MicroFlow Innovation Ltd. is a spin-off company from Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU), focused on commercializing microfluidic technologies for point-of-care diagnostics and combating drug-resistant bacteria. We are honored to attest to the significant scientific and practical impact of Professor Kangning Ren’s research at HKBU, which has profoundly advanced the field of precision infectious disease therapy.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a leading global health threat, projected to become the world’s top cause of mortality. Current antibiotic prescribing remains largely empirical, with over half of all prescriptions being inappropriate due to the lack of rapid, actionable diagnostic tools. Conventional phenotypic antibiotic susceptibility testing (AST), while reliable, requires several days—far too slow for effective clinical decision-making in infection treatment.

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Professor Ren's team research has pioneered a transformative solution: a hydrogel-based microfluidic chip that enables rapid, high-resolution AST at the single-cell level. This technology drastically shortens testing time from days to just 3–4 hours. Unlike conventional complex microfluidic systems, this platform allows easy cell culture similar to an agar plate, yet supports high-throughput drug combination testing through diffusion-based gradient formation. Its innovation lies in its simplicity, accuracy, and clinical applicability. Another major invention by Professor Ren was a portable, solvent-compatible, anti-fouling polypropylene chip integrated with a “barcode” bacterial cell sensor—enabling AST results in under 3 hours using a smartphone app. These advancements have received international recognition, including a Gold Medal at the International Exhibition of Inventions of Geneva in 2023 and the QS WOW News Award in 2019.

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Building upon Prof. Ren’s work, we have advanced the barcode chip design for better manufacturability and usability, developed a functional prototype, and attracted substantial interest from investors and industry partners. To date, we have secured multimillion Hong Kong dollar incubation grants from HK ITC and HKSTP, won top awards at competitions including the China Merchants Cup, and progressed to the final round interview of the inaugural Hong Kong RAISE+ scheme. More notably, our team have achieved remarkable success at the 2024 “Maker in China” SME Innovation and Entrepreneurship Global Contest – Global Final, securing 3rd place out of nearly 500 projects demonstrating innovations across areas including information technology, biomedicine, and new energy. The Hong Kong Government publicized this accomplishment on the governmental website, issued a congratulatory letter to our team, and invited us to showcase this invention to the public on 8-9 November 2024 at the Covered Piazza, Times Square, Causeway Bay. The Digital Policy Office of the Hong Kong Government recorded over 10,000 public visitors for the two-day exhibition.

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Additionally, our leadership team—beyond Prof. Ren—has actively represented the company’s technological advances through numerous international platforms. For instance, our CTO was invited to deliver a pitching presentation at the 26th China International Software Expo, showcasing our technology on the integration of AI and microfluidics for next-generation AST approaches. Also, our CEO and CTO demonstrated the portable AST system and received the Silver Medal at the 28th National Invention Exhibition - One Belt One Road & BRICS Skills Development and Technological Innovation Competition, highlighting the industrial applicability and innovation of our platform.

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We are currently in advanced investment and collaboration discussions with various companies, and have initiated clinical trials that align with expected performance metrics.

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Our progress—including the establishment of a dedicated team and strategic industry partnerships—underscores the market confidence and recognition of Prof. Ren’s foundational work. We are moving steadily toward a market-ready product within three years, with the goal of supporting antibiotic stewardship and precision medicine in global healthcare.