are also encouraged to proposed related topics of investigations.	3	Yes	Yes	Interview to determine students’ readiness and motivation to participate into these summer research projects	Face to face mainly, but possible to change to virtual supervision	Yes	akong@hku.hk
7	3	Professor Anthony Kong	Unit Head, Academic Unit of Human Communication, Development, and Information Sciences (CDIS), Faculty of Education	Enhancing awareness of aphasia and reporting the lived experience of people with aphasia during the COVID-19 times.	People with aphasia and their caregivers consistently report that they confront not only a lack of awareness of aphasia, but also a lack of understanding of the condition. The aim of this project is to promote the current level of public awareness of aphasia in Hong Kong. Activities will include (a) preparation of public education resources and aphasia-friendly materials to promote aphasia and (b) summarizing changes of lived experience and access to aphasia-specific services among PWA (and caregivers) during different outbreak phases of COVID-19 in Hong Kong. Students are also encouraged to proposed related lines of work.	3	Yes	Yes	Interview to determine students’ readiness and motivation to participate into these summer research projects	Face to face mainly, but possible to change to virtual supervision	Yes	akong@hku.hk
8	4	Professor Anthony Kong	Unit Head, Academic Unit of Human Communication, Development, and Information Sciences (CDIS), Faculty of Education	Aphasia treatment for Cantonese speakers in Hong Kong.	Chinese aphasia therapy in Hong Kong focuses on providing effective treatment for individuals with language impairments, utilizing various techniques and strategies to improve communication skills and enhance overall quality of life. The aim of this project is to implement novel methods of aphasia intervention, such as Intensive and Comprehensive Aphasia Program (ICAP), Gesture plus Verbal Treatment (GVT), or made individualized Transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS), for people with aphasia in Hong Kong. Students are also encouraged to proposed related lines of work.	3	Yes	Yes	Interview to determine students’ readiness and motivation to participate into these summer research projects	Face to face mainly, but possible to change to virtual supervision	Yes	akong@hku.hk
9	5	Professor Quentin Parker	Director, Professor, Laboratory for Space Research under the Faculty of Science	Astrophysics - late stage stellar evolution	The student will work with the internationally significant late stage stellar evolution team at the Laboratory for space research (www.lst.hku.hk) on projects related to the scientific exploitation of the HASH research platform (HASH: Hong Kong AAO Strasbourg H-alpha Planetary Nebulae database	2	Yes	Yes	Student interest in astrophysics ; very good academic record	Face to face	No	quentinp@hku.hk
10	6	Dr Fraide Ganotice	Assistant Professor, Bau Institute of Medical and Health Sciences Education	Game On: Unlocking the power of gamified interprofessional education for knowledge co-construction (gIPE for KCC)	Student engagement is crucial for the successful implementation of interprofessional education (IPE@HKU), a program provided at the Faculty of Medicine through in-person and collaborative online international learning (COIL). To enhance student engagement and facilitate knowledge co-construction (KCC) among students, the use of gamification has been recognized as an effective approach. However, the understanding of KCC processes in interprofessional settings and how gamification as a contextual trigger facilitates this process remains poorly understood. This study aims to address these knowledge gaps by investigating the KCC processes within a gamified IPE and examine how gamification promotes KCC among health professions students. Guided by Gunawardena's Interaction Analysis Model, the study will involve approximately 200 students from diverse areas of expertise, including Chinese Medicine, Food and Nutritional Science, MBBS, Nursing, and Social Work. The students will be divided into two groups: an intervention group (gamified IPE) and a control group (non-gamified or traditional IPE). Both groups will participate in an IPE Cancer Management simulation, and team interactions during the simulation will be recorded and transcribed to identify KCC processes. By analyzing quantitative and qualitative the data, this study aims to provide valuable insights for educators on how KCC occurs among interprofessional students and how to design gamified teaching effectively. Findings will contribute to the development of IPE programs that promote team-based patient-centered care. This research is particularly timely and relevant as IPE@HKU expands its scope and inclusivity, involving around 50 teachers, 20 student-as-partners, and an annual average of 1,826 students from different faculties in HKU.	2	Yes	Yes	Psychology and Education students	Face to face mainly, but possible to change to virtual supervision	No	ganotc75@hku.hk
11	7	Dr Edmund C.M. TSE	Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry	Turning Wastes into Treasure	A steady supply of clean water and food are key to achieve a sustainable future. As the global population grows, food demand heightens. To this end, the project aims to increase the production of fertilizer in order to boost food production. The Scholar will develop an advanced electrochemical platform to (i) remove nitrates and nitrites from agricultural waste, and (ii) convert nitrates and nitrites into ammonia, which is a key ingredient for the synthesis of fertilizer to boost food production to feed the growing population. The Scholar will provide a scheme on how to prepare electrochemical platforms for turning nitrates and nitrites into ammonia. The Scholar will present a poster on the electrochemical data collected and the analysis results.	1	Yes	Yes	Motivated to learn, enjoy science and research, willing to engage in a team environment, hardworking, care about the environment, ready to help with sustainability issues, pay attention to details.	Face to face	Yes	ecmtse@hku.hk
12	8	Dr. TI, Jeff Shih Chieh	Assistant Professor, School of Biomedical Sciences	Dissecting how tubulin code controls microtubule properties	The human genome encodes multiple α- and β-tubulin gene families (i.e., isotypes) with the protein expression profile varying with cell types and developmental stages. While point mutations in a specific tubulin isotype have been associated with human diseases, the molecular mechanism by which tubulin isotypes confer microtubules’ functions remains poorly understood. Using our field-leading strategy to generate isotypically pure recombinant human tubulin, Dr. Ti’s Lab employs combinatorial approaches of protein biochemistry, biophysics, chemical biology, single-molecule microscopy, force microscopy, and cryo-electron microscopy to investigate the intrinsic properties of different human tubulin isotypes (for more details, please visit www.tilab.org).	1	Yes	No	Preferred discipline(s): Chemistry, Biochemistry, and Physics	weekly face-to-face group meeting	Yes	jeffti@hku.hk
13	9	Dr. CHAN Man Kei Karen	Associate Professor, Faculty of Education (Academic Unit of Human Communication, Development, and Information Sciences)	Game-based swallowing rehabilitation for older adults and adults with swallowing disorders	Swallowing food and drink is a complex coordination of muscles that are based on voluntary and involuntary control. The coordination and strength of swallowing-related muscles may be affected by a number of health conditions, such as stroke, dementia and frailty. Speech language pathologists often recommend people who have or are at risk of developing swallowing disorders to perform swallowing exercises daily. These exercises involve strengthening and coordination of a number of swallowing related muscles (such as lips, tongue and jaw). While these exercises are easy to do, they can be tedious and boring. The current project aims to gamify these exercises to promote healthy swallowing, especially in older adults. Come join us if you are interested in game design and learning more about swallowing.	1	Yes	No	NA	Regular face-to-face lab meeting and working in a group.	Yes	karencmk@hku.hk
14	10	Professor CARLESS David Robert	Professor, Faculty of Education (Academic Unit of Social Contexts and Policies of Education)	Students’ use of generative AI as a feedback source	The use of generative AI as a learning tool is an increasingly important educational issue. This project is positioned at the interface of student use of generative AI and the concept of feedback literacy which represents the capacities to make the most of human and non-human sources of feedback. An assumption is that generative AI potentially acts as a useful feedback source. The main goals of the project are to understand students’ experiences of using generative AI; identify current practices, including good practices; and to make recommendations for enhanced use of generative AI. Prior thinking suggests that students need capacities to engage in dialogue with generative AI, critically evaluate its outputs, and utilize them appropriately to enhance their work, knowledge or thinking. This project aims to take these starting points further.	1	Yes	No	Some prior experience of using generative AI would be useful, but no particular technical skills are required. Enthusiasm and an inquiring mind are the most important attributes required.	At least one face-to-face meeting would be desirable, followed by a mix of physical or virtual interactions.	No	dcarless@hku.hk
15	11	Professor Kelvin WANG Man Ping	Professor, School of Nursing	Population Approaches to Tackle Addictive Behaviours	Smoking and alcohol use are the two out of the four leading lifestyle risk factors for non-communicable diseases worldwide, and cause tremendous health and economic burden particularly for developing countries. Our research group aims in reducing these addictive behaviours and the related harms through population based approaches. We are keen in developing brief, scalable, sustainable and effective interventions which will be translated into practice and influence the policy. Effectiveness of these innovative interventions are assessed rigorously using large scale pragmatic randomised controlled trials to generate highest level of evidence. Some of these interventions have been used currently in Hong Kong and the region. More proactive and innovative interventions leveraging the advanced mobile-phone technologies are currently being developed and tested. Disseminating these evidence in top journal is one of our priorities.	1	Yes	No	health-related, social science, psychology, and computer engineering	Progress meeting using hybrid mode and participate in team meetings and academic presentations.	No	mpwang@hku.hk
16	12	Estella Ma	Director of Voice Research Lab. Associate Professor, Faculty of Education.	Perceptual discrimination of pitch, loudness and overall dysphonia severity levels between children with and without musical training	This study examines the perceptual discrimination of voice features in typically developing children aged from 6 to 8 years old. Children with and without formal musical training will be recruited. Their abilities in making both gross and fine discrimination on perceptual characteristics of pitch, loudness and overall voice quality will be assessed.	2	Yes	Yes	N/A	Face to face	Yes	estella.ma@hku.hk
17	13	Estella Ma	Director of Voice Research Lab. Associate Professor, Faculty of Education.	The use of singing-based training for addressing voice problems in children with physical disabilities	Children with physical disabilities can experience voice problems due to their poorer breathing, phonatory and postural support. This study examines the use of singing-based training in improving vocal abilities in children with physical disabilities.	2	Yes	Yes	Proficient in spoken Cantonese and enjoys singing.	Face to face	Yes	estella.ma@hku.hk
18	14	Amy Lo	Associate Professor, Ophthalmology, LKS Fac Med	Preclinical evaluation of lutein-in-extra-virgin-olive-oil supplementation as a new avenue for prevention of retinopathy of prematurity	Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a leading cause of preventable childhood blindness. Paradoxical advances in neonatal care have increased the survival of preterm infants and therefore incidence of associated ROP both worldwide and in Hong Kong. Current treatments are limited and inherently destructive to the retina. Frequent ophthalmic follow-up is necessary, causing considerable workload and substantial cost in pediatrics care. The project aims to explore non-invasive strategies via nutraceutical supplementation to protect against ROP using a neonatal mouse oxygen-induced retinopathy model. Neuroretinal response and retinal morphological and molecular changes will be evaluated.	1	Yes	Yes	agree with animal testing for scientific research purposes	Face to face	Yes	amylo@hku.hk
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