Professor Han Quan Bin attains Excellent Research Award by Health Bureau

Sincere congratulations to Professor Han Quan Bin, Simon from the HKBU School of Chinese Medicine (SCM) for being one of the five awardees of the Excellent Research Award at Health Research Symposium 2024 by the HKSAR Health Bureau. 

Professor Han’s awarded research project is named “Application of polysaccharide as chemical marker in quality control of saccharide-dominant Chinese medicines: Cordyceps sinensis, a case study”, which had been awarded HKD 1.2 million from the Health and Medical Research Fund (HMRF) several years ago. Besides Professor Han, the project team was composed of Professor Zhao Zhongzhen, and Dr Li Lifeng at SCM, Professor Sun Handong and Professor Pema-Tenzin Puno at Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Professor Tsim Wah Keung, Karl, at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Professor Shaw Pang Chui at The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Professor Cao Hui at Livzon Pharmaceutical Group Inc., and Professor Bai Suping at Xinxiang Medical University.

This project successfully developed a specific, and bioactive marker for Cordyceps. This marker was identified to be a 1,4-α-glucan which induces immune responses of macrophages via the TLR4/MyD88/p38 pathway as verified on TLR4-/- mice. Its content could be associated with Cordyceps’ traditional grading criteria. These results were published on Carbohydrate Polymers, 2021, 118343 & 118443. The related US patent (No. US 10,359,407) was successfully granted and commercialised via the startup company Hong Kong Authentication Centre of Valuable Chinese Medicines Limited. The Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department has adopted this technology.

Congratulations again to Professor Han’s team for their esteemed recognition, which highlights his excellent research efforts and exceptional contributions in the areas of medicine and health.