Ms. Ada Chu (5th from left); Prof. Alexander Wai (6th from left); Prof. Rick Wong (7th from right); Dr. Albert Chau (3rd from left); Prof. Terence Lau (5th from right); Prof. Liu Jiming (6th from right); Prof. William Cheung (4th from right); Prof. Kelvin Leung (4th from left); Prof. David Parker (8th from right) and Mrs. Lily Chan (3rd from right) attended the inauguration ceremony

Hong Kong Baptist University has received a generous donation of HK$10 million from The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust to support the establishment of the “JC STEM Lab of ChemProbes”. An Inauguration Ceremony of JC STEM Lab of ChemProbes was held on 16 May 2023, attracting over 170 guests, including community leaders, friends of the University, faculty members and students. 

The Ceremony was officiated by Ms. Ada Chu, Head of Charities (Talent and Sector Development) of The Hong Kong Jockey Club; Professor Alexander Wai, JP, President and Vice-Chancellor of HKBU; Professor Rick Wong, Interim Provost, Acting Vice-President (Research and Development) and Acting Dean of Graduate School; Professor Jiming Lau, Dean of Science; Professor Kelvin Leung, Head of the Department of Chemistry; Professor David Parker, Director of the JC STEM Lab of ChemProbes and Global STEM Chair Professor of the Department of Chemistry.      

In his welcoming address, Professor Alexander Wai, expressed his immense gratitude to The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust for its generous donation in support of the establishment of the JC STEM Lab of ChemProbes. He said, “The Trust is committed to improving the quality of life and well-being of the people in Hong Kong. I can confidently look forward to the JC STEM Lab of ChemProbes developing diagnostic tools, advancing research, forming knowledge transfer partnerships, educating the public, supporting youth and building community health. All of this will have far-reaching benefits for society.” 

The “JC STEM Lab of ChemProbes” will focus on the development of rare-earth-based molecular probes as bio-imaging agents for use in optical imaging for pre-clinical cellular and tissue studies. The probes could potentially be widely utilised in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and in various diagnostic and optical imaging protocols. It is hoped that they will eventually be translated for use in human applications in collaboration with partners in academia and industry. 

In his presentation, Professor David Parker said, “The development and eventual commercialisation of new imaging and diagnostic tools can assist in advancing the diagnosis of diseases and help simplify or alleviate certain undesirable side effects with current clinical diagnostic protocols. The availability of more accurate and effective diagnostic tools can also create a healthier community by allowing citizens to monitor their physical well-being on a more regular basis.”