CityUHK wins three Healthy Longevity Catalyst Awards, ranked 1st among UGC-funded universities in number of awards and total funding

HIM CHAK

21 Oct 2025

(From left) Professor Lai, Professor Chen, Professor Ho

City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK) has achieved another breakthrough in research excellence, recently securing three major awards in the 2025 Healthy Longevity Catalyst Awards (Hong Kong), organised by the Research Grants Council (RGC) in collaboration with the National Academy of Medicine (NAM) of the US. CityUHK ranked first among all Hong Kong universities in both the number of awards and total funding amount.

CityUHK clinched three awards among this year’s nine awarded projects, spanning the fields of Biology and Medicine, and Humanities & Social Sciences. The awardees and their projects are as follows:

Professor Lai Kwok-on, Department of Neuroscience
Development of a mouse-human xenograft neuronal model for the study of aging and age-related diseases
Professor Chen Ting-hsuan, Department of Biomedical Engineering
Glycohemoglobin Quantitative Rapid Test for Screening and Management of Diabetes
Professor Derrick Ho Hung-chak, Department of Public and International Affairs
Development and application of a real-time, location-based, heat health warning system for older adults

Professor Anderson Shum Ho-cheung, Vice-President (Research) of CityUHK, extended his heartfelt congratulations to the awardees. He remarked that their outstanding achievements demonstrate CityUHK’s strong capabilities in interdisciplinary research and its broad influence in the global academic community. He emphasised that CityUHK will continue to drive innovative research, nurture top talent and leverage research outcomes to advance social progress and contribute to human well-being.

Since 2022, the RGC, under the University Grants Committee, has partnered with the NAM to organise the Catalyst Awards, whose aim is to support bold, innovative ideas across disciplines with the potential to extend the human health span. This initiative covers research that improves health throughout all stages of life.

The Catalyst Awards offer up to ten awards annually. The awardees will be invited to present their ideas at an Innovator Summit and can apply for the Accelerator Phase and beyond. Each award includes a US$50,000 (approximatelyHK$389,000) cash prize for a maximum period of 12 months.