State Key Laboratory of Synthetic Chemistry

The Department of Chemistry is one of the largest and best equipped departments in the University. The State Key Laboratory (SKL) of Synthetic Chemistry, established in partnership with the University of Hong Kong and the State Key Laboratory of Organometallic Chemistry located in the Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, the Chinese Academy of Sciences aims to create and identify novel chemical compounds with important structural and bonding features or with notable potential for practical applications. The SKL also plans to develop new environmentally-friendly methods for synthesizing useful chemical compounds.

The Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has a long history of interdisciplinary research in chemistry and biology. From 2001 to 2009, with the strong support of the Hong Kong Research Grants Council, the Institute of Molecular Technology for Drug Discovery and Synthesis was established. At the end of 2010, the Partner State Key Laboratory of Chirosciences was approved by the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) to be established in PolyU as a partner laboratory of the State Key Laboratory of Bio-organic and Natural Products Chemistry in the Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. In mid-2011, the Partner State Key Laboratory of Chirosciences started to operate. In 2018, upon approval by MOST, the Partner State Key Laboratory of Chirosciences was renamed as the State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery.

1. To conduct world-class research in chemical biology and drug discovery;
2. To nurture outstanding young scientists;
3. To enhance knowledge and technology transfer for the chemical and pharmaceutical industry.