Ensuring the authenticity of Traditional Chinese Medicines (TCM) is crucial for both safety and efficacy. While conventional identification methods rely on morphological and chemical analysis, DNA-based authentication has emerged as a precise and reliable approach. By leveraging modern genetic techniques, researchers can accurately distinguish genuine medicinal herbs from adulterants, safeguarding the integrity of TCM products.​

Professor Shaw Pang Chui, research professor of School of Life Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong and director of the LDS YYC R&D Centre for Chinese Medicine, has been working on the DNA authentication of herbal materials for over 30 years. Prof. Shaw has published the first international reference in the molecular authentication of herbal material in 2002 and then the 2nd edition in 2023. ​

Other than academic studies, Prof. Shaw raises his concern on the connection between research and commercial practices on the standardisation of herbal products. As a founder of Origene DNA Testing Company Limited (Hong Kong), Prof. Shaw collaborates with his team in providing authentication services for herbs and products in the market by utilising molecular and other advanced techniques.

Publications

Reviews:

• Wu HY, Shaw PC (2022) Strategies for molecular authentication of herbal products: from experimental design to data analysis. Chin Med. 17: 38.
• Lo YT, Shaw PC (2019) Application of next-generation sequencing for the identification of herbal products. Biotechnol Adv. 37: 107450.
• Lo YT, Shaw PC (2018) DNA-based techniques for authentication of processed food and food supplements. Food Chem. 240: 767-774. (highly cited paper)

Books: