Dr. Xin Huang and Dr. Eric Zhang Secure Prestigious Young Collaborative Research Grant for Pioneering Projects in Federated Graph Management and Metabolic Network Reconstruction

The Department is excited to share that Dr. Xin Huang and Dr. Eric Zhang, have secured the prestigious Young Collaborative Research Grant (YCRG) from this year’s Collaborative Research Fund (CRF), administered by the Research Grant Council (RGC).

Professor Jianliang Xu, the Head of the Department of Computer Science, expressed his pride in the remarkable achievements of his team members, "This is the landmark moment for the Department as it’s the first time we’ve received the YCRG. Both projects are led by Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU), reflecting our commitment to research excellence. These grants will provide invaluable experience to our young researchers in leading and managing collaborative research early in their careers, setting the stage for securing larger collaborative research funding in the future.”

Dr. Xin Huang, an Associate Professor in the Department, leads the project titled “Federated Graph Management and Querying: Subgraphs, Keywords, and Privacy". This project, which has secured a substantial grant of approximately HK$4.85 million, is a collaborative effort with researchers from the Hong Kong Polytechnic University. It aims to pioneer innovative strategies for federated graph management and querying, with a special emphasis on addressing privacy issues and enhancing graph-based data processing and analysis.

Dr. Eric Zhang, an Assistant Professor in the Department, is at the helm of a project titled "Improved Metabolic Network Reconstruction and Metabolite Profiles Prediction using Complete and Strain-Resolved Microbial Genomes." This project, awarded a YCRG of nearly HK$4.5 million, is in collaboration with researchers from the City University of Hong Kong. It seeks to push boundaries in the field of exploring the association between irritable bowel syndrome and human gut microbiome by advanced sequencing and computational techniques.

Both projects, led by HKBU, highlight the Department's dedication to fostering innovative and top-tier interdisciplinary and cross-institutional collaborations. The YCRG not only recognises the exceptional work of Dr. Huang and Dr. Zhang, but also highlights the Department's crucial role in driving advancements in computer science research.