Researchers at The University of Hong Kong (HKU) have uncovered a critical, underrecognized trade-off in global environmental policies: while essential for improving public health, large-scale air pollution reductions are unintentionally intensifying warm-season surface urban heat islands (UHI) in humid climates. Published in the prestigious journal Nature Cities, the findings highlight the urgent need for integrated policies that address both air quality and urban heat adaptation, particularly in rapidly urbanising, humid regions.

The teams Sapientia and Virtus of the HKU Robocon group from the Faculty of Engineering at The University of Hong Kong (HKU) clinched multiple awards at this year's "Robocon Hong Kong Contest 2026", winning the Championship, Second Runner-up respectively, and Best Team Spirit Award and Best Performance Award. As champion, the team Sapientia will represent Hong Kong as the home team at the upcoming “ABU Robocon 2026” in August, competing against 15 countries and regions.

A research team from the Department of Surgery, School of Clinical Medicine, LKS Faculty of Medicine, the University of Hong Kong (HKUMed) has introduced robot-assisted microsurgery in Hong Kong for the first time. The team successfully completed 48 procedures, including the world’s first robot-assisted liver transplant surgery and trans-hairline robotic microvascular surgery. Clinical data indicate no complications related to the use of the robotic micro-surgical platform. All anastomoses were patent with no long-term complications. This breakthrough highlights the leadership of HKUMed and Queen Mary Hospital (QMH) in advancing precision surgery and setting new global benchmarks in complex surgical care.

Researchers have traced the journey of a plastic bottle cap recovered near the waters of southern Japan by combining data from the label, chemical clues in tiny shells, and ocean current simulations. They found 307 organisms, including a polychaetae worm not found in Japanese waters before. The findings, published in Marine Pollution Bulletin, show that when species that significantly shape their environments (ecosystem engineers) colonize plastic debris, entire micro-communities can be transported over extended periods, with implications for invasive species risk and marine biodiversity conservation. 

Five biotech startups from the University of Hong Kong (HKU) are participating in the BIO International Convention 2026 (BIO 2026), taking place from 22 to 25 June 2026 in San Diego, United States. The HKU teams are showcasing a range of cutting-edge research achievements across vaccine development, innovative therapies, precision diagnostics, and AI-enabled medical technologies, demonstrating the University’s leadership in knowledge transfer and its commitment to translating world-class research into impactful clinical solutions.

Immune checkpoints (ICs) are receptors that regulate immune responses through both activating and inhibitory mechanisms. Inflammatory microenvironment modulates IC expression through cytokines, metabolites, and oxidative signals. Immune checkpoint inhibitors not only enhance antitumor immunity but also reshape systemic immune networks. This review summarizes the molecular and cellular mechanisms by which ICs regulate inflammatory responses and highlights their roles across diverse pathological conditions.

POSTECH Demonstrates Stable Stacking of More Than 10 Ultrathin Si Chips, Achieving Four Times Higher Integration Density Than Commercial HBM.

POSTECH Research Team Led by Professor Jonghun Kam Analyzes the Impact of Disaster Forecast Uncertainty on Public Emotions.

A new review published in Nature Reviews Biodiversity shows that advances in satellite technology are rapidly improving scientists’ ability to monitor tropical forest health and resilience. While forest structure and ecosystem function can now be tracked at scale, key dimensions of biodiversity — including species, evolutionary and genetic diversity — remain largely unobservable from space. The authors highlight that next-generation satellite missions could enable more complete global monitoring of ecosystem change and support international biodiversity targets.