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A research team from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) has discovered a method that would allow the production of a new type of spherical molecules not easily obtainable before. Preliminary testing has also shown that such molecules – chiral tetraarylmethanes (CTAMs), display good deterrent effects against cancer cells such as those of cervical, lung, breast and colorectal, as well as the virus causing the Hand, Foot and Mouth disease (HFMD) and a type of coronavirus.

Structural biologists at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) together with researchers at the AIDS Institute, The University of Hong Kong (HKU), Department of Microbiology, School of Clinical Medicine, the LKS Faculty of Medicine of The University of Hong Kong (HKUMed) and the State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, HKU have demonstrated that ZCB11, a broadly neutralising antibody derived from a local mRNA-vaccinee against the spreading Omicron variants of SARS-CoV-2, displays potent antiviral activities against all variants of concern (VOCs), including the dominantly spreading Omicron BA.1, BA1.1 and BA.2. Critically, either prophylactic or therapeutic ZCB11 administration protects lung infection against Omicron viral challenge in golden Syrian hamsters.

The Importance of Sustainable Polymer Materials