Editorial Team Editor-in-Chief Ada Leung Wing-yee Managing Editors Brenda Yau Tina Chan Executive Editors Cora Sit Sharon Yu Feature Writer Kathy Griffin Graphic Design Good Morning Design www.med.hku.hk All rights reserved 2024 Care for the Environment 保護環境 If you would like to opt out of receiving a printed copy and subscribe to the e-version of HKUMed News, please complete the online form by scanning the above QR code (for alumni), or send us an e-mail at mfedit@hku.hk. 如欲取消訂閲印刷紙本及轉為接收電子版HKUMed News，請掃描二維碼並填寫網上表格（供校友填寫）或電郵至 mfedit@hku.hk。 The information contained in this publication is solely for the purpose of reporting the Faculty’s latest developments. None of such information is intended to be for, nor shall therefore be treated as, dissemination of professional service information of doctors to the public. 本刊物的內容僅為報導學院最新發展，其所提供的內容並非，亦不應被視為向公眾傳播醫生的專業服務的資訊。
02 The 212th Congregation 第212屆學位頒授典禮 04 Feature 專題故事 Translate and Elevate From Lab Bench to Bedside: Bringing New Hope to Patients 科研轉化 醫研進步 從實驗到臨床：為病人帶來新希望 19 Hong Kong’s First University-Campus Teaching Community Pharmacy Launched 全港首間校園社區藥房啟用 Primary Healthcare Roundtable by Professor Dame Carol Black 基層醫療圓桌會議――Carol Black 女爵士教授 20 Feature+ 專題+ New Collaboratory to Advance Primary Healthcare 新協作平台 促進基層醫療健康發展 28 HKUMed and Gleneagles Partner in Clinical Trials 醫學院夥港怡醫院加快臨床試驗 WHS Academic Alliance: Building Trust for a Healthier World 世界衞生峰會學術聯盟： 為更健康的世界建立信任 Boao Asia Forum: Masterminds Voice Concerns over Global Health 博鰲亞洲論壇：領袖專家聚焦全球健康挑戰 Global Outreach to Attract Talent and Foster Collaboration 全球廣納賢才促進合作 30 Feature+ 專題+ Building New Bridges 構建新的橋樑 A Promise to Deliver 盡心竭力 實踐承諾 36 People First―A Celebration of Fun and Togetherness! 以人為本― 歡樂相聚時刻 ! HKUMed Excels in the HKU Walking Challenge 醫學院在港大步行挑戰賽中脫穎而出 38 HKU Information Day 2024 draws over 75,000 visitors 香港大學本科入學資訊日2024吸引 逾75,000人參觀 39 Achievements 獎項與成就 50 Clinical Service Excellence Awards 2024 - Winners’ sharing 2024年度臨床服務卓越獎――得獎感言 52 Activities and Events 活動紀要 55 People 人物 Hello 新臉孔 Thank You and Goodbye 感謝卸任學院成員貢獻 Appointments and Promotions 任命與晉升 In Remembrance 永遠懷念 Alumni News 校友活動 Student Achievements 學生成就 Student Activities 學生活動 66 Donations 捐贈者名單 1 HKUMed News Winter 2024
‘I hope the Olympic spirit will inspire and motivate you in your future careers and service. Strive to be the best, but remember that in healthcare, you cannot attain that goal alone. You need to collaborate with others and bring a human touch to all that you do.’ 「我鼓勵大家在未來的專業生涯和 服務，體現奧林匹克精神，力臻 卓越；亦謹記在醫療專業領域， 需要團隊合作，且以人為本。」 ―― Professor Chak-sing Lau, Dean of Medicine 院長劉澤星教授 The 212th Congregation 第212屆學位頒授典禮 More than 700 graduates received their degrees at the Faculty Congregation on 13 July 2024 in the Grand Hall of the HKU Centennial Campus, celebrating an important milestone in their academic and professional life with their schoolmates, teachers and family members. Professor Ian Holliday, Vice-President and Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Teaching and Learning), the presiding officer of the Ceremony, conferred the degrees upon the graduands. Less than two weeks before the start of the Olympic Games 2024 held in the same month, two-time Hong Kong Olympic medallist Ms Sarah Lee Wai-sze graced the occasion as the Guest of Honour. She shared her experience of receiving dedicated care from health professionals for a challenging wrist injury and encouraged the graduates to challenge themselves in upholding the highest standard of patient care. In his State of the Faculty Address, Professor Chak-sing Lau, Dean of Medicine, encouraged the graduates to draw inspiration from the Olympic spirit in their future endeavours. He called on the graduates to apply the Olympic motto, Faster, Higher, Stronger – Together, in their healthcare careers. He also announced plans to launch a graduate-entry medicine programme for those with relevant undergraduate degrees to accelerate the training of suitable candidates to help meet medical manpower needs and further diversify the professional landscape. 逾700位畢業生在2024年7月13日聚首港大百周年校園大會堂，參加學院舉行的學位頒授典禮， 與同學、師長及家人同賀此重要里程碑。 典禮由副校長（教學）何立仁教授主持，並為畢業生頒授學位。 適逢2024年奧運會揭幕在即，本港前職業單車運動員、兩度奧運獎牌得主李慧詩女士擔任特別 嘉賓，分享過往傷患期間獲醫護人員悉心照料，並勉勵畢業生挑戰自我，堅守醫療服務的最高標準。 院長劉澤星教授發表《院況咨文》，鼓勵畢業生以奧林匹克的格言 ―「更快、更高、更強 - 更團結」 為目標，在醫療專業中實踐。劉教授亦提及學院開辦新課程的計劃，為已具備其他學位的人士提供從 醫新途徑，以加快人才培訓，滿足社會對醫護人手的需求，並促進醫療領域多元化發展。 Read State of the Faculty Address 2024: 閱讀《2024年院況咨文》 (只供英文版)： 2
‘I hope all of you, as the next generation of healthcare professionals, will grow through both the sour and sweet moments of your future careers. I hope you will embrace and learn from both positive and negative experiences and become exceptional medical experts in the future.’ 「作為新一代醫療專業人員，你們無論日後經歷 是苦是甜，我祝願大家可以充分珍惜和體會， 並從中學習、成長，成為未來傑出的醫護專才。」 ―― Ms Sarah Lee Wai-sze, former professional track cyclist and Olympic medallist 前職業單車運動員暨奧運獎牌得主李慧詩女士 Professor Ian Holliday, Vice-President and Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Teaching and Learning), confers a degree upon a graduand. 副校長（教學）何立仁教授為畢業生頒授學位。 3 HKUMed News Winter 2024
FEATURE Translate and Elevate From Lab Bench to Bedside: Bringing New Hope to Patients HKUMed has world-class scholars who produce world-leading research. But our vision now is to expand beyond academic achievement and ramp up efforts to take those results to patients and the community. The success of those efforts is reflected in HKUMed’s recent appointment by the government to operate the Greater Bay Area International Clinical Trial Institute (GBAICTI) located in the Hong Kong Park of the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Co-operation Zone. The Institute will offer a one-stop service for local researchers and international pharmaceutical industries to run clinical trials in the region. 4
HKUMed’s own Clinical Trials Centre has been a model for this venture, having had 25 years of experience organising trials with pharma and academia and addressing the contractual, ethical and other issues involved. ‘It is the aspiration of HKUMed and society to promote the transformation of local research outcomes into applicable medical solutions. We will do our best to work with the government, academia, industry, global research institutions and the people of Hong Kong to maximise the Institute’s potential and position Hong Kong as a leading international hub for health and medical innovation,’ said the Vice-President & ProVice-Chancellor (Health) and Dean of Medicine, Professor Chak-sing Lau, after the government designated the Faculty as the GBAICTI operator in September. ‘This new responsibility dovetails with HKUMed’s commitment to research and translation. The Faculty has invested in high-end facilities, including the Centre for PanorOmic Sciences (focused on proteomics, genomics and metabolomics), a cryo-electron microscope and the coming GMP (good manufacturing practice) facility for cellular therapy manufacturing. Various initiatives are underway to help researchers take their discoveries beyond the academic world,’ echoed Professor Eric Tse Wai-choi, Associate Dean (Research). ‘Many of our academics make groundbreaking discoveries, but they may not know how to translate their results into impactful clinical applications. We aim to promote this entrepreneurial culture in the Faculty,’ Professor Tse said. The Faculty’s Technology Transfer Unit is leading that effort in collaboration with the University’s TechnoEntrepreneurship Core and Technology Transfer Office, aiding researchers with patents, licensing, start-up creation, connections with investors and pharmaceutical companies. Workshops are also being organised to raise awareness and develop business and entrepreneurial skills. Interdisciplinary collaboration is being promoted through workshops and informal research mixers to bring together scholars from different fields. Research postgraduate students are also being educated to think in terms of translation. At the same time, research translation successes are being publicised. At the 49th International Exhibition of Inventions of Geneva held in April, HKUMed scholars won several key awards for a 3D bioprinted liver for diagnosis and drug development; a novel cellular system for anti-ageing drug; a mobile app for monitoring heart health; and an automated telerehabilitation platform. Dean Lau hopes that when our researchers hear of these achievements, they will be inspired to think big. ‘We want to actively promote a culture where our dedicated researchers can clearly see that their results may be translatable into impactful solutions that at the end of the day will help patients have better health.’ Professor Chak-sing Lau ‘HKUMed is committed to advancing research and translation by investing in cutting-edge facilities that empower our researchers to turn discoveries into real-world applications.’ Professor Eric Tse Wai-choi 5 HKUMed News Winter 2024
FEATURE A Target on Cancer’s Stubborn Roots Cancer stemness enables cancer cells to self-renew and reinitiate, and they are implicated in such things as drug resistance and metastasis. Yet they have proven difficult to eradicate. In hepatocellular cancer (HCC), the most common type of liver cancer, cancer cells exhibit this stemness state, leading to tumour relapse. The problem of HCC stemness has been a longstanding interest of Professor Stephanie Ma Kwai-yee of the School of Biomedical Sciences, who now leads a major crossdisciplinary and cross-institutional RGC Theme-based Research Scheme (TRS) project to understand the biology of tumour stemness and its relationship with drug response and tumour relapse. The work will lead towards finding new targets for treatment. ‘We want to know more about stemness and less differentiated states in cancer cells because we feel this is the root of the tumour. Once we know what controls or regulates that stemness state, then we can better define new therapies that can be used to target these cells, as well as combinations of drugs that are already approved,’ she said. Recent technological advances allow researchers to probe into cell activity and interactions more deeply. With CRISPR gene editing and their own platforms, the team will identify and characterise the genes and combinations of genes that are critical to HCC stemness. They will explore mouse and human datasets to identify in vivo features associated with cancer cell plasticity. With sequencing technologies, they will examine how different cells in tissue interact spatially and develop drug resistance. Finally, with chemical biological approaches, they will discover new therapeutic interventions against HCC stemness. ‘New technologies will help us unveil new dimensions in ways that were not possible five years ago,’ Professor Ma remarked. ‘But this is not just about the technologies. We need the expertise of all our co-principal investigators to be able to analyse and interpret the results. We have both experienced professors and young, active assistant professors and they are all contributing immensely.’ Scientists and clinicians in experimental cancer biology, hepatobiliary surgery, immunology, computational biology, bioinformatics, synthetic biology and chemical biology are all part of the team, and come from The Chinese University of Hong Kong, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University and The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, as well as HKU. ‘There is plenty to bind the team together. Everyone will have incentives and new initiatives that spring up. Also, since this project is five years long, we will be ready to respond to new developments as they arise,’ she said. Professor Ma is also Assistant Dean (Innovation & Technology Transfer) in the Faculty and, although it is not directly tied to her TRS project, she hopes in future to take advantage of the opportunities and support abounding to translate research into applications. ‘I have been working on cancer cell plasticity for about 18 years. Other than publications and grants, I hope to apply what I have learned to the real world,’ she stated. ‘The main goal at this stage is to generate unique knowledge and platforms around cancer stemness and liver cancer, contributing to evidence-based applications that could improve diagnosis and treatment outcomes for HCC patients.’ Professor Stephanie Ma Kwai-yee 6
HIV Vaccine goes to Clinical Trial A vaccine therapy that could functionally cure AIDS is edging closer to reality after Professor Chen Zhiwei, Chair Professor of the Department of Microbiology, School of Clinical Medicine, and Director of HKU’s AIDS Institute, was awarded a Theme-based Research Scheme (TRS) grant to bring his discovery to multicentre clinical trials. Professor Chen first discovered the potential of a PD1enhanced DNA vaccine in 2023 against HIV-1 that causes AIDS, and he has been progressing ever since to bring it from the laboratory to patients. Under an earlier TRS, he and his collaborators successfully showed the vaccine could control AIDS virus in rhesus monkeys for over six years in the absence of combination antiretroviral therapy (cART). They also did a separate phase one human trial to show it was safe for people living with HIV-1 (PLWH). Now, with new TRS funding, they will conduct phase two human clinical trials in Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Beijing, Guangzhou and other hospitals to test the vaccine’s efficacy in humans as it is in monkeys. They will also investigate the mechanism that makes it work. About 40 million PLWHs and another 40 million have died since it was first discovered in 1981. Only seven people have ever been cured, through difficult and expensive bone marrow transplantation. For most, life-long cART remains the only way to manage the infection, which is costly and can lead to clinical problems such as heart disease, neurological disorder, diabetes and depression. Professor Chen’s therapeutic vaccine aims to enhance T-cell immunity to control virus replication in the body. The phase two clinical trials will be conducted with The Third People’s Hospital in Shenzhen (which also collaborated on the phase one trial), industry partner Immuno Cure, HIV clinic at The Chinese University of Hong Kong and other participating hospitals in Mainland China. The idea is that initially, patients who receive the vaccine will continue their cART treatment. But if all goes well, they may be able to stop cART. ‘We will improve the vaccine immunogenicity continuously to identify patients that could stop conventional drug treatment,’ Professor Chen said. ‘If we can achieve a certain percentage of patients having long-term virus control, we are going to be very happy.’ He noted that collaboration across the Greater Bay Area was essential because Hong Kong does not yet have a vaccine GMP facility or sufficient resources for a multi-centre clinical trial. This is also true for another major project he was recently awarded under the government’s RAISe+ programme, to advance an antibody drug he developed against cancers and infections. ‘It is very busy having these two big projects at the same time, both stemming from our original discoveries – they are first-in-class new drug discoveries. We are actually creating new therapies. That is the beauty of these projects,’ he commented. ‘We aim for a functional cure because eradicating HIV-1 is challenging. Based on our monkey data, we believe we can achieve long-term, cART-free control of the virus, which would be a significant scientific achievement and would benefit patients facing toxicity issues from current therapies.’ Professor Chen Zhiwei 7 HKUMed News Winter 2024
FEATURE A New Model for Eye Care Patients requiring specialist eye care services currently wait up to four years for an appointment in the public healthcare system, leaving those with chronic, degenerative blinding conditions at risk. Professor Christopher Leung Kai-shun, Chairperson of the Department of Ophthalmology, School of Clinical Medicine, and Director of the HKU Eye Centre, is leading a new Strategic Topics Grant (STG) project to slash that wait-time to only two months. Working with District Health Centres (DHCs) and leveraging his experience with Orbis in screening Hong Kong residents of public housing estates for blinding eye diseases, Professor Leung has partnered with Professor Sophia Chan Siu-chee, from the HKU Primary Health Care Academy, and researchers from The Chinese University of Hong Kong, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University and United Christian Hospital. Together, they will deploy advanced imaging technologies and artificial intelligence (AI) to provide fast and accurate eye tests. The tests will be conducted through a streamlined service model led by ophthalmic nurses and optometrists, who will determine which patients require treatment by ophthalmologists at the specialist outpatient clinics (SOPC) and which can be managed at the DHC, including those with refraction errors or dry eye disease. Currently, patients are mainly referred by other doctors and all must wait for specialist care. The imaging technology consists of an optical coherence tomography (OCT) diagnostic system to detect blinding diseases, enhanced by AI that analyse data across various conditions to provide accurate diagnoses. This technology refinement will take up the first year of the five-year project, aiming for a sensitivity and specificity of at least 90 to 95 per cent. The AI-augmented OCT diagnostic system will then be rolled out to two DHCs, in Southern and Kwun Tong districts, where on-site ophthalmic nurses and optometrists will conduct eye tests on an estimated 20,000 patients. If a blinding eye disease is detected, patients will be referred to the SOPC. Those with refractive errors or dry eye disease will be managed by the DHC team, which will provide eye health education, glasses prescriptions, and lubricants for dry eyes. Through this streamlined service model, referred patients are expected to wait only about two months to see an ophthalmologist. The project also involves a ‘pragmatic’ clinical trial to test how well it improves on the current system while providing necessary treatment. Unlike conventional clinical trials, this study will include all non-urgent patients referred to the eye clinics. Patients will be randomly assigned to either the new service model or the old one (i.e., waiting for an ophthalmologist to assess their conditions), ensuring that all are seen by ophthalmologists to evaluate the accuracy and reliability of the AI-augmented OCT diagnostic system. The final phase will examine its cost-effectiveness. ‘We know this model works from our previous collaboration with Orbis (HKU x Orbis AIROTA glaucoma screening programme),’ Professor Leung added. ‘It can save sight and save money. But we need data to build up the evidence so that it can eventually be applied as an innovative and cost-effective eye care model across Hong Kong.’ ‘Urgent visual problems, such as ocular trauma, or sudden acute vision loss, will be prioritised for early assessment at the specialist outpatient clinics. With advanced imaging technology, we can gain a clearer understanding of chronic blurry vision issues early on and tailor referral times to meet patient needs.’ Professor Christopher Leung Kai-shun 8
Seeking Hope for Liver Cancer Patients Liver cancer is fatal. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most prevalent type of liver cancer, accounting for 70 to 80 per cent of cases, while intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA) is present in 20 to 30 per cent of cases. Professor Carmen Wong Chak-lui, in the Department of Pathology, School of Clinical Medicine, was recently awarded two major grants – the Distinguished Young Scholars Fund of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) and the Research Fellow Scheme (RFS) grant from RGC – to support her studies on the biology of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD)-HCC and a specific molecular subtype type of iCCA, respectively. ‘The incidence of steatotic liver cancer is increasing worldwide; 18 per cent of liver cancer patients in Mainland China have both Hepatitis B virus infection and steatotic liver disease,’ she said. ‘Recent studies suggest that steatotic liver cancer may exhibit a less favourable response to immunotherapy than viral liver cancer.’ The NSFC fund will support her research into how lipids affect the functionality of immune cells, which might potentially influence the immunotherapy response in MASLD-HCC. The study will enable the design of innovative and tailored therapeutic approaches for HCC patients with MASLD. ‘There are nearly 10 first-line treatments for HCC but only one for iCCA, and the effect is very marginal,’ she said. Isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) mutations occur in 13 to 15 per cent of iCCA. While an IDH inhibitor was recently approved as iCCA secondline treatment, it often leads to resistance in patients. The RGC-RFS will support her investigation into the metabolic adaptations of IDH-mutated ICC after treatment and the identification of new druggable vulnerabilities that can overcome this IDH inhibitor resistance. She will also study how the IDH inhibitor influences the tumour microenvironment. Professor Wong’s team aims to garner insights crucial for future clinical trials for MASLD-HCC and iCCA. Her research holds promise for broadening treatment options and increasing long-term patient survival rates. Professor Wong’s research is aided by technologies such as single-cell RNA sequencing, flow cytometry and imaging – something she is very familiar with in her role as Assistant Dean (Core Platforms & Advancement). ‘Our work would not be possible without the support of the Core Facilities, and we are excited to see members of our Faculty make good use of these powerful technologies,’ she said. A key mission for her grants is mentoring, which Professor Wong is also keen on. Her team members will receive training opportunities and support to advance their careers. ‘We want to ignite their enthusiasm for liver cancer research,’ she remarked. ‘I am very fortunate to receive recognition from the NSFC and RGC to pursue this important research, which aims to address the unmet clinical needs of liver cancer patients,’ said Professor Wong. ‘We aim to pave the way for precision treatment in liver cancer by developing innovative therapies for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma associated with fatty liver disease. Our research also explores the metabolic adaptability of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma post-treatment and seeks to identify vulnerabilities that can overcome resistance to IDH inhibitors. Our ultimate goal is to improve treatment outcomes for liver cancer.’ Professor Carmen Wong Chak-lui 9 HKUMed News Winter 2024
FEATURE Coronaviruses have emerged repeatedly throughout history to pose threats to human health – the next pandemic is not a question of ‘if’ but ‘when’. Professor Jasper Chan Fuk-woo, Deputy Chairperson, Department of Microbiology, School of Clinical Medicine, is among those hoping to forestall that threat and thereby make the world better prepared than it was for COVID-19. Professor Chan recently received a Research Fellowship Scheme (RFS) grant to investigate emerging variants and sub-variants of SARS-CoV-2, the culprit virus of COVID-19; to understand the long COVID development; and to unearth new broad-spectrum anti-coronavirus strategies for future variants. The research addresses ongoing mutations of SARS-CoV-2 with uncertainites about its evolution and variant differences. The mechanisms behind long COVID are not well understood, highlighting the need for treatments that remain effective despite viral changes. ‘You may have heard of monoclonal antibodies that were developed in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic and neutralised SARS-CoV-2. But once the virus mutated, these were no longer useful. So we are trying to develop broad spectrum, pan-coronavirus acting treatments,’ he elaborated. Professor Chan is leveraging his research expertise in emerging infectious diseases. About 12 years ago, he began working on Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus and developed various models related to coronaviruses. He has also been an integral team member of microbiologists led by Professor Yuen Kwok-Yung that set up the Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology at the HKU-Shenzhen Hospital since it opened in 2012. These two paths merged in 2020 when the team was the first in the world to document human-to-human transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from patients at that hospital. This was named by The Lancet as one of 34 landmark papers (and the only one led by HKSAR-based scholars) in its 200-year history. As Assistant Dean (Global Engagement), he is also dedicated to enhancing the Faculty’s global outreach capabilities. Professor Chan said a key reason for their success is the team’s focus on both clinical and basic scientific expertise and exposure. This is important not only for research output but for training new generations of researchers, which is also a component of the RFS award. ‘One of the cornerstones of the department’s success in tackling emerging infectious diseases is recognising the need for the energy and innovation of young people alongside our senior researchers. We are excited to have attracted very bright talents from around the world,’ he said. Students are attracted by the quality of the Department of Microbiology for infectious diseases and microbiology – as well as the high quality of research facilities at HKUMed and the department’s unique approach of bringing laboratory researchers into the clinic and vice versa, for better patient care. As all these pieces come together, Professor Chan is hopeful of developing a treatment that can target components common to all coronaviruses, in either oral or intranasal forms, to minimise mortality and morbidity of the next pandemic. Preparing for the Next Pandemic ‘We cannot guess which coronavirus will emerge next. But whatever it is, we want to have some treatments in our freezer that are ready to use so we can be better prepared than we were in the recent pandemic.’ Professor Jasper Chan Fuk-woo 10
HKUMed has a strong track record in producing worldleading research that has garnered national and international acclaim. In recent years, many of our researchers have been named ‘Highly Cited Researchers’ in the Clarivate rankings for producing multiple, highly cited papers that ranked in the top one per cent. This is a prestigious recognition of our prolific researchers, who have demonstrated significant and broad influence in their respective fields of research. The Faculty is now in the best position it has ever been to ramp up its capacity and translate these findings into impactful applications. ‘Our strengths in upstream basic scientific research are evident,’ said Dean Lau. ‘We now want to contribute to Hong Kong's efforts to become an international hub for innovation and technology, as clearly laid out in the National 14th Five-Year Plan. Most importantly, we are strengthening our ability to contribute to better patient care in Hong Kong, the nation and the world.’ Leading Scientists join Faculty In support of this mission, HKUMed is actively expanding its pool of academic and research talent under the ‘140 for 140’ global recruitment initiative, aiming to hire 140 new professoriate staff by its 140th anniversary in 2027. This summer, the Faculty welcomed two internationally renowned experts, Professors Michael Häusser and Khuloud T Al-Jamal. Both have a strong track record of remarkable contributions to scientific research. Their research excellence has also been recognised through support from the government’s Global STEM Professorship Scheme and new laboratories for each of them under the Jockey Club STEM Labs programme (also see pages 30-35). Leveraging Research Strengths at HKUMed 11 HKUMed News Winter 2024
學院轄下的臨床試驗中心是這次 營運模式的參考楷模，全因中心過去 25年與跨國藥廠和學術界緊密合作， 在臨床試驗所涉及的合約、倫理和其 他問題方面擁有豐富的經驗。 港大副校長（健康）兼醫學院院長 劉澤星教授表示：「學院和社會各界的 願景，是致力將本地研究成果轉化為 可應用的醫療產品和方案。我們將竭 盡所能，與政府、學術界、業界、國 際研究機構和香港市民攜手合作，充 分發揮這試驗所的功能，努力把香港 打造為領先國際的醫療創新樞紐。」 這項委任與學院對進一步加強 研究和轉化的重視不謀而合，學院一 直投資開拓高端科研設施以促進醫學 研究和創新，例如泛組學科研中心 （進行蛋白質組學、基因組學和代謝組 學研究）、低溫電子顯微鏡設施以及即 將啟用並符合生產質量管理規範 （GMP）的細胞治療實驗室。港大醫學 院副院長（研究）謝偉財教授表示：「我 們正努力協助學院的研究人員將科研 成果帶出學術界，惠澤社群。」 「學院內許多學者都在醫學研究 方面取得重大突破，但他們未必知道 如何將成果轉化為對治療疾病具重大 裨益的臨床應用。」謝教授說：「我們 正積極在學院內推廣這種創業文化， 以配合特區政府推動香港成為區內生 物醫學創新樞紐的願景。」 學院的技術轉移部正與香港大學 科創中心和技術轉移處合作，協助研 究人員釐清註冊專利、授權、成立初 創、與投資者和製藥公司聯繫，以及 制定可促成研究成果轉化和商品化的 相關程序。此外，學院亦舉辦工作坊 以增加研究人員在這方面的知識，及 提升商業和企業技能。 跨學科協作是科研創新的重要元 素，因此學院透過舉行工作坊及非正 式研究聚會，滙聚不同範疇的學者和 研究人員互相交流，並鼓勵研究生學 習如何把科研成果轉化。 學院同時加強宣傳各個研究轉 化的成功案例，在今年4月舉行的第 49 屆日內瓦國際發明展上，我們的學 者贏得多個重要獎項，包括用於診斷 和藥物開發的三維生物打印仿製病患 肝臟技術、創新細胞系統研發抗衰老 藥物 、監測心臟健康的手機應用程式、 以及自動化遙距復康服務數碼平台。 FEATURE 港大醫學院擁有全球頂尖的學者，進行領先世界的醫學研究， 我們現在的願景是超越學術成就，致力將研究成果轉化，為病 人和市民大眾帶來重大裨益。 學院最近獲政府委任，營運位於「河套深港科技創新合作區」 香港園區的「粵港澳大灣區國際臨床試驗所」，這次委任反映我 們在研究方面的卓越成就。試驗所將為本地科研人員和國際藥 業界在區內進行臨床試驗提供一站式支援平台。 科研轉化 醫研進步 「我們希望推動的一種 文化，是讓研究人員 看到他們的成果可以 成功轉化為治療方案， 最終能幫助病人更健康。」 劉澤星教授 「港大醫學院致力於通過 投資尖端設施來推進 研究和轉化，使我們的 研究人員能夠成功將研究 轉化為實際應用。」 謝偉財教授 從實驗到臨床：為病人帶來新希望 12
瞄準癌症頑固根源 癌細胞的幹性可以誘發細胞自我 更新及重新啟動，與耐藥性和轉移等 相關，事實亦證明難以根除。在肝細 胞癌（HCC）這最常見的肝癌類型中， 癌細胞展現幹性，已證實會導致腫瘤 復發。 長期研究肝癌細胞幹性的生物 醫學學院馬桂宜教授獲研資局資助， 正領導一大型跨學科/機構的主題研 究計劃（TRS），以了解腫瘤幹性的生 物特性及其與藥物反應和腫瘤復發的 關係。這項研究將有助找到新的治療 標靶。 馬教授道：「我們希望深入了解 癌細胞幹性及其低分化狀態，相信這 就是腫瘤根源。一旦知道控制或調節 幹性的機制，就能找出針對性新療法， 與已獲批准的藥物結合使用。」 近年在科技方面的突破正好促成 這項研究，讓團隊進一步探究細胞的 活動及其相互作用。 透過基因編輯技術和自家平台 「CRISPR」，團隊將能識別對HCC癌 細胞幹性至關重要的基因和基因組 合，並確定其特徵。利用計算方法， 他們可從老鼠和人類資料庫中找出與 HCC癌細胞可塑性相關的活體特徵。 通過排序技術，團隊可研究組織中不 同細胞如何互相影響，及如何產生耐 藥性。最後，通過化學生物學方法， 就能發現針對 HCC 幹性的新治療干 預措施。 馬教授說：「五年前沒有這些新 技術時，我們根本無從揭示新的層面。 但這不僅是技術問題，我們需要所有 首席研究員以專業知識分析和解讀結 果。我們既有經驗豐富的教授，也有 年輕而幹勁十足的助理教授，大家携 手合力作出重大貢獻。」 團隊成員來自香港中文大學、香 港理工大學、香港科技大學和香港大 學多個領域的科學家和臨床醫生，包 括：實驗癌症生物學、肝膽外科、免 疫學、計算生物學、生物資訊學、合 成生物學和化學生物學等。 她補充道：「不同因素把團隊各成 員凝聚在一起，大家各有進步的空間 和創新的思維。由於這項研究為期五 年，我們隨時應對新的發展變化。」 馬教授現時亦兼任醫學院助理院長 （創新及技術轉移），雖然這與此研究 項目沒有直接關係，但她希望今後能 利用各種機會和支援，將研究成果轉 化為應用。她說：「我從事癌細胞可塑 性研究已有18年，除了發表論文和獲 得資助外，我熱切期望把從醫學研究 所取得的新知識應用到現實世界中。」 「現階段主要目標是圍繞 癌細胞幹性和肝癌問題尋求 新知識和平台，相關資訊 將有助找到以實證為本的 應用，從而改善HCC 患者 的診斷和治療效果。」 馬桂宜教授 13 HKUMed News Winter 2024
愛滋病毒疫苗 進入臨床試驗階段 醫學院臨床醫學學院微生物學 系講座教授兼港大愛滋病研究所所長 陳志偉教授，獲「主題研究計劃」 （TRS）撥款，讓其研究進入多中心臨 床試驗階段，令成功研發愛滋病的疫 苗療法邁出重要一步。 陳教授於2013年發現，以PD1 蛋白為基礎的強化DNA疫苗，能對抗 引致愛滋病的HIV-1病毒。在早前的 TRS中，他和合作夥伴展示該疫苗可 以在沒有聯合抗逆轉錄病毒治療 （cART）的情況下，在獼猴身上控制病 毒超過六年。他們亦透過第一階段人 體臨床試驗，證明疫苗對HIV-1感染者 屬安全。 在TRS的新資金支持下，第二階 段人體臨床試驗將在香港、深圳、北 京、廣州及其他醫院進行，以測試疫 苗對感染者是否像對猴子一樣有效， 及研究疫苗的效能機制。 自1981年出現首宗愛滋病例以 來，全球已有約四千萬名病人死亡， 而現時存活的四千萬名感染者中，只 有七人透過困難且昂貴的骨髓移植手 術治癒。因骨髓移植無法廣泛應用， 控制病毒唯有終生接受cART，但成 本高昂，更會導致心臟病、神經失調、 糖尿病和抑鬱症等問題。 陳教授研究的疫苗療法透過引發 更強的 T 細胞免疫力來控制病毒在人 體內複製。第二階段臨床試驗將與深 圳第三人民醫院、醫克生物、香港中 文大學愛滋病診所及中國內地其他參 與醫院合作進行。病人接受疫苗時繼 續接受cART藥物治療，如果進展順 利，他們也許可以停止藥物治療。 陳教授說：「我們不斷改善疫苗 的免疫原性，以確定哪些病人可停止 藥物治療，期望有一定比例病人能透 過疫苗療法長期控制病毒。」 他指出，由於香港還沒有符合 生產質量管理規範（GMP）的疫苗生 產設施，也沒有足夠資源進行多中心 臨床試驗，與大灣區各方合作至關重 要。他最近在香港特別行政區政府創 新科技署的「產學研1+計劃」下獲資 助的另一個項目也是如此，該項目旨 在支持他另一項有關抗癌和抗感染的 抗體藥物之研究。 他表示：「同時進行兩個重大研 究項目實在非常忙碌，但兩者均以我 們的原始發現為基礎 ，都是全球首 創的新藥研發，創造新療法正是這些 項目的魅力所在。」 FEATURE 「我們嘗試為病人提供功能性治癒， 因為要完全治癒 HIV-1 感染非常困難。 根據在猴子實驗所得到的數據，我們認為 可在不提供cART的情況下，長期持續控 制病毒。這將是重大的科研突破， 能為病人帶來真正臨床效益，因為現時 相關的藥物治療有毒性累積的問題。」 陳志偉教授 14
眼科護理新模式 需要眼科治療服務的病人現時在 公立醫院的輪候時間可長達四年，令 患有長期退化性眼疾的病人面對風 險。臨床醫學學院眼科學系系主任兼 大學眼科中心總監梁啟信教授，正領 導一個「策略專題研究」項目（STG）， 期望可將輪候時間縮短至兩個月。 梁教授和團隊將與政府的地區康 健中心合作，借鑒他早前與「奧比斯 香港」携手為公共屋邨居民進行致盲 眼疾篩檢的經驗，運用包括人工智能 的先進造影技術，在中心即場提供快 速準確的眼科檢測。 目前，眼科病人由其他醫生轉介， 再輪候看眼科醫生。在這個項目下， 檢測會在眼科護士和視光師領導下以 簡化服務模式進行，團隊從而判斷甚 麼病人需要於專科門診進行治療，甚 麼可以即場接受屈光矯正、乾眼症護 理及其他簡易療法。 該技術為光學相干斷層掃描診 斷系統，用於檢測致盲疾病，系統利 用人工智能對比致盲疾病的數據， 從而提供診斷。這項五年計劃的第一 年會用於優化技術，目標為達致最少 90 – 95%靈敏度及準確度。 技術優化後會在南區及觀塘的地 區康健中心推出，眼科護士及視光師 即場使用掃描診斷系統，預計為共二 萬名病人進行眼睛檢查。檢測到有嚴 重眼疾的病人會被即時轉介到專科門 診；沒有重大眼疾的病人則由團隊提 供眼部健康教育、驗配新眼鏡、潤滑 劑或其他簡單的矯正方法。 梁教授希望透過這個優化的篩檢 程序，獲轉介的病人預期只需等待約 兩個月即可看到眼科醫生。 這項計劃也包含一項「實用」的臨 床試驗，除為病人提供治療，亦可檢 視計劃在改善現行眼科醫療服務轉介 程序的成效。有別於傳統臨床試驗設 定標準選擇試驗對象，這項試驗對所 有到地區健康中心的參與者進行測試。 參與者將被隨機分配到新服務模式或 現行服務模式。最終所有參與者會由 眼科醫生診斷，以確定掃描診斷系統 在檢測眼睛問題時是否準確可靠。 團隊最後會研究計劃的成本效 益，梁教授表示：「從早前與『奧比斯 香港』合作的經驗 ，可見這個模式可 行――它可以拯救視力，節省金錢。 但我們需要數據建立實證，以便最終 將這個創新而有高成本效益的模式推 廣至全港。」 ←專利技術ROTA清楚 顯示廣泛的視網膜神經 纖維層損失（左圖示）， 而常規眼底照片（右圖） 則未能顯現。 Extensive retinal nerve fibre layer loss detected by patented ROTA (left), unseen in conventional fundus photograph (right). 「眼外傷或視網膜脫落等緊急問題當然 需及早診治，將會優先安排到專科門診 接受診斷。我們現在採用先進的技術， 就能及早清楚了解眼疾問題所在， 為病人適切地提供相應輪候時間。」 梁啟信教授 15 HKUMed News Winter 2024
FEATURE為肝癌患者尋找希望 肝癌是一種致命的疾病，其中肝 細胞癌是最常見的類型，約佔病例的 70-80%，而肝內膽管癌則約佔2030%。臨床醫學學院病理學系的 黃澤蕾教授最近榮獲兩項重要資助 ──國家自然科學基金「國家傑出青 年科學基金項目」及研資局的研究學 者計劃，支持她深入研究脂肪性肝細 胞癌以及肝內膽管癌的發生機制及治 療方法。 黃澤蕾教授表示：「脂肪肝相關 肝癌的發病率有上升趨勢；在中國內 地，有18%的肝癌患者同時感染乙型 肝炎病毒和患上脂肪肝。最新的研究 顯示，與病毒性肝癌相比，脂肪性肝 癌對免疫治療的反應可能較差。」 黃教授獲國家自然科學基金支 持，旨在探討脂質如何影響免疫細胞 功能，這可能對脂肪性肝細胞癌的免 疫治療反應產生潛在影響。這項研究 將有助於開發針對脂肪性肝細胞癌的 創新治療方法。 黃教授指出：「目前肝細胞癌有 近十種一線治療方法，但肝內膽管癌 只有一種，而且效果不佳。」 肝內膽管癌約有13-15%帶 有異檸檬酸脫氫酶（Isocitrate Dehydrogenase，IDH）突變，目前 雖然有一種IDH抑制劑獲美國FDA批 准成為肝內膽管癌的二線治療方法， 但患者卻經常產生抗藥性。 研資局的撥款將支持黃教授研究 肝內膽管癌在治療後的代謝適應性， 並找出可以克服IDH抑制劑抗藥性的 方法，她亦會探討IDH抑制劑如何影 響腫瘤的微環境。 黃教授的團隊致力於基礎研究， 有助促進未來脂肪性肝細胞癌和肝內 膽管癌的臨床試驗，有望開發更多治 療方案。 身兼助理院長（核心平台及拓展） 的黃教授利用單細胞測序、流式細胞 術和影像技術，等尖端技術進行研究。 她說：「醫學院的先進設施對我們的研 究至關重要。我很高興醫學院的研究 人員能夠充分利用這些研究平台。」 黃教授獲得撥款資助的一個重要 使命是培養年輕學者。她積極為團隊 成員提供指導和支持，促進他們學術 的發展。她說：「我希望激發年輕學者 對肝癌研究的熱情。」 黃教授補充：「我很榮幸能夠獲得 國家自然科學基金和研資局的支持， 開展這項重要的研究，希望將來可以 幫助肝癌患者。」 「我們希望目前的工作能為肝癌精準治療 鋪路，針對患有脂肪肝的肝細胞癌患者開 發創新治療方法，同時探索肝內膽管癌 在治療後的代謝適應性，並找出可以克服 IDH抑制劑抗藥性的藥物漏洞。我們希望 能改善肝癌治療的成效。」 黄澤蕾教授 16
為下一次大流行做充分準備 歷史上多次出現冠狀病毒，對人 類健康構成威脅，下一次大流行並非 「如果」、而是「何時」的問題。臨床 醫學學院微生物學系副系主任陳福和 教授希望能努力防止這些威脅，讓全 世界做好充分準備。 陳教授獲研資局轄下的研究學者 計劃（RFS）資助，研究新型冠狀病毒 病主因，即SARS-CoV-2，及其變種 和亞變種的特性；加深了解為何有病 人出現長新冠症狀，及發掘新的廣譜 抗冠狀病毒策略，以應付任何類型和 變種的冠狀病毒。 研究期間，SARS-CoV-2仍在持 續變異，科學界對於病毒如何演化、 不同變種之間的差異、長新冠的成因 及致病機制等問題仍未有明確理解， 但重點是我們需要妥善準備不因病毒 演化而變得過時的治療方法。 陳教授說： 「新型冠狀病毒病流 行初期開發的單株抗體，可中 和 SARS-CoV-2 。病毒一旦變種， 大部分單株抗體就不再有用。我們現 正嘗試開發廣譜、可應付泛冠狀病毒 的治療方法。」 陳教授在新興傳染病研究方面擁 有豐富的經驗。約12年前，他開始研 究中東呼吸綜合症冠狀病毒，開發與 病毒相關的研究模型。他是袁國勇 教授領導的微生物學家團隊成員，團 隊在港大深圳醫院於2012年開幕時 成立了臨床微生物及感染控制科（現 名為感染性疾病醫學部）。2020 年， 團隊為全球首次證實SARS-CoV-2在 人與人之間的傳播。這篇論文被擁有 200年歷史的《刺針》雜誌評為34篇 里程碑級別的論文之一（唯一一篇由 香港學者領導和發表的入選論文）。 陳教授同時擔任醫學院助理院長（環 球拓展），致力提升學院的全球拓展 能力。 陳教授表示，團隊的成功取決於 他們同時注重臨床及基礎科學的專業 知識和視野。這不僅是取得研究佳績 的關鍵，亦對培訓新一代研究員至為 重要，後者更是研究學者獎計劃的核 心部分。 他續說：「學系成功對抗新興傳染 性疾病的基石，是除了擁有資深研究 人員之外，也有年輕研究員的活力與 創新。學系能滙聚來自世界各地的優 秀科研人才，對此我們實在感到非常 興奮。」 香港大學在傳染病學和微生物學 領域被評為全球最佳的大學之一，其 優質研究設施，以及學系整合實驗室 研究及臨床服務的獨特模式，成功吸 引學生入讀，讓他們了解如何齊心協 力為病人服務。 陳教授希望在以上多項因素互相 配合下，能成功研發有效的口服或噴 鼻治療方法，針對所有冠狀病毒的通 用致病機制，減少下一次大流行出現 時的死亡率和發病率，維護民康。 「將來出現任何一種冠狀病毒我們 實在無法估計，但希望能在儲存庫中 準備隨時適用的治療方法，這樣， 相較最近的大流行而言，大家就能 做好更充分的準備。」 陳福和教授 17 HKUMed News Winter 2024
FEATURE發揮研究實力 增聘頂尖人才 全力再創佳績 港大醫學院在醫學研究方面取得 領先世界的卓越成就，一直以來在國 內及全球備受推崇。過去幾年，我們 不少研究人員被科睿唯安（Clarivate） 評選為「最廣獲徵引研究人員」，他們 撰寫的學術著作成功晉身全球被引用 最多首1%的學術文章。這是對我們 所有努力不懈的高產量研究人員所給 予的崇高肯定，他們在各自的研究領 域也展現了重大而廣泛的影響力。學 院現時擁有享譽國際的頂尖科研人 才，定必全力以赴，把科研成果轉化 為應用，令病人受惠。 院長劉澤星教授表示：「我們在 基礎科研方面的雄厚實力顯而易見。 現在，我們期望為香港成為國際創新 科技中心作出貢獻，這目標在國家 《十四五規劃綱要》中明確地提出。最 重要的是，我們竭力在各方面提升實 力，為香港、國家和全世界的病人改 善醫療服務。」 為達成以上使命，港大醫學院正 在積極推展「140 for 140」全球招聘 計劃，旨在於2027年學院成立140 周年之際，招聘140名世界級新學者。 今年夏天，學院歡迎兩位國際知名專 家加盟，分別是Michael Häusser教 授和Khuloud T Al-Jamal教授。兩 人在科學研究方面作出了卓越的貢 獻，不但獲政府的「傑出創科學人計 劃」支持，而在「賽馬會創科實驗室」 計劃下，他們亦各自建立了新的實驗 室（詳見第30-35頁）。 18
Primary Healthcare Roundtable by Professor Dame Carol Black 基層醫療圓桌會議 ――Carol Black 女爵士教授 Hong Kong’s First University-Campus Teaching Community Pharmacy Launched 全港首間校園社區藥房啟用 Professor Dame Carol Black, Doctor of Social Sciences honoris causa of HKU, Chair of the British Library, Chair of the Centre for Ageing Better, and Independent Adviser to the UK Government on the misuse of drugs, returned to the Sassoon Road campus on 4 November 2024 to deliver an inspiring lecture, titled ‘The Healthcare Workforce: Ensuring its Health and Well-being’. She shared valuable insights on the principles underlying a productive and happy workforce across the healthcare sector. The participants also engaged in a fruitful discussion on strategies to better align healthcare education with Hong Kong’s primary healthcare needs, in order to nurture a fit-for-purpose workforce. 港大名譽社會科學博士、大英圖書館董事會主席、英國活齡中心基金會主席 暨政府專家顧問Carol Black女爵士教授於2024年11月4日再次到訪醫學院校園 主持講座，探討如何確保醫護人員的健康與福祉，並分享提升職場幸福感的基本 原則。此外，與會者積極討論如何按照本港基層醫療需求而加強醫療教育的相應 策略，旨在為社會培育適切的醫護專才。 The Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy recently inaugurated the ‘HKUMed Community Pharmacy’, Hong Kong’s first university-campus teaching community pharmacy. The Grand Opening Ceremony on 11 November 2024 attracted over 280 guests. The pharmacy is strategically located in the HKUMed Academic Building on 3 Sassoon Road, adjacent to Queen Mary Hospital. Its aim is to establish a sustainable operation model that combines interprofessional teaching, research and service, while strengthening the role of pharmacists in local primary healthcare. This is also one of the primary healthcare initiatives under the umbrella of HKUMed’s Comprehensive Primary Healthcare Collaboratory (see Page 20). 藥理及藥劑學系設立全港首間位於大學校園的社區藥房 「香港大學社區藥房」，開幕典禮於2024年11月11日順利舉行， 吸引逾280位嘉賓出席。社區藥房座落於港大醫學院沙宣道3號 學術樓，毗鄰瑪麗醫院，銳意建立一個結合跨專業教學、研究和 服務的可持續營運模式，同時加強藥劑師在本地基層醫療中的 角色，是「香港大學綜合基層醫療健康協作平台」的一項核心醫療 發展策略（詳情見第20頁）。 The officiating guests at the grand opening ceremony of the HKUMed Community Pharmacy are (from left) Professor Chak-sing Lau from the HKUMed; Dr Manny Lam Man-chung from the Department of Health; Dr Donald Li Kwok-tung from the Elderly Commission; Dr Libby Lee Ha-yun from the Health Bureau; Dr Pang Fei-chau from the Primary Healthcare Commission; and Professor Ian Wong Chi-kei from HKUMed. 出席香港大學社區藥房開幕典禮的主禮嘉賓包括（左起）港大醫學院劉澤星教授、衞生署 林民聰醫生、安老事務委員會李國棟醫生、醫務衞生局李夏茵醫生、基層醫療署彭飛舟 醫生，及港大醫學院黃志基教授。 HKUMed Community Pharmacy 香港大學社區藥房 19 HKUMed News Winter 2024
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