Annual Report 2013–14

用最新的地球物理和遙測技術及數據， 開展了這項跨學科研究。劉教授主要負 責利用衞星雷達影像觀測冰川流動， 發現冰川流速在過去十年內從每年加速 了一百米。 這項研究結果發表於2014年4月號的 《自然─氣候變化》雜誌。 中大生奪國際遺傳工程機器設計 競賽亞洲區銀獎 由理學院及工程學院十四位本科生組成 的基因工程隊伍，在2013年10月6日於 中大舉行的國際遺傳工程機器設計競賽 （iGEM）的亞洲區比賽中榮獲銀獎， 並同時獲頒最佳生物工程新零件獎。 中大隊伍的參賽項目名為「去掉多環芳 香族碳氫化合物（PAHs）」，他們利 用電流刺激來加強不同細菌酵素的連 繫，更有效地用細菌分解 PAHs，例如 苯丙芘（常見的環境污染物和致癌物 質）。此項嶄新技術可望應用於改善空 氣質素及人類健康。 To quantitatively determine the sustained glacier thinning and mass loss, the interdisciplinary team of 13 scientists from 10 institutions (including the lead institution Technical University of Denmark, Stanford University and CUHK) in five countries synthesized a diversity of data acquired using geophysical and remote sensing techniques. Professor Liu’s contribution to this study is primarily to map glacier flow motions from satellite radar images. They found that glacier speeds increased by more than 100 metres per year from 2001 to 2012. The findings of this research have been published in the April 2014 issue of Nature Climate Change . CUHK Students Win Silver Medal at iGEM Asia A genetic engineering team formed by 14 under- graduate students of science and engineering won a silver medal at the 2013 iGEM (international Genetically Engineered Machine) Asia Regional Jamboree held on 6 October 2013. They also won the Best New BioBrick Part or Device (Engineered) Award. The winning project of the CUHK team was named ‘Switch Off PAHs’. They have designed a voltage switch to control the enzymatic reactions of bacteria so that they can degrade poly-aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) more effectively, such as benzo-a-pyrene (BaP), a common environmental pollutant and a well-known carcinogen. This innovative technology may be useful in improving air quality and public health. 25