Funding results of Theme-based Research Scheme 2020/21 announced

The following is issued on behalf of the University Grants Committee:
 
     The Research Grants Council (RGC) announced today (July 16) the funding results of the Theme-based Research Scheme (TRS) 2020/21 (Tenth Round). Seven research proposals were awarded a total funding of $263 million, of which $230 million will be provided by the RGC and $33 million will be matched by the universities concerned. The list of awarded projects is set out at the Annex.
 
     The Chairman of the RGC, Professor Joseph Lee, said, "These projects have been selected after a series of rigorous peer reviews and cover a wide range of research areas, including aptamer research, innovative treatment of leukaemia, combating antibiotic resistance, wireless power transfer, financial technology, machine learning and intelligent robotics. Not only are these projects relevant to our daily lives, but they will also bring a significant and positive societal and economic impact to the future development of Hong Kong.
 
     "With the Government's injection of $20 billion to the Research Endowment Fund, the RGC has increased the budget of the TRS 2020/21 from $200 million to $230 million. Moreover, the RGC has decided to allocate an additional $100 million to the TRS 2021/22 (Eleventh Round) to provide funding for the universities to conduct research projects related to COVID-19 and other novel infectious diseases. The call for proposals for the TRS 2021/22 will be issued later this month," said Professor Lee.
 
     Professor Lee expressed his gratitude to the panel members and international experts for their valuable time in providing peer reviews for the proposals amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, and to the local research community for its continued support for the TRS.

     Details of the approved projects have been posted on the RGC website (www.ugc.edu.hk/eng/rgc/funded_research/layman/theme/trs10.html) for reference.