Sheng Chen
Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology
The Hong Kong Polytechnic university, Hong Kong
Dr.Sheng Chen is an assistant professor of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Dr. Chen got his Ph.D degree in Food Microbiology from the University of Maryland at College Park in the US in 2004. He then moved to the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee, WI to study a significant foodborne toxin, Botulinum Neurotoxin. He had made huge breakthrough in the understanding of the pathogenesis of foodborne pathogens and toxins to improve the food safety and security. He had published more than 25 peer-reviewed papers in top journals such as The New England journal of Medicine, PNAS, JBC, Biochemistry, Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapies, etc. In addition, Dr. Chen also participate in government’s policy making through Ad Hoc working group meetings such as Ad Hoc working group on the microbial guideline for ready to eat food held in Food Safety Center, Department of Food and Environmental Hygiene. He is also a member of Shenzhen Expert Committee to help Shenzhen government’s decision on the technology development. He is currently the associate director of the Food Safety and Technology Research Center in Hong Kong Polytechnic University and member of the Central Animal Facility and Animal Ethic Committee in the PolyU.
Currently, the researches in his lab are focusing on many aspects of food safety and biosecurity including 1) the pathogenesis of significant foodborne pathogens including Salmonella, pathogenic E. coli, Vibrio species, Staphylococcus aureus, Campylobacter and some viruses, 2) structure function study and therapy development for bacterial toxins including Botulinum Neurotoxin, Salmonella and E. coli AB toxins to enhance food bio-security, 3) understanding the mechanisms of antimicrobial resistance in foodborne pathogens using multiple disciplinary approaches , 4) high throughput detection method development for biological (bacterial and viral pathogens), chemical (pesticide, antimicrobial and other toxic chemical residues) and toxicological (natural and chemical toxins) substance contaminations in foods.