Advanced Materials Research at CUHK: From Biomedicine to Electronics and Beyond

摘要

This special issue spans a diverse array of topics, including nanomedicine, tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, organs-on-chips, biosensing, soft robotics, smart devices, nanofabrication, energy saving and storage, catalysis, spintronics, soft electronics, and neuromorphic computing. It showcases the breadth and depth of advanced materials research at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), highlighting the innovation, collaboration, and excellence of CUHK's materials scientists. The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), one of Hong Kong's premier institutions of higher learning (Figure 1), was founded in 1963 with the mission of bridging Chinese and Western academic traditions. CUHK emerged from the combination of three colleges: Chung Chi College, United College, and New Asia College. Over the six decades, it has become a picturesque comprehensive research university (Figures 2-4) with an international reputation for its excellence in teaching, research, and community engagement. CUHK is currently ranked 36th globally in the latest QS World University Rankings. 2023 marks the 60th anniversary of CUHK, reflecting six decades of academic excellence and cultural exchange. The university's anniversary celebrations began in 2023 and continued through the 2023–2024 academic year. The celebrations included a variety of events such as performances, exhibitions, lectures, and community activities. In Chinese culture, the 60th anniversary, known as a “diamond jubilee” or “jiazi” (甲子), has a special meaning of marking the completion of a full cycle in the traditional Chinese calendar system. This system, based on the combination of the 10 Heavenly Stems (天干) and 12 Earthly Branches (地支), creates a 60-year cycle, making the 60th anniversary a particularly auspicious milestone. In celebration of this significant milestone, I conceived the idea in early 2023 of organizing a “CUHK 60th Anniversary” special issue, featuring research and review articles from CUHK's leading materials scientists. To achieve this, I reviewed the webpages of all professors engaged in advanced materials research at both CUHK and the CUHK Shenzhen campus (CUHK-SZ). With the support of the editorial office, we jointly identified a group of top researchers from both campuses. These experts specialize in various types of advanced materials, including biomedical, electronic, optical, catalytic, energy, smart materials, and metamaterials, among others. Reflecting the spirit of collaboration symbolized by the Gate of Wisdom in front of the CUHK library (Figure 2), these researchers excel through intellectual exchange and collaborative innovation, amplifying each other's strengths through shared ideas and efforts. Following a rigorous peer-review process, 26 manuscripts have been accepted for inclusion in this special issue. The collection comprises 9 research articles and 17 review articles, covering a broad spectrum of advanced materials. The topics range from nanomedicine, tissue engineering, and regenerative medicine to organs-on-chips, biosensing, soft robotics, smart devices, nanofabrication, energy saving and storage, catalysis, spintronics, soft electronics, and neuromorphic computing. This special issue showcases the breadth and depth of advanced materials research at CUHK, underscoring the university's commitment to innovation and excellence. In the area of nanomedicine, the Mao group genetically engineered phages to display nanocrystal-nucleating peptides and tumor-homing peptides on the sidewall and tip, respectively.[1] The dual peptide display has allowed the phages to site-specifically nucleate the Pt nanocrystals on the sidewall, followed by the loading of photosensitizers. The tumor-homing peptides displayed at the tip guided the phage-nanocrystal complex to arrive at the breast tumors and then enter the cancer cells. The nanocrystals on the phage sidewall then acted as an enzyme to catalyze the conversion from H2O2 to O2. This conversion in