Dr. Cong Ma

Work and Education

Director, PolyU Marshall Research Centre for Medical Microbiological Biotechnology (2025-present)

Associate Professor, Hong Kong Polytechnic University (2022 - present)

Member of State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery (2017 - present)

Assistant Professor, Hong Kong Polytechnic University (2016 - 2022)

Research Fellow, University of Newcastle, Australia (2011 - 2016)

Postdoc Fellow (w/ Prof. Greg C. Fu), Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA (2009 - 2010)

PhD in Chemistry (w/ Dr. Joëlle Prunet), Ecole Polytechnique, France (2005 - 2008)

MSc in Molecular Chemistry (w/ Prof. Cyrille Kouklovsky, Université Paris-Sud), Ecole Polytechnique, France (2004 - 2005)

Assistant Pharmaceutical Engineer, Livzon Pharmaceutical Group Co., Ltd, China (2002 - 2004)

BSc in Pharmacy (National Talent Training Base), China Pharmaceutical University (1998 - 2002)

Awards and Honors

Faculty Award For Outstanding Achievement for impact to industry, PolyU (2024)

Departmental Excellence Award (Research Impact), PolyU (2023)

Travel Award, American Society of Microbiology (2023)

Winner of Science Breakthrough, Falling Walls Venture (2023)

Bronze Medal, International Exhibition of Invention Geneva (2023)

Global Innovation Award, TechConnect World Innovation Conference & Expo (2019)

Honorary KTP Visiting Fellowship, University of Technology, Sydney (2019)

Faculty Early Career Research Award, University of Newcastle (2015)

Postdoctoral Fellowship, Ecole Polytechnique and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (2009)

EGIDE Postgraduate Scholarship, French Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2005 - 2008)

Scholarship for Excellence, Ecole Polytechnique (2004)

Student Scholarship, China Pharmaceutical University (1999)

Research Grants (PI/PC role)

PolyU Marshall Research Centre for Medical Microbiological Biotechnology (2025-2028)

Partnership Research Programme, Innovation and Technology Fund, Hong Kong (2023-2026)

General Research Fund, Research Grants Council, Hong Kong (2023 - 2025)

ANR/RGC Joint Research Scheme, Research Grants Council, Hong Kong (2022 - 2026)

General Research Fund, Research Grants Council, Hong Kong (2022 - 2024)

Project of Strategic Importance Grant, Hong Kong Polytechnic University (2021 - 2023)

Collaborative Research Fund, Research Grants Council, Hong Kong (2020 - 2023)

General Research Fund, Research Grants Council, Hong Kong (2020 - 2022)

Internal Grant, Hong Kong Polytechnic University (2019 - 2021)

Large Equipment Fund, Hong Kong Polytechnic University (2019 - 2022)

Internal Grant, Hong Kong Polytechnic University (2019 - 2020)

Early Career Scheme, Research Grants Council, Hong Kong (2018 - 2020)

PROCORE - France/RGC Joint Research Scheme (2018 - 2019)

Discovery Project, Shenzhen Municipal Science & Technology and Innovation Commission (2017 - 2019)

Start-up Fund, Hong Kong Polytechnic University (2016 - 2018)

Invited presentations

ASM/ESCMID Joint Conference on Drug Development, Boston (09/2023)

AFMC International Medicinal Chemistry Symposium, Seoul (06/2023)

29th International Symposium on the Organic Chemistry of Sulfur, Guelph (07/2022)

Faculty of Pharmacy, Université de Paris (06/2019)

Faculty of Pharmacy, Université de Strasbourg (06/2019)

Biotech, Medical & Pharma Sector, TechConnect World Innovation Conference & Expo (06/2019)

École Européenne de Chimie, Polymères et Matériaux, Université de Strasbourg (06/2018)

Laboratoire d'Innovation Moléculaire et Applications, Université de Haute-Alsace (06/2018)

International Conference on Cutting-Edge Organic Chemistry in Asia (11/2017)

Chinese Medicinal Chemistry Symposium (08/2017)

Professional services

Panel member, Hong Kong Science & Technology Park for Ideation and Incubation programmes (2024-present)

Standing committee member, Guangdong Pharmaceutical Association, China (2024-present)

Grant reviewer: UKRI (2023 - present)

Grant reviewer: Dutch Research Council (NWO) (2021 - present)

Grant reviewer: Royal Society (2019 - present)

Member, American Society of Microbiology (2023 - present)

Member, Royal Society of Chemistry (2022 - 2023)

Member, Chinese Chemical Society (2019 - present)

Member, American Chemical Society (2017 - present)

Ad hoc journal reviewer: Topics in Current Chemistry, European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, Bioorganic Chemistry, Chinese Journal of Chemistry, Tetrahedron Letters, Molecules, etc.

Licensed Pharmacist, National Medical Products Administration of China (2012 - present)

Australian Society for Microbiology (2011 - 2016)

Registered Pharmacist, Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (2014-2015)

La Société Chimique de France (2005 - 2008)