Bulletin No. 2, 2018

Chinese University Bulletin No. 2, 2018 38 Mindfulness Proved Effective in Reducing Menopausal Symptoms Since 2006, CUHK has been working on different studies on mindfulness as an intervention for chronic pain, generalized anxiety disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, chronic stress, and insomnia. These studies have projected a positive outcome from mindfulness practice which improves patients’ psychological condition and alleviates suffering. A recent study by a CUHK Medicine research team revealed that mindfulness can be effective in reducing menopausal symptoms, especially anxiety and depressive symptoms. The newly established CUHK Thomas Jing Centre for Mindfulness Research and Training led by Prof. Samuel Wong (1st right), will investigate on how mindfulness can become a health intervention for cancer patients and people with substance use disorders. Rapid On-Site Influenza Virus Detector A genetic engineering team of 12 undergraduate students of business administration, engineering, biomedical science, life sciences and science has developed the ‘Rapid: RNA aptamer probe influenza detector’, a rapid test for influenza subtypes. This tool is based on the switchable light-up RNA aptamer, which undergoes conformational change upon hybridization with another strand of nucleic acid, leading to an observable fluorescent signal. It can be modified to detect theoretically any RNA target sequence, including influenza and other viruses’ genome, within 30 minutes. The team also designed a mobile phone-based fluorometer to detect the signal of the aptamer, as well as accompanying software for result analysist. The team has been awarded a Gold medal at the international Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) 2018 Giant Jamboree held in Boston, USA. Book House for Dong Minority Children The School of Architecture at CUHK and the School of Architecture and Urban Planning at Guangzhou University announced in December the opening of a collaborative project, the Gaobu Book House, a children’s library located at Gaobu village, Hunan Province. The village has been hollowed by the migrating working-age population. The research team aims at preserving Dong’s traditional architectural elements in its design and cultivating children’s interest in reading, and also re-energizing the rural community by adding in interactive elements. Digital Holography-based 3-D Nano-Builder A Digital Holography-based 3-D Nano-Builder developed by Prof. Chen Shih-chi of the Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering and his team was honoured with the globally prestigious 2018 R&D 100 Award. The Nano-Builder employs a revolutionary random-access scanning method that allows tens of laser foci to simultaneously write complex structures at a high speed of 22.7 kHz. The device is especially suitable for applications in research and development such as printing photonic, robotic, metamaterials, micro-scaffolds, and drug delivery devices. R esearch