Prof. Ken YUNG

Professor Ken K.L. YUNG received his DPhil from the University of Oxford, UK in Neuroscience. He then joined the Hong Kong Baptist University and started his lab. His current research mainly focusses on the causes and treatments of neurodegenerative diseases. His lab has developed a nanomaterial-based technology for harvesting autologous neural stem cells from the brain of living subjects. This unique patented technology forms an important basis for personalized neural stem cell replacement therapy for patients with neurodegenerative diseases. Currently, his research team has also pioneered in a nanomaterial-based cell differentiation device that can minimize the risk of tumorigenesis for stem cell therapy. These technologies have won several international innovation awards. Professor Yung has published so far over 120 SCI journal papers and has 3800 citations with H-index of 34. Professor Yung serves as the Executive Associate Dean of Graduate School and he was the Associate Head of Department of Biology and sat on the Advisory Board of School of Chinese Medicine in Hong Kong Baptist University. Professor Yung is Former President of The Hong Kong Movement Disorder Society. Professor Yung is also the current Vice Chairman of Hong Kong Biotechnology Organization, Vice President of the Hong Kong Society of Neurosciences and Council member of the Hong Kong Brain Foundation.

Project Highlights

Biocompatible extracellular nanomatrices: a new-generation medical device for safe, swift neural stem cell culture

 

The project develops a novel inorganic sculptured extracellular nanomatrices (iSECnM) for safe and swift differentiation of neural stem cell (NSC). A self-organised mini-brain-like structure, miniature substantia nigra-like structures (mini-SNLSs), can be developed in only two weeks. It can effectively reduce the risk of carcinogenesis or inflammation in stem cell therapy that is in urgent demand and unavoidably developed in near future. This invention has been successfully patented in US, China and Europe, and has been published by renowned journal, Advanced Science.

Media Coverage

1. Gold Medal with Congratulations of Jury Award received at the 46th International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva
2. Third Prize in the 1st “Beijing-Hong Kong Youth Innovation Cup” Entrepreneurship Competition
3. 2019 TechConnect Innovation Awardee
4. Third Prize in the final of 8th China Innovation & Entrepreneurship Competition of Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan