CONTENTS 2 3 5 7 10 Advancing Hong Kong’s Health Agenda Translation and Transformation Teaching and Learning Strategic Partners 2023-24 Honour Roll
Advancing Hong Kong’s Health Agenda It has been a happily eventful year for HKUMed, with new developments that are propelling us forward and strengthening our ability to contribute to Hong Kong’s future as an innovation and technology (I&T) hub. But first, let me pick up where I left off in my State of the Faculty Address in July. It was just before the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, and we were all looking with hope towards the possibility that Hong Kong athletes would win a medal. They did better than that – they won four medals, their best performance to date, making us all proud. The result gave me much inspiration and food for thought. Sporting excellence is a combination of raw talent, cultivation and opportunity. Without good coaches, facilities and opportunities to compete, it is difficult to become internationally competitive. Similarly, in medicine and healthcare, we need breeding grounds and opportunities to complement the capabilities of our academics. This year, we have been very fortunate to receive that support in abundance. The Chief Executive’s October Policy Address echoes the National 14th Five-Year Plan to expedite the development, application and commercialisation of I&T results in Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area (GBA), in particular life and health technology. Government investment in this area has accelerated over the past year. I will cover some of the highlights in a moment, but let me first say that with the road ahead now clearly mapped, there are wonderful opportunities for HKUMed to rethink our agenda and how we can contribute to the city’s transformation. A key theme in this work will be translational and cross-disciplinary initiatives. Good healthcare requires more than medicine, it needs collaborations with scientists, dentists, engineers, social scientists and others to reap the full results offered by technology and the new pathways that are opening up for making an impact. The Dean’s Letter 2024 2
Translation and Transformation The first area where we are rethinking things echoes back to our distinguished guest of honour, Ambassador George Hara, who has been very active in supporting the development of biotechnical innovations in his native Japan, Hong Kong and beyond. George embodies an optimism for the future that can inspire all of us, especially young people. The era of AI, data science and biomedical technologies has only just begun and there is huge promise if we embrace the opportunities there. To advance that cause, we are working with the Faculties of Dentistry, Engineering, and Science to establish a new School of Biomedical Engineering. The School will build on the innovation achievements of all the faculties involved and drive deeper collaboration in areas where there is great potential to break new ground, such as medical instrumentation, biomaterials, and diagnostic & therapeutic devices. Our aim will be to improve health and medical treatment, from basic research through to commercialisation and techno-entrepreneurship, and ensure our discoveries are brought into the community. This effort to build on our strengths and ramp up innovation is coinciding with major new external opportunities related to tech transfer and innovation – one of which speaks to our success in long-term planning and our commitment to excellence. In last year’s Policy Address, the Chief Executive announced that the government would establish the Greater Bay Area International Clinical Trial Institute (GBAICTI) in the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park, to co-ordinate and integrate clinical trials resources across Hong Kong’s public and private sectors. This September, HKUMed welcomed the very good news that we had been appointed the operator of the Institute – a recognition of our strong track record in clinical trials, dating back more than 25 years when we established the HKU Clinical Trials Centre. Our centre has arranged more than 2,000 Phase One, Two and Three clinical trials over the years, notably VectorFlu® ONE, the novel Covid-19 nasal vaccine developed by our very own HKUMed researchers. The Centre’s trials are recognised by the National Medical Products Administration of our country, the American FDA and other major regulatory bodies around the world. With the GBAICTI, we will aim to provide a one-stop service that can facilitate clinical trials on a larger, regional scale and promote cross-border collaboration. Our plan is to organise resources around four strategic dimensions. One is about process innovation and optimisation – we want to connect, co-ordinate and synchronise clinical research resources across academic institutions and the public and private sectors (such as hospitals, regulatory authorities and funding bodies). The second dimension is about 3 THE DEAN’S LETTER
research strategy development and application. Here, we aim to tap into and share resources, such as biobanking and data generation, possibly through the One Zone, Two Parks arrangement at the Lok Ma Chau Loop. The third is about human resources development and strategy. We plan to establish an International Clinical Research Academy that will train research and clinical professionals who can conduct and support clinical trials. Finally, the fourth dimension centres on global communications and engagement. We will set up a communication and exchange platform with government and research bodies in the GBA, establish an Asian Clinical Research Consortium, and participate in global networks and engage with industry at all levels. There is a lot of work for us to do, but we are well-prepared for it thanks to the experience of our Clinical Trials Centre. With the GBAICTI, we are very excited by the prospect that within the next three to five years, HKUMed will make substantial contributions to the GBA’s development as a regional and national hub for biomedical innovation and translation. On top of that great news, we are looking ahead to even more opportunities for external engagement. The Hong Kong government plans to invest HK$6 billion in Life and Health Technology Research Institutes – LHTRIs – that are multidisciplinary and cross-institutional. The aims are very much in line with the School of Biomedical Engineering in wanting to bring diverse but relevant parties together to propel innovation. HKUMed has already identified local institutional partners, and we are working hard to develop a proposal to become one of the initial LHTRIs. I will keep you posted on our progress. 4
Teaching and Learning While the last few months have provided some exciting opportunities for innovation and growth in research and technology transfer, we are also reviewing our education programmes to make them fit for purpose. HKUMed continues to attract some of the best performing students from Hong Kong and abroad, and we equip them to be standard-bearers in their disciplines. But we also recognise that our teaching programmes need regular review. As times continue to change, we must adapt to new demands and needs. With that in mind, we are continuing to develop, review and refine our programmes. A new programme on the horizon is the BSc in Nursing, which will be based in Shenzhen with the local authority’s approval. This course will involve teaching and training at the HKU-Shenzhen Hospital, with some lectures and activities also being carried out in our Hong Kong campus. Similar to our efforts to build a clinical trials platform that can serve the GBA, this programme aims to train healthcare professionals for the region. It takes us in a new direction but one that I am confident will be fruitful. Our flagship MBBS is also kept under constant scrutiny. This has resulted in innovations such as the Enrichment Year and the Second Chance programme, which offers students who completed their first degree elsewhere the chance to study medicine. These students do very well with us, approaching their studies with great passion, maturity and empathy. They also help in the effort to alleviate Hong Kong’s medical manpower shortage. 5 THE DEAN’S LETTER
This year, we have been reconsidering the MBBS as a whole. As medicine and technology have advanced, students’ workload has been increasing to a point where they are often struggling to keep up. We are therefore looking at how to remove some of the duplications in the curriculum and ensure that what we teach is fit for purpose – that is, it enables students to deepen their knowledge and understanding of medical practice. Let me emphasise that this review is about maintaining our standards, which are as high as ever, in a more sustainable way. We believe there is room to lighten the workload a little and ensure students do not falter or burnout, but rather have the capacity to excel and pursue personal and social development, which, after all, will contribute to their effectiveness in treating patients. The BBiomedSc is also being revamped to enable students to take greater charge of their learning. Majors are being introduced in the areas of biomedical research, bioinformatics, clinical sciences, and health technology. All students will still receive an excellent foundation that they can then articulate to medicine, veterinary sciences and other health-related professions if they choose. But the opportunity to go deeper will keep them in step with this rapidly transforming field and prepare them to contribute to Hong Kong’s I&T development. 6
Strategic Partners At the beginning of this letter, I mentioned the ingredients for excellence – talent, cultivation and opportunity. When it comes to impact, I must add a fourth: collaboration. Whether in the hospital tending patients or in the lab making new discoveries, it is impossible to advance without collaborators and partners. This can be as straightforward as doctors, nurses and other healthcare specialists working together to improve the outcome for a patient. Or as complex as whole institutions, like HKUMed, entering formal agreements with the government to manage platforms like the GBAICTI. Just a few days ago, we hosted a symposium for members of the China Consortium of Elite Teaching Hospitals on training doctors for the fifth industrial revolution. This was well supported by our long-term and strategic partners – the China Medical Board, the Hong Kong Academy of Medicine, and the Queen Mary Hospital. A HKUMed delegation will also be visiting Beijing shortly to connect with Peking University, Peking Union Medical College and Tsinghua University. 7 THE DEAN’S LETTER
As we move forward, new collaboration opportunities are looming on the horizon. For instance, we are excited about the prospects of the proposed Northern Metropolis, which will have a Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park with space for educational institutions. HKUMed is definitely keen to be part of that project. We are also engaging further afield. HKUMed was invited this year to join the World Health Summit Academic Alliance, a prestigious network of 30 academic institutions and groups from around the world who aim to set the agenda for a healthier future and inspire innovations for better health and well-being. HKUMed is the first institution in the GBA invited to join and in October, I attended the World Health Summit 2024 in Berlin. This event brought together not only academics, but also government officials, international organisations, philanthropists, the private sector and others to strengthen exchange, promote debate on global health and stimulate innovative solutions to health challenges. The idea is that together, we build trust, resilience and actionable global health responses to those places that need it most. This is also a great platform to expand the scope of our School of Public Health and facilitate its development. One of the key issues of the World Health Summit is One Health, a topic I am also keen to advance both as Dean of Medicine and in my new role as HKU’s Vice-President & Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Health). The One Health approach recognises that all beings share this Earth and calls on us all to optimise the health of people, animals and the planet in a sustainable way. This entails promoting understanding of the co-benefits, risks, trade-offs and opportunities. I believe such an approach to health can not only help to prevent or contain future pandemics, but also build more resilient and equitable systems, environments, economies and societies. As with innovation and technology, it is not something that can be done in silos. We must collaborate and work together. 8
The next period in HKUMed’s development will undoubtedly be a busy one. We aim to achieve excellence through advancing our research strengths and opportunities, strengthening our partnerships, and enhancing our education programmes to ensure we produce capable and compassionate graduates. The current transformation requires effort and commitment, but I have been inspired by the positive response of our staff, students and alumni to this exceptional period. More than ever, HKUMed has tremendous opportunities to accelerate and deepen our impacts in improving people’s health locally, regionally and globally, and contributing to the development of Hong Kong and the GBA into an I&T hub. I look forward to leading the Faculty into the next stage of its development and a new phase of achievement and engagement with Hong Kong and beyond. 9 THE DEAN’S LETTER
Professional Recognition and Honours/Awards (Teams) International • Professor Jason Cheung Pui-yin and Dr Prudence Cheung Wing-hang (Orthopaedics and Traumatology, SClinMed) received the following awards: – The Best Paper Award for the paper ‘Open-Label Randomized Controlled Trial for Gradual or Immediate Brace Weaning for Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis’ at the Global Spine Congress in Bangkok in May 2024. – The Best Clinical Research Award for the paper ‘The Proximal Femur Maturity Index is a Novel Tool to Predict Curve Progression Risk in Patients with Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis Undergoing Bracing’ at the Asia Pacific Spine Society 7th Annual Meeting in June 2024. – The Best Basic Science Award for the paper ‘Impaired Glycine Neurotransmission Causes Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis: A Novel Variant and Functional Pathway’ at the Asia Pacific Spine Society 7th Annual Meeting in June 2024. • Dean Professor Chak-sing Lau, Professor Philip Li Hei (Medicine, SClinMed) and Professor Liu Pengtao (Biomedical Sciences) received the Silver Medal for their invention ‘Personalised stem cell treatment for immunodeficiency patients’ at the Silicon Valley International Invention Festival 2024. National • The following research teams won awards at the 10th National Competition for Undergraduates on Innovation Research and Experimental Design in Basic Medical Sciences and 2024 Belt and Road International Undergraduate Forum for Basic Innovative Experiment Design in Medical Sciences, organised by the National Demonstration Center for Experimental Education (Basic Medicine Sciences Section) of the Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China in August 2024: Silver Award – Professor Lin Xiang (Chinese Medicine) and Bachelor of Chinese Medicine students Chen Yitong, Li Yunting, Lo Hiu-ching and Zhou Yeqin for the project ‘Mechanistic Study of Atractylenolide-I&II from Atractylodes on TFH Cells’. Bronze Award – Dr Zhao Jia (Chinese Medicine) and Bachelor of Chinese Medicine students Wong Kelton, Wong Lam and Tse Ka-ki for the project ‘Chinese traditional five-tone music therapy for the prevention and treatment of depression and its symptoms: a systematic review’. 2023-24 Honour Roll Disclaimer: The information is solely for the purpose of promoting academic exchange. The published project/ research titles are based on input from the professoriate/ teaching/ research staff involved. 10
Local Extramural • Team HKU ORT (Orthopaedics and Traumatology, SClinMed) x MMRC won the Champion of Barrier Busters Charity Award (Public Teams) at The Hong Kong Society for Rehabilitation – Barrier Busters 2023. Intramural • The following colleagues received the Faculty Outstanding Research Output Awards 2023-2024: – Professor Esther Chan Wai-yin (Pharmacology and Pharmacy) and team – Professor Cheung Yiu-fai (Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, SClinMed) and team – Professor Benjamin John Cowling (Public Health) and team – Professor Kathy Leung Sze-man (Public Health) and team – Professor Leung Wai-keung (Medicine, SClinMed) and team – Professor Raymond Li Hang-wun (Obstetrics and Gynaecology, SClinMed) and team – Professor Chia-Chin Lin (Nursing) and team – Professor Irene Ng Oi-lin (Pathology, SClinMed) and team – Professor Leo Poon Lit-man (Public Health) and team – Professor Parco Siu Ming-fai (Public Health) and team – Professor Rio Ryohichi Sugimura (Biomedical Sciences) and team – Professor Alan Wong Siu-lun (Biomedical Sciences) and team – Professor Joseph Wu Tsz-kei (Public Health) and team – Professor Kelvin Yeung Wai-kwok (Orthopaedics and Traumatology, SClinMed) and team – Professor Jane Zhao Jie (Public Health) and team • Professor Michael Ni Yuxuan (Public Health) and his team received the Faculty Knowledge Exchange (KE) Award in 2024 for the project ‘A Health and Wellbeing Barometer for Hong Kong: Translational Impact Attained over a Decade and Counting’. • New record: The Faculty has 32 academics named ‘Highly Cited Researchers 2024’ by Clarivate Analytics – Mr Cai Jianpiao (Microbiology, SClinMed) – Professor Ester Cerin (Public Health)# – Professor Jasper Chan Fuk-woo (Microbiology, SClinMed) – Dr Chan Kwok-hung (Microbiology, SClinMed)# – Dr Chan Wan-mui (Microbiology, SClinMed) – Professor Chen Honglin (Microbiology, SClinMed) – Professor Chen Zhiwei (Microbiology, SClinMed) – Professor Vincent Cheng Chi-chung (Microbiology, SClinMed)# – Professor Chu Hin (Microbiology, SClinMed) – Professor Benjamin John Cowling (Public Health) – Professor Feng Yibin (Chinese Medicine) – Professor Ivan Hung Fan-ngai (Medicine, SClinMed) – Professor Raven Kok Kin-hang (Microbiology, SClinMed) – Professor Tommy Lam Tsan-yuk (Public Health) – Dr Eric Lau Ho-yin (Public Health)# – Professor Gabriel Matthew Leung (Public Health)# – Professor Kathy Leung Sze-man (Public Health) – Professor Mak Tak-wah (Pathology, SClinMed)# – Professor Malik Peiris (Public Health) – Professor Leo Poon Lit-man (Public Health) – Dr Vivian Shuai Huiping (Microbiology, SClinMed) – Dr Anthony Raymond Tam (Medicine, SClinMed)# – Professor Kelvin To Kai-wang (Microbiology, SClinMed) – Professor Ian Wong Chi-kei (Pharmacology and Pharmacy) – Professor Wu Peng (Public Health) – Professor Joseph Wu Tsz-kei (Public Health) – Professor Yen Hui-ling (Public Health) – Professor Kelvin Yeung Wai-kwok (Orthopaedics and Traumatology, SClinMed) – Dr Cyril Yip Chik-yan (Microbiology, SClinMed)# – Professor Yuan Shuofeng (Microbiology, SClinMed) – Professor Yuen Kwok-Yung (Microbiology, SClinMed) – Dr Anna Zhang Jinxia (Microbiology, SClinMed) This list is based on data available as of 19 November 2024. Scan the QR code for the latest updates. # Honorary Professoriate 11 THE DEAN’S LETTER
Professional Recognition and Honours/Awards (Individuals) International • A total of 70 Faculty members were ranked by Clarivate Analytics among the top 1% of researchers worldwide by citations in 2024. – Professor Sheikh Taslim Ali (Public Health) – Professor David Makram Bishai (Public Health) – Professor Jasper Chan Fuk-woo (Microbiology, SClinMed) – Professor Sherry Chan Kit-wa (Psychiatry, SClinMed) – Professor Daniel Chan Tak-mao (Medicine, SClinMed) – Professor Raymond Chang Chuen-chung (Biomedical Sciences) – Professor Chang Wing-chung (Psychiatry, SClinMed) – Professor Chen Honglin (Microbiology, SClinMed) – Professor Chen Zhiwei (Microbiology, SClinMed) – Professor Cheung Tan-to (Surgery, SClinMed) – Professor Chu Hin (Microbiology, SClinMed) – Professor Benjamin John Cowling (Public Health) – Professor Feng Yibin (Chinese Medicine) – Professor Daniel Fong Yee-tak (Nursing) – Professor Karen Ann Grépin (Public Health) – Professor Guan Xinyuan (Clinical Oncology, CancerMed, SClinMed) – Professor Guan Yi (Public Health) – Professor Michael Andreas Häusser (Biomedical Sciences) – Professor Daniel Ho Sai-yin (Public Health) – Professor Christy Hui Lai-ming (Psychiatry, SClinMed) – Professor Rina Hui Yee-man (CancerMed, SClinMed) – Professor Ivan Hung Fan-ngai (Medicine, SClinMed) – Professor Jia Wei (Pharmacology and Pharmacy) – Professor Jin Dongyan (Biomedical Sciences) – Professor Raven Kok Kin-hang (Microbiology, SClinMed) – Professor Lai Ching-lung (Medicine, SClinMed) – Professor Tommy Lam Tsan-yuk (Public Health) – Professor Clara Lau Bik-san (Pharmacology and Pharmacy) – Professor Lau Yu-lung (Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, SClinMed) – Professor Edwin Lee Ho-ming (Psychiatry, SClinMed) – Professor Anne Lee Wing-mui (LKS Faculty of Medicine - HKUHS) – Professor Kathy Leung Sze-man (Public Health) – Professor Leung Wai-keung (Medicine, SClinMed) 12
– Professor Julie Liao Qiuyan (Public Health) – Professor Lo Chung-mau (Surgery, SClinMed) – Professor Simon Lui Sai-yu (Psychiatry, SClinMed) – Professor Mak Tak-wah (Pathology, SClinMed) – Professor Irene Ng Oi-lin (Pathology, SClinMed) – Professor John Malcolm Nicholls (Pathology, SClinMed) – Professor Malik Peiris (Public Health) – Professor Leo Poon Lit-man (Public Health) – Professor Walter Seto Wai-kay (Medicine, SClinMed) – Professor Sham Pak-chung (Psychiatry, SClinMed) – Professor Shen Jiangang (Chinese Medicine) – Professor Parco Siu Ming-fai (Public Health) – Professor Siddharth Sridhar (Microbiology, SClinMed) – Professor Sydney Tang Chi-wai (Medicine, SClinMed) – Professor Tian Linwei (Public Health) – Professor Kelvin To Kai-wang (Microbiology, SClinMed) – Professor Tim Tsang Kam-lun (Public Health) – Professor Tse Hung-fat (Medicine, SClinMed) – Professor Kelvin Wang Man-ping (Nursing) – Professor Wang Ning (Chinese Medicine) – Professor Wang Yu (Pharmacology and Pharmacy) – Professor Carmen Wong Chak-lui (Pathology, SClinMed) – Professor Ian Wong Chi-kei (Pharmacology and Pharmacy) – Professor Jack Wong Chun-ming (Pathology, SClinMed) – Professor Wu Peng (Public Health) – Professor Joseph Wu Tsz-kei (Public Health) – Professor Xu Aimin (Medicine, SClinMed) – Professor Yen Hui-ling (Public Health) – Professor Kelvin Yeung Wai-kwok (Orthopaedics and Traumatology, SClinMed) – Professor Yuan Shuofeng (Microbiology, SClinMed) – Professor Yuen Kwok-Yung (Microbiology, SClinMed) – Professor Yuen Man-fung (Medicine, SClinMed) – Professor Jane Zhou Jie (Microbiology, SClinMed) – Professor Maria Zhu Huachen (Public Health) – Dr Vivian Shuai Huiping (Microbiology, SClinMed) – Dr Jessica Wong Yuen-ting (Public Health) – Dr Ye Ziwei (Biomedical Sciences) 13 THE DEAN’S LETTER
• A total of 85 Faculty members were ranked in the Top 2% of Scientists Worldwide 2024 in their specialty areas by Stanford University (Career-long impact): – Professor Kyongtae Tyler Bae (Diagnostic Radiology, SClinMed) – Professor David Makram Bishai (Public Health) – Professor Roberto Bruzzone (Public Health) – Professor Jasper Chan Fuk-woo (Microbiology, SClinMed) – Professor Daniel Chan Tak-mao (Medicine, SClinMed) – Professor Esther Chan Wai-yin (Pharmacology and Pharmacy) – Professor Chen Haiyong (Chinese Medicine) – Professor Chen Honglin (Microbiology, SClinMed) – Professor Eric Chen Yu-hai (Psychiatry, SClinMed) – Professor Chen Zhiwei (Microbiology, SClinMed) – Professor Stephen Cheng Wing-keung (Surgery, SClinMed) – Professor Kenneth Cheung Man-chee (Orthopaedics and Traumatology, SClinMed) – Professor Annie Cheung Nga-yin (Pathology, SClinMed) – Professor Raymond Cheung Tak-fai (Medicine, SClinMed) – Professor Cheung Tan-to (Surgery, SClinMed) – Professor Cheung Yiu-fai (Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, SClinMed) – Professor Chow Shew-ping (Orthopaedics and Traumatology, SClinMed) – Professor Chu Kent-man (Surgery, SClinMed) – Professor Chung Ka-fai (Psychiatry, SClinMed) – Professor Benjamin John Cowling (Public Health) – Professor Fan Sheung-tat (Surgery, SClinMed) – Professor Daniel Fong Yee-tak (Nursing) – Professor Guan Xinyuan (Clinical Oncology, CancerMed, SClinMed) – Professor Guan Yi (Public Health) – Professor Ho Pak-chung (Obstetrics and Gynaecology, SClinMed) – Professor Ho Pak-leung (Microbiology, SClinMed) – Professor Ivan Hung Fan-ngai (Medicine, SClinMed) – Professor Patrick Ip (Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, SClinMed) – Professor Mary Ip Sau-man (Medicine, SClinMed) – Professor Michael Garnet Irwin (Anaesthesiology, SClinMed) – Professor Jin Dongyan (Biomedical Sciences) – Professor Dora Kwong Lai-wan (Clinical Oncology, CancerMed, SClinMed) – Professor Kwong Yok-lam (Medicine, SClinMed) – Professor Lai Ching-lung (Medicine, SClinMed) – Professor Lai Kar-neng (Medicine, SClinMed) – Professor Lam Ching-wan (Pathology, SClinMed) – Professor Cindy Lam Lo-kuen (Family Medicine and Primary Care, SClinMed) – Professor Karen Lam Siu-ling (Medicine, SClinMed) – Professor Lam Tai-hing (Public Health) – Professor Tommy Lam Tsan-yuk (Public Health) – Professor Brian Lang Hung-hin (Surgery, SClinMed) – Professor Chak-sing Lau (Medicine, SClinMed) – Professor Lau Yu-lung (Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, SClinMed) 14
– Professor Law Wai-lun (Surgery, SClinMed) – Professor Simon Law Ying-kit (Surgery, SClinMed) – Professor Anne Lee Wing-mui (LKS Faculty of Medicine - HKUHS) – Professor Christopher Leung Kai-shun (Ophthalmology, SClinMed) – Professor Leung Suet-yi (Pathology, SClinMed) – Professor Leung Wai-keung (Medicine, SClinMed) – Professor Leung Wing-hang (Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, SClinMed) – Professor Raymond Liang Hin-suen (Medicine, SClinMed) – Professor Chia-Chin Lin (Nursing) – Professor Lo Chung-mau (Surgery, SClinMed) – Professor William Lu Weijia (Orthopaedics and Traumatology, SClinMed) – Professor Keith Luk Dip-kei (Orthopaedics and Traumatology, SClinMed) – Professor Stephanie Ma Kwai-yee (Biomedical Sciences) – Professor Man Kwan (Surgery, SClinMed) – Professor Ernest Ng Hung-yu (Obstetrics and Gynaecology, SClinMed) – Professor Irene Ng Oi-lin (Pathology, SClinMed) – Professor Hextan Ngan Yuen-sheung (Obstetrics and Gynaecology, SClinMed) – Professor John Malcolm Nicholls (Pathology, SClinMed) – Professor Malik Peiris (Public Health) – Professor Leo Poon Lit-man (Public Health) – Professor Timothy Hudson Rainer (Emergency Medicine, SClinMed) – Professor Walter Seto Wai-kay (Medicine, SClinMed) – Professor Sham Pak-chung (Psychiatry, SClinMed) – Professor Kathryn Tan Choon-beng (Medicine, SClinMed) – Professor Sydney Tang Chi-wai (Medicine, SClinMed) – Professor Kelvin To Kai-wang (Microbiology, SClinMed) – Professor Tse Hung-fat (Medicine, SClinMed) – Professor Eric Wan Yuk-fai (Family Medicine and Primary Care, SClinMed) – Professor Wang Yu (Pharmacology and Pharmacy) – Professor William Ignace Wei (Surgery, SClinMed) – Professor Ian Wong Chi-kei (Pharmacology and Pharmacy) – Professor Joseph Wu Tsz-kei (Public Health) – Professor Xu Aimin (Medicine, SClinMed) – Professor Yen Hui-ling (Public Health) – Professor William Yeung Shu-biu (Obstetrics and Gynaecology, SClinMed) – Professor Kelvin Yeung Wai-kwok (Orthopaedics and Traumatology, SClinMed) – Professor Doris Yu Sau-fung (Nursing) – Professor Yuen Kwok-yung (Microbiology, SClinMed) – Professor Yuen Man-fung (Medicine, SClinMed) – Professor Zhang Zhang-jin (Chinese Medicine) – Dr Lawrence William Baum (Psychiatry, SClinMed) – Dr Judith Mak Choi-wo (Pharmacology and Pharmacy) Scan the QR code to view the complete list 15 THE DEAN’S LETTER
• Five Faculty members were named Highly Ranked Scholars by ScholarGPS in their respective fields: – Professor Daniel Chan Tak-mao (Medicine, SClinMed) – Professor Ivan Hung Fan-ngai (Medicine, SClinMed) – Professor Kwong Yok-lam (Medicine, SClinMed) – Professor Walter Seto Wai-kay (Medicine, SClinMed) – Professor Yuen Man-fung (Medicine, SClinMed) • Professor Jason Cheung Pui-yin (Orthopaedics and Traumatology, SClinMed) received the SICOT Oral Presentation Award for the paper ‘Impaired Glycine Neurotransmission Causes Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis: Finally an Understanding of The Etiology of AIS’ at the 44th SICOT Orthopaedic World Congress in September 2024. • Professor Denise Cheung Shuk-ting (Nursing) received the Best Oral Presentation Award (Clinical Studies) from The Society for Acupuncture Research in May 2024. • Professor Edmond Choi Pui-hang (Nursing) received the Best Poster Presentation Award at the 25th IUSTI World Congress, incorporating the Australasian Sexual and Reproductive Health Conference, in September 2024. • Professor Michael Co Tiong-hong (Surgery, SClinMed) was admitted as a Member of the American College of Surgeons – Academy of Master Surgeon Educators in September 2024. • Professor Fraide Jr Agustin Ganotice (BIMHSE) was awarded the Universitas 21 Fellowship (2024-2025). • Professor James Ho Chung-man (Medicine, SClinMed) was elected President of the 28th Congress of Asian Pacific Society of Respirology (APSR) and Executive Committee member of the APSR in November 2024. • Professor Herbert Kwok Wang-chun (Medicine, SClinMed) was named one of the Outstanding Authors (2024) by the Journal of Thoracic Disease. His paper ‘Asthma, from mild to severe, is an independent prognostic factor for mild to severe Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)’ was also recognised as one of the top 10 most-cited papers by The Clinical Respiratory Journal in July 2024. • Professor Jojo Kwok Yan-yan (Nursing) was inducted into the Class of 2024 Fellows by the American Academy of Nursing. She was also awarded the Mind & Life’s Summer Research Institute Scholarship by the Mind & Life’s Institute in June 2024. • Professor Allie Lee (Ophthalmology, SClinMed) was named a Fellow of the Advance Higher Education of the United Kingdom. She was also selected for the APAO Leadership Development Programme 2025-2026 by the Asia Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology in September 2024. • Professor Leung Wai-keung (Medicine, SClinMed) was appointed Editor-in-Chief of Helicobacter in May 2024. • Professor Li Hailei (Surgery, SClinMed) received the International Scholar Award of the 2024 Society for Vascular Surgery Annual Meeting in April 2024. • Professor Philip Li Hei (Medicine, SClinMed) received recognition for the Top Downloaded Article in Clinical & Experimental Allergy by Wiley in July 2024. He also received the Top Author Award for Most Citations from The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice in September 2024. • Professor Shirley Li Xue (Medicine, SClinMed) was appointed Associate Editor of npj Vaccines in 2024. She was also appointed a mentor for early career researchers at HTAsiaLink in 2024. • Professor Lin Xiang (Chinese Medicine) received the award of Excellence in Leukocyte Biology from the Society for Leukocyte Biology in August 2024. • Professor David Lui Tak-wai (Medicine, SClinMed) received the Travel Grant Award for Outstanding Abstract at the International Congress of Diabetes and Metabolism in October 2024. • Dr Luo Shan (Public Health) received the Best Abstract Award from the 26th Asia-Pacific League of Associations for Rheumatology. • Professor Loey Mak Lung-yi (Medicine, SClinMed) was shortlisted for the Global Women in Healthcare Awards – The Rising Star Award in 2024. 16
National • Professor Xu Aimin (Medicine, SClinMed) received the State Natural Science Award (Second Class Prize) from the State Council of the People’s Republic of China in June 2024 for his project ‘New Functions and Mechanisms of Growth Factors FGFs in Regulating Glucose and Lipid Metabolism’. • Dr Olivia Qian Xingxing and Dr Wu Chanchan (Nursing) received the Best Poster Award and Best Oral Presentation Award, respectively, at the 27th East Asian Forum of Nursing Scholars (EAFONS) in 2024. • Professor Sydney Tang Chi-wai (Medicine, SCinMed) was appointed Associate Editor of the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology. • Professor Kelvin Wang Man-ping (Nursing) became a Fellow of the UK Faculty of Public Health. • The project led by Mr Samson Wong Ki-sum (MEHU, SClinMed) was shortlisted for the Nurturing Values and Ethics Award at the 2023 QS Reimagine Education Awards. • Professor Yiu Kai-hang (Medicine, SClinMed) was appointed Regional Editor of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology; and Associate Editor of the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology • Professor Jane Zhao Jie (Public Health) was named a Takemi Fellow of the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health in August 2024. Local Extramural • Two Faculty members received the following honours from the HKSAR Government in July 2024: – Professor Yuen Man-fung (Medicine, SClinMed) was appointed Justice of Peace (JP). – Professor Feng Yibin (Chinese Medicine) received the Chief Executive’s Commendation for Community Service. • The following Faculty members were appointed non-official members of Research Council, Health Bureau, HKSAR Government, as of October 2024: – Professor Karen Chan Kar-loen (Obstetrics and Gynaecology, SClinMed) – Professor Ivan Hung Fan-ngai (Medicine, SClinMed) – Professor Gilberto Leung Ka-kit (Surgery, SClinMed) – Professor Leung Wai-keung (Medicine, SClinMed) – Professor Chia-Chin Lin (Nursing) • The following Faculty members were appointed Chairpersons of the Grant Review Board (GRB), Health Bureau, HKSAR Government, as of October 2024: – Professor Karen Chan Kar-loen (Obstetrics and Gynaecology, SClinMed) – Professor Ivan Hung Fan-ngai (Medicine, SClinMed) – Professor Karen Lam Siu-ling (Medicine, SClinMed) – Professor Chak-sing Lau (Medicine, SClinMed) – Professor Gilberto Leung Ka-kit (Surgery, SClinMed) – Professor Leung Wai-keung (Medicine, SClinMed) – Professor William Wong Chi-wai (Family Medicine and Primary Care, SClinMed) • The following Faculty members were awarded RGC Research Fellowships in July 2024: – Professor Jasper Chan Fuk-woo (Microbiology, SClinMed) – Professor Carmen Wong Chak-lui (Pathology, SClinMed) • The following Faculty members received the Young Investigator Research Grant from the Hong Kong College of Physicians in July 2024: – Professor Michael Cheung Ka-shing (Medicine, SClinMed) – Professor Philip Li Hei (Medicine, SClinMed) – Professor Teo Kay-cheong (Medicine, SClinMed) • Professor Will Chan Yap-hang (Medicine, SClinMed) received the Best Thesis Award (Gold Medal) from the Hong Kong College of Physicians in August 2024. 17 THE DEAN’S LETTER
• Professor James Ho Chung-man (Medicine, SClinMed) was appointed a member of the ‘Committee on Trust Fund for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)’ and a member of the ‘Expert Group on Drug Registration’. • Professor Herbert Kwok Wang-chun (Medicine, SClinMed) received the APSR-Hong Kong Lung Foundation Professor Wah-kit Lam Young Investigator Award in August 2024. • Professor Gary Lau Kui-kai (Medicine, SClinMed) received the Smart Ageing Leader Award from the Golden Age Foundation in August 2024. • Professor Paul Lee Chi-ho (Medicine, SClinMed) was granted the Richard Yu Lectureship from the Hong Kong College of Physicians and the Royal College of Physicians Joint Scientific Meeting 2023. • Professor Philip Li Hei (Medicine, SClinMed) received the Distinguished Research Paper Award for Young Investigators from the Hong Kong College of Physicians in July 2024. He also received the Richard Yu Lectureship from the Hong Kong College of Physicians in August 2024. • Professor Amy Ng Pui-pui (Family Medicine and Primary Care, SClinMed) received the Best Research Paper Award at the Hong Kong Primary Care Conference 2024 from the Hong Kong College of Family Physicians in July 2024. She was also awarded the Certificate of Excellence as a Distinguished Young Fellow by the Council of Hong Kong Academy of Medicine in September 2024. Intramural • The following Faculty members received the Faculty Clinical Service Excellence Awards (CSEA) 2024: – Professor Victor Lee Ho-fun (Clinical Oncology, SClinMed) – Professor Simon Sin Wai-ching (Critical Care Medicine Unit, SClinMed) – Professor Siddharth Sridhar (Microbiology, SClinMed) – Professor Ian Wong Yu-hong (Surgery, SClinMed) • Professor Will Chan Yap-hang (Medicine, SClinMed) was bestowed the Doris Zimmern HKU-Cambridge Hughes Hall Fellowship (2024-2025) in July 2024. • Professor Chang Wing-chung (Psychiatry, SClinMed) was awarded the HKUMed Research Fellowship for Clinical Academics in September 2024. • Professor Alex K Gearin (Medical Ethics & Humanities Unit, SClinMed) received the HKU Overseas Fellowship Award (2024-2025) in June 2024. • Professor Huang Jiandong (Biomedical Sciences) won the HKU TEC MedTech Hackathon 2024 Award in June 2024. • Professor Spring Kong Feng-ming (Clinical Oncology, SClinMed) was conferred the Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole Charity Foundation Professorship in Holistic Cancer Care in September 2024. • Professor Walter Seto Wai-kay (Medicine, SClinMed) was named Simon KY Lee Professor in Gastroenterology in September 2024. • Professor Kenneth Wong Kak-yuen (Surgery, SClinMed) was conferred the Li Shu-pui Professorship in Surgery in October 2024. • Professor Xu Aimin (Medicine, SClinMed) was named Rosie TT Young Professor in Endocrinology and Metabolism in September 2024. 18
National • The following Faculty members were awarded the 2024 NSFC Excellent Young Scientists Fund of the National Natural Science Foundation of China: – Professor Liu Yang (Biomedical Sciences) for the project ‘染色質生物學和表觀遺傳調控’ (RMB2M). – Professor Wang Shoutang (Biomedical Sciences) for the project ‘神經免疫科學’ (RMB2M). • Professor Liu Kui (Obstetrics and Gynaecology, SClinMed) was granted RMB3M by the Science and Technology Innovation Committee of Shenzhen Municipality for the project ‘探索FDA藥物庫中刺激卵泡發育的藥物以 “老藥新用” 治療卵巢早衰及超齡不育―基礎與臨床相結合的研究’. • Professor Carmen Wong Chak-lui (Pathology, SClinMed) was awarded the 2024 NSFC National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars for the project ‘Exploration of the Immune Microenvironment and Novel Therapies in Steatotic Liver Cancer’ and was granted RMB4M. Major Research Support Local Extramural • The following Faculty members were granted a total of HK$122.129M under the Theme-based Research Scheme 2024/25 of the Research Grants Council: – Professor Chen Zhiwei (Microbiology, SClinMed) and his team for the project ‘Sustained cART-free HIV-1 Control by Immunotherapeutic Interventions’ (HK$66.762M). – Professor Stephanie Ma Kwai-yee (Biomedical Sciences) and her team for the project ‘Understanding Phenotypic Plasticity in Hepatocellular Carcinoma to Mitigate Therapy Resistance and Tumor Recurrence’ (HK$55.367M). • Professor Christopher Leung Kai-shun (Ophthalmology, SClinMed) was awarded HK$39.811M under the Strategic Topics Grant 2024/25 of the Research Grants Council for the project titled ‘Development and Deployment of a Community-based Eye Care Model for Provision of Primary Eye Care Services’. • Professor Kathryn Cheah Song-eng (Biomedical Sciences) was awarded HK$11.545M under the Innovation and Technology Fund: General Support Programme of the Innovation and Technology Commission for the project titled ‘ISSCR 2025 Annual Meeting’ in June 2024. • Professor Eric Wan Yuk-fai (Family Medicine and Primary Care, SClinMed) was awarded HK$7.992M for an HMRFCommissioned Study evaluating the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of the Chronic Disease Co-Care Pilot Scheme (CDCC Pilot Scheme). 19 THE DEAN’S LETTER
• The following research teams received a total of HK$361.383M in funding from The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust: – Professor David Makram Bishai (Public Health) and his team for the project ‘Developing an Evaluation Framework of Sexual and Reproductive Health Services in Hong Kong’ (HK$1M). – Professor Sophia Chan Siu-chee (Public Health) and her team for the following projects: – ‘Enhancing District-based Primary Health Care’ (HK$101.150M). – ‘Professional Development for the Nursing Sector’ (HK$94.730M). – Professor Benjamin John Cowling (Public Health) and his team for the project ‘Assessing the impact of improving ventilation on influenza and COVID-19 transmission in residential care homes for the elderly’ (HK$6M). – Professor Christy Hui Lai-ming (Psychiatry, SClinMed) and her team for the project ‘LevelMind@JC (Phase Two) – Scaling Up and Mainstreaming the Community Wellness Hub Model for Youth Mental Health’ (HK$45.190M). – Professor Michael Ni Yuxuan (Public Health) and his team for the project ‘Territory-wide Impact Monitoring Study’ (HK$74.283M). – Professor Doris Yu Sau-fung (Nursing) and her team for the following projects: – ‘Reach to Bridge Community Elderly Support’ (extended project) (HK$28.700M). – ‘Sports Programmes for Elders to Encourage Active and Healthy Ageing: Impact Assessment on the Programme for Three Years’ (HK$10.330M). 20
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