A research team from the Department of Microbiology under the School of Clinical Medicine in the LKS Faculty of Medicine of the University of Hong Kong (HKUMed), has successfully developed the world’s first ‘nasal organoid-based SARS-CoV-2 Neutralising Antibody Evaluation Platform’. The platform uses respiratory organoids that adequately model viral infection in the human respiratory tract, enabling accurate assessment of the effectiveness of antibodies and vaccines against SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19.

A research team from the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the University of Hong Kong’s LKS Faculty of Medicine (HKUMed) has developed the world’s first artificial intelligence (AI) model that can accurately identify human sperm with fertilisation potential. This breakthrough could reshape diagnosis and assisted reproductive treatments worldwide.

A research team led by the Department of Medicine and the Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, under the School of Clinical Medicine, LKS Faculty of Medicine of the University of Hong Kong (HKUMed), has uncovered a serious risk of joint infection following knee surgery, linked to allergy mislabelling. The study showed that patients incorrectly labelled as allergic to penicillin or other beta-lactam (BL) antibiotics face a significantly higher chance of developing periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) — a painful and costly infection that can arise following joint replacement surgery, which can also lead to major complications. This revelation has prompted the launch of Hong Kong’s first research-focused pharmacist-led pilot service for penicillin allergy assessment at HKUMed, aimed at addressing this critical healthcare issue. The research, underscoring the importance of accurate allergy documentation, was published in The Bone & Joint Journal.

Researchers from The University of Osaka have found that they can keep mouse uterine tissue alive outside of the body, allowing them to directly observe embryonic implantation and development. Their technique brings hope for patients with infertility, and may allow for the development of therapies to treat recurrent implantation failure and improve the chance of implantation success using assisted reproductive technologies.Researchers from The University of Osaka have found that they can keep mouse uterine tissue alive outside of the body, allowing them to directly observe embryonic implantation and development. Their technique brings hope for patients with infertility, and may allow for the development of therapies to treat recurrent implantation failure and improve the chance of implantation success using assisted reproductive technologies.

Researchers from The University of Osaka found that macrophages use microautophagy, mediated by Rab32-positive lysosome-related organelles, to directly engulf damaged mitochondria and other organelles. This was discovered to be independent of macroautophagy. Key factors in this process include Rab32 GTPase, PI(3,5)P₂, ubiquitination, and p62/SQSTM1. By clearing mitochondria, microautophagy promotes metabolic reprogramming toward glycolysis, supporting M1 macrophage polarization. Loss of Rab32/38 disrupts this process, highlighting microautophagy’s role in regulating macrophage function.