Materials Innovation Institute for
Life Sciences and Energy
“A bridge between Hong Kong and the Mainland, a bridge between the
World and the Greater Bay Area”
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What is MILES
Material Innovation Institute for Life Sciences and Energy (MILES) is an HKU institute established in the Hetao Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Zone at the border between Hong Kong and Shenzhen. It is located at the heart of the Greater Bay and can reach the centers of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Macau, and Zhuhai within ~ 1 h.
MILES has an approximately 12,000 m² space with state-of-the-art laboratories for HKU principal investigators and fellows, shared facilities and equipment, and offices for PIs, Fellows, staff, students, and postdoctoral associates.
MILES has Cellular and Molecular Laboratories, Imaging Laboratories, Battery Laboratories and Synthetic Chemistry Laboratories, Small Animal Center, GMP, and Technology Translation Center.
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Relation with HKU
The University of Hong Kong (HKU) is one of the most reputable universities in the world and has been rapidly growing in scientific research, education and worldwide university ranking. It is also growing geologically within the Greater Bay Area (GBA) to utilize its vast space and resources.
MILES is a pioneer and at the forefront of HKU’s expansion. It is an HKU institute with funding, space and resources provided by multiple organizations in GBA.
MILES Principal Investigators and MILES Fellows are all professors of HKU in one of the departments in Humanity and Science School, School of Engineering, or HKU Medicine, or with joint affiliations. MILES PIs have a higher percentage of effort than Fellows in MILES. The graduate students in MILES are all HKU students admitted through regular process and receive PhD degrees conferred by HKU. MILES Postdoctoral Fellows can be recruited through HKU or through other HKU institutions established in the GBA. MILES Principal Investigators and Fellows receive space and funding in addition to their shares in the HKU main campus located in Hong Kong Island.
MILES Mission
The mission of MILES is to attract world-class faculty at junior and senior levels, and talented graduate students and postdocs to collaborate and do groundbreaking research in the broad areas of novel materials, establishing a world-leading institute in the greater Bay Area.
MILES scientists are expected to perform high-risk, high-reward, and high-impact research with originality and creativity. Close cross-discipline collaborations between MILES PIs and Fellows are a unique aspect of the Institute with scientists from chemistry, physics, engineering, and medical science carrying out frontier research in the same building. Frequent communications between faculty-faculty, student-student, and faculty-student are routine. Joint grant applications and publications are greatly facilitated.
A technology translation center for entrepreneurship and translation has been established within MILES. The center offers comprehensive support for faculty-initiated translation projects. It provides incubation office space, lab space, and other supports including fundraising and product development for startup companies commercializing discoveries at MILES by PIs, Fellows, and students.
Research Area
MILES Research areas include but are not limited to:
Design and synthesis of new molecules, polymers, nanomaterials, molecular materials, 2D and 3D materials and framework materials; Physics, electrical, mechanical, magnetic, and spectroscopic properties of novel materials; Electronic device applications; Nanoscience, nanotechnology, and nanomedicine; Renewable energy, electrocatalysis, novel batteries; Bio-physics, bio-engineering; Biomedical sciences; Novel vaccines; Drug development and delivery systems; Computational/theoretical chemistry and physics; Artificial intelligence for materials and biosystems.
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Materials
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Life Sciences
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Energy
Location
