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HKBU and Infinitus (China) forge strategic partnership to explore health benefits of herb polysaccharide
21 Nov, 2024
Hong Kong Baptist University (“HKBU”) and Infinitus (China) Company Limited (“Infinitus (China)”) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on 14 November 2024 which marks the beginning of their strategic collaboration in conducting research projects related to food as medicine. According to the MoU, Infinitus (China) has committed to providing no less than $11million to HKBU to establish a joint laboratory named “Infinitus-Hong Kong Baptist University Joint Laboratory of Polysaccharide Research”, exploring the potential health benefits of herb polysaccharides and their applications in the field of nutrition and Chinese medicine.
The MOU was signed by Dr Ken Yeung, Director of Technology Translation, Institute for Innovation, Translation and Policy Research of HKBU and Dr Frank Ma, Vice President and Chief Science Innovation Officer of Infinitus (China). The signing ceremony was held during the 6th Guangdon-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Conference on Inheritance Innovation and Development of Traditional Chinese Medicine and was witnessed by Prof. Chung-mau Lo, Secretary for Health of the HKSAR Government, together with officials from the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine (NATCM), the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR), Guangdong Province and GBA cities.
Under the MOU, the establishment of the joint laboratory will initiate various polysaccharide research projects for a duration of three years, with the possibility of extending this period by an additional two years. The research will explore the structure of polysaccharides and their mechanisms of action, the interactions between polysaccharides and small molecules, and the development of active polysaccharide structures and their compositions.
The first two research projects initiated under the MOU were led by Prof. Simon Han Quanbin, Professor of the Teaching and Research Division (CMTR) of the School of Chinese Medicine and Dr Xu Jun, Assistant Professor of CMTR. Prof. Han investigates into the benefits of polysaccharides from traditional Chinese herbs like Astragalus and Dendrobium on lung immunity, aiming to evaluate their effects and provide evidence for new health products. Dr Xu’s project focuses on screening herbal polysaccharides for their potential to inhibit intestinal polyp growth and developing health products for prevention and treatment based on composite polysaccharides from traditional Chinese medicine.
HKBU is a leader in Chinese medicine education and research in Hong Kong, dedicated to advancing the field through innovative studies and collaborations. This partnership not only contributes valuable insights that could enhance health and nutrition practices, but also strengthens the collaboration between academia and industry in addressing contemporary health challenges.
