UM Scholars Make Scientific Discoveries with Global Impact

February 13, 2025

Source: Media Outreach

MACAU SAR – Media Outreach Newswire – 13 February 2025 – The University of Macau (UM) has strengthened its position as a leading research institution through multiple strategies, including the recruitment of high-calibre scholars from around the world. The groundbreaking scientific discoveries made by these distinguished scholars and their teams have greatly advanced the university’s global influence and Macao’s development as an innovation hub.

From left to right: Prof Chuxia Deng, Chair Professor and Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences; Prof Chen Xin, Distinguished Professor and Director of the Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences; Prof Yuen Ka-Veng, Distinguished Professor in the Faculty of Science and Technology.

Top-tier academics are vital to the academic and research advancement of a university. UM’s faculty boasts leading scholars from diverse cultural backgrounds who are actively engaged in cutting-edge research in their respective disciplines. Notably, Chuxia Deng, Chair Professor and Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences; Chen Xin, Distinguished Professor and Director of the Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences; and Yuen Ka-Veng, Distinguished Professor in the Faculty of Science and Technology, have made remarkable achievements in cancer research, immunology, and civil engineering respectively.

Chuxia Deng: Advancing Cancer and Precision Medicine Research

Prof Chuxia Deng, a prominent figure in life sciences, has a successful track record in cancer research, focusing on precision oncology, oncogenes and tumour suppressor genes, gene targeting, and drug development. Notably, his breakthrough work involves using BRCA1 mutant mouse models to identify new targets for triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), a highly aggressive form of cancer. His research innovations span a 24-hour cancer drug screening biochip, drug susceptibility testing using patient-derived organoids, and 3D tumour slice culture technology.

Since joining UM in 2014, Prof Deng and his research teams have published 150 papers in top journals, with over 4,300 citation counts. His leadership has significantly boosted the Faculty of Health Sciences’s research output, elevating the number of publications from 43 in 2014 to over 2,400 by 2024, with more than 60,000 citation counts, including over 400 publications with an impact factor ≥10. As the chief scientist of the Ministry of Education Frontiers Science Center for Precision Oncology at UM, Prof Deng spearheads cutting-edge cancer research to enhance early cancer diagnosis and advance personalised treatment for cancer patients through precision medicine.

Chen Xin: Leading the Way in Innovative Immunotherapy

Prof Chen Xin, a renowned scholar in immunology and Chinese medicine, has led groundbreaking studies that advances a safer and more effective treatment for cancer and autoimmune diseases. His team in the Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences (ICMS) at UM, in collaboration with the US National Cancer Institute (NCI), discovered that targeting a specific protein called TNFR2 can enhance anti-tumour immune responses and kill cancer cells, bringing new hope to cancer patients.

Under Prof Chen’s leadership, ICMS has made significant progress in the internationalisation of Chinese medicine. Upholding the motto of ‘seeking innovation through tradition’, the institute has produced many research results with global impact. A series of international symposia have also been held to promote global academic exchange and strengthening international partnerships in the field of Chinese medicine. In addition to advancing innovative research and development, ICMS is also dedicated to training Chinese medicine professionals to support the development of the ‘big health’ industry.

Yuen Ka-Veng: Setting the Foundation for Bayesian Methods in Civil Engineering

Prof Yuen Ka-Veng is the leading scientist of the State Key Laboratory of Internet of Things for Smart City at UM and an eminent engineering expert in Macao, specialising in Bayesian inference, structural health monitoring, and machine learning. According to Web of Science, Prof Yuen is ranked 2nd worldwide in terms of the number of journal publications of Bayesian in all engineering disciplines. In 2024, Prof Yuen was awarded the 15th Guanghua Engineering Science and Technology Prize by the Chinese Academy of Engineering in recognition of his contributions to engineering technology and engineering management.

His pioneering work in developing new Bayesian methods tailored to real-world engineering scenarios has had a significant impact on the advancement of engineering practices and technologies. The methods have been extensively applied not only to structural health monitoring of major structures in mainland China and Hong Kong, but also in many other fields such as air pollution modelling, soil mechanics, rock mechanics, computational physics, disaster mitigation, neuroscience, smart transportation, and communications engineering.

The achievements of these scholars highlight UM’s commitment to academic excellence and innovation, and to establishing Macao as a leading hub for scientific research. The success of these scholars and their teams has not only enhanced UM’s global reputation and amplified Macao’s role in promoting technological development in the Greater Bay Area, but has also contributed to the city’s economic diversification.

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– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.

Shock, anger over boaties and dogs on pest-free island

LiveNews Publisher

February 13, 2025

Source: Department of Conservation

Date: 13 February 2025

And they’re calling on responsible boaties to report other recreational sailors who land on Coromandel’s off-limits islands.

DOC’s Coromandel Operations Manager Nick Kelly says the most recent incident occurred on Kawhitu/Stanley Island on Saturday 8 February, and was witnessed by two members of the public who alerted DOC.

“Our informants saw two people – believed to be from a 660 Haines Hunter boat named Nirvana 2 – ashore on Kawhitu,” says Nick.

“These people were spotted walking along a beach on the island at about 1.30 pm with two dogs.”

Nick says Kawhitu is classified as Nature Reserve, under the Reserves Act 1977 – meaning no-one can enter without express permission.

“To see people flagrantly disregard the rules – and in this case walk right past a sign telling them they shouldn’t be there – is very distressing”.

“As well as being somewhere they shouldn’t have been, the two people who’ve landed on Kawhitu have risked undoing decades of conservation work protecting vulnerable species.

“They’ve also risked the biosecurity of the island, which is protected through strict protocols we place on our own staff and any visitor authorised to carry out work on Kawhitu.”

Nick encouraged the owner or skipper of the Nirvana 2 – or anyone who saw the people from the vessel go ashore – to contact DOC on 0800 DOC HOT (0800 362 468), and quote CLE-8615.

Roughly 86 ha in size, Kawhitu is a haven for a number of protected and threatened species, including tieke/saddlebacks, flesh-footed shearwaters/toanui, and kakariki/red-crowned parakeet.

Contact

For media enquiries contact:

Email: media@doc.govt.nz

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Weather News – Hot Valentine’s ahead before showers in the upper North – MetService

LiveNews Publisher

February 13, 2025

Source: MetService

Covering period of Thursday 13th – Sunday 16th February – MetService is forecasting a settled start to the weekend before showers move onto northeastern parts of the North Island.

Generally dry and warm weather with sunny skies expected today (Thursday). One or two showers are possible about and north of Taupō in the North Island, and in the inland ranges for the South Island from this afternoon.

Valentine’s Day weather could not be better if we ordered it; a high-pressure system over the country slowly moves east tomorrow, providing a warm and sunny Valentine’s Day for many across the country, however, for those in the east it will be a cloudier day as northeasterlies persist, providing for a more cozy and intimate day. An even more romantic evening for those in the west of the North Island as a few spots of rain are expected.

Southern parts of the North Island continue to have beach and barbeque weather on Saturday but up north cloudy skies, risk of a shower and large easterly swells bring an end to the settled run of weather. South Islanders should still expect a great day for their outdoor activities with clear skies persisting.

MetService meteorologist Oscar Shiviti says, “Although we are looking forward to settled weather starting the weekend, we do expect showers to push onto the North Island from the northeast through Sunday”. These showery conditions are not expected to reach the southern half of the North Island, and therefore no need to panic for those looking forward to the long distance running this weekend as “dry conditions are expected during Wellington’s “Round The Bays” this Sunday” Shiviti continued.

Sunday brings passing showers for those in the west of the South Island, whereas warm days and clear skies persist elsewhere as that high finally makes its way out to the east.

Places like Otago see temperatures reaching maximums in the high twenties and low thirties at times through the weekend, while the lower North Island has maximums reaching high twenties as well, however a warm weekend in store for all New Zealanders.

However, for those looking for rain to wet the parched ground, early next week may hold something in store as a rain-bearing weather system looks to sweep across the country.

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Swift biosecurity response to fruit fly has positive outcome

LiveNews Publisher

February 13, 2025

Source: New Zealand Government

Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard has today applauded the efforts of a south Auckland community, the horticulture industry and Biosecurity New Zealand, to mark the end of the Oriental fruit fly response.

Biosecurity New Zealand has now lifted controls on movement of fruit and vegetables in the suburb of Papatoetoe following no further finds of fruit flies since a single male Oriental fruit fly was discovered in a surveillance trap in the suburb in early January.

“This is great news, particularly for our $7 billion horticulture export industry, which could have been devastated by the establishment of a fruit fly population in New Zealand,” Mr Hoggard says.

Mr Hoggard thanks the South Auckland community and sector groups for their support during the biosecurity response.

“Residents have worked with the movement restrictions and regular checking of traps in their gardens and we’re extremely grateful for their support.

“This response has been vital to our success in keeping fruit fly out of New Zealand. It could not have happened without backing from the community and the horticultural sector,” Mr Hoggard says.

“The discovery has highlighted the importance of a small country like New Zealand having a strong biosecurity system.

“I would especially like to thank Biosecurity New Zealand staff for their work to rapidly stand up a response while most of us were enjoying a Christmas holiday.

“Incursions of pests and diseases don’t take a break and that’s why our biosecurity system doesn’t either.

“The dedication of skilled staff is vital to protect New Zealand’s valuable agricultural and horticultural exports.”

Biosecurity New Zealand’s national fruit fly surveillance programme will continue, which includes a network of fruit fly traps.

“This find last month shows the effectiveness of our surveillance trapping system. There are more than 7,800 traps set nationwide and checked regularly. These enable us to find fruit flies early and enable a faster and more effective response if finds are made, like we did in Papatoetoe,” Mr Hoggard says.

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Auckland fruit fly controls lifted

LiveNews Publisher

February 13, 2025

Source: Ministry for Primary Industries

Controls on the movement of fruit and vegetables in the Auckland suburb of Papatoetoe have been lifted after no further evidence of the Oriental fruit fly was found in the area, says Mike Inglis, Biosecurity New Zealand commissioner north.

The decision to end the operation follows more than a month of intensive fruit fly trapping and inspections of hundreds of kilograms of fruit.

Mr Inglis thanked residents and businesses in the affected area for their support with the movement controls, keeping an eye out for fruit flies and safely disposing of fruit in provided bins.

“I can’t stress enough how vital this work has been to protect our horticultural sector. This particular insect pest is a significant threat to horticultural exports and home gardens.”

Biosecurity New Zealand quickly placed legal controls on the movement of fruit and vegetables in an area of Papatoetoe on 4 January 2025 after a single male Oriental fruit fly was identified from a national surveillance trap.

“No further adult fruit flies, eggs, larvae or pupae have been found,” says Mr Inglis.

“We are satisfied that with no further detections over six weeks, the Controlled Area Notice restrictions can be lifted, and response operations closed.”

The Biosecurity New Zealand signs and wheelie bins will be removed from the affected area in Papatoetoe over the next few days.

Mr Inglis says checking of Biosecurity New Zealand’s 7,800 fruit fly traps around the country, including some 200 traps in the Papatoetoe/Māngere area, will continue as normal.

“Our people will be out in the Papatoetoe community today, handing out flyers about the response closure and personally thanking residents and business owners for their contribution to the effort.

“I’d also like to acknowledge the good work of our people and our partners across the horticulture sector. By working together, and responding quickly, we have managed this situation well.”

Key figures:

More than 1,500 individual visits were made to check the 109 special fruit fly response traps in Papatoetoe/Māngere throughout the response.
These traps are in addition to 187 routine fruit fly surveillance traps in the area.
Over 600 biosecurity bins distributed in the community to collect produce waste for safe disposal.
More than 470 kilos of fruit cut up and examined for any signs of fruit fly eggs or larvae.
More than 150 Biosecurity New Zealand staff were involved throughout the response.

Find out what we did and why we have now closed the response

For more information, email BiosecurityNZ_media@mpi.govt.nz

For media enquiries, contact the media team on 029 894 0328.

MIL OSI

Industry focus

LiveNews Publisher

February 13, 2025

Source: Tertiary Education Commission

Last updated 5 March 2020
Last updated 5 March 2020

New Zealand is facing skills shortages in a number of sectors, including construction, food and fibre, health, and Secondary Initial Teacher Education.
New Zealand is facing skills shortages in a number of sectors, including construction, food and fibre, health, and Secondary Initial Teacher Education.

One of TEC’s core priorities is to help address these labour and skills shortages. Our work will link communities, industries, and education providers to education and employment pathways that are easy to navigate. Every New Zealander should have the skills, knowledge and confidence to create a fulfilling life.
To achieve this, we are:

building strategic partnerships and investing in provision that can deliver long-term post-study outcomes for learners
providing better quality learner information through our career services, including industry-specific attraction initiatives and dedicated career hub pages
encouraging the development of quality and innovative learning packages and accessible pathways through funding training schemes and micro-credentials
leading the work on the Reform of Vocational Education (RoVE). This includes developing a new Unified Funding System and facilitating the development of Centres of Vocational Excellence (CoVEs), Workforce Development Councils (WDCs) and working with MBIE as they facilitate the development of Regional Skills Leadership Groups (RSLGs).

Unwelcome but necessary: a week’s more night work needed Humphrey St/SH6 intersection, Queenstown

LiveNews Publisher

February 13, 2025

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

Much weaker than anticipated ground conditions at the road work site near Queenstown’s Kawarau River bridge means a week’s more work, says NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA).

Instead of ending on 21 February, the night work will run through to Friday morning, 28 February, says Peter Standring, Maintenance Contract Manager for NZTA in Central Otago.

“We know this work, which is happening overnight to avoid most daytime traffic, is unwelcome to local residents given the noise generated and vibrations from machinery removing the old road layers,” says Mr Standring. “But it is essential we get the asphalting right. As a result, we need to excavate deeper than anticipated to get a lasting road surface.”

The NZTA crews are using a stronger pavement mixture for this section of SH6 to extend its life as much as possible, but they still need a solid sub-surface underneath it, he says. The site is managed with Stop/Go traffic management overnight, creating short delays.

Work started on 9 February, 8 pm to 6 am, and will now run for the extra third week to the end of February, Sunday nights to Thursday nights.

“Crews will continue to do whatever they can to fit in the noisiest activity in the early part of the night,” says Mr Standring. “We thank everyone for being patient while we get this highway reconstruction done to a high standard to last for many years.”

The highway is down to 30km/hour daytimes while the night work is underway.

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Police hammer home security warning

LiveNews Publisher

February 13, 2025

Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

Police in Counties Manukau South say a recent increase in burglaries from construction sites is a timely reminder to builders to ensure security is up to standard.

In the past week, Police have charged four people in relation to industrial burglaries in areas including Pukekohe, Pōkeno and Papakura.

Detective Senior Sergeant Simon Taylor, of Counties Manukau South CIB, says items including tap wear, light fittings, building materials, tools and appliances yet to be installed have been the targets of most burglaries.

“As a result of our investigations, four people have been charged with various offences in connection to these burglaries in the past week, on top of others last month.

“One of the four has also been charged with seven separate shoplifting charges and other driving matters.

“Forensic evidence, CCTV and other investigative methods have been used to progress our enquiries.

“It’s pleasing we have been able to hold these offenders to account for their actions, while also returning some of the stolen goods to their rightful owners.”

Detective Senior Sergeant Taylor says the burglaries are a reminder to all those involved in the construction industry to ensure appropriate steps are made to secure building sites.

“We also encourage anyone who is the victim of a burglary to report it to Police straight away.

“Burglaries, thefts or any suspicious behaviour should be reported to us on 111 if it’s happening now, or 105 after the fact.”

Detective Senior Sergeant Taylor says enquiries remain ongoing and Police are not ruling out further arrests or charges.

Four men, aged between 26-45, have been charged with the respective burglaries Police have linked to them.

TOP TIPS

Police recommend a variety of measures to secure your building site:
•             Install security gates
•             CCTV
•             Security patrols
•             Labelling/marking/engraving valuable items (like tools)
•             Recording serial numbers
•             Ensure building materials and appliances are secured and/or installed soon after delivery

ENDS.

Holly McKay/NZ Police

MIL OSI

Fiscal indicators in line with expectations

LiveNews Publisher

February 13, 2025

Source: New Zealand Government

The latest financial statements show the Government’s books are tracking broadly as expected, with some indicators in better shape than forecast at the Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update last year.
The Interim Financial Statements of the Government of New Zealand for the six months ended 31 December 2024 were published by Treasury today.
Treasury reports a $400 million improvement in the Government’s headline operating balance indicator, OBEGALx, compared to what was forecast. Net core Crown debt is $700 million lower than forecast.
“The Government is committed to returning OBEGALx to surplus and to bringing net core Crown debt below 40 per cent of GDP,” Finance Minister Nicola Willis says.
“Prudence with taxpayers’ money supports the Government’s work to grow the economy, invest in things that matter most to New Zealanders and build resilience to future shocks.”
The publication of the statements coincides with the launch of the Government’s Going for Growth progress report, which lays out the work already underway, as well as the work planned, to grow New Zealand’s economy.
“Economic growth supports the ability and speed with which we can rectify the Government’s financial position.”

MIL OSI

Science reforms: Save Science Coalition releases latest toll of science roles in wake of further cuts at Callaghan Innovation

LiveNews Publisher

February 13, 2025

Source: Save Science

Over 200 science roles have been cut from the sector since July last year, bringing the total number of roles lost in the government science sector to approximately 570. That is despite the Government trumpeting science as a key to economic growth.

New figures released by the Save Science Coalition, a group of 30 scientific societies and unions, include an additional proposed 63 roles to be disestablished at Callaghan Innovation as the latest casualties of Government cuts. Staff at Callaghan Innovation were made aware of the proposal on Wednesday.

“The latest cuts at Callaghan Innovation are a direct result of Government decisions to remove the majority of the organisation’s funding by 30 June this year,” explained Dr Lucy Stewart, spokesperson for the Save Science Coalition.

“This isn’t stopping – we are expecting hundreds of additional jobs to be lost. We are aware of continuing restructuring occurring at Callaghan Innovation, AgResearch and Manaaki Whenua. This is on top of the Government’s proposed restructure of the science sector, which may result in yet further job losses unless the Government makes a clear plan to retain staff through this process.”

“The Science System Advisory Group report highlighted that retention of the skilled workforce in this sector was of utmost importance. So far, it is difficult to see how the Government is upholding this principle when we are seeing job cuts continue even after the publication of the much-awaited report.”

The Save Science Coalition also emphasised that funding the sector is critically important.

“The Science System Advisory Group announcements included no additional funding for the sector, either to fund the reform programme or the ongoing science. While the reforms may help reduce unproductive competition between agencies, which is a positive thing, the benefits of the changes can only fully be realised if there is appropriate funding made available,” explained Stewart.

“Merging and rebranding institutions costs money, but according to Cabinet papers the proposed changes are to be funded out of existing allocations. Furthermore, there is no commitment to retaining current scientific expertise, at the same time as the Government talks about wanting to attract new talent to our country. We know many researchers have already been forced to relocate offshore.”

“The Cabinet papers noted that Aotearoa New Zealand receives a return of $3.50 for each dollar invested in science, innovation and technology. For science to be the solution to New Zealand’s economy, as the Prime Minister has so keenly told us, then he needs to front up and invest in it.”

The Save Science Coalition has written to Science Minister Dr Shane Reti to discuss these matters.

The Save Science Coalition was set up in May 2024 and completed a report documenting the cuts to science funding and staffing which was released in July 2024. The group has now released an update to the report, detailing additional cuts made between July 2024 and February 2025. The Coalition has also published its collective response to the reforms announced in January 2025.

The Save Science Coalition’s goals are:

– to oppose cuts to science funding and science staff across government institutions

– to highlight and catalogue what is being lost through the current cuts

– to defend support for world-leading indigenous research including mātauranga Māori

– to make the case for a foundation of support for public science and re-committing to a target of 2% of GDP to be invested in research and development in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Current Save Science Coalition member organisations are:

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