#MeetOurRPgSupervisor: Prof. Matthew Lui – Sustainable Chemistry Innovations
Are you interested in sustainable chemistry or biomaterials and working in a growing research team led by an award-winning chemist?
Chitin is one of the most abundant natural polysaccharides, providing structural strength to the exoskeletons of crustaceans and insects. Through chemical or enzymatic modification, chitin can be converted into chitosan, a versatile derivative used in aromatic compounds, healing materials, and drug delivery systems.
Prof. Matthew Lui, Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemistry at Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU), leads a research group focused on green and sustainable production of chemicals and materials for health and energy. His current interests include the chemistry of lignin and chitin. His project, “Production of Chitin Using Green and Recyclable Ionic Liquids,” recently won a gold medal at the 50th International Exhibition of Inventions in Geneva. We are proud to showcase his innovative research and teaching journey at HKBU.
Revolutionising Chitin and Chitosan Production & Circular Economy
Traditional extraction of chitin from shellfish residues involves harsh acids and bases that harm the environment and degrade material quality. Prof. Lui’s innovation uses recyclable ionic solvents to extract high-purity chitin more cost-effectively and eco-consciously, significantly reducing chemical use and waste.
Driven by a vision for a circular economy, another project—developed through the start-up BeastiBite—uses insects to biodegrade single-use plastics. Leveraging advanced AI technologies, this project optimises biodegradation by identifying ideal conditions for insect activity, accelerating plastic breakdown, and transforming waste into valuable by-products like chitin and chitosan. These by-products have applications in sustainable food packaging, wastewater treatment, and biomedical materials. This work exemplifies how scientific research, and technology can combine to drive positive change and highlight HKBU’s research excellence.
Mentoring Tomorrow’s Research Leaders
Beyond his research achievements, Prof. Lui actively involves PhD students in his projects and start-up initiatives. He shared that one of his current PhD students began as an undergraduate at HKBU. Inspired by mini research projects under Prof. Lui’s guidance, the student developed a strong interest in sustainable chemistry and chose to continue his research journey and PhD studies and at HKBU under his supervision.
When asked for advice to prospective students interested in pursuing a research degree in Chemistry, Prof. Lui emphasised the importance of a strong foundation in chemistry, awareness of social and environmental issues, favourable personal characters like curiosity, keen observation and passion. As scientific research is often conducted collaboratively, candidates should also possess strong teamwork skills and align their research interests with those of potential supervisors.
Prof. Lui further advises that before preparing a research proposal, students should identify their research topics and connect with potential supervisors as early as possible to ensure a good match and more effective supervision. Conducting a thorough literature review and desktop research is essential to ensure the originality of the proposal and to gain a comprehensive understanding of the research field and current trends. This approach helps students to work on novel and unique topics, avoid overlap with existing research, and maximise their research impact.
Currently working with four PhD students, Prof. Lui is seeking high-calibre candidates to join his lab. For more information about Prof. Lui and his research projects, please visit: https://scholars.hkbu.edu.hk/en/persons/MATTHEW-LUI
To explore more potential PhD supervisors and research projects at HKBU, please visit: https://gs-services.hkbu.edu.hk/potential_supervisors/