On June 24, 2025, a delegation of around 50 representatives from major media in Mainland China and Hong Kong visited the State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK). Professor Hon-Ming Lam introduced the laboratory’s latest advancements and achievements in soybean research.

📅 Media Highlights (June 24–25, 2025)

🚀 1. Soybeans Complete Three Space Missions, Enter New Research Phase

Soybean and rhizobium samples cultivated by Professor Lam’s team have entered China’s space station three times aboard Tianzhou-6, Shenzhou-16, and Shijian-19, marking Hong Kong’s first agricultural experiment conducted in space. The samples have now returned to Earth, and the team is analyzing their genetic variations under microgravity to explore how these changes can enhance soybean resilience in harsh environments such as saline-alkaline soils and drought-prone areas—laying the groundwork for future space agriculture.

📜 2. Signing of “Research, Academic and Industry Sectors One-plus Scheme (RAISe+)” Agreement with HKSAR Government

By the end of June, Professor Lam’s team will sign an “Research, Academic and Industry Sectors One-plus Scheme (RAISe+)” agreement with the HKSAR Government. This is the only agricultural project among the 24 approved initiatives and is scheduled to launch in early July. Key objectives include:

• Transforming soybeans into high-value functional food products (e.g., soy peptides, dietary fiber), targeting the global multi-billion-dollar functional food market;
• Integrating biotechnology, space experiment data, and AI-powered IoT to optimize cultivation strategies;
• Addressing commercialization challenges by partnering with industry for market development and contract management.

🌾 3. “Dignity for Farmers”: Research Serving Livelihoods and Global Collaboration

Domestic impact: The “Longhuang Soybean” variety, developed in collaboration with the Gansu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, is salt- and drought-tolerant and has been promoted across 1.5 million mu of arid land in Northwest China. Over eight years, it has helped farmers increase income by RMB 120 million and won the Gold Medals with Congratulations of the Jury at the 2025 Geneva Invention Exhibition.
International aid: The team has provided heat-tolerant soybean varieties to Pakistan (resistant to 48°C) and supported Bangladesh in improving rice and soybean cultivation—embodying the vision of “building international friendship through science and technology.”
Core mission: Professor Lam emphasizes that the ultimate goal of his research is to improve farmers’ income and dignity, attract young talent to agriculture, and balance ecological conservation with food security.

🎁 4. A Birthday Gift: “One Bean Can Change the World”

On June 24, Professor Lam’s birthday, students gifted him a 3D-printed satellite model containing soybean seeds. The base was engraved with “One Bean Can Change the World,” symbolizing his “grounded yet visionary” research spirit. As the future head of a newly established national key laboratory, he aims to deepen research on soybean stress resistance and promote the “Soybean Homecoming” initiative to revive domestic soybean cultivation.

💎 5. Research Philosophy: Writing Papers on the Soil of the Motherland

Professor Lam advocates a sustainable model of “research returning to industry, profits reinvesting in research.” He once personally funded field trials in rural Mainland China. He believes “science knows no borders” and calls on Hong Kong’s youth to leverage their strengths in fundamental research to serve the nation, while achieving research autonomy through industrial transformation.

Professor Lam’s recent work exemplifies three major directions: empowering livelihoods through agricultural technology, breakthroughs in space breeding, and deep integration of academia, industry, and research. His efforts stand as a model of how Hong Kong’s scientific research can serve national development. For updates on the soybean space experiment and product development, please follow the latest releases from CUHK’s State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology.

📣 Selected Media Coverage

[明報新聞網] 中大「產學研1+」大豆種植項目下月啟動　學者：冀理念相近商界助出商業化路線圖

[巴士的報] 粵港澳媒體灣區行採訪團到科技園 了解初創生態及如何協助內地企業出海

[大公文匯] 香港科學家將掌全國重點實驗室研究國際領先大豆

[文匯網]（有片）「同心築夢 共謀發展」　香港科學家大豆研究國際領先

[香港01] 中大研抗鹽鹼大豆八年增收1.2億 「把論文寫在祖國大地上」

[TVB] 中國記協港澳聯合採訪活動到科學園　參訪初創企業拔尖平台

[香港商報網] 有片丨「大豆專家」林漢明：大豆已三上太空 目前進入研究階段

[香港商報網] 有片丨「大豆專家」的夢想：提升農民收入 讓他們像城市人一樣有尊嚴

[大公報] 粵港澳媒體走進港科學園 見證發展新機遇 北都創科用地招才引資 培育世界級企業

[大公報] 港產科學家「讓大豆回家」

[文匯報] 港科學園赴英宣傳 收牛津劍橋千人申請

[China Daily Hong Kong] City facilitates mainland startups’ global expansion

[SOUTH] 香港「大豆教授」林漢明：科學家的責任不止於論文，更要為年輕人「播種」

[Macao Daily News] 破解基因育耐鹽耐旱新品助農發展 港大豆科學家：論文寫大地

[天目新聞] “灣區行”見聞錄②：在香港，感受科技的人文關懷

[中國新聞網] 香港“大豆专家”林汉明的生日愿望：“把论文写在祖国的大地上”

20250624 newsclippings on press event (參觀農業生物技術國家重點實驗室) (25 Jun)