Twenty-three-year-old Eric Chen, a City University (CityU) alumnus, is the founder and director of Vitargent (International) Biotechnology, a platform for innovative biochemical testing methods. Created by a CityU biology and chemistry professor, Cheng Shuk-han and her then-PhD student Chen Xueping, the transgenic medaka fish assay is an accurate and cost-effective testing method to determine the level of Estrogenic Endocrine Disruptors (EEDs). These are harmful substances that can be used to test everyday consumer products including food, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics, and monitor the aquatic environment.
Almost invisible to the naked eye, the transgenic medaka fish larvae give off a green fluorescent glow when exposed to harmful oestrogen-like substances. 'When fully developed, these testing methods will be as profitable as they are beneficial to society,' Chen says.
What issues did you try to address as you established your own enterprise?
I was born and grew up in Guangzhou. I have experienced the mounting public concerns over food safety and pollution. These issues are partially traced to the lack of accurate and efficient testing methods. I think young people have the responsibility to attempt to develop solutions.
How did you initiate the collaboration with transgenic fish technology inventors at CityU?
After identifying the problem, I started searching for the technology. Although similar technologies were available in the United States and Europe, I focused my research locally and found out about the CityU's transgenic fish technology. Thanks to CityU's vice-president, Paul Lam, who is also chair professor at the biology and chemistry department, I was able to collaborate with Professor Cheng and Chen Xueping (now the chief technology officer at Vitargent).