RGC honours Professor Wang Jun, Joelle as RGC Senior Research Fellow for catalysis breakthroughs

Professor Wang Jun, Joelle (Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science) is selected as one of the nine RGC Senior Research Fellow Scheme (SRFS) awardees this year, becoming another distinguished HKBU female researcher to receive this honour.

“I’m deeply honoured to receive the RGC SRFS. My deep gratitude to the RGC for their solid support of innovative research, and to HKBU for fostering an environment nurturing scientific excellence. I also owe this achievement to my brilliant research team and supportive colleagues,” Professor Wang warmly shared.

Several reviewers praised Professor Wang as a “leading female chemist”, “role model”, and “pioneer” in the field, attaining “international attention” and recognition through her impactful research and extensive track record with significant contributions over the years. They considered Professor Wang’s awarded project as “particularly challenging” yet highly “rewarding”, “meaningful”, and could “advance” the development of catalytic methodologies.

Since the chiral phosphorus compounds play a vital role in modern chemistry and related fields, the precise construction of chiral compounds occupies a central position in the field of chemical science. Professor Wang’s awarded project, “Molecular Design and Modular Editing of Chiral Phosphine-Alkene Ligands via Asymmetric Hydrofunctionalization”, introduces a concise, direct and modular access to valuable chiral phosphorus compounds, which enhances the selectivity and efficiency of reactions.  Beyond chemistry, it equips experts in medicine, agriculture, and sustainable technology to address global challenges, from public health to food security, with unprecedented precision. 

Transition Metal-catalysed Asymmetric Hydrophosphination

Professor Wang’s chiral phosphorus catalyst ensures precise molecular chirality, enabling sustainable chemistry for safer drugs, eco-friendly agrochemicals, and advanced materials.

“This prestigious fellowship celebrates Joelle’s contributions to catalytic science and reaffirms HKBU's role as a hub for health and drug discovery research. I’m glad that HKBU researchers pioneer solutions to address global challenges from medicine to sustainability,” said Professor Lyu Aiping, Vice-President (Research and Development) of HKBU.

Professor Wang joined HKBU in 2020 under HKBU’s Talent 100 Scheme. She has published over 75 high-calibre peer-reviewed papers and secured nine patents (the US and China). Her accolades include the Thieme Chemistry Journals Award and Asian Core Program Lectureship Award (Singapore) in 2017. She has been championing women in STEM through her roles as the founding Member (2014-2018) and Committee member (2018-2022, 2022-2026) of Woman’s Chemists, Chinese Chemical Society (CCS), and as a Senior Member of CCS in 2020. In 2022, she was elected a member of the Hong Kong Young Academy of Sciences (YASHK). Her research interests span across asymmetric catalysis, synthetic methodology, medicinal chemistry, and cosmeceuticals. 

HKBU will receive a remarkable fellowship grant of over HK$8.2 million for Professor Wang’s SRFS project. This fellowship affirms HKBU’s global impact in the field of Health and Drug Discovery, and Professor Wang’s achievement reflects our culture of research excellence and innovation.

More Research Publications:

• Enantio- and Regioselective Cascade Hydroboration of Methylenecyclopropanes for Facile Access to Chiral 1,3- and 1,4-bis(boronates). Zhou, J.; Meng, L.; Yang, Z.; Wang, J.* Adv. Sci. 2024, 11, 2400096
  DOI: 10.1002/advs.202400096

• Palladium-catalyzed Enantio-and Regioselective Ring-Opening Hydrophosphinylation of Methylenecyclopropanes. Zhou, J.; Meng, L.; Lin, S.; Cai, B.; Wang, J.* Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2023, 62, e202303727
  DOI: 10.1002/anie.202303727

• Asymmetric synthesis of flavanols via Cu-catalyzed kinetic resolution of chromenes and their anti-inflammatory activity. Yang, Q.; Wang, Z.; Hor, C. H. H.; Xiao, H.; Bian, Z.*; Wang, J.* Sci. Adv. 2022, 8, eabm960
  DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abm9603

• Enantio- and Regioselective Construction of 1,4-Diamines via Cascade Hydroamination of Methylene Cyclopropanes. Zhou, J.; Yang, Q.; Lee, C. S.*; Wang, J.* Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2022, 61, e202202160
  DOI: 10.1002/anie.202202160

• Asymmetric Hydrophosphination of Heterobicyclic Alkenes: Facile Access to Phosphine Ligands for Asymmetric Catalysis. Lu, Z.; Zhang, H.; Yang, Z.; Ding, N.; Meng, L.; Wang, J.* ACS Catal. 2019, 9, 1457-1463
  DOI: 10.1021/acscatal.8b04787

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Explore other RGC Senior Research Fellows and RGC Research Fellows at HKBU, and more significant research achievements and awards acquired by our academicians here.