Research Centre for the Oceans and Human Health

The Research Centre for the Oceans and Human Health (H2O), situated in Shenzhen, China, is a satellite institution of the State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution (SKLMP), City University of Hong Kong (CityU), which plays a leading role in scientific research on the marine environment throughout the Asia-Pacific Region.

The Research Centre provides a solid platform for a coordinated and long-term approach for tackling marine pollution problems, and also channeling the energies of the outstanding SKLMP’s research team to strengthen collaboration with mainland institutions in academic and technological exchanges. The extensive coastline of China (32,000 km) serves as an excellent arena in helping to foster in-depth marine environmental research related to current hotspots of marine pollution and to seek out proper countermeasures.

In addition, the Centre will assemble and nurture young scientists and provide them with specialized training on modern instrumentation, novel technology and ocean management, in order to enhance their competitiveness in applying for research funds. Our Centre also aims to raise public awareness regarding marine environmental protection in the Pearl River Delta Region by promoting different marine conservation activities. The outcomes generated from our Centre not only contribute to the current knowledge of the marine environment, but also provide valuable scientific data for policy-makers to further improve the sustainability of local marine ecosystems and the safety of marine food supply, which would definitely protect human health and our precious marine resources, as well as maintain a prosperous society.

Our major research areas: (1) Biogeochemistry of Conventional and Emerging Pollutants in the South China Sea (2) Marine Ecotoxicology of Conventional Pollutants and Emerging Chemicals (3) Technology Development for Algal Bloom Control (4) Safety for Seafood Consumption and Public Health.

H2O has gradually developed with support from CityU and Shenzhen Municipal Government. To improve the marine ecological environment and develop the sustainable marine economy of Shenzhen, Shenzhen Key Laboratory for Sustainable Use of Marine Biodiversity (SUMB) was established in 2014 with the approval of the Shenzhen Science and Technology Innovation Commission.