HKU has set a new record with 54 academics named in Clarivate’s Highly Cited Researchers 2025 list. This achievement places HKU 13th globally among all institutions, based on the total number of researcher designations – including those recognised across multiple fields – manifesting the University’s commitment and accomplishments in pursuing research excellence and making global impact.
This year, a total of 6,868 scholars from 60 countries and regions worldwide have been named to the Highly Cited Researchers list. Hong Kong maintains its position as 8th among countries and regions internationally by the number of Highly Cited Researcher awards. HKU plays a pivotal role in this success, with 38% of Hong Kong’s Highly Cited Researchers affiliated with the University – the highest representation among local higher education institutions.
Highly Cited Researchers are selected for their significant and broad influence in their fields of research, determined by the production of multiple highly cited papers that rank in the top 1% by citations for their disciplines and publication year in Web of Science over the past 11 years.
The 54 HKU scholars featured in the Highly Cited Researchers 2025 list are as follows (in alphabetical order by last name):
Chemistry
Professor Hongjie Dai
Sapientia Eminence Professor and Chair Professor, Department of Chemistry
Professor Renhao Dong
Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry
Professor Sir Fraser Stoddart
Chair Professor, Department of Chemistry
Computer Science
Professor and Head, Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering
Professor Kaibin Huang
Professor Yuanwei Liu
Professor, Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering
Cross-Field
Dr Chan Kwok-hung
Honorary Associate Professor, Department of Microbiology, School of Clinical Medicine
Professor Chu Hin
Associate Professor, Department of Microbiology, School of Clinical Medicine
Professor Kuishuang Feng
Professor, Department of Geography
Professor Zhengxiao Guo
Chair Professor, Department of Chemistry
Professor Ivan Hung Fan-ngai
Ru Chien and Helen Lieh Professor in Health Sciences Pedagogy, Chair Professor of Infectious Diseases and Vaccinology, and Head of Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, School of Clinical Medicine
Professor Wei Jia
Vivian Taam Wong Professor in Integrative Medicine and Chair Professor, Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy
Professor Tommy Lam Tsan-yuk
Associate Professor, Division of Public Health Laboratory Sciences, School of Public Health
Dr Eric Lau Ho-yin
Honorary Associate Professor, School of Public Health
Professor Kathy Leung Sze-man
Assistant Professor, Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health
Professor Can Li
Assistant Professor, Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering
Professor Yuguo Li
Chair Professor of Building Environment, Department of Mechanical Engineering
Professor Shunlin Liang
Professor and Head, Department of Geography
Professor Mak Tak-wah
Honorary Professor, Department of Pathology, School of Clinical Medicine
Professor Malik Peiris
Emeritus Professor and Honorary Clinical Professor, School of Public Health
Professor Leo Poon Lit-man
Daniel C K Yu Professor in Virology, Chair Professor of Public Health Virology, and Head of Division of Public Health Laboratory Sciences, School of Public Health; Associate Dean (Human Capital), Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine
Professor Siddharth Sridhar
Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Microbiology, School of Clinical Medicine
Professor Han Wang
Professor and Associate Head, Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering
Professor Ian Wong Chi-kei
Professor, Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy
Professor Joseph Wu Tsz-kei
Sir Robert Kotewall Professor in Public Health and Professor, Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health
Professor Peng Wu
Associate Professor, Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health
Professor Yen Hui-ling
Professor, Division of Public Health Laboratory Sciences, School of Public Health
Professor Kelvin Yeung Wai-kwok
Dean of Student Affairs; Ng Chun-Man Professor in Orthopaedic Bioengineering and Professor, Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, School of Clinical Medicine
Dr Cyril Yip Chik-yan
Honorary Assistant Professor, Department of Microbiology, School of Clinical Medicine
Professor Shuofeng Yuan
Associate Professor, Department of Microbiology, School of Clinical Medicine
Professor Ray Runyang Zhong
Assistant Professor, Department of Data and Systems Engineering
Professor Jie Zhou
Associate Professor, Department of Microbiology, School of Clinical Medicine
Economics and Business
Professor Chen Lin
Vice-President and Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Business); Stelux Professor in Finance Professor and Chair Professor of Finance, HKU Business School
Environment and Ecology
Professor Chuyang Tang
Chair Professor of Water and Environmental Engineering, Department of Civil Engineering
Geosciences
Professor Peng Gong
Vice-President and Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Academic Development); Chair Professor in both Faculty of Science and Faculty of Social Sciences
Professor Guochun Zhao
Mok Sau-King Professor and Chair Professor, Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences
Professor Yuyu Zhou
Professor, Department of Geography
Immunology
Mr Jianpiao Cai
Research Officer, Department of Microbiology, School of Clinical Medicine
Professor Vincent Cheng Chi-chung
Honorary Clinical Professor, Department of Microbiology, School of Clinical Medicine
Professor Benjamin John Cowling
Helen and Francis Zimmern Professor in Population Health, Chair Professor of Epidemiology, and Head of Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health
Immunology, Microbiology
Professor Jasper Chan Fuk-woo
Clinical Professor and Deputy Chairperson, Department of Microbiology, School of Clinical Medicine
Professor Kelvin To Kai-wang
Clinical Professor and Department Chairperson, Department of Microbiology, School of Clinical Medicine
Professor Yuen Kwok-yung
Henry Fok Professor in Infectious Diseases and Chair Professor of Infectious Diseases, Department of Microbiology, School of Clinical Medicine
Immunology, Molecular Biology and Genetics
Professor Gabriel Matthew Leung
Honorary Clinical Professor, School of Public Health
Materials Science
Professor Li Lain-jong
Honorary Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering
Professor Chunyi Zhi
Chair Professor of Energy Materials, Department of Mechanical Engineering
Microbiology
Professor Tong Zhang
Chair Professor of Water and Environmental Engineering, Department of Civil Engineering; Associate Dean (Research), Faculty of Engineering
Physics
Dr Yuan Wang
Research Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering
Professor Wang Yao
Chair Professor, Department of Physics
Professor Shuang Zhang
Chair Professor and Interim Head, Department of Physics; Chair Professor, Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering
Professor Xiang Zhang
President and Vice-Chancellor; Chair Professor in both Faculty of Engineering and Faculty of Science
Social Sciences
Professor Ester Cerin
Honorary Professor, School of Public Health
Professor Timothy Hew Khe-foon
Professor, Academic Unit of Mathematics, Science, and Technology, Faculty of Education
Professor Xingjian Liu
Associate Professor, Department of Urban Planning and Design
Professor Xiaohu Zhang
Assistant Professor, Department of Urban Planning and Design
