Once these variables are identified, students will collaborate with me to examine whether the conscious evaluations of these variables correspond to patterns in English production and sociolinguistic tendencies. This examination will involve using (1) sociolinguistic social media corpora from Hong Kong (e.g., the Corpus of Cantonese-English Code-switching on WhatsApp, the Twitter Corpus of English in Hong Kong) and/or (2) data collected from elicitation experiments and surveys involving a separate group of speakers.

By the end of the project, students will have practical experience in applying contemporary quantitative and qualitative variationist methods to study language variation in Hong Kong. This research aims to enrich the field of variationist sociolinguistics by shedding light on underexplored settings like Hong Kong. Students are expected to produce a comprehensive project report upon completion. Those who are enthusiastic may have the opportunity to collaborate with me in transforming their findings into publications in reputable journals, which could advance their professional development and potential careers in academia. While not obligatory, students with a background in introductory sociolinguistics or related courses (e.g., introduction to language or introduction to sociology) are preferred. Although not mandatory, familiarity with statistics, computational skills, and qualitative analysis tools would be advantageous. The essential requirement is a genuine interest in unraveling the intricacies of language and societal dynamics in Asian contexts such as Hong Kong and a commitment to contributing to the advancement of variationist sociolinguistics.

In this research project, students will collaborate with me to explore the intricate relationship between semiotic and linguistic resources, physical and digital spaces, and the shaping of identities in Hong Kong. The research will center on one or two regions selected by the students. They will undertake fieldwork in Hong Kong districts, both in the traditional physical environment and within the digital domain. Subsequently, students will engage in in-depth interviews, surveys, and potentially even experimental studies to gain a comprehensive understanding of the linguistic landscape in Hong Kong. During the analysis phase, students will acquire practical experience in utilizing contemporary quantitative and qualitative methods to investigate the linguistic landscape of Hong Kong.

By the project’s conclusion, students are expected to compile a comprehensive project report. Those who display enthusiasm may have the opportunity to collaborate with me in transforming their findings into publications in well-regarded academic journals, which could enhance their professional development and open doors to potential careers in academia. Although not obligatory, students with a background in introductory sociolinguistics or related courses (e.g., introduction to language or introduction to sociology) are preferred. While knowledge of statistics or computational skills is not mandatory, it would be advantageous. The primary requirement is a genuine interest in understanding the linguistic landscape within Asian contexts, such as Hong Kong, and a commitment to advancing the field of linguistic landscape research.

For students who have a strong background in this area of research, additional responsibilities may be assigned such as participating in MRI and EEG experiments. Students with appropriate experience may also have the opportunity to work with special populations such as children with autism and dyslexia.

Interested students are encouraged to familiarise themselves with journal papers published by the research group (brain.cuhk.edu.hk) and discuss specific project details at the first meeting with the host researchers considering students’ background and interests, as well as the lab’s latest focus.

Interested students are encouraged to familiarise themselves with journal papers published by the research group (brain.cuhk.edu.hk) and discuss specific project details at the first meeting with the host researchers considering students’ background and interests, as well as the lab’s latest focus.

No field trips required. Data collection and management within Hong Kong and located within the Department of Sports Science and Physical Education

Language: English

Potential field trips required to venues such as Summer Camps, Youth Groups and similar adolescent settings. Data collection and management within Hong Kong and located within the Department of Sports Science and Physical Education

Language: English

Potential field trips required to Hong Kong Football Association training venues and offices for data collection and analysis. Data collection and management within Hong Kong and located within the Department of Sports Science and Physical Education

Language: English

In this project, students will be involved in: (i) promoting a previously developed multicomponent physical activity program (Mobility-Fit) in care facilities in Hong Kong; and (ii) collecting and analyzing data related to safe mobility of older adults (e.g., gait performance, functional mobility performance, muscular strength, trunk stability, cognitive function, and daily physical activity level).

Students with academic background in exercise science or health-related subjects, and with interest in working with older adults are preferred.

In this project, students will be involved in: (i) developing e-learning micro-modules for students in sports biomechanics courses to consolidate their knowledge in biomechanics; (ii) construction of simple teaching tools for class demonstration; (iii) having hands-on experience on motion analysis technology and other biomechanics lab equipment (e.g., motion capture system, force platforms) and brainstorming pedagogical ideas.

Majoring in STEM subjects, education, kinesiology or other related disciplines, and basic knowledge in programming and/or video editing will be advantages.

In this project, students will be involved in: (i) gathering information regarding current practices and challenges in gymnastics classes in local schools; (ii) performing data collection and analyses for gymnastics movements; (iii) preparing promotion and education materials for the project (e.g., leaflets, guidelines).

Students with academic background in kinesiology, exercise science, physical education or other related majors, and/or prior experience in gymnastics are preferred.

Despite the rapid advancements over the last two decades, the cellular landscape still holds numerous mysteries. This is where you come in! In this project, we aim to develop new innovative tools, like optogenetics-based methods, to decode the intricacles of organelle dynamics, understand their functions, and reveal the interactions between them under varies physiological and pathological conditions.

By shedding light on these cellular enigmas, we can push the boundaries of our understanding of the roles of organelles in health and disease. The knowledge we gain could potentially revolutionize our approach to giagnosing and treating a wide range of diseases.

Joining our team, you will master essential cloning techniques to create DNA sequences of interest, unravel the vibrant world of live cell florescence imaging, and enhance your immunoblot skills. This project offers a unique opportunity to experience the intersection of various disciplines chemistry, biology, molecular biology, chemical biology, biological chemistry, genetics, bioengineering, biomedical engineering.

Regardless of your background – whether it be chemistry, biology, molecular biology, chemical biology, biological chemistry, genetics, bioengineering, biomedical engineering, or life science – we eagerly invite you to apply.

Student Background: Mechanical, Automation Engineering, related background

Prefer EM/EE/CS/Robotics study background, language requirement: English, no field trips.

Please visit our website for related projects: labren.org

Prefer EM/EE/CS/Robotics study background, language requirement: English, no field trips.

Please visit our website for related projects: labren.org

Prefer EM/EE/CS/Robotics study background, language requirement: English, no field trips.

Please visit our website for related projects: labren.org

Preferred field: physics, optics, acoustics, electronics, or materials

Preferred field: physics, optics, acoustics, electronics, or materials

Preferred field: physics, optics, acoustics, electronics, or materials

This project’s core objective is to explore robust methodologies capable of accurately discerning and distinguishing between human and machine-generated speech. By doing so, it aims to fortify the preservation of authenticity, trustworthiness, and integrity in audio content across diverse domains.

Requirement:

1. Technical background in Engineering or Computer Science.
2. Candidates with experience with diffusion or language model is preferred.
3. Strong programming skills

Requirement:

1. Technical background in Engineering or Computer Science.
2. Candidates with experience with diffusion or language model is preferred.
3. Strong programming skills

Language: proficiency in Cantonese is preferred

Expected Learning Outcomes: – At the end of the attachment, students are expected to have a better understanding about the background regarding published evidence relating various lifestyle factors and physical health in patients with obesity and diabetes; study methodology in research related to these lifestyle factors and health; data analysis including descriptive statistics and some fundamental principals in doing statistical analysis to examine correlations; and how to conclude and write up a short report.

Language: proficiency in Cantonese is preferred

Cardiovascular disorders remain the leading cause of death and disability worldwide. The extent of cardiac cell death and left ventricular systolic function are the strongest predictors of morbidity and mortality following cardiac disorders. Despite optimal therapy, the morbidity and mortality of cardiovascular patients remain significantly high. On this background, there remains an urgent clinical need to discover novel therapies for reducing cardiac injury/death and preserving cardiac function to improve health outcomes for cardiovascular patients. In this regard, the viability of the heart and cardiac function are critically dependent on the ability of cardiac mitochondria to generate the energy required for optimal contractile function. Therefore, preventing mitochondrial dysfunction induced by cardiac disorders is an important therapeutic strategy for preserving cardiac viability and function.

Our laboratory – Mitochondria@HeartHK, welcome warmly international undergraduate students to spend the HK summer with us to not only enjoy the sunshine, the city (think backdrop of HK movies), the mountains, and the seashore, but also explore together ways of manipulating the cardiac mitochondria to prevent injury-related death and increase chances of survival.

Language Requirement:

Basic survival-level English

Assessment Method:

Final report of the summer research

Learning Outcomes:

1. Fall in love with mitochondria (and HK!)
2. Learn about mitochondrial biology
3. How to manipulate mitochondria
4. Assessing mitochondrial and cardiac function

Reference Materials:

1. Attaur Rahman, Yuhao Li, Nur Izzah Ismail, To-Kiu Chan, Yuzhen Li, Dachun Xu, Hao Zhou, Sang-Bing Ong*. ‘The calcineurin-Drp1-mediated mitochondrial fragmentation is aligned with the differentiation of c-kit cardiac progenitor cells.’ International Journal of Stem Cells 16(2):123-134, 2023
2. Xiu‑Yi Kwek, Andrew R. Hall, Wei‑Wen Lim, Khairunnisa Katwadi, Poh Loong Soong, Elina Grishina, Kun‑Han Lin, Gustavo Crespo‑Avilan, Yap En Ping, Nur Izzah Ismail, Kroekkiat Chinda, Chung Ying Ying, Heming Wei, Winston Shim, David Montaigne, Andrew Tinker, Sang‑Bing Ong*, Derek J. Hausenloy*. ‘Role of cardiac mitofusins in cardiac conduction following simulated ischemia–reperfusion.’ Scientific Reports 12(1): 21049, 2022
3. Nur Izzah Ismail, Nathaly Anto-Michel, Khairunnisa Katwadi, Mim-Mim Lim, To-Kiu Chan, Attaur Rahman, Dachun Xu, Sang-Ging Ong, Derek J Hausenloy, Sang-Bing Ong*. ‘Ischemic preconditioning and postconditioning protect the heart by preserving the mitochondrial network.’ BioMed Research International2022: 6889278, 2022

Previous training in microbiology, molecular genomics and/or bioinformatics is preferred while the student will have access to our high-performance serve to analyze next-generation sequencing data using multiple bioinformatics and biostatistical approaches to understand the interaction between human microbiota and host genetics in the pathogenesis of HNSCC.

Previous training in virology, molecular genomics and/or bioinformatics is preferred while the student will have access to our high-performance serve to analyze next-generation sequencing data using multiple bioinformatics and biostatistical approaches to understand the evolution, phylogeny and genetic heterogenicity of SARS-CoV-2 and/or Papillomaviruses.

Bloodstream infection (BSI) is a life-threatening condition that causes significant morbidity and mortality. Despite the advance in antimicrobial therapy, the attributable mortality for bacteraemia and fungaemia remained as high as 12%. Recovery of microbial organisms in blood can represent simple uncomplicated infections, or complicated infections that affect organ systems. Comprehensive investigation for all BSI patients for complications is unnecessary, costly, and not without harm.

Project Objective

Students enrolled in the course will learn the basics of blood stream infections. They will learn the important organisms responsible for blood stream infections and the clinical features. They will learn the basics as well as novel laboratory methods to diagnose bloodstream infections. Finally, they will learn to utilize machine learning in stratifying risk and giving accurate prognostic information for BSI patients

Learning Outcome

1. Students will acquire the knowledge of laboratory methods in diagnosing BSI.
2. Students will learn common pathogens causing BSIs and the associated risk factors and complications
3. Students will acquire basic skills in laboratory data interpretation and statistical skills.
4. Students will learn basic machine learning skills

Requirements:

Senior year undergraduate students with background knowledge on biological science, medical science, bioinformatics or other relevant subjects

The programme will be conducted in English. Presentations and final report writing are required. Formative and summative assessments will be based on the presentations and final report.

Students will work under supervision, but an introductory concept of laboratory safety including chemical and biological safety is preferable.

It is a laboratory and clinical research, the candidate will spend his/her time in the laboratory and process clinical samples, measure biomarker levels and perform statistical analysis under supervision.

It is laboratory-based research. The candidate will handle respiratory virus at BSL-2 level, perform experiment in laboratory, and conduct RNAseq analysis.

The findings from this research endeavor will provide novel insights into the pathophysiological mechanisms governing the lung kidney axis in AKI. It is anticipated that the study will reveal key molecular pathways, signaling molecules, and inflammatory mediators involved in the bidirectional crosstalk between the kidneys and lungs during AKI. Furthermore, the study aims to identify potential biomarkers to aid in early diagnosis, risk stratification, and therapeutic monitoring of AKI patients with lung injury.

It is a laboratory and clinical research, the candidate will spend his/her time in the laboratory and process clinical samples, measure biomarker levels and perform statistical analysis under supervision.

Local food-induced anaphylaxis admission rates similarly reflected a rising trend of food allergy burden in Hong Kong. Food allergies can persist for life but there are currently limited treatment options for food allergies. The mainstay of treatment lies on avoidance of the index food and prompt treatment of allergic symptoms upon accidental exposure. Hence, the quality of life (QoL) of patients and families is significantly impacted consequent to the need for constant vigilance. Overall, food allergy is a chronic illness that poses substantial burden to the healthcare system and to our patients, both physically and psychologically.

Allergy CUHK is dedicated in the development of novel therapeutic options for food-allergic patients. Our team has been offering precision diagnosis for seafood allergy and also commenced Hong Kong’s first randomized controlled trial on food immunotherapy, including immunotherapy for peanut, fish, treenut, wheat and shrimp. Our aim is to provide safe and effective treatment options for food-allergic patients, improving their health-related quality of life by reducing the rate of adverse reactions during OIT, and alleviating the constant fear of accidental food allergen ingestion and the overall risk of potentially life-threatening allergic reactions. Such as approach to food allergy management.

SURP students are invited to join CU Allergy in gaining first-hand experience on how the allergy team interacts with patients, provides immunotherapy, and addresses patients’ needs. They can engage in allergy-specific procedures, patient assessment, and communication with children and their families. Most importantly, they will be able to experience how a research team runs a clinical trial and get the opportunity to analyze and present research data.

This project aims to develop a brief online cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) intervention tailored for the South Asians in Hong Kong. Through formative user research and cultural consultation, the app will deliver evidence-based sleep strategies in both Hindi and English with adapted materials incorporating community values. English is included to serve more members as current version only covers one native language. Users will complete a 4-week course guiding behavioural practices via in-app sleep diaries and check-ins. Staff in community services will also receive sleep education training to further build capacity.

Students involved in this project will be assisted in data collection, development and delivery of digital intervention, data analysis. Proficiency in English is required. Being able to speak Hindi will be advantageous.

This study aims to further examine the efficacy of mood-enhanced sleep intervention to address the specific need of mood components in the adolescent population using digital format.

Students participating in this project will learn how to collect data, generate descriptive results, perform minimal statistical analysis, and interpret the results in the format of a presentation or report using global databases with the team. The applicants do not necessarily need to be from low- & middle-income countries. Students who are interested in global health or non-communicable diseases are welcome to apply. They should have a good command of both speaking and written English (Chinese not required). Experience in academic writing would be an advantage. Filed works will not be required.

The students will have a chance of journal and conference publications, which may benefit their CV for future studies.

Student are preferred to have academic background on photonics and nanomaterials and be good at reading and writing English. There will be no field trips.

One potential topic is to using PyTorch and Python to stimulate Gross Pitaevskii Equation using GPU.

Using mouse as the model to study how the neurons are developed in our brain.

Using mouse as the model to study how the blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier are developed in our brain.

The world is currently facing a growing public health crisis due to the increasing levels of diabetes, obesity and colorectal cancers. Starch serves as our primary energy source, and slowing digestible starch (SDS) that reaches the lower bowel contributes to sustained energy and having slow glycemic index (GI) value, thus offering benefits in the prevention and management of certain chronic diseases such as diabetes. Instant rice is increasing popular worldwide due to its convenience and long shelf life compared to conventional rice. However, so far, most instant rice products available in the market have medium to high GI values and a minimum amount of SDS, which acts against consumer uptake of healthy slowly-digested instant rice varieties, there is a perceived opportunity to improve the SDS property with the purpose of further enhancing sustained energy and reducing the GI value associated with instant rice products by selecting the desirable rice varieties. Retrogradation, a common process during the preparation of instant rice, is another critical factor in determining the starch digestibility of cooked rice. Nevertheless, effects of different retrogradation conditions on the starch digestibility of instant rice remain elusive. Therefore, the objective of the proposed work is to identify the desirable combination of rice varieties and retrigradation conditions that help develop instant rice with enhanced SDS content. Considering the increasing popularity of instant rice around the world, this project offers the possibility of transforming it into a healthier product with a possible positive impact on public health.

b) Language requirement

English

Reading: Geeraert, N., Archana, A*., Xu, M. N., Kao, S. J., Baker, D. M & Thibodeau, B. (2021) Investigating the link between Pearl River-induced eutrophication and hypoxia in Hong Kong shallow coastal waters. Science of the Total Environment, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.145007

Reading: Thibodeau, B., Allais, L*., Agusto, L. E*., So, M. W. K*., & Cannicci, S. (2023). Isotopes of amino acids give novel insights on nitrogen sources partitioning and trophic position of invertebrates in a subtropical mangrove. Ecological Indicators, 150, 110261. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2023.110261

Reading: Agusto*, L. E., Qin, G., Thibodeau, B., Tang, J., Zhang, J., Zhou, J., Wu, J., Zhang, L., Thapa, P., Wang, F., & Cannicci, S. (2022). Fiddling with the blue carbon: Fiddler crab burrows enhance CO2 and CH4 efflux in saltmarsh. Ecological Indicators, 144, 109538.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2022.109538

Machine learning models will be used, e.g., support vector machines and neural networks, etc. Students are expected to collect text data, develop statistical models, write computer programmes, and evaluate model performances.

Students are expected to be familiar with statistics and basic machine learning models. Programming experiences in Python are preferred. Proficiency in English is required.

This university-level project aims to develop a tourism planning game that engages students from various disciplines and territories. The goal is to enhance their understanding of destination planning and crucial Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through game play, knowledge, and case sharing.

This project aims to create two role-play games (board and online), one set in a rural context and one in an urban context, with both English and Chinese versions. These games are based on the SDG framework and participate and are highly engaged in the game development process. The overall game flow involves assigning student players to specific roles within public sector, private sector, civil society, or local community. Each role has a goal of maximizing certain SDG scores through team competition and the accomplishment of missions on a game board. The game includes the occurrence of sudden events. Players must study their goals and available resources, engaging in rounds of discussions and negotiation with other roles to exchange resources cards (e.g., water resources, endangered species, land, capital, local culture, etc.). After completing some rounds, the game determines the winner based on the accumulated SDG types, scores, and resource cards. Additionally, a global sustainability parameter that considers economic, social, and environmental factors influence the game result. Further details of the game design are refined through student engagement. Although the game is based on a hypothetical destination, the roles and conditions are derived from real-world topics such as ecological conservation, indigenous and community empowerment, social and cultural exchange, stakeholder relations, tourism impacts and management. These topics represent common and interdisciplinary knowledge areas in sustainable tourism. Teachers can utilize the game as an in-class or online teaching activity to enhance interactions between teachers, students, and peers.

Specific requirements

Preferred academic field: Tourism, geography, psychology, education, or other fields in social science

Language requirement: English and Chinese (Cantonese preferred)

Other requirements: Statistical analysis skills, reading and literature review, questionnaire design, data collection and analysis in CUHK

In a high-density city like Hong Kong, dwelling units are often cramped and crowded. In-between spaces in housings, such as lobbies, circulation and platforms, have been designed or appropriated as places for residents’ social and physical activities, enabling the spillover of domestic lives. By considering the social dimension, this study aims to understand the significance of the design of in-between spaces in high-density housings for promoting older adults’ social activities and sense of community. The findings will provide insights into how public/communal spaces in high-density housings should be designed for supportive and healthy neighbourhoods.

Many studies have explored relationships between older adults’ wellbeing and the built environment in macro-meso scales (e.g., city, district, neighbourhood, green space). However, limited studies have investigated the empirical significance of the design of microscale living environments (i.e., place and building) on their social well-being. As an interface between private and public domains, multilevel in-between spaces are essential for shaping vertical communities. The lack of relevant studies results in inadequate guidelines on how public/communal spaces should be designed for healthy ageing.

By taking public housing estates as cases, the proposed study aims to contribute by (1) establishing an empirical link between the design of in-between spaces, older adults’ social and physical activities in in-between spaces, and older adults’ sense of community; (2) synthesizing existing architectural parameters to document and categorize the multilevel in-between spaces into place-types; and (3) mapping older adults’ behavior and activity patterns in each place-type.

2. Language requirement

As the methods adopted are qualitative, potentially including observation, interviews and diary studies, the project seeks applicants fluent in Cantonese or Mandarin, with proficiency in writing in Chinese.