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Lab News

Stay updated with the latest research achievements, publications, conference presentations, and team activities from the Environmental Biotechnology Research Group.

Annual Highlights

Research Newsletters

🏆 Major Recent Achievement

Research Funding Highlight

🎉 HKUST Sustainable Smart Campus Living Lab Grant · 2025
Grant Award

Green High-Rise Cleaning Nanobubble Technology with Continuous-Power, Minimal-Disruption Drone Operations

Our project has been selected by the Sustainable Smart Campus (SSC) Committee for a Living Lab (SSC) funding award. The Committee recognized that our project embraces the central vision of the Living Lab by addressing a sustainability issue with a smart and innovative approach.

Principal Investigators:
Prof. Samir Kumar Khanal & Mr. Dickson Li
HK$
600K
Funding Awarded
Recent Achievements

2025 Highlights

Seminar

Seminar: Microbial Protein — Food, Feed and Wrap

Speaker: Prof. Korneel Rabaey, Dept. of Biotechnology, Ghent University, Belgium.

Prof. Rabaey will present on microbial protein (bacteria, fungi, yeasts, microalgae) as a sustainable resource for food, feed, and bioplastics — a key contribution to the circular economy.

📅 5 May 2026 (Tuesday) · 11:00 am – 12:00 noon
📍 Room 3598 (Lift 27/28), Academic Building, HKUST

Enquiry: Ms. Crystal Lau — cecrystal@ust.hk

Recognition

Clarivate Highly Cited Researcher

Dr. Khanal recognized as 2024 Clarivate Highly Cited Researcher, ranking in the top 1% by citations globally.

Conference

25+ International Presentations

Lab members presented at prestigious conferences across the U.S., Korea, Japan, China, and Taiwan.

Editorial

Editor-in-Chief Appointment

Dr. Khanal appointed Editor-in-Chief of Bioresource Technology (IF 9.7), a leading Q1 journal.

Workshop

Micro-aeration Workpshop — 19th IWA World Conference on Anaerobic Digestion

Dr. Khanal proposed the workshop on "Micro-aeration in anaerobic digestion processes: lab-to-full-scale testing". He will co-chair the workshop with Ana Cavaleiro from University of Minho and Lut Raskin from Yale university. (Track 4: New Approaches and Applications, 9:00–12:30).

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Keynote

Keynote Speaker — International Nanobubble Conference 2026

Dr. Khanal has been invited as a Keynote Speaker at the International Nanobubble Conference 2026, reflecting his global leadership in fine bubble and nanobubble technology.

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Presentation

Two Oral Presentations and One Poster Presentation— 19th IWA World Conference on Anaerobic Digestion

Dr. Khanal will present orally the work on "Intermittent Microaeration: A ComparisorBetween Lignocellulosic Digestion And Food Waste-Sewage Sludge Co-Digestion". Dr. Zhou will present the wrok on "When Does Microaeration Enhance The Valorization And Stabilization Of Hydrothermal Liquefaction (HTL) Process Water?". The Khanal team will also present the poster on "Experimental Evaluation And Advanced Control Strategy For Pig Manure And Crude Glycerol Co-Digestion Optimization".

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