Proceedings 2024-25
* Abstracts from each School are listed rst by alphabetical order of the Department code, and then by Advisor’s surname. UROP 1000 Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (0 credit with stipend option, offered in summer sessions only) UROP 1100 Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program Series 1 (1 credit, offered throughout the year) UROP 2100 Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program Series 2 (1 credit, offered throughout the year; prerequisite is Pass in UROP 1100, with approval by project advisors) UROP 3100 Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program Series 3 (1 credit, offered throughout the year; prerequisite is Pass in UROP 2100 OR UROP 3200, with approval by project advisors) UROP 3200 Undergraduate Research Opportunities with Mini-conference Experience Common Core course under the Undergraduate experiential Opportunities Programs (UxOP) starting from Fall 2024–25 (1 credit, offered throughout the year; prerequisite is Pass in two UROP1100 OR Pass in UROP 1100 and UROP 2100, with approval by project advisors) UROP 4100 Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program Series 4 (1 credit, offered throughout the year; prerequisite is Pass in UROP 3100 OR UROP 3200, with approval by project advisors) Table of Contents Summary of UROP Courses Message from the President i Message from the Program Director ii Sharing by Students iii-iv 2025 Kerry Holdings Limited UROP Award v-vi 2024–25 UROP Overview vii 2024–25 UROP Sponsorship Recipients viii-xiii 2024–25 Winners and Finalists of the Best UROP Mini-conference xiv-xvi Paper Award Abstracts of UROP Projects - 2024–25* • School of Science (CHEM, LIFS, MATH, OCES, PHYS) 2-75 • School of Engineering (CBE, CIVL, CSE, ECE, MAE) 78-193 • School of Business and Management (ACCT, ECON, FINA, ISOM, MGMT, MARK) 196-217 • School of Humanities and Social Science (HUMA, SOSC) 220-230 • Academy of Interdisciplinary Studies (ENVR, ISD) 232-259
In 2025, we are thrilled to celebrate the 20th anniversary of UROP. Over the past decade, UROP has introduced numerous exciting developments. In Spring 2015, we launched the UROP Faculty Research Award to honor the supervising teams of our student awardees. This was followed by the UROP Best Poster Award in Spring 2017, recognizing outstanding poster presentations. In Spring 2022, we enhanced flexibility for our students by allowing them to engage in a different project offered by the same faculty supervisor and advance to a higher UROP course level. That summer, we mandated that supervising faculty members be physically present on the HKUST Clear Water Bay campus for UROP supervision and to be eligible for applications for the UROP Support Grant, ensuring sufficient faculty–student interactions. To further enrich their research knowledge, we required all our UROP students to complete an online training course on "Responsible Conduct of Research" (RCR) at the start of each semester, beginning in Spring 2023. Additionally, we piloted a new course, UROP 3200, which featured our inaugural UROP Mini-Conference in Summer 2023. In Fall 2023, to ensure that research projects offered under UROP complied with University standards and regulations, we established a requirement for UROP supervisors to make formal declarations regarding ethics and safety in the UROP online system. Meanwhile, the Best UROP Mini-conference Paper Award was created to recognize exceptional UROP 3200 projects. In Spring 2024, we were proud to receive a generous donation from Kerry Holdings Limited, leading to the renaming of the UROP Award as the Kerry Holdings Limited UROP Award. To further acknowledge the achievements of UROP 3200 students, we introduced finalist awards for our UROP Mini-Conference. In Summer 2024, we relaxed the requirements of cumulative grade average to encourage broader student participation. By Fall 2024, UROP 3200 was officially listed as a common core course, and students could earn three credits under the UxOP by taking two regular UROP courses together with UROP 3200. Looking ahead, we anticipate more promising developments. In response to growing student demand for UROP 3200, we will increase the quota from 20 to 30 in Spring 2026, allowing more students to enjoy the mini-conference experience while conducting research alongside their supervisors. The success of UROP relies on the continued support and involvement of our wonderful students and supervisors. We hope our students will reap the benefits of their UROP experiences long after graduation. Thank you for being an integral part of our journey! I am thrilled to present the annual e-proceedings showcasing the remarkable projects undertaken by our UROP students during the academic year 2024–25. This collection of abstracts is a testament to the hard work, creativity, and intellectual curiosity that our students have displayed throughout the year. At HKUST, we are committed to fostering a vibrant research culture that empowers our students to explore their passions and develop as independent researchers. Through programs such as UROP, we provide invaluable opportunities for our students to engage in hands-on research, collaborate with faculty members, and contribute to advancements in their respective fields. We firmly believe that nurturing a research oriented mindset is essential for our students’ growth, equipping them with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in their future endeavors. I would like to extend my sincere appreciation to our faculty supervisors, whose mentorship is the cornerstone of UROP's success. Their expertise and enthusiasm inspire our students to push boundaries and achieve excellence. Without their commitment, these transformative experiences would not be possible. I am particularly excited to learn that UROP 3200, the new common core course offered under the Undergraduate experiential Opportunities Program (UxOP) in the Fall of 2024–25, has attracted significant student interest and applications. As we celebrate the achievements of our UROP students and anticipate the continued growth of our research community, I encourage all students to embrace the research opportunities available to them. Together, we can cultivate a spirit of inquiry and innovation that will define the future of research at HKUST. I hope you enjoy exploring the innovative work of our talented students! Message from the Program Director Message from the President Prof. Raymond WONG Program Director of UROP HKUST Prof. Nancy IP President HKUST i ii
Sharing by Students UROP has provided me with an invaluable opportunity to experience real research from the ground up. The program’s breadth allowed me to explore various fields within computer science and discover my interests. During my sophomore year, I joined a distributed cryptography project, where I deepened my understanding of cryptographic principles and system security. Later, I transitioned into medical image analysis, learning to integrate deep learning with healthcare applications. Through UROP, I gained hands-on experience in designing, implementing, and evaluating research ideas. I learned how to formulate hypotheses, develop experimental setups, and analyze results critically. By constantly reading and reproducing recent research papers, I greatly expanded my technical foundation in AI. Just as importantly, UROP taught me to think like a researcher. During the paper-writing process, my mentor often reminded me to keep asking myself: “What is the purpose? What did we do to achieve it? What were the results?” This mindset has since shaped the way I write both industrial and experimental reports. GU Yi BEng in Computer Science My UROP journey began in my first summer semester at HKUST with UROP1000. Over the next two years, I continued with UROP1100, 2100, and 3100, contributing consistently to the GAInS project. This long-term continuity has allowed me to witness and participate in the full research lifecycle—from ideation and experimentation to publication. The weekly meetings with my supervisor and his Ph.D. students provided a structured and supportive environment. They not only guided me through technical obstacles but also encouraged me to think critically about research problems. Despite the technical complexity of the work, the process felt manageable and highly engaging, thanks to this collaborative setting. The most fulfilling moment was when our paper got accepted by IEEE BIBM 2024—it felt like a culmination of all the effort, patience, and learning. LIU Runsheng BEng in Computer Science During my research experience, I had the privilege of conducting experiments in the state-of-the-art wind tunnel facility at HKUST. This provided me with invaluable hands-on exposure to advanced aerodynamic testing procedures and offered a unique opportunity to witness how theoretical principles are translated into practical applications. Working in this facility allowed me to gain a deeper understanding of how real-world aerodynamic experiments are designed, executed, and analysed to address complex engineering challenges. With this foundational research experience, I am eager to further immerse myself in the academic and scientific community. Last year, I was honoured to receive the prestigious Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme, which has enabled me to pursue my postgraduate studies at HKUST. This fellowship has given me the resources and support to deepen my expertise in aerodynamic and acoustic studies, areas that I am deeply passionate about. YEUNG Siu Ting BEng in Aerospace Engineering I first joined UROP since the summer semester of year 2. The main reason why I joined this program was because I wanted to have a taste of doing research studies, while UROP was one of the few common and easy ways for me to get started. Doing research were definitely not the same as the courses that we used to take for undergraduate study. One of the most unforgettable UROP experiences was how we explored and modified our experiment protocols by tests and trials. Unlike what in the laboratory courses, where we only had to follow the instructions and the results were known most of the time, we had to develop our own protocols and keep reflecting and thinking about how to modify different steps in the protocols to make it suit our project objective better or more efficient. For example, during my first UROP project about clearing nanoplastics from human lung cells, we cultured human lung cell line for our experiments. We did subculture every two days at first. There was one time the typhoon messed up our subculture schedule, and we discovered that the cell cultures could stay alive and healthy for up to 4 to 5 days without any subculture. Therefore, our subculture and experiment schedule became more fixable and efficient. From this experience, I started to understand that doing research was never just copying things from textbooks but really requiring us to keep thinking and modifying what had been existed. Personally, I think this was the most meaningful learning experience which I gained from UROP this program. YUNG Wing Tung BSc in Biochemistry and Cell Biology iii iv
Kerry Holdings Limited Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program Award 2025 List of Awardees Champion & Best Poster Award LIU Runsheng Major / Year : COMP / 3 Supervised by : Prof. CHEN Hao / CSE Project Title : GAInS: Gradient Anomaly-aware Biomedical Instance Segmentation First Runner-up YEUNG Siu Ting Major / Year : AE / Graduated Supervised by : Prof. REDONNET Stephane / MAE Project Title : Experimental Characterization of the Aerodynamics by Badminton Shuttlecocks First Runner-up YUNG Wing Tung Major / Year : BCB / 4 Supervised by : Prof. PARK Hyo Keun / LIFS Project Title : Investigating the Effects of Nanoplastics on Neurotransmission Second Runner-up GU Yi Major / Year : COMP / Graduated Supervised by : Prof. CHEN Hao / CSE Project Title : Deep Learning for Medical Image Analysis Second Runner-up HE Weike Major / Year : ELEC / 4 Supervised by : Prof. CHAU Kevin / ECE Project Title : Automatic Surtitle Generation Scheme for Live Cantonese Opera Second Runner-up WANG Martin Shen Major / Year : CHEM-IRE / 3 Supervised by : Prof. SU Haibin / CHEM Project Title : Developing Deep Learning Enabled Nucleic Acid Structural Generator v vi
In 2025, a total of 20 students with outstanding research performance were nominated by their UROP supervisors to compete for the Kerry Holdings Limited Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program Award. Among the nominees, 10 candidates were shortlisted and invited to orally present their research findings to the UROP Advisory Board. The Board subsequently recommended ONE Champion, TWO First Runner-Ups and THREE Second Runner-Ups. The faculty supervisors of those six student awardees were recognized with the UROP Faculty Research Award. The award presentation ceremony was successfully organised on 23 April, 2025. Summary of Research Activities: During my participation at ICRA, I had the valuable opportunity to engage with students and professors from around the world who share a passion for robotics. One of the highlights was presenting my own research during the poster session, where I explained our work to attendees and answered their questions. This exchange allowed me to receive constructive feedback and new ideas from experts in the field. I also learned a lot from the diverse robotics exhibitions, which showcased cutting-edge technologies and innovative projects. These experiences greatly broadened my understanding of the challenges and possibilities in robotics. Throughout the conference, I improved my communication skills and expanded my professional network. Attending ICRA was an unforgettable experience that inspired me to further pursue research and innovation in robotics. I am grateful for this opportunity to learn, share our work, and grow alongside leading experts and peers in the field. HONG Lanxuan Major : COSC Supervised by : Prof. SHEN Yajing / ECE Conference : IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation Venue : Atlanta, USA Duration : May 19–23, 2025 2024–25 UROP Overview In the 2024–25 academic year, the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) remains a flagship initiative within the HKUST community. Over 260 faculty supervisors from four Schools and the Academy of Interdisciplinary Studies provided approximately 600 projects for our undergraduate students. Throughout the academic year, we received more than 1,200 applications, resulting in the successful enrollment of 670 students into the program. To support the ongoing advancement of existing UROP projects, the UROP Support Grant continues to offer financial assistance to faculty supervisors and their students. This Scheme allows students to gain experience in applying for research grants by preparing proposals and submitting joint applications with their supervisors. In 2024–25, 53 out of 65 applications were awarded with an aggregate funding amount of over HK$949,000, after a thorough review by the UROP Office and the UROP Advisory Board. 2024–25 UROP Sponsorship Recipients The UROP sponsorship scheme is intended to provide UROP students with financial support to publish their papers in international journals, to present their posters or papers at academic conferences, or to participate in research-related summer schools or workshops during their undergraduate studies. Students who have been awarded the UROP sponsorships in the 2024–25 academic year are listed as follows: UROP Research Travel Sponsorship The 2025 Kerry Holdings Limited Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program Award vii viii
Summary of Research Activities: Over the past year, I have led a project investigating decision-making processes, culminating in a submission accepted for a talk at the prestigious SJDM Conference—an honor rarely achieved by undergraduate students. Under a UROP project, I initiated and developed this research into a series of five studies, independently designing study protocols, writing advanced JavaScript to create interactive participant experiences, conducting statistical analyses, and preparing the conference submission. This project has been a transformative learning experience, enabling me to navigate the research process from ideation to execution with a level of autonomy akin to advanced PhD work. While continuing to refine this research, I have broadened my experience through another project and an exchange semester at Carnegie Mellon University. Presenting at SJDM and receiving feedback from leading researchers will be invaluable for preparing the manuscript, which I plan to submit to Management Science or Organization Science. LIAO Yi-tsen Major : ECOF Supervised by : Prof. HAGMANN David / MGMT Conference : Society of Judgment and Decision Making Annual Meeting 2024 Venue : New York, USA Duration : Nov 22–25, 2024 Summary of Research Activities: From October 2024 to February 2025, I conducted an independent research project under the guidance of Prof. Yangqiu SONG. Throughout the process, I gained a deeper appreciation for the nature of scientific inquiry, not just as a means of solving problems, but as a way of thinking. This experience taught me to embrace ambiguity, remain intellectually honest, and continuously refine my understanding through iteration and feedback. I learned that good research is not only about results, but also about asking the right questions and maintaining the courage to challenge assumptions. I am deeply grateful for the mentorship and support I received, which helped me grow not only as a junior researcher but also as a thinker. LIU Jiayu Major : COMP Supervised by : Prof. SONG Yangqiu / CSE Conference : The 63rd Annual Meeting of the Association for Computational Linguistics Venue : Vienna, Austria Duration : July 27 to 1 August, 2025 Summary of Research Activities: Participating in the UROP mini-conference and the SJDM conference through the UROP Research Travel Grant highlighted the interdisciplinary nature of research. Drawing insights from psychology, environmental policy, and behavioural economics allowed me to develop a more holistic understanding of how cognitive biases and social comparisons shape policy perceptions. The conference also underscored the interconnectedness of academic domains, as researchers from different fields shared overlapping themes, particularly regarding public perceptions of ESG policies. It was fascinating to observe how these perceptions often diverge significantly from the actual implications of such policies, offering a rich area for further exploration. In particular, I will always remember all the counter intuitive patterns I notice when going through the data – people believing that planting trees is more effective than it actually is – this shows sometimes how delicate the human mind is, and how important the researchers and the participants are on the same page. SUNG Wen-chien Major : GBUS Supervised by : Prof. HAGMANN David / MGMT Conference : Society of Judgement and Decision Making Annual Meeting 2024 Venue : New York, USA Duration : Nov 22–25, 2024 Summary of Research Activities: I had the privilege of attending the IEEE International Conference on Data Mining (ICDM) 2024, held in Abu Dhabi, UAE, from December 9–12. As my first academic conference, it was an exhilarating experience. The event began with an inspiring opening ceremony, followed by a keynote on Large Language Models (LLMs) on December 10. That afternoon, my co-author and I presented our accepted paper in a parallel session, delivering a 20-minute presentation followed by a brief Q&A. During the rest of the time of the conference, I attended numerous presentations and communicated with the authors of the accepted papers, gaining valuable insights and ideas relevant to my current research. Interacting with leading researchers in the field during the conference was both enlightening and motivating. I am deeply grateful to my supervisor and the UROP office for their unwavering support, which made this incredible experience possible. TAN Weile Major : DSCT Supervised by : Prof. WONG Raymond Chi Wing / CSE Conference : IEEE International Conference on Data Mining 2024 Venue : Abu Dhabi, UAE Duration : Dec 9–12, 2024 ix x
Summary of Research Activities: It was a memorable experience for me to do an oral presentation of a full paper (25 min) in the largest conference in Manufacturing in North America. It was my first time to present in public for such a long time so I have prepared the slides and storytelling with effort. It helped me learn how an academic presentation works and about the latest research and methods in the field, as I heard many interesting presentations at the conference. It was also worth mentioning that I met some professors and many PhD students in top universities in America, and we have discussed a lot about their thesis, research and development plans. I asked those students some technical details that are usually not mentioned in papers but help a lot if you want to do certain experiments. I learned about the current life and research of postgraduate students in America, and they also learned about the research environment in HK. XU Ziyi Major : ISD Supervised by : Prof. DUAN Molong / MAE Conference : ASME 2025 20th International Manufacturing Science and Engineering Conference Venue : Greenville, South Carolina, USA Duration : June 23–27, 2025 Summary of Research Activities: I am deeply grateful for the sponsorship from UROP, which has provided me with this opportunity to broaden my horizons and present our latest research findings from the UROP project at an international RNA conference. During the poster presentation, I gained invaluable insights. Through discussions with three professors, I received constructive feedback on our research. Additionally, I participated in the Mentor-Mentee lunch meeting organized by the conference. What surprised and excited me the most was the opportunity to have lunch with an editor from an American journal and a professor from the University of Tokyo, the founder of mRNA circuits. During our conversation, I gained key insights into the preparatory work necessary before pursuing a PhD and publishing articles during doctoral studies. Furthermore, I listened to other speakers presenting on various mRNA-related topics, which inspired me to further explore research in the field of mRNA engineering in the future. YAU Tak Marx Major : BIOT Supervised by : Prof. KUANG Becki Ki / CBE Conference : The 26th Annual Meeting of the RNA Society of Japan Venue : Sendai, Japan Duration : July 8–10, 2025 Summary of Research Activities: Attending the conference was an enriching experience that deepened my understanding of genetic research. The event featured diverse presentations showcasing cutting-edge discoveries and innovative methodologies, sparking new ideas for my own work. Learning about the latest advancements in Drosophila research was both exciting and eye-opening. Meeting passionate scientists who shared their insights was truly inspiring. The sense of community and collaboration at the conference was infectious, making it amazing to be part of such a dedicated group working towards a common goal. Presenting my poster and engaging in vibrant discussions further enhanced my experience. It underscored the importance of collaboration in advancing scientific research. Overall, the conference not only expanded my knowledge but also motivated me to explore new avenues in my work. I left feeling invigorated and eager to apply what I learned, reinforcing my commitment to contribute to the field of genetic research. YOON Dayeong Major : BCB Supervised by : Prof. XIE Ting / LIFS Conference : The 66th Annual Drosophila Research Conference Venue : San Diego, California, USA Duration : Mar 19–23, 2025 (Ziyi the left) xi xii
Summary of Research Activities: The summer research experience has given me a much better understanding of how research work is conducted. The first project, “Three-body Ising Machine”, is closely related to my UROP research – in fact, it builds directly on my earlier UROP projects as an improved version. It was also the first time I started a new project completed on my own, without help from others. I found it both challenging and incredibly rewarding. The second project, “Diffusion SOC Design”, allowed me to explore a new direction outside of my UROP work. It was my first exposure to “AI Hardware”, and I was excited to discover how many ideas and opportunities in this area overlapping with other fields. I was truly inspiring. Lastly, I’d like to express my sincere gratitude to my Duke supervisor, Professor CHEN Yiran, and my UROP supervisor, Professor SHAO Qiming. They gave me the opportunity to continue developing my research habits and to explore what I’m truly passionate about. LU Yunyang Major : ELEC Supervised by : Prof. SHAO Qiming / ECE Activity : Visiting Undergraduate Student in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Duke University Venue : Duke University, USA Duration : June 23 to August 22, 2025 The 6th Mini-conference held on 13 May 2025 The 7th Mini-conference held on 12 August 2025 The 5th Mini-conference held on 2 December 2024 2024–25 Winners and Finalists of the Best UROP Mini-conference Paper Award UROP Summer School Sponsorship The Mini-conferences for UROP 3200 (Fall 2024, Spring 2025 and Summer 2025) were organised to provide a platform for UROP 3200 students to present their projects and exchange ideas with fellow students and faculty supervisors from other fields. “The Best UROP Mini-conference Paper Award” is offered to the best student who presents in the mini-conference of UROP 3200, based on the voting by participating UROP 3200 supervisors and UROP Advisory Board members. The winning students can receive a top-up travel sponsorship of HK$15,000 in addition to the existing UROP Research Travel Sponsorship of HK$20,000 for presenting their UROP 3200 project in academic conference(s). The students’ supervisor can receive a research fund of HK$15,000 in recognition of their mentorship of the student. Students who receive at least one vote will be the finalists and presented with a certificate as a token of appreciation. xiii xiv
List of Winners List of Finalists Fall 2024 FEI Yang Major / Year : COSC & MATH / 3 Supervised by : Prof. CHEN Qifeng / CSE Project Title : Generative AI: Cross-Modal Video VAE for Large-Motion Video Autoencoding Spring 2025 DINH Vu Tung Lam Major / Year : MATH / 3 Supervised by : Prof. IP Ivan Chi Ho / MATH Project Title : In the combinatorial view of the expansion formula of the cluster algebra structure of the moduli space PPGLn+1,S Summer 2025 LI Xingrui Major / Year : BCB / 2 Supervised by : Prof. LIU Zhen / LIFS Project Title : Genome editing by CRISPR Spring 2025 REN Yichen Major / Year : COMP / 3 Supervised by : Prof. ZHOU Xiaofang / CSE Project Title : Large-Scale Spatiotemporal Data Analytics and Learning Spring 2025 SIDDIQUI Hafsa Zubair Major / Year : AE / 4 Supervised by : Prof. REDONNET Stephane / MAE Project Title : Environmental Impact by Air Traffic: Assessing the Aircraft Noise over Sai Kung district under the 3rd Runway System Summer 2025 LIAO Junyu Major / Year : COSC / 2 Supervised by : Prof. WONG Raymond Chi Wing / CSE Project Title : Efficient Queries over Database xv xvi
Abstracts of UROP Projects 2024-25 School of Science (CHEM, LIFS, MATH, OCES, PHYS)
School of Science Department of Chemistry 2 Department of Chemistry Ultrafast Spectroscopic Study of Aggregation-Induced Emission (AIE) Materials Supervisor: CHEN Tengteng / CHEM Student: WANG Maiqi / CHEM Course: UROP 1100, Summer Despite their similar photoluminescence behavior upon aggregation, the excited-state dynamics of aggregation-induced emission (AIE) and cluster-triggered emission (CTE) luminogens remain poorly understood. This study employs transient absorption (TA) spectroscopy to directly compare the relaxation mechanisms of tetraphenylethylene (TPE), a classic AIE luminogen, with a sterically modified CTE-active derivative 1,1,2,2-tetraphenylethane (s-TPE). Complementary UV/Vis absorption and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy provide essential ground-state and steady-state emission characterization. While both systems exhibit visible emission in the aggregated state, their relaxation pathways differ significantly: TPE follows sequential conformational relaxation, whereas s-TPE shows excitation wavelength-dependent parallel processes. These mechanistic insights are crucial for optimizing luminogen performance in organic optoelectronic devices (e.g., OLEDs) and bioimaging applications. Construction and Application of Surface Enhanced Raman Spectrometer in Biomolecules Characterization Supervisor: HUANG Jinqing / CHEM Student: CHU Kwan Ho / CHEM Course: UROP 1100, Spring UROP 2100, Summer Soil nutrients play a vital role in ecosystem health and agricultural productivity, yet their excessive or deficient concentrations can disrupt ecosystems. Accurate monitoring of nutrient concentrations is essential for sustainable land management. Traditional analytical methods, such as chromatography and atomic absorption spectroscopy, often require extensive sample preparation and lack field-deployable capabilities. To overcome these limitations, we developed an advanced optical sensing approach utilizing silver nanomaterials, which enhance detection sensitivity through plasmonic effects. In this study, we prepared soil samples with varying nutrient concentrations, conducted optical analysis using a portable spectrometer system and utilized the silver nanomaterials. Our results demonstrate that this nanomaterial-enhanced approach enables rapid, sensitive, and on-site detection of soil nutrients, offering significant advantages over conventional methods for environmental monitoring applications.
School of Science Department of Chemistry 3 Developing New Nanomaterials for Advanced Optical Analysis in Health and Environmental Monitoring Supervisor: HUANG Jinqing / CHEM Student: LAM Man Hei / CHEM Course: UROP 1000, Summer Soil composition is vital for healthy plant growth, as essential elements are often present only in minute amounts. Precise detection of these trace elements is therefore critical for optimizing soil and crop management. While conventional spectroscopy offers rapid, non-destructive analysis for detecting elements in complex matrices, its sensitivity is limited for low-concentration elements. To address this, the method of amplifying signals by utilizing nanostructured metallic surfaces is employed to improve the sensitivity and selectivity. In this study, silver nanoporous sheet were utilized as enhancing agents for the direct detection of trace nutritional elements in Nutrient A. Spectra were systematically collected from the nutrient sample by the spectral pencil, with particular attention to low-concentration components, and the impact of nanoporous Ag sheet on signal enhancement was evaluated. The results highlight the capability of spectral measurement for sensitive, direct detection of soil components, demonstrating its promise as a rapid, nondestructive tool for elemental identification in environmental and agricultural monitoring. Developing New Nanomaterials for Advanced Optical Analysis in Health and Environmental Monitoring Supervisor: HUANG Jinqing / CHEM Student: ZHU Siya / CHEM Course: UROP 1100, Summer This study aimed to optimize the synthesis of silver nanocolloids for enhanced Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) performance by producing small-sized nanoparticles (10-20 nm) and introducing positive surface charges. Silver nanocolloids were synthesized via hydroxylamine hydrochloride (1.67×10⁻³ M) and sodium hydroxide (3.33×10⁻³ M) reduction of silver nitrate, followed by modification with dodecyltrimethylammonium chloride (DDTC). Particle size and zeta potential were characterized using a ZETAview nanoparticle tracking analyzer. Results showed conventional nanocolloids with an average particle size of 60.1 ± 7.5 nm and an anomalous positive zeta potential of +10.3 ± 0.7 mV, while DDTC-modified nanocolloids exhibited a size of 70.3 ± 8.4 nm and a zeta potential of +15.2 ± 1.2 mV, both indicating low stability. The larger particle sizes and low stability likely limit SERS enhancement. ZETAview measurements were affected by high sample concentrations (10⁹ particles/mL), necessitating dilution that introduced aggregation and data variability. These findings highlight challenges in particle size control and charge stability, suggesting future optimization of reagent ratios, alternative modifiers like CTAB, and complementary characterization methods such as DLS and TEM to improve SERS substrate performance.
School of Science Department of Chemistry 4 Single Molecule Manipulation and Characterization of Biomolecules Supervisor: HUANG Jinqing / CHEM Student: GUO Yichen / CHEM Course: UROP 1100, Fall UROP 2100, Spring The study of the mechanism of DNA and drug interactions by Optical Tweezer has been conducted. The Lambda DNA with 48,524 bp has no significant intercalations in mismatch probe drug solutions. An improved set up using Lambda DNA handle linked c-c base mismatched hairpin were pulled under a constant velocity for preliminary analysis of hairpin base pair opening position and it is further pulled in various concentrations of Pt centred Pt2 mismatch probe anti-cancer drug solutions. The drug and DNA interactions was tracked through the raw data of the Force distance pulling curve in drug compared to the graph in buffer. The size of sterically bulky ligands on the drug complex prohibits the insertion to bind with DNA under the applied force. Tether is confirmed to have no drug intercalation in general to the lambda handle but the opening of hairpin has been stabilized under drug solutions. The size control of ligands in drug synthesis is necessary to optimized with the separation distance between base pairs to interact in expected time or distance under zero force for better selectivity. Single Molecule Manipulation and Characterization of Biomolecules Supervisor: HUANG Jinqing / CHEM Student: XU Tongle / LIFS Course: UROP 1100, Spring UROP 2100, Summer Mitochondrial dysfunction plays a significant role in the pathogenesis of Parkinson’s Disease (PD). αsynuclein is directly linked to PD’s pathology and is distributed throughout the whole cell, including within mitochondria. As the interaction to form liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) between α-synuclein, TFAM and mitochondrial genome DNA (mtDNA) being evidenced, our recent work reveals the molecular feature for the in vitro system under pathologic-related condition. α-synuclein shows a close spatial pattern with TFAM on mtDNA while disrupting the preferential binding of TFAM on the 12940-19890 bp of mtDNA. Correspondingly, mtDNA genes show altered transcription level. These findings shade light on the detailed pathology for Parkinson’s Disease.
School of Science Department of Chemistry 5 Medicinal Chemistry on Novel Type I1/2 ALK Inhibitors for Combating Drug-Resistant Mutants Supervisor: HUANG Yong / CHEM Student: LU Yuheng / CHEM Course: UROP 1100, Spring UROP 2100, Summer Diazo compounds, pioneered by Peter Griess in 1858 through diazonium intermediate synthesis, serve as fundamental carbene precursors in organic synthesis. Upon thermolysis, photolysis, or transition-metal catalysis, these compounds release nitrogen gas to generate reactive carbenes (R₁R₂C:) or metallcarbene (R₁R₂C=M), enabling diverse bond-forming transformations. Various applications including cyclopropanation, olefination, rearrangement were the main focus of study since last century, while C-H or X-H insertion was brought onto stage during the past decade. However, the synthetic difficulty of diazo compounds hindered the expansion of building block library. A general method for synthesis of various types of diazo compounds was introduced, which could overcome the lack of compatibility of existing methods UROP1100_Medicinal Chemistry on Novel Type I1/2 ALK Inhibitors for Combating Drug-resistant Mutants towards diazo compounds with various electronic properties. In the last, synthesis of N-tosylhydrazones was also achieved, providing an alternating approach. Synthesis, Reactivity and Catalytic Properties of Transition Metal Carbyne Complexes Supervisor: JIA Guocheng / CHEM Student: TSUI Chun Pan / CHEM Course: UROP 1100, Spring Rhenium(V) alkylidyne complex Re(≡CCH2Ph)(PO)2(H2O), featuring phosphino-phenolate ligands, effectively catalyzes ring-closing alkyne metathesis (RCAM) of terminal-internal alkynes, forming macrocycles consisting of 12 to 25 member rings (C12-C25) under optimized conditions. High yields (98%) of a C25 macrocycle were achieved, while a C15 macrocycle faced competitive dimerization, indicating size-dependent kinetic challenges. Conjugated aromatic substrates were unreactive, suggesting steric or electronic limitations. Terminal-terminal alkynes showed significantly lower reactivity despite harsher conditions. This study elucidates the scope and limitations of Re(V)-catalyzed RCAM, providing insights for future catalyst design aimed at overcoming steric and electronic barriers in macrocycle synthesis. Synthesis, Reactivity and Catalytic Properties of Transition Metal Carbyne Complexes Supervisor: JIA Guocheng / CHEM Student: TUNG Kwun Fung / CHEM Course: UROP 1100, Spring Osmium can form alkylidyne complexes with a non-d0 metal center (low-valent). One of the most interesting properties of alkylidyne complexes is that they can undergo or mediate metathesis reactions. The metathesis activity of the dichloro carbyne complexes OsCl2(≡CR)(H)(PPh3)2 (R=p-tolyl) were studied. Treatment of OsCl2(≡CR)(H)(PPh3)2 (R=p-tolyl) with PCy3 produced OsCl2(≡CR)(H)(PPh3)2 (R=p-tolyl). While both OsCl2(≡CR)(H)(PPh3)2 (R=p-tolyl) and OsCl2(≡CR)(H)(PPh3)2 (R=p-tolyl) react with PhICl2 to produce OsCl3(≡CR)(PCy3)2 (R=p-tolyl) and OsCl3(≡CR)(PPh3)2 (R=p-tolyl) respectively. Reactions of OsCl3(≡CR)(PPh3)2 (R=p-tolyl) with PO and PS gave OsCl2(≡CR)(PO)(PPh3) (R=p-tolyl) and OsCl(≡CR)(PS)2 (R=p-tolyl) respectively, but do not reacted with PN ligand. Stoichiometric reaction of OsCl2(≡CR)(PO)(PPh3) (R=p-tolyl) with different alkyne (both internal and terminal alkynes) were carried out.
School of Science Department of Chemistry 6 Computational Studies of Transition Metal-Catalyzed Reactions Supervisor: LIN Zhenyang / CHEM Student: TONG Sin Hang / PHYS Course: UROP 2100, Fall Section 1: Recent mechanistic studies on a C(sp2)-O bond formation reaction suggest that the activation of N2O by Ni complexes may involve an SN2-type attack on oxygen by Ni. However, our previous work indicated that this mechanism could be unfavorable, proposing a new singlet pathway for a similar C(sp³)-O bond formation, with evidence for an alternative biradical pathway. Our latest calculations reveal a more favorable singlet biradical reaction pathway, consistent with our predictions. Notably, the intermediate structures exhibit unusual electronic characteristics, while unconventional mechanisms such as ligand-to-ligand charge transfers were identified. Section 2: While f orbitals are often thought to play a minor role in bonding, recent studies have provided experimental evidence of uranium dihydrogen complexes, revealing an unconventional bonding mode. It has been suggested that the interactions between uranium and dihydrogen only consists of π bonding between uranium f orbitals and the dihydrogen σ* orbital, with no σ bonding present. In contrast, our findings confirm the existence of σ bonding between uranium and dihydrogen. Additionally, substituting dihydrogen with ligands of various π-acidity demonstrates the small crystal field effects on f orbitals. DFT Studies on Mechanisms of Transition Metal-Catalyzed or Mediated Reactions Supervisor: LIN Zhenyang / CHEM Student: TONG Sin Hang / PHYS Course: UROP 3200, Spring Nitrous oxide (N2O) is a potent greenhouse gas and pollutant that poses significant threats to the climate and environment. This has led to increased interest in its capture and decomposition, particularly through coordination chemistry, which excels in small molecule activation and catalysis. This article investigates the coordination chemistry of N2O, focusing on the structure, bonding, and reactivity of its complexes. We start by examining the various coordination modes of N2O and analyzing their bonding characteristics, followed by a summary of fundamental reactions between N2O and coordination compounds, including activation modes and reaction mechanisms. The insights gained from these discussions deepen our understanding of N2O reactivity and mechanisms. Ultimately, this article aims to establish a robust theoretical framework for N2O coordination chemistry, facilitating future advancements in the field.
School of Science Department of Chemistry 7 Borane Functionalization via Boryl Radical Supervisor: QUAN Yangjian / CHEM Student: CHEN Chuanxi / CHEM Course: UROP 1100, Summer Chain-walking methodology in organoboron chemistry helps scientists to achieve the functionalization of remote, inactivated C-H bonds. This strategy involves the migration of a boron-containing group along a carbon skeleton, which are often catalyzed by transition metals like cobalt, nickel, or palladium. The process occurs through mechanisms involving β-hydride elimination and re-insertion steps, and has already achieved selectivity by both thermodynamics and kinetics. Our focus is the use of metal-free borenium ions to catalyze similar transformations via hydride shifts, which is also a recent focus. One of the applications of this “isomerization-functionalization” approach is the conversion of internal olefins into terminal alkylboronates, which are highly useful intermediate to generate diols, amides, and other potential medicine structures. This opens a new chapter of synthetic pathways to complex molecules. Borane Functionalization via Boryl Radical Supervisor: QUAN Yangjian / CHEM Student: XU Yinghe / CHEM Course: UROP 2100, Fall Initiated a year ago, the investigation of the boron radical ( − 2+ ̇ ) on electron-deficient alkynes are carried out with preliminary results. Although our reaction system is advanced in the deficient of heavy metals, the selectivity of the product (E/Z ratio < 10:1) is concerning. Efforts are made in screening the reaction conditions, e.g. wavelength of the light source or the solvents, however, they all failed in achieving expected selectivity. To screen for one major product, we adopted a novel strategy, energy transfer (EnT). While screening was carrying, we discovered that a similar reaction system has already been reported. Although the substrates and the HAT catalyst are different, the extremely similarity of our system to theirs sparked reflection on the current research habits. To avoid the embarrassing situation and schedule experiments more efficiently, some protocols are summarized in this report. Design, Synthesis, and Applications of New Metal-Organic Frameworks Supervisor: QUAN Yangjian / CHEM Student: NGUYEN Kim Giang / CHEM Course: UROP 1100, Summer Covalent Organic Frameworks (COFs) are emerging as versatile platforms for photoredox catalysis, leveraging their tunable architectures and photochemical properties. This report explores novel COFs functionalized with multi-phenyl ligands bearing hydroxyl (-OH) groups, designed to enhance photoredox efficiency through improved light absorption and charge transfer. The ligands’ extended π-conjugation and hydroxyl moieties facilitate single electron transfer (SET) processes for organic transformations. Through synthetic design, structural characterization, and mechanistic exploration, this work elucidates the role of phenyl-linked hydroxyl groups in optimizing COF performance. The COFs enable selective C-H bond activation and radical-mediated reactions, providing an environmentally benign alternative to homogeneous catalysts. Future experimental validation will assess their scalability in eco-friendly methodologies.
School of Science Department of Chemistry 8 Design, Synthesis, and Applications of New Metal-Organic Frameworks Supervisor: QUAN Yangjian / CHEM Student: NGUYEN Tien Thinh / CHEM Course: UROP 1000, Summer Alkynes serve as pivotal building blocks in organic synthesis, with alkyne hydroboration emerging as a powerful strategy to access versatile organoboron compounds. Current research has primarily focused on three-coordinate boron species, leaving the potential of four-coordinate boron species largely unexplored. Herein, we summarize recent applications of four-coordinated boron species in the synthesis of diverse boron-containing frameworks via two distinct mechanistic routes—involving either the borenium cation or the boryl radical. By expanding the scope of hydroboration chemistry, these methods provide precise control over reactivity and selectivity, aiming to bridge existing gaps in boron chemistry while opening new avenues for the development of advanced functional materials and bioactive molecules. New Methodologies for Organoborane Synthesis Supervisor: QUAN Yangjian / CHEM Student: GAO Bin / CHEM Course: UROP 3200, Fall In the previous project (UROP 2100), we developed a pioneering boron cation-catalyzed remote borylation that is notable for being metal-free and exhibiting unique functional group tolerance. To showcase the synthetic potential of this reaction, we applied it to silyl alkenes rather than simple alkenes, successfully synthesizing silyl-remote-boryl compounds. Given the versatile synthetic potential of these two groups, further functionalization will depend on the differing properties of the silyl and boryl groups in the product, ultimately leading to the formation of difunctionalized alkanes.
School of Science Department of Chemistry 9 Developing Deep Learning Enabled Nucleic Acid Structural Generator Supervisor: SU Haibin / CHEM Student: LAW Yu Ming / CHEM Course: UROP 1100, Summer We incorporate π–stacking, Hoogsteen and other non-Watson–Crick contact information into our previous deep-learning nucleic-acid structure generator by replacing the current G4 matrix with a comprehensive residue–residue interaction map. A standard matrix was first built manually from high-resolution RNA G4 structures, then an automated Python pipeline was developed that uses geometric cut-offs to detect hydrogen bonds and π–stacking from PDB files. The automated model accurately identifies π–stacking but over-assigns Watson–Crick pairs and misses some non-canonical bonds. The result provide a new pathway for further improving the current model. Developing Deep Learning Enabled Nucleic Acid Structural Generator Supervisor: SU Haibin / CHEM Student: LE Quang Truong / CHEM-IRE Course: UROP 1000, Summer Metabolic engineering for enhanced biofuel production requires systematic understanding of cellular metabolism and identification of optimal engineering strategies. Constraint-based modeling provides a powerful framework for analyzing genome-scale metabolic networks and predicting the effects of genetic modifications on cellular phenotypes. In this study, we aim to fill the gaps in literature concerning whole cell simulation to enable biofuel production. We employed the COBRA Toolbox in MATLAB to perform comprehensive metabolic modeling including flux balance analysis (FBA), flux variability analysis (FVA), and gene essentiality analysis on the E. coli core metabolic model. Our methodology focuses on reproducing and validating results from multiple published studies by comparing model predictions with experimental data across diverse carbon sources and genetic perturbations. Through literature review and method reproduction, we evaluated various modeling approaches to identify the most effective strategies for whole cell simulation in biofuel production contexts. The validation framework enabled us to assess model accuracy using metrics and identify key sources of prediction discrepancies, including cofactor availability and geneprotein-reaction mapping issues. This work contributes to improving the reliability. Developing Deep Learning Enabled Nucleic Acid Structural Generator Supervisor: SU Haibin / CHEM Student: TRUONG Bao Ngoc / CHEM Course: UROP 1000, Summer Efficient utilization of xylose, a major component of lignocellulosic biomass, remains a challenge in yeastbased biomanufacturing. This study introduces a modular metabolic engineering strategy to enhance xylose assimilation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae by deregulating central carbon metabolism. Five distinct modules—promoter tuning, transcription factor manipulation, biosensor-guided regulation, heterologous enzyme expression, and mutant enzyme deployment—were integrated to redirect carbon flux toward acetyl-CoA. The engineered strains demonstrated a 4.7-fold increase in 3-hydroxypropionic acid (3HP) production, showcasing the potential of modular design in optimizing non-glucose feedstock conversion. This work provides a scalable framework for sustainable biochemical production using renewable carbon sources.
School of Science Department of Chemistry 10 Evolutionary Analysis of Hemagglutinin and Neuraminidase Mutations in Influenza Virus Supervisor: SU Haibin / CHEM Student: GUI Weishi / BCB Course: UROP 1100, Fall I have completed various tasks as part of Professor Su’s research group, which focused on the “Evolutionary Analysis of Hemagglutinin and Neuraminidase Mutations in Influenza A Virus”. Influenza A virus (IAV) is a highly pathogenic virus with a single-stranded, segmented RNA genome surrounded by a lipid envelope. Hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA) are crucial viral proteins that are vital to the infection process. Last semester, we discussed our findings on molecular interactions using PyMOL and outlined the progress our group has made in exploring treatment options for influenza within the field of computational chemistry. This report continues the process and focuses on fitness data analysis and relationship between the protein structure and leading mutations. Evolutionary Analysis of Hemagglutinin and Neuraminidase Mutations in Influenza Virus Supervisor: SU Haibin / CHEM Student: GUI Weishi / BCB XIONG Yule / BIBU Course: UROP 2100, Spring This paper explores the integration of molecular dynamics (MD), single-molecule FRET (smFRET), and deep mutational scanning (DMS) in influenza virus research. It introduces influenza A virus structure, emphasizing hemagglutinin (HA)’s critical role in host cell attachment and membrane fusion. DMS systematically maps genomic mutations to viral phenotypes like virulence and transmissibility, revealing functional constraints and mutational tolerance in key proteins such as HA and PB1. SmFRET visualizes conformational dynamics of HA during fusion, while MD simulations offer atomic-level insights into protein behavior and mutationinduced structural changes. Together, these techniques advance understanding of viral adaptation, immune evasion, and evolutionary limits, providing a framework for exploring influenza A virus. Evolutionary Analysis of Hemagglutinin and Neuraminidase Mutations in Influenza Virus Supervisor: SU Haibin / CHEM Student: JEON Yewon / CHEM Course: UROP 2100, Fall UROP 3100, Spring The ability of influenza viruses to adapt through mutations in hemagglutinin (HA) and related surface proteins is crucial in immune evasion, viral entry, and resistance to therapeutics. This report examines pHsensitive structural dynamics and mutations in influenza virus proteins, with insights from recent studies using high-speed atomic force microscopy (HS-AFM), constant-pH molecular dynamics (cpHMD), and classical MD simulations. The summary incorporates findings on acid-induced HA conformational changes, glycosylation-driven immune evasion, and key mutations influencing viral fitness. Additionally, a study on cap-dependent endonuclease (CEN) is included to illustrate how similar mutation-driven mechanisms can lead to antiviral resistance. This review contributes original comparative tables to highlight key residue behaviors, mutational impacts, and structure-function relationships relevant to influenza evolution and therapeutic targeting.
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