CUHK Research: Changing the world

World’s first microbiome immunity formula In June 2020, six months into the coronavirus outbreakwith a vaccine yet to emerge, a medical research team at CUHKmade a groundbreaking discovery: synbiotic formula SIM01 that can boost immunity against COVID-19. “At the start of the pandemic, every COVID-19 patient in Hong Kong was admitted to hospital. I was working at a CUHK teaching hospital and was intrigued by why some COVID-19 patients became seriously ill or even died while others remained well with no symptoms. I believed that the human gut microbiome that regulates our immune system plays an important role,” says Professor Ng Siew-chien, Director of the Microbiota I-Center (MagIC) at the Hong Kong Science Park. “We started saving stool samples from every COVID-19 case and examined how the gut microbiome influenced susceptibility to coronavirus risk and outcome.” The team found that a series of beneficial bacteria was missing in the patients’ gut, especially the seriously ill. Using big data analysis and machine learning technologies, they developed the synbiotic formula, which was effective in hastening recovery, increasing antibody response and restoring gut dysbiosis. According to a large-scale, double-blind clinical trial, the formula can also improve immunity against other respiratory infections. The team has also shown that SIM01 improved antibody response and durability of SARS- CoV-2 vaccines. Subjects who received oral SIM01 achieved sufficient good bacteria in their gut, had higher antibody levels, and fewer side-effects after the vaccines. In 2020, Professor Ng and Professor Chan co-founded a biotechnology company, GenieBiome, which focuses on providing microbiome solutions to common health problems. They were able to license their discoveries to their own company to maximise the benefits of their research for the development of Hong Kong’s microbiome industry. SIM01 was launched that year and is now also available in mainland China and Southeast Asia. The team has investigated the effectiveness of SIM01 in treating long COVID symptoms including fatigue, sleep problems, difficulty in concentrating and shortness of breath. Early findings showed that the formula was effective in reducing those symptoms. Professor Chan says: “Our scientific discovery and rapid launch of SIM01 was made possible with the collective efforts of a multidisciplinary team consisting of over 100 people.” A new frontier in medicine Professor Ng joined CUHK in 2010. Her research interests include inflammatory bowel disease, colorectal cancer, gut m i c r o b i ome a n d f a e c a l m i c r o b i o t a transplantation. “As a young institution, CUHK is full of opportunities and encourages innovation and entrepreneurship. With that, I can continue to create knowledge that can benefit society,” she says. Professor Chan is a world-renowned expert in peptic ulcer bleeding, helicobacter pylori and endoscopic therapy. “The human body We hope to leverage our gutmicrobiome research toprovide effective solutions to common illnesses in our next generationsuchasobesity, eczema and autism. Professor Ng 25