A University of Hong Kong professor has invented the world’s first human mini-heart, a “thumbnail” sized organ that can beat on its own.

PROFESSOR Ronald Li Tang-wai, who invented the device, explained the creation process: “If I take five millilitres of blood from you today, you can come back in three to six months and I will show you a mini-heart pump made from your cells.”

In earlier research, Li learned that “the heart cannot be regenerated and that when you have a heart attack and the heart cells are gone, they cannot be replaced”.

He conquered this formidable obstacle by using stem cell technology to regenerate a heart through radical new products, including genetically-engineered heart cells, heart tissues that can act as bandages to repair damage, and the aforementioned miniature heart.

At this stage, the heart cannot be used for transplants. But it holds the promise of one day growing full-sized transplantable hearts in the laboratory.

Apart from heart regeneration, the miniature organ can be used for safer, speedier, and cheaper drug trials, as it can help to reveal possible cardiotoxicity, which can terminate any expensive attempt to develop a new drug.

Screening drugs with artificially grown organs instead of those from animals enables drug companies to test multiple compounds instead of just one, and get immediate feedback.

Credits: Issue 08 17 November 2022 (Thursday) by Quest from hkej

1. invent (v) 發明

2. regenerate (v) ⁠重新長出

3. formidable (adj) 難克服的

4. bandage (n) 繃帶

5. transplant (n) 移植

6. terminate (v) 終止

“FORMIDABLE” is an adjective that means “causing fear, apprehension, or dread” like “a formidable opponent”. It also means “of discouraging size or difficulty”, like a “formidable task”. The opposite is “non-intimidating”, meaning “not causing timidness or fear”, i.e., “A flat open space with no obstacles is non-intimidating when learning to ride a bike”.

Credits: Issue 08, 17 November 2022 (Thursday) by Quest from hkej

Antonyms are words that have opposite meanings. They are pairs of words that express contrasting concepts.

1. Hot – Cold

2. Happy – Sad

3. Fast – Slow

4. Day – Night

5. Open – Closed

6. Left – Right

7. Inside – Outside

8. Big – Small

9. Tall – Short

10. Light – Dark

11. Up – Down

12. Love – Hate

13. Young – Old

14. Good – Bad

Below are links to free English Language Learning Materials:

BBC English

Speak Street Worksheet

British Council Learn English

Caro Kowanz English