- Grant & Fund
- Expressions Spring 2026
General Research Fund
Driving innovative research through multidisciplinary teamwork
The Faculty of Dentistry is delighted to share that we have achieved outstanding success in the Research Grants Council (RGC)’s 2025/26 General Research Fund (GRF) exercise. A total of ten academic staff members have been awarded GRF grants this year, with individual project funding ranging from HKD 0.78 million to HKD 1.38 million.
These remarkable results underscore the Faculty’s research excellence and the exceptional academic calibre of our staff. They also highlight our sustained commitment to advancing impactful, high-quality research that addresses critical needs in dentistry, oral health, and related biomedical sciences.
The funded projects span a broad spectrum of basic, translational and clinical research, reflecting the rich diversity of expertise within the Faculty. From improving patient care and treatment outcomes to exploring emerging technologies and novel biological mechanisms, these projects help drive innovation and strengthen our contribution to the global dental research community. With this substantial support, our researchers are well-positioned to deepen their investigations, explore new frontiers of science and technology, and translate discoveries into better healthcare for the community.
In addition to the GRF success, the Faculty is proud to announce that Professor Zhou Ye, Assistant Professor in Biofunctional Materials, has been honoured with the RGC’s prestigious Early Career Scheme (ECS). This recognition not only affirms Professor Zhou’s promising trajectory as an emerging researcher, but also reflects the strong nurturing environment for young academics within the Faculty. The Faculty warmly congratulates all GRF and ECS awardees on their outstanding achievements. Their success is a testament to the strength, ambition, and collective dedication of our academic community in advancing research, education, and oral healthcare for society.
Professor Chun Hung Chu
Chair Professor of Family Dentistry
Project TitleRandomised clinical trial to prevent early childhood caries using silver diamine fluoride gel
Professor Yu Deng
Assistant Professor in Molecular Microbiology
Project TitleExamining the role of prophage and plasmid mobilome for strain variation in phage resistance among antibiotic-resistant bacteria
Professor Mike Leung
Clinical Professor in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
Project TitleSurgical accuracy of generative-designed patient-specific implants (PSIs) versus manual-designed PSIs for orthognathic surgery: a randomized clinical trial
Professor Kuo Feng Hung
Assistant Professor in Applied Oral Sciences & Community Dental Care
Project TitleDevelopment of an interpretable prediction tool for orthodontically-induced external root resorption using high-dimensional image features and risk factors
Professor Katherine Leung
Clinical Associate Professor in Prosthodontics
Project TitleDentine hypersensitivity treatment using strontium-doped bioactive glass-ceramic-filled dentine adhesive: a randomized double-blind controlled clinical trial
Professor James Tsoi
Associate Professor in Dental Materials Science
Project TitleDesign and develop a physics-informed neural network for dental prostheses design
Professor Wei Qiao
Clinical Assistant Professor in Restorative Dental Sciences (Cariology)
Project TitlePeri-implant macrophage signals nociceptive nerves to promote osseointegration through PGE2-EP4 signaling
Professor Zhiyi Shan
Clinical Assistant Professor in Orthodontics
Project TitleDeciphering the Effects of Photobiomodulation Therapy (PBM) on Periodontitis Using a Micro-Physiological System
Dr Iris Yin
Research Assistant Professor
Project TitleA smart pH-responsive silver nanotherapeutic agent for arresting dental caries
Professor Chengfei Zhang
Clinical Professor in Endodontics
Project TitleUnravelling the single-cell developmental atlas during degradation of the dental lamina: implications for whole-tooth regeneration in diphyodont species
Early Career Scheme
Professor Zhou Ye
Assistant Professor in Biofunctional Materials
Project TitleDevelopment of Smart ROS-responsive Antimicrobial Peptide Coatings for Controlled Bacterial Eradication and ROS Cleavage to Prevent Peri-Implantitis