20 13 THE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG
STATE KEY LABORATORY FOR LIVER RESEARCH SPEECH BY PROFESSOR ROSIE YOUNG AT THE FACULTY GRADUATION 2012
EDITOR’S NOTE
Editor-in-Chief Professor Daniel Chan Tak-mao
Members Professor Godfrey Chan Chi-fung Dr Chan Lap-ki Dr Esther Chan Wai-yin Dr Gilberto Leung Ka-kit Professor Leung Nai-kong Professor John Malcolm Nicholls Professor Nivritti Gajanan Patil Dr Sham Mai-har Professor Agnes Tiwari Fung-yee Professor Zhang Zhang-jin
Student Representatives Miss Chan Ho-yan, MBBS II Mr Keedon Wong, MBBS IV
Publishing Editors Ms Sam Kwong Hoi-ying Miss Tam Wai-yan
Graphic Design Visionguard
Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine 21 Sassoon Road, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Tel: 2819 9175 Fax: 2974 0678 Email: medfac@hku.hk Website: www.med.hku.hk
EDITORIAL BOARD
Faculty Graduation 2012
12 EDUCATION MATTERS Enterprising Endeavours in E-Learning
13 INSIDE THE FACULTY
This edition of Medical Faculty News marks the beginning
of a new year. While we can breathe a sigh of relief that
the double cohort intake proceeded relatively smoothly,
following a lot of preparatory work by Faculty colleagues,
everyone is now getting back into gear to continue their
academic pursuits.
to the treatment and research of liver diseases, and our
Faculty has a group of experts at the forefront of this field.
From our Feature, readers can learn more about the State
Key Laboratory for Liver Research at the Faculty. The Dean’s
Message and the speech by Professor Rosie Young Tse-tse
to the graduates of 2012 in the Spotlight section should be
obligatory reading material for students. They also provide
much food for thought for healthcare professionals,
especially those who are involved in teaching and training.
Readers can find a synopsis of our activities and
achievements in the past year from The Faculty in 2012.
You can also find out from Education Matters about the
development of e-learning at the Faculty.
All in all, this is another very full issue, which I hope
everyone will enjoy reading.
With very best wishes!
Professor Daniel Chan Tak-mao
However, the Patrick Manson Building has remained. It used
to house the Medical Library and has continued to take care
of residential students. There, too, was the big banyan tree.
For as long as I could remember, it had stood guard in front of
the Medical Faculty with its protecting and reassuring canopy.
Adjacent was a flame-of-the-forest tree and close to May
each year, small clusters of bright red flowers would burst and
dot a delicate leafy green1 – so beautiful that the sight would
make your pulse quicken. For me, it did so for another reason.
The flowering would herald the advent of each year’s final
examinations!
Then, on a dark night in July 2012, the rain poured and the
wind howled2. I was aghast to find along the debris-strewn
slope that the banyan had been toppled and savagely uprooted.
A profound sense of loss and gratitude came over me. Here
this stoical and benevolent tree had been a living testimony to
the passage of time and a witness to history. It greeted and
smiled at generations of students going up and down and had
given them comfort, a sense of belonging and identity. To my
immense delight, several months later, the fallen tree having
been nursed back to life sprouted new green leaves. With
many huge branches trimmed, it now looked quite different,
like a slim teenager with a dramatic new hair-cut – cute, short,
MEDICAL FACULTY NEWS 1
The meandering slope unwound and the gradient eased, and
there loomed the Faculty of Medicine. Not so long ago, right
here was the Northcote Teachers’ Training College. Now,
behind its deep turquoise-blue reflective glass walls, the Faculty
stood like a futuristic shrine, housing lecture and research
facilities, beckoning those who wish to learn. Here was a place
where the human mind could feed and roam and where the
quest for biological truth would inexorably unfold.
Further up and across to the left of the slope I surveyed more
teaching and research buildings. I would always have fond and
vivid memories of the time before them. Big brown cows with
big white patches (or if you wish to be difficult – big white cows
with big brown patches) slowly moved in that field. They would
return my gaze with their beautiful, large and yet somewhat sad
eyes. They were the herd of the former Dairy Farm.
Back to the right hand side of the slope was the then Faculty of
Medicine in its entirety. The Li Shu Fan Preclinical Building has
now been replaced by the Hong Kong Jockey Club Building for
Interdisciplinary Research where teams of scientists are working
on exercise physiology, mind-and-body interaction, death
and dying, and promises for the future offered by molecular
genomics and stem cell biology.
Onto Sassoon Road I walked uphill, while dawn was sleeping yet. A curd-like whiteness covered the eastern skies and a tall thin bombax tree awkwardly stood. The trunk was lifting its head to support the opaque dome above and down below sparse hands stretched uncompromisingly outward, like an unshapely giant making an offering. Up and around the turn, the neighbourhood, half hidden behind a mosaic of short bushes, bustled inside. You could almost hear the babble of schoolchildren, annoyed and protesting, answering their parents’ incessant commands.
close and springy. The tree was again there to watch over us as
we passed by. I wondered how many times I had gone up and
down the steep slopes of Sassoon Road. And you?
In Greek mythology, Sisyhus, a wise mortal who cheated Death,
angered the gods. He was punished by being made to push
and roll a rock to the top of a mountain, when, because of its
own weight, it would fall back to the valley below. It would be
ceaseless and futile labour. The gods thought that to be fated
to endless repetition and to toil in vain and meaninglessness
would be the ultimate dreadful punishment3,4.
There have been many philosophical debates and interpretations
of the myth. Sisyphus has been used to symbolise the absurd
hero4; and that having faith in religion, or being conscious
of one’s actions and decisions (but not suicide!) are the only
antidotes to the vision of eternal toil and the absurdity of life.
We probably cannot afford to indulge in these debates but it
would be important to note that myths are constructed from
the happenings of everyday life. In a seemingly unbelievable
way, a myth reflects the elements of reality. For any myth to
endure, it must carry a message that is applicable to you and
me.
Who then might be the Sisyphus amongst us? Are they the
unsung heroes who go to work day after day, squeezing into
and out from the MTR in perpetual circulation? Are they
2 MEDICAL FACULTY NEWS
those who do the endless job of house-keeping, washing and
cooking? Are they not the people who have made our lives
meaningful so that you get to study in this University and so
that we now have microwave machines in our homes and we
can do liver transplants at our Medical Centre?
The world, our existence and the whole of human evolution are
sustained and moved forward by that Sisyphean energy. In your
days with the Faculty of Medicine, did you ever feel that work
was endless, and that you might be rolling a big stone never to
let loose? Each of you had a piece of rock that was uniquely
yours. Each line of those innumerable pages of every book; all
the insufferable minutes of those boring lectures; those spasms
of anxiety, self-doubt and panic that you might never make it.
Then there were those epileptiform eureka moments of sudden
enlightenment when you felt you understood everything; those
awful practical jokes and the laughter and tears; and, oh, all the
friends you have befriended and unfriended. All of those made
up the molecules of that rock and the particles of that mass,
bonded together with all the pains and sorrow that time has
consoled. It was your rock and yours alone. And now you have
completed that Sisyphean task. You pushed again and again,
against all the odds and against all the injustice of the gods and
the feigned condescending sympathy of those around you. You
refused to accept darkness and defeat. You understood that
there could be no shadow without light and no despair without
hope. The flame-of-the-forest tree bloomed and you pushed on.
You showed the world what was meant by commitment,
determination and perseverance. You have graduated. You
cannot begin to understand and realise my happiness and
the pride I have for you. I hail you as you leave Sassoon Road
and bid you farewell with a sense of great joy soaring above
a touch of nostalgic loss. You will find yourself another rock.
And wherever is your next mountain, may cool breeze fan
your sweating brows, birds sing to comfort you, and may you
continue to see beauty in the rock, purpose in the journey and
reward in your toils.
MEDICAL FACULTY NEWS 3
Footnotes 1. The Banyan tree outside the Patrick Manson Building is one of the species in the genus Ficus (Ficus microcarpa). The flame-of-the-forest tree had its origin
in Madagascar and bears the binomial name of Delonix regia. Both trees have been on campus ground for many decades. Professor CY Jim (Department of Geography), The University of Hong Kong, personal communication, 2012.
2. Typhoon Vicente (international designation 1208) hit Hong Kong on July 23, 2012, with winds recorded at 220km/h. The Hong Kong Observatory issued Hurricane Signal No. 10.
3. Merriam-Webster Dictionary (with Encyclopaedia Britannica) online. www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary. 4. Albert Camus. The Myth of Sisyphus; translated from French by Justin O’Brien, Harmondsworth: Penguin Books, 1975. 5. “The moving hand writes, and having written, moved on …” The Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám. Persian mathematician, philosopher, astronomer and poet,
1048-1131.
We now leave the myth and its interpreters at the foot of the
mountain. You and I will rewrite a Sisyphus who will defy the
disdainful fate of pointless and futile labour. Close your eyes
and imagine our Sisyphus. He has his cheek hard pressed
against the rock; his jaws and chin tightened and locked; his
torso bent, arms outstretched and shoulders humped4. You
can see in your mind’s eye how his feet and toes are wedged
into the crevices of the mountain and how his sweat glistens
in the first rays of the morning sun. He gulps deeply and fills
his lungs. His joints creak as every muscle fibril contracts with
his last ounce of energy. And that eternal relentless load of
rock turns, ever so slightly. Slightly and yet irreversibly and
irrevocably, passed the critical pivotal point. The rock now rests
on the peak. Sisyphus smiles and leaves. My young friends, my
colleagues – congratulations!
I finally dragged my tired legs up to Pokfulam Road. The morning sun had fully risen, ablaze in its golden rays. A bus-load of students alighted. Shining
youthful faces and bright laughing chatter now descended downhill onto Sassoon Road. They will be the next generation of Sisyphus. Having written our rendition of the hero, we need to move on5. But my dear young friends, even as we part – you and I must also understand, believe and embrace the expectation that the best version of this living myth is yet to come. It has always been so. And it must be so.
Professor Lee Sum-ping
Dean of Medicine
Research (SKLLR) was established at The University of
Hong Kong in 2010, acting as a testament
to the quality of work being carried out in
this area at the Faculty. The Laboratory’s
goal is to improve preventive, diagnostic
and treatment methods for liver diseases,
which are the leading causes of morbidity
and mortality in Hong Kong and Mainland
China. “Our research into liver diseases
has always been at the international
leading edge in areas such as hepatitis,
liver cancer and liver transplantation,”
Professor Irene Ng Oi-lin,
Director of SKLLR, said.
Laboratories to date. Besides the SKLLR,
the remaining three are on Brain and
Cognitive Sciences (co-managed with
Diseases, both set up in 2005, and
Synthetic Chemistry, established in 2010,
the same year as SKLLR.
FOUNDING OF SKLLR
Ministry of Science and Technology
selecting the best laboratories honoured
with this status. State Key Labs in the
A KEY ROLE IN TACKLING LIVER DISEASES
The University’s State Key Laboratory for Liver Research is setting the pace in China and beyond
for medical breakthroughs and training of researchers to advance prevention and
treatment in this critical health area
Mainland are funded by and receive
administrative support from the central
government. They are seen as highly
significant components of China’s drive
for development through science and
technology. They focus on basic and
applied research, foster top researchers
and act as a catalyst for academic
exchange.
arrangement between Hong Kong’s
Innovation and Technology Commission
opportunity for research centres in Hong
Kong to apply for the designation.
With the ITC and Hong Kong’s Research
Grants Council in charge of applications
in the city, submissions were first sent
overseas for assessment. After a series
of external assessments, interviews, and
site visits to gauge the centre’s quality
and potential, the SKLLR at HKU was
endorsed by the Ministry in 2009 and the
Laboratory was officially established in
June 2010.
hepatitis treatment centre and liver
transplant centre, and also works in
partnership with the State Key Laboratory
of Oncogenes and Related Genes in Shanghai. Currently, SKLLR has
three Deputy Directors, Professor Fan
Sheung-tat, Professor Guan
Xin-yuan, Professor Lai
principal investigators, all of whom are
renowned medical doctors and research
scientists. Postdoctoral fellows, PhD
contribute to the Laboratory’s research
activities.
class research centre for liver diseases
and to train professionals and research
scientists, according to Professor Ng.
The Laboratory also partners with other
State Key Labs and assists research
development in Mainland China. Its
research programme concentrates
transplantation, delivering important
discoveries and boosting understanding
a n d c o l l a b o r a t i o n a m o n g o t h e r
researchers in related fields.
RESEARCH SUCCESS
“ W e h a v e m a d e a n u m b e r o f
breakthroughs in research in recent years.
These include the identification of novel
markers for liver cancer stem cells, and
drugs that can suppress the hepatitis B
virus,” Professor Ng said.
aim of the Lab. Renowned speakers and
principal investigators from Hong Kong
and Shanghai State Key Labs as well as
researchers from overseas are invited
to our yearly open symposium,” she
said. “Tripartite scientific conferences
h a v e a l s o
been held in Shanghai. These have
involved SKLLR, State Key Laboratory of
Oncogenes and Related Genes, and the
Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital
an excellent platform for academic
exchange.”
relationship with the State Key Laboratory
of Oncogenes and Related Genes in
Shanghai, engaging in joint publications
and joint research, among other activities.
In 2011, Professor Wang Hongyang
, Director of the Shanghai State
Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related
Genes, which SKLLR partners, and an
academician of the Chinese Academy
of Engineering, gave a seminar in Hong
Kong entitled “Biomarker & Target of
Liver Cancer” to share her research
findings and facilitate collaboration
between the two centres.
an invitation through the ITC to discuss
Hong Kong’s development with the
then Chief Executive Mr Donald Tsang
Yam-kuen, along with other
distinguished scientists. During the
of SKLLR and its important role in liver
research internationally.
additional resources to sustain SKLLR’s
development,” Professor Ng said. “For
instance, it is a virtual laboratory in the
sense of physical premises.”
most challenging tasks for Professor Ng.
In the first year of establishment, she
participated to lobby the Hong Kong SAR
government and other bodies for funding
and succeeded. “We are very grateful for
the research grant and support received
from the Innovation and Technology
Commission, the University Development
she said.
MEDICAL FACULTY NEWS 5
scientists to ensure ongoing cutting-edge
development in the field. Together with
other members of SKLLR, Professor Ng
has launched two different schemes to
encourage and recognise the work of
researchers, the Young Researcher Career
Development Scheme and the Innovative
Research Fund. The first seeks to support
outstanding young research scientists
research. The second provides a grant to
SKLLR principal investigators to employ
research team members and to purchase
and maintain equipment.
SKLLR, according to Professor Ng. Along
with further knowledge exchange
very much hope to establish a satellite
research centre at the HKU-Shenzhen
Hospital, which can serve as a base for
the HKU SKLLR in the Mainland. This
will surely facilitate and enhance our
research collaboration with our Mainland
partners,” Professor Ng said.
or other places in the Mainland can help
recruit talents of the Mainland to join
our research programmes, and this will
be an excellent way of training research
personnel and knowledge transfer by
SKLLR. In addition, a research base in
the Mainland may facilitate expansion of
research scope.”
the University’s SKLLR to take part in
a major national project in Shanghai,
helping to foster scientific exchange and
deepen collaboration with the Mainland.
“We have established a solid foundation
for SKLLR through its early success. We
now look forward to adding to these
achievements, with further advances in
research and training that will shape the
direction of the field in Hong Kong, the
Mainland, and internationally.”
www.skllr.hku.hk.
MEDICAL FACULTY NEWS 7
I feel proud that the Faculty of Medicine was able to launch the State Key Laboratory for Liver Research (SKLLR) in 2010. Since its establishment, there have been ceaseless activities under the Directorship of Professor Irene Ng Oi-lin. The most encouraging of these are annual scientific symposia which cultivate fertile transfer of knowledge
between top researchers from China and our own researchers – from research students to chair professors. These meetings are always exciting and filled with cutting-edge information. SKLLR has also published a most impressive list of high-impact factor papers. Long may SKLLR last!
Professor Lai Ching-lung Simon K Y Lee Professorship in Gastroenterology Deputy Director, State Key Laboratory for Liver Research Chair Professor of Medicine & Hepatology, Department of Medicine
I am incredibly fortunate to be part of SKLLR. Liver diseases such as hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma are major social
health burdens in our population. SKLLR provides an excellent platform for research collaboration for different liver research expertise based in Hong Kong. With a strong combination of clinicians and basic scientists who share a common goal, we seek to better understand the cause of liver diseases and ultimately devise better regimens for their prevention and treatment. In addition to our pursuit of research excellence, we are eager to nurture budding researchers in basic, translational and clinical sciences who will continue our quest.
Dr Jack Wong Chun-ming Principal Investigator, State Key Laboratory for Liver Research Assistant Professor, Department of Pathology
Through scientific meetings and a yearly symposium, SKLLR plays a unique role in bringing bed-side clinicians and basic scientists together for fruitful interaction. More importantly, SKLLR takes a proactive role in supporting financially promising research projects and personnel, significantly
accelerating the research of liver diseases in Hong Kong. Being a SKLLR principal investigator definitely helps my research through establishing collaborations and interacting closely with distinguished researchers from our sister laboratory in China. I have no doubt on SKLLR’s immense value to liver research in Hong Kong.
Dr Wilson Ching Yick-pang Principal Investigator, State Key Laboratory for Liver Research Assistant Professor, Department of Anatomy
PIONEERING ADVANCES AT THE MEDICAL FRONTIERS
ROAD TO DISCOVERY Major research directions at HKU State Key Laboratory for Liver Research include:
• Delineation of molecular targets for liver cancer and HBV to deepen current understanding and drive new discoveries.
• Diagnostic markers and treatment methods for liver cancer. These include developing new liver cancer biomarkers for
early diagnosis and better prognostic purposes, and increasing choices of treatment methods for patients with liver
cancer.
• Improving clinical outcomes through the development of new technology for liver surgery and transplantation. For HBV
infection, different treatments are being investigated to prolong survival and improve patients’ quality of life.
SPOTLIGHT
8 MEDICAL FACULTY NEWS
I wish to begin by congratulating all of you on your graduation from the Faculty of
Medicine of The University of Hong Kong, and to the MBBS graduates, I welcome you
to the ranks of medical doctors, or physicians as we like to call ourselves. The successful
completion of your undergraduate course, be it medical, nursing or pharmacy, is not a
small feat and certainly not an accidental accomplishment. To gain admission into our
Faculty, you had to engage in keen competition, not only with local students through the
Joint University Programmes Admissions System (JUPAS), but also against applicants from
non-local schools. You have undertaken a long period of study, which has taxed and
tested your physical and intellectual vigour, your endurance and your tolerance. Now
that you have obtained a prestigious degree from a world-renowned university, you will
expect an enviable career in the years to come, with a handsome income, a secure future
and a comfortable home. In due course, you may rise to the top of your profession and
be regarded as a leader by your peers. But life is seldom smooth sailing and I dare say
that a life without challenges is hardly worth living.
The practice of medicine is both an art and a science. The paradigm has shifted more
and more towards science and this is what it should be. New technological innovations
and scientific discoveries have led to more sensitive and precise means of diagnosis
and the development of new drugs that are more effective, more specific and, by and
large, have fewer side effects. The facilities for transplanting organs, the effective
treatment of malignant diseases, the initiation of life in a test tube, the potential for
genetic engineering and the development of advanced life support systems have greatly
increased the efficacy of medicine and the power of doctors over life and death. Even if
the disease is incurable, we can relieve suffering and improve the quality of life. Doctors
therefore find their jobs more gratifying than ever, but also have to face new challenges.
Like many developed countries, Hong Kong faces the problem of an increasing number
of elderly who often require long-term treatment for chronic illnesses. A better
informed and educated public also demand greater variety and higher quality of care
from the medical profession. The availability of sophisticated investigations, potent
and expensive drugs as well as complex operations will escalate the cost of healthcare
delivery. At present, all these may be attained by patients in Hong Kong at minimum
cost through public hospitals or clinics. No matter how affluent a country is and how
sympathetic its government towards supporting healthcare from public revenue, such
expenditure cannot be increased indefinitely. The government and medical profession
SPEECH BY PROFESSOR ROSIE YOUNG TSE-TSE FACULTY GRADUATION AND PRIZE PRESENTATION CEREMONY 2012
Queen Elizabeth Stadium December 10, 2012
MEDICAL FACULTY NEWS 9
must therefore urgently re-examine the present mode of healthcare delivery and devise
a system which is of good quality, cost-effective and affordable.
Because of the rapid expansion of medical knowledge, no doctor can claim that
he is an expert in every field of medicine. This leads to the development of a large
number of specialties and subspecialties, and the practice of medicine tends to be
compartmentalised. While specialisation is necessary to provide patients with the best
possible care, and was the main impetus for establishing the Hong Kong Academy of
Medicine, it should not be at the expense of a holistic approach to patient care. There
must be a healthy balance between the development of specialties on the one hand and
the training of primary care physicians on the other. Whether in the public or private
sector, attempts must be made to integrate the services provided by hospitals, outpatient
clinics, primary care physicians and specialists.
This is not an easy task. It will require an unselfish and innovative approach and the
full cooperation of all parties. However, its success will go a long way to providing
holistic care and continuity of treatment for all patients, and at the same time make
the most effective use of medical manpower. A holistic approach could also provide
more psychological support for patients and build up public confidence in the medical
profession.
Judging from the numerous reports about complaints against doctors in the newspapers,
there appears to be deterioration in the doctor-patient relationship and a decline in
public respect for our profession. No doubt, Hong Kong is not alone in this. Much of
it is due to greater expectations of a more informed public about what doctors can and
should do for them as well as the promulgation of the Patients’ Charter. Patients are
more aware of their rights and realise that they enter into an explicit or implicit contract
with doctors who look after them. As doctors are no longer revered and regarded with
awe, patients will no longer accept their authoritarian statements without question. All
this is a healthy sign of a progressive society. To respond to these expectations, we must
not only treat our patients with due care but also with more patience and courtesy.
I have given you some examples of the major challenges facing you in the 21st century.
Of course this list is not exhaustive. But please don’t be disheartened.
SPOTLIGHT
10 MEDICAL FACULTY NEWS
To cheer you up, I’ll quote a passage from Harrison: “No greater opportunity of
obligation can fall to the lot of a human being than to become a physician. In the care
of the suffering he needs technical skill, scientific knowledge and human understanding.
He who uses these with courage, with humility and with wisdom will
provide a unique service for his fellow men and will build an enduring
edifice of character within himself. The physician should ask of his destiny
no more than this; he should be content with no less.”
While composing this speech, I came across an article from the Royal
College of Physicians of London. In this article, the College reaffirmed the
importance of the ward round, a traditional form of patient care. What
struck me most was the statement: “Nurses provide the hub of patient
care, and their involvement in a daily bedside clinical review is central to
the effectiveness of the ward round.” It reminds me that, in the practice
of medicine today, the medical doctor cannot and should not act alone.
To provide the best possible care to patients, and this is our common
goal, we need a team approach involving doctors, nurses, pharmacists,
physiotherapists and all other healthcare personnel. This is the main reason that our
Medical Faculty has embraced the training of nurses, pharmacists and pharmacologists
in addition to medical doctors.
Fellow graduates and colleagues, your link with the University and the Faculty of
Medicine does not end today when you leave with your diploma. Please remember that
we belong to the same family, bound by the same tradition and experience. We share
the same hopes and concerns. Our fates are intertwined. In the years ahead, you can
always count on the support of the alumni wherever you may be.
Finally, I cannot let this occasion pass without expressing my own appreciation to our
Dean, Professor Lee Sum-ping. I am sure that my view is also shared by you and the
University. Professor Lee rejoined the University in 2008 at a crucial moment in the
development of this Faculty. Under his able leadership, the Faculty has scaled greater
heights in teaching and research. The Faculty has also played a distinguished role in
improving the health of the community in Hong Kong.
Thank you.
FACULTY GRADUATION AND PRIZE PRESENTATION CEREMONY 2012
December 10, 2012, proved an unforgettable day for over 2,000 guests, graduands and their families and friends, who
gathered at Queen Elizabeth Stadium for the Faculty Graduation and Prize Presentation Ceremony. Professor Amy Tsui Bik-
may, Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Teaching & Learning) of The University of Hong Kong, officiated at
the occasion, with Professor Rosie Young Tse-tseas the guest of honour.
At the ceremony, prizes were presented to graduands with outstanding academic achievements. There was also recognition
for staff members’ endeavours in the promotion of good teaching practices and research excellence, with three academics
receiving Faculty Teaching Medals and three groups of academics awarded Faculty Outstanding Research Output Awards.
Professor Young’s speech provided a thought-provoking highlight for all who attended. The atmosphere of the memorable
event was further heightened by the Police Silver Band’s great performance.
Undergraduate Programmes (full-time) Year 1 Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Total
Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery 209 210 170 170 158 134 1,051 Bachelor of Nursing 188 190 204 186 196 N/A 964 Bachelor of Chinese Medicine 25 26 24 16 19 20 130 Bachelor of Pharmacy 25 32 23 24 N/A N/A 104 Bachelor of Biomedical Sciences 20 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 20
Students with excellent HKDSE results were admitted to our Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery programme through the JUPAS scheme. The average score (counting four core and two elective subjects) was the highest among all HKU programmes.
The admission results for the Bachelor of Pharmacy programme and our new Bachelor of Biomedical Sciences programme were also highly satisfactory. The average HKDSE scores of students admitted to both programmes were within the top 10 of all HKU programmes.
Postgraduate Education The Faculty currently offers 20 taught postgraduate programmes. The Faculty successfully admitted 214 Research Postgraduate (RPg) students in 2012 / 13. Two of our new PhD intake have been awarded Hong Kong PhD Fellowships by the Research Grants Council (RGC) and six have been awarded University Postgraduate Fellowships.
One PhD student won the Li Ka Shing Prize. One PhD student and one MPhil student received Outstanding Research Postgraduate Student Awards.
Six RPg students gained admittance to exchange programmes at renowned universities overseas, including Mount Sinai School of Medicine, USA, and the University of Cambridge, UK.
More than HK$0.6 million was allocated to support exchange students and their supervisors. The Faculty launched a Joint PhD Programme with the University of Toronto, Canada, and admitted six students to the HKU / Imperial College London Joint PhD programme in 2012.
Research Grants Research grants awarded to Faculty members totalled over HK$220.7 million.
Number HK$ of Projects (Million)
RGC General Research Fund / Early Career Scheme 59 59 Theme-based Research Scheme 1 65 National Natural Science Foundation of China / RGC Joint Research Scheme 3 3.08 National Natural Science Foundation of China 15 10.45 Research Fund for the Control of Infectious Diseases 23 19.69 Health and Health Services Research Fund 13 8.06 SK Yee Medical Foundation Grants 13 11.7 RGC Collaborative Research Fund 2 8.5 The State Key Laboratory (Funding from Innovative & Technology Fund) - 2 Innovative & Technology Fund 21 12.2 Others 16 21.01
Research Output The Faculty’s refereed research output saw 2,660 items produced in 2011 / 12, accounting for 34% of the University’s total of 7,775 refereed items. Output included important publications in Science, Nature and Nature Genetics.
According to ISI Essential Science Indicators, Faculty members published 152 Highly Cited Papers, which accounted for 43% of the 352 papers from HKU.
Public Education Projects Number
Public lectures / Symposia / Forums 32 Media interviews and press conferences 33 Health programmes on television and radio 51 Regular newspaper columns 100 Media coverage generated 1,623
THE FACULTY IN 2012
THE FACULTY IN 2012
286 1,814 2,269 1,279 Professoriate Staff Honorary Academic Staff Undergraduate Students Postgraduate Students
(as of December 2012)
MEDICAL FACULTY NEWS 11
The Faculty’s first major initiative in e-learning can be traced
back to the SARS outbreak in 2003 when face-to-face classes
were suspended. At that time, teachers delivered lectures
through the web and attempted to conduct problem-
based learning (PBL) through adopting a chat-room style.
Developments in e-learning have been on-going since that time.
The University has recently adopted Moodle (Modular Object-
Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment) as the learning
management system. One basic function of Moodle is to deliver
course materials through the internet. The Moodle site also
has a question and answer forum so that learning can continue
beyond the classroom. There are many other possibilities, with
new modules being developed in pathology, medicine, and
language learning, among others.
cases have been presented on paper. Now video cases have
been produced, offering more authentic representations of the
problems that students are being trained to solve, an advance
greatly welcomed by both teachers and students.
The Faculty has developed an MBBS curriculum map to help
teachers to make more efficient and effective use of contact
time. The curriculum map captures information about all
formal teaching and learning activities in the programme (for
example, title of course, learning outcomes, teachers involved)
and presents the data via an easy-to-use and searchable web
interface. This enables a teacher to find out what students
have learned before they come to his or her lecture, and to plan
appropriate content.
targeting medical educators from all over the world, to adopt
the same educational principles that it is promoting.
EDUCATION MATTERS
Online certificate course for teachers in medical and health sciences.
Curriculum map showing teaching and learning activities in a single block.
A Moodle module on how to interpret chest x-rays. Screen capture from a video trigger used for problem-based learning.
INSIDE THE FACULTY
NOVEMBER 8, 2012
OCTOBER 19, 2012
Esophageal Surgery Distinguished Lecture
In the latest of the Department of Surgery’s Distinguished Lecture series, Professor Simon Law Ying-kit, Cheung Kung-Hai Professor in Gastrointestinal Surgery, Clinical Professor of the Department of Surgery, spoke on “A Century of Esophageal Surgery – Challenge, Progress, and Culinary Delights” on October 19, 2012.
Professor Law dedicated his lecture to Professor Ong Guan-bee, Professor Hiroshi Akiyama and pioneers of esophageal surgery. The well-received talk drew an audience of more than 300. The lecture was followed by a dinner in honour of Professor Law, with an after-dinner speech by Professor David Wong Sai-hung, Head of the Department of Ophthalmology.
A video and photographs taken at the event are now available on the Department’s website at www.surgery.hku.hk/DL2012/. The Department’s popular lecture series has been running since 2001.
Reception for Dr Cheng Yu-tung Fellows 2012 / 13
The 2012 / 13 Reception for Dr Cheng Yu-tung Fellows took place on November 8, 2012, with Mr Peter Cheng Kar-shing , son of Dr Cheng Yu-tung, attending the
event.
The 16 Fellows admitted this year thanked Dr Cheng for his generosity and support for the Fellowship scheme, which had enabled them to take up
valuable training opportunities at the Faculty. The scheme supports up to 18 Mainland Fellows annually in undertaking clinical attachment, management and research training in the relevant Faculty departments.
At the reception, Mr Cheng encouraged the Fellows to make the best use of their learning opportunities, and to transfer the knowledge acquired at HKU back to their home institutions. Dr Wan Haixia , a Fellow in 2007 / 08 who went on
to become a PhD student after completing her Fellowship training, also shared her experiences.
MEDICAL FACULTY NEWS 13
Information Day Draws Potential Undergraduates
A record number of visitors toured the HKU Medical Campus during the Information Day for Undergraduate Admissions on November 10, 2012. The event drew around 7,500 people. Activities included admission talks, guided tours, clinical skills demonstrations, as well as poster displays showcasing the history and excellence of the Faculty and its leading role in medical education and research in Hong Kong. Over 250 student ambassadors helped to receive visitors and provided insight on their learning experiences and campus life at HKU.
Over 1,000 Attend International Cancer Congress
The 19th Hong Kong International Cancer Congress was held from November 8 – 9, 2012, with “Translating Innovative Research to Effective Treatment” as the theme. During the congress, 14 sessions were held on topics covering liver irradiation, family medicine, targeted therapy, gynaecology, medical oncology and psycho-social oncology. 13 renowned overseas scientists and 20 leading local practitioners delivered lectures. The event attracted over 1,100 participants.
Four Young Investigator Awards were presented to recognise outstanding research work: Dr Helen Chan Yue-lai, the Nethersole School of Nursing, The Chinese University of Hong Kong; Mr Ken Lee Yin-tak, Department of Physiotherapy, Tuen Mun Hospital; Ms Tong Man, Department of Clinical Oncology, HKU; and Dr Wallace Yip Chi-wai, Department of Surgery, HKU.
Four Poster Prizes were also awarded to: Mr Chen Zhipeng, Jinan University; Miss Marie Kwok Nga-ting , Department of Community
Medicine, HKU; Professor Lim Joo- han, Inha University, Korea; and Miss Alissa Wong, Department of Clinical Oncology, HKU.
MEDICAL FACULTY NEWS 15
Dean Gives Medical Humanities Guest Lecture
Professor Lee Sum-ping, Dean of Medicine, gave a presentation entitled “Whither Humanities” on November 16, 2012 to a packed auditorium of medical students as part of the Conversation and Connections lecture series in the medical humanities core curriculum.
Professor Lee’s lecture examined what it means to be human and the nature of human existence from both Eastern and Western perspectives. He reminded the audience that doctors should inquire and deeply reflect on who they are as human beings and on the nature of their profession for the well-being of patients and themselves.
During the Q&A session, students were enthusiastic about the sustainability of the medical humanities programme, its availability to current senior medical students and early clinical contact with patients.
Previous speakers in the lecture series have included Professor Chow Shew-pingand Professor Yuen Kwok-yung, who delivered thought-provoking sessions in 2012. Professor Felice Lieh-Mak and Professor Gabriel Matthew Leungwill participate on February 1 and 18, 2013, respectively.
NOVEMBER 13 – 14, 2012
Exploring New Ways of HIV Prevention
On November 13 – 14, 2012, the HKU AIDS Institute successfully hosted the first Hong Kong Symposium on HIV / AIDS, in collaboration with the Hong Kong AIDS Foundation and with the endorsement of the Faculty and the Hong Kong government’s Advisory Council on AIDS.
The symposium provided a timely response to the record number of HIV infections in Hong Kong recently. Over 200 people attended, among them scientists, physicians, nurses, students, government officers and AIDS activists from various non-government organisations in Hong Kong and Mainland China.
Dr Leong Che-hung, Chairman of Hong Kong University Counc i l and Hong Kong A IDS Foundation, Professor Lee Sum-ping ), Dean of Medicine, and Dr Susan Fan Yun-sun, Chairperson of the
Advisory Council on AIDS, gave the opening remarks and welcomed guests.
The keynote speech, “Passive Immunisation for HIV Prevention” was delivered by the Honorary Director of the HKU AIDS Institute, Professor David Ho Da-I, Scientific Director and Chief Executive Officer, Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center, Rockefeller University. Guest speakers included Professor Robert Schooley, Professor George Shaw and Professor Zhang Linqi also shared their latest discoveries on HIV prevention and treatment.
INSIDE THE FACULTY
Asian Experts Gather for Diabetic Limb Conference
The 9th Asia Pacific Conference on Diabetic Limb Problems took place from November 23 – 25, 2012, with experts from various Asia Pacific countries gathering to exchange views on “Strategic Management of Diabetic Foot Care”. The plenary speakers were Professor Sadanori Akita, Nagasaki University, Japan; Professor Aziz Nather, National University of Singapore; and Dr Emiliano Tablante, St Luke’s Medical Center, Quezon City, Philippines.
The first two days focused on clinical aspects of ulcer management, including various types of debridement, revascularisation, offloading callosities, and combating infections. On the final day, new approaches to treat chronic wounds, such as stem cells and growth factors, were introduced. About 150 people from different medical fields, including orthopaedic surgery, nursing, podiatry, prosthetics and orthotics, attended the informative event.
NOVEMBER 26 – 27, 2012
From Embryology to Disease Mechanisms Symposium
The Department of Biochemistry co-hosted the From Embryology to Disease Mechanisms Symposium with the Hong Kong Society for Developmental Biology from November 26 – 27, 2012, to honour the immense contributions of Professor Patrick Tam Ping-leung , Fellow of the Royal Society, Distinguished Visiting
Professor of the University, in the field of developmental biology.
22 overseas experts spoke at the event to more than 140 developmental biologists, clinicians, geneticists, biomedical engineers and molecular cell biologists at all career levels from over 13 countries. Over 70 posters were also presented on a wide range of developmental biology topics.
MEDICAL FACULTY NEWS 17
Frontiers in Biomedical Research, HKU 2012
The Faculty’s annual research symposium, Frontiers in Biomedical Research, took place on December 14, 2012, with the focus on the Faculty’s strategic research areas. These are: cancer; heart, brain, hormone and healthy ageing; infection and immunology; public health; reproduction, development and growth; and the emerging fields of stem cell and genomics.
12 distinguished international keynote speakers, together with five Best Research Output and Outstanding Young Researcher awardees and 10 local experts from HKU presented their latest research discoveries. The symposium was well received, attracting over 900 participants.
DECEMBER 1 – 2, 2012
Spotlight on Traditional Chinese Medicine
T h e 7 t h P o n g D i n g Yu e n Internat ional Symposium on Traditional Chinese Medicine cum the 10th Anniversary of the Full- time Bachelor of Chinese Medicine programme was organised by the School of Chinese Medicine, HKU, from December 1 – 2, 2012. The event took place at the Faculty’s
Cheung Kung Hai Conference Centre, successfully attracting more than 400 from the field of Chinese medicine.
Officiating guests included Professor Lap-Chee Tsui, Vice- Chancellor of HKU, Mr Wang Guoqiang, Vice-Minister of the Ministry of Health and Commissioner of the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine of the PRC, Dr Ko Wing-man, Secretary for Food and Health of the Government of the HKSAR, as well as other guests of honour from Hong Kong, Mainland China and overseas.
NEXT GENERATION
APPLAUSE Mr Liu Wenlong) and Mr Wang
Ting, PhD candidates, Department
of Orthopaedics & Traumatology, received the
Outstanding Thesis Award at the Secondary
“Tai Shan Cup” China Orthopaedic Science
and Technologies Innovation Forum for
Young People in September 2012.
Miss Joanne Ng Yui-wing,
M B B S I V, re c e i v e d t h e B e s t P o s t e r
Presentation Award at the Third Hong
Kong-United Kingdom (HK – UK) Joint
International Conference in December 2012.
Mr Qiu Yiyan, PhD candidate,
D e p a r t m e n t o f O r t h o p a e d i c s &
Traumatology, was awarded the Best Basic
Science Paper by an Associate Member at
the Hong Kong Orthopaedic Association
32nd Annual Congress in November 2012.
The Fan Pui Lunchtime Programme on October
22, 2012, featured actor Wayne Lai Yiu-cheung
, who shared the ups and downs of his career,
as well as his attitude towards success and failure, with over 400 students and staff
members. All attending were enthralled by the performer’s humorous, thought-
provoking presentation, which interspersed his approach to acting with his philosophy
of life. His motto, “”, also encouraged the audience to be diligent in pursuit
of a fulfilling life.
The theme of the 26th Health Exhibition was “Cancer Care”,
with the event taking place at Paradise Mall in Heng Fa Chuen
from November 3 – 4 and Kowloon Park from December 1 – 2.
The focus was the top 10 cancers in Hong Kong, in particular
risk factors, prevention, and common misconceptions. The
exhibition included display boards, information booklets,
souvenirs, and basic health checks (one of the most popular
activities) carried out by students.
Coinciding with the Faculty’s 125th Anniversary, the exhibition
reaffirmed the Faculty’s twin pledges of academic excellence
and care for our community. Faculty professors and doctors
gave health talks while patient volunteers from the Hong
Kong Cancer Fund spoke about living with cancer. Numerous
questions were raised by members of the public, indicating the
interest that the presentations
and displays had generated,
and boosting awareness of
the importance of seeking medical attention early.
While the annual Health Exhibition is an outreach activity, it is
also very much an educational event for students, with both
the Organising Committee and student volunteers greatly
benefitting from this hands-on learning experience. The
Organising Committee would like to thank all who contributed
to making the 2012 exhibition a success, including the Dean of
Medicine Professor Lee Sum-ping, Faculty Mentor
Professor George Tsao Sai-wah, Faculty professors
and doctors who offered help to the event, as well as the
Faculty Office.
1st Runner-Up
Department of Microbiology
Department of Anatomy
Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology
The annual Buddy Lunch gatherings took place on September
27 and October 4, 2012, bringing together hundreds of the
Faculty’s year one students from different curricula and reuniting
them with friends made during the Student Orientation
Programme. At the lunches, senior and incoming students
were able to interact with one another in a relaxed setting,
with advice and support provided for newcomers in adapting to
university life.
and 183 provided poster presentations at the 17th Research
Postgraduate Symposium. The event, held from December 12 –
13, 2012, featured six renowned overseas and Mainland academics
and 15 Faculty members who served as chairpersons / adjudicators /
moderators at the various sessions during the symposium.
Congratulations to Ms Emily Wong Hoi-man (), PhD
candidate, Department of Psychiatry, who won the Best Presentation
Award. Congratulations also go to the following runners-up of the
Plenary Session and awardees of the Best Poster Presentations.
17TH RESEARCH POSTGRADUATE SYMPOSIUM
MEDICAL FACULTY NEWS 19
MEDIC FESTIVAL 2012 The annual Medic Festival was held from October 26 –
November 8, 2012, with a colourful line-up of programmes
organised around the theme of “Carpe Diem” (“Seize the Day”).
Activities included an exciting Halloween celebration, a fun
pyjama party, and a nostalgic carnival that brought back carefree
secondary school days.
wonderful performance by
drawing the Festival to a
memorable close.
Dr Gilberto Leung Ka-kit, PhD candidate, Department of Anatomy
Mr Liang Qingning, PhD candidate, Department of Medicine
Miss Liu Aijia, MPhil candidate, Department of Surgery
Miss Jasmine Yung Sum-yee, PhD candidate, Department of Surgery
Mr Ho Ting-hin, MPhil candidate, Department of Biochemistry
Mr Zhang Yu, PhD candidate, Department of Microbiology
Mr Hung Hung-bun, PhD candidate, School of Chinese Medicine
Mr Kelvin Lam Ki-fung, PhD candidate, Department of Community Medicine
PLENARY SESSION RUNNERS-UP
CLASS OF 1957 55th Anniversary Dinner on November 17, 2012.
CLASS OF 1967
CLASS OF 1971
CLASS OF 1982
CLASS OF 1977
CLASS OF 1997
41st Anniversary Reunion Dinner on November 4, 2012.
30th Anniversary Reunion Dinner on June 23, 2012.
35th Anniversary Dinner on December 14, 2012.
15th Anniversary Reunion Dinner on November 10, 2012.
REGISTER NOW FOR SPRING DINNER CELEBRATION With the Year of the Snake just around the corner, HKUMAA invites fellow alumni and friends to join our annual Spring Dinner
on February 22, 2013, at Yixin Restaurant. For details and registration, visit www.med.hku.hk/alumni/.
MEDICAL FACULTY NEWS 21
BAND SHOW BRINGS TOGETHER YOUNGER ALUMNI Since 2010, HKUMAA has been organising gatherings to help
younger alumni meet each other. In line with this, the first
Band Show was arranged on October 13, 2012, drawing over
80 alumni and friends to a western-style restaurant in Central
for a happy and relaxing afternoon. Performers included
a HKU medical alumni a cappella group and bands, a HKU
medical student band, a HKU student a cappella group, and
CONGRATULATIONS Dr York Chow Yat-ngok(MBBS
1971) was conferred Honorary Fellow of HKU in
September 2012 in recognition of his contributions
to the University and the community.
a loca l band, wi th
music ranging from
pop to jazz. Music-
lover Dr York Chow Yat-ngok, former Secretary for Food and Health, was also invited to join
the occasion. The event proved a great way to hear some good
music and meet new people.
PROGRAMME SUB-COMMITTEE 2012 – 2014
Dr Aziz Kam Ka-wai(MBBS 2010)
Dr Kevin Lau Chung-hang(MBBS 2005)
Dr Emmy Li Yuen-mei(MBBS 2004)
Dr Sammy Ng Ping-sum(MBBS 1995)
Dr Kathleen So Pik-han(MBBS 1971)
Dr Janice Tsang Wing-hang(MBBS 1999)
Dr Tsui Sik-hon(MBBS 1990)
Dr Victor Yeung Hip-wo(MBBS 2006)
MEMBERSHIP SUB-COMMITTEE 2012 – 2014
Dr Sammy Ng Ping-sum(MBBS 1995)
Dr Michael To Kai-tsun(MBBS 1999)
22 MEDICAL FACULTY NEWS
the Department of Pathology as an Assistant
Professor in December 2012. She graduated
from The University of Hong Kong (HKU) with
a Bachelor degree in Science in 1989, then
she obtained her Doctor of Philosophy in
Molecular Immunology from the Oxford University in 1998. Her
research interests include innate receptors in infectious diseases
and autoimmunity; T cell and dendritic cell immunology.
Dr Chan Wai-chi jo ined the
Department of Psychiatry as a Cl inical
Associate Professor in November 2012. He
obtained his medical degree from The Chinese
University of Hong Kong (CUHK) in 1991, and
Master degree in International Mental Health
from the University of Melbourne in 2004. In 2005, he received
International Clinical, Operational, and Health Services Research
and Training Award to study social psychiatry in Harvard Medical
School. Prior to joining HKU, Dr Chan was a Senior Medical
Officer at Hospital Authority, and was seconded to Food and
Health Bureau as an Associate Consultant in 2007 – 2008. His
research interests include dementia, late-life depression, and
psychiatric epidemiology.
D r P a t s y C h a u P u i - h i n g joined the School of Nursing as an Assistant
Professor in September 2012. Dr Chau
obtained her Bachelor degree and PhD
in statistics from HKU in 2000 and 2005
respectively, and completed her postdoctoral
fellowship at the School of Public Health, CUHK. She then
returned to HKU as a Research Assistant Professor for the
“CADENZA: A Jockey Club Initiative for Seniors” Project. Prior
to joining the academia, Dr Chau worked in the Census and
Statistics Department of the Hong Kong SAR government. Her
current research interests include biostatistics, gerontology,
epidemiology, and public health.
D r J a s o n C h e u n g P u i - y i n joined the Department of Orthopaedics &
Traumatology as a Clinical Assistant Professor
in November 2012. He obtained his medical
degree and Master of Medical Sciences
from HKU in 2007 and 2012 respectively.
After obtaining his medical degree, he received training in
Orthopaedics at Queen Mary Hospital. His research interests
include degenerative spine conditions, spinal deformity and
orthopaedic infections.
the Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology
as a Clinical Associate Professor in September
2012. Dr Li obtained his medical degree and
Master in Medical Sciences from HKU in 1997
and 2000 respectively. He joined Queen Mary
Hospital in 2007 where he received his subspecialty training in
reproductive medicine. His main clinical and research interests are
in reproductive endocrinology, subfertility and family planning.
Dr Tiffany Wong Cho-lam joined the Department of Surgery as a Clinical
Assistant Professor in October 2012. She
currently works at the Division of Hepatobiliary
& Pancreatic Surgery and Liver Transplantation.
Dr Wong obtained her medical degree and
Postgraduate Diploma in Epidemiology & Biostatistics from
CUHK in 2005 and 2010 respectively. Her current research
interests include management of hepatobiliary malignancy and
liver transplantation.
Department of Orthopaedics & Traumatology
training at Kwong Wah Hospital. In 2008, he
obtained his fellowship and continued his subspecialty training
at Kwong Wah hospital and Caritas medical centre. He received
overseas training in Sendai, Japan in 2009. His subspecialty
interest is spine surgery. Apart from being a Clinical Assistant
Professor at Queen Mary Hospital, he also works as a honorary
staff at the HKU-Shenzhen Hospital.
Dr Esther Yu Yee-takjoined the
Department of Family Medicine & Primary Care
as a Clinical Assistant Professor in November
2012. Dr Yu obtained her medical degree
from HKU in 2006, and was conferred the
Fellowship of the Hong Kong College of Family
Physicians in June 2012. Her current research interests include
chronic disease management in primary care and professional
development of family medicine in Hong Kong.
HKU-SHENZHEN HOSPITAL
Hospital as a Consultant in September 2012.
Dr Yuen Wai-key ( , joined the HKU-Shenzhen Hospital
as a Consultant in November 2012.
HELLO
10,000,000 or above
SK Yee Medical Foundation In support of the establishment of the SK Yee Medical Foundation Medical Research Fund
1,000,000 or above
The Hong Kong Hereditary Breast Cancer Family Registry Limited In support of the High Risk Breast Cancer Programme undertaken by the Department of Surgery
Koon Wah Mirror Group In support of the research activities undertaken by Professor Lai Ching-lung, Department of Medicine
Li Ka Shing Foundation In support of the collaborative research programme between the State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases and the International Institute of Infection and Immunity at Shantou University Medical College undertaken by Professor Guan Yi, School of Public Health
Mrs So Chau Yim-ping In support of the establishment of the Medical Faculty Training Fund for Nurses, Allied Health Technologists and Administrative Personnel of the HKU-Shenzhen Hospital
Staff of the Department of Surgery In support of academic and clinical activities undertaken by the Department of Surgery
Sun Chieh Yeh Heart Foundation In support of the research activities in cardiovascular and healthy aging undertaken by the Research Centre of Heart, Brain, Hormone & Healthy Aging
Professor Grace Tang Wai-king In support of the establishment of Medical Faculty Clinical Fellowship Scheme for the training of clinical staff of the HKU-Shenzhen Hospital and the Faculty
Mr & Mrs Oliver Joaning Wong In support of a core facility, iScan, for genotyping, methylation and expression profiling at the Centre for Genomic Sciences, for genome research undertaken by Professor Karen Lam Siu-ling, Professor Tse Hung-fat, Professor Sham Pak-chung, and other investigators
500,000 or above
Dr Ellen Li Charitable Foundation In support of the collaborative research on breast cancer genetics with the High Risk Breast Cancer Programme and the Hong Kong Hereditary Breast Cancer Family Registry undertaken by the Division of Breast Surgery, Department of Surgery
Ms Jennifer Hodgson In support of the establishment of the AR Hodgson Visiting Professorship in Orthopaedics & Traumatology
The Hong Kong Hereditary Breast Cancer Family Registry Limited In support of collaborative research on breast cancer genetics with the High Risk Breast Cancer Programme and the Hong Kong Hereditary Breast Cancer Family Registry undertaken by the Division of Breast Surgery, Department of Surgery
Mr Lam Yee-ming In support of the research in Hepatology undertaken by Professor Yuen Man-fung, Department of Medicine
The Shun Tak District Min Yuen Tong of Hong Kong In support of the research on lung cancer undertaken by the Department of Medicine
100,000 or above
Astellas Pharma Hong Kong Co Ltd In support of the investigator-driven clinical research on urological disease undertaken by Dr Yiu Ming-kwong, Department of Surgery
Dr Karen Chan Kar-loen In support of the research studies into female cancers undertaken by the Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology
Dr Fan Yiu-wah In support of the research activities in neurosurgery undertaken by the Department of Surgery
Dr Fung Ching-fai In support of the research activities in neurosurgery undertaken by the Department of Surgery
Mr Fung Pak-kiu In support of the research project undertaken by Dr Chen Jianping, School of Chinese Medicine
Professor Ho Pak-chung In support of the research studies into reproductive medicine undertaken by the Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology
Mr Hung Tin-shong In support of the research activities in vascular surgery undertaken by the Department of Surgery
La Societe Internationale de Chirurgie Orthopedique et de Traumatologie (SICOT) In support of the development of orthopaedic education by the Department of Orthopaedics & Traumatology
Professor Hextan Ngan Yuen-sheung In support of the research studies into female cancers undertaken by the Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology
Oriental International Health Products Co Ltd In support of the research project undertaken by Dr Chen Jianping, School of Chinese Medicine
The Shun Tak District Min Yuen Tong of Hong Kong In support of the research activities undertaken by Professor Lau Chak-sing, Department of Medicine
The Society for the Relief of Disabled Children In support of the Clinical Research Fellowship Programme in Spinal Surgery and Paediatric Orthopaedics, Department of Orthopaedics & Traumatology
Mr Tsang Wing-wah In support of the research study entitled “Hong Kong Paediatric Continence Study” undertaken by Dr Lawrence Lan Chuen-leung, Department of Surgery
Mr Kevin Tsui Kam-chuen In support of the research project undertaken by Dr Chen Jianping, School of Chinese Medicine
Mr & Mrs Oliver Joaning Wong In support of the educational activities of the Research Centre of Heart, Brain, Hormone & Healthy Aging
Yuet Fat Paper Products Fty Ltd In support of the development of paediatric urology in the Division of Paediatric Surgery, Department of Surgery
* In alphabetical order of last name or organisation name
GOODBYE
We would like to express our gratitude and best wishes to
the following staff member who has left / will be leaving the
Faculty:
RETIREMENT The Faulty would like to thank Professor Nivritti Gajanan
Patil of the Department of Surgery for his dedication
and distinguished contributions to the Faculty. We wish him all
the best for his future endeavours.
24 MEDICAL FACULTY NEWS
Department of Physiology, has been appointed Head of the
Department of Physiology for three years from November 1,
2012.
the Department of Psychiatry, has been appointed Head of the
Department of Psychiatry for three years from January 1, 2013.
Professor Kenneth Cheung Man-chee, Clinical
Professor of the Department of Orthopaedics & Traumatology,
has been appointed Head of the Department of Orthopaedics &
Traumatology for three years from December 1, 2012.
Professor David Wong Sai-hung, Clinical Professor
of the Department of Ophthalmology, has been appointed
Head of the Department of Ophthalmology for three years from
December 1, 2012.
Professor of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, has
been promoted to Clinical Professor.
Professor Jacobus Ng Kwok-fu, Clinical Associate
Professor of the Department of Anaesthesiology, has been
promoted to Clinical Professor.
of the School of Chinese Medicine, has been promoted to
Professor.
of the School of Chinese Medicine, has been promoted to
Professor.
to Associate Professor.
of the Department of Medicine, has been promoted to Clinical
Associate Professor.
Professor, Department of Pathology, has been promoted to
Assistant Professor, Department of Clinical Oncology.
ACHIEVEMENTS & AWARDS
were given the following awards at the Hong Kong Orthopaedic
Association 32nd Annual Congress held in November 2012:
• the paper entitled “Developmental spinal stenosis in the
Chinese population: presence in patients and redefining
critical values on MRI” by Dr Jason Cheung Pui-yin , has been awarded Arthur Yau Award;
• the paper entitled “Silver nanoparticles boost collagen
maturation in Achilles tendon regeneration” by Dr Michael
To Kai-tsunhas been awarded Orthopaedic Basic
Science Award;
patient specific instrument with conventional instrument
and computer navigation in total knee arthroplasty” by
Dr Yan Chun-hoi, Dr Ng Fu-yuen,
Dr Christian Fang Xinshuo) and Dr Chan Ping-
keunghas been awarded the AR Hodgson
Award for Best Clinical Paper and Dr David Fang Trophy.
Dr Yan Chun-hoi, Mr Qiu Yiyan,
Professor William Lu Weijiaand Professor
Peter Ch iu Kwong-yuenwere awarded
SICOT / CCJR Meeting Awards at the Annual International
Conference organised by La Societe Internationale de Chirurgie
Orthopedique et de Traumatologie in November 2012.
MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS
To keep the Hong Kong community informed of the latest developments in health-related issues, and to encourage a healthy lifestyle,
the Faculty produces regular radio programmes and health columns in local newspapers. Newspaper columns include the Oriental
Daily News(Sundays) and am730, (Mondays). Please visit our Knowledge Exchange – Engaging the Community section at www.med.hku.hk to find
out more.
The Faculty also supervised the medical students in organising health exhibition and a series of health advocacy projects which are
the student learning activity of the problem-based Public Health module in the MBBS curriculum offered by the Department of
Community Medicine. Within the reported period, seven press releases were issued on various topics such as cancer prevention, bone
marrow donation, safe cycling, mental health, healthy diet and First Aid skills which generated many positive media coverage.
Recent Faculty press events were as follows:
September
11 HKU identifies genetic variation that explains
and predicts Thyrotoxic Periodic Paralysis (TPP)
24 HKU and Queen Mary Hospital hematologists
launch the first unified protocols in Hong Kong for blood cancers and diseases
3 HKU announces the cohort study result of the
“FAMILY Project” (A Jockey Club Initiative for a Harmonious Society) in relation to family harmony and hypertension control
+
13 HKU study on the impact of cessation of
complimentary infant formula in public hospitals on the duration and exclusivity of breastfeeding

20 HKU study on stem cell and aging reveals anti-
aging genetic mechanism
29 HKU finds the relationship between atrial
fibrillation and stroke in Chinese population
28 HKU introduces a project to help children with
special needs in Hong Kong
FEBRUARY Information Day for Taught Postgraduate Programmes February 23, 2013 Venue Seminar Room 5, LG1/F, Laboratory Block, 21 Sassoon Road, Pokfulam Information Ms Cindy Koon, School of Public Health T: 2819 9923 F: 2855 9528 E: ckoon@hku.hk
Jockey Club Early Psychosis Project (JCEP): Library Talk on Early Psychosis 2013 February 23, 2013 Venue Quarry Bay Public Library, 4 – 5/F, Quarry Bay Municipal Services Building, 38 Quarry Bay Street, Quarry Bay March 17, 2013 Venue Tuen Mun Public Library, 1 Tuen Hi Road, Tuen Mun April 13, 2013 Venue Lai Chi Kok Public Library, G/F – 1/F, 19 Lai Wan Road, Lai Chi Kok May 19, 2013 Venue Fanling Public Library, 2/F, 9 Wo Mun Street, Fanling Information Secretary, JCEP T: 9167 4644 / 5130 1710 W: www.jcep.hk
MARCH The Croucher Foundation Advanced Study Institute on “Stem Cells: Niches, Regeneration & Repair” March 4 – 8, 2013 Venue The Hong Kong Academy of Medicine, HKAM Jockey Club Building, 99 Wong Chuk Hang Road, Aberdeen Information Ms Irene Poon, Department of Biochemistry T: 2819 9240 F: 2855 1254 E: biochem@hku.hk W: www.hku.hk/biochem
Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) Student Course March 8 – 10, April 12 – 14, May 10 – 12, 2013 Venue Surgical Skills Centre, Department of Surgery, 10/F, Laboratory Block, 21 Sassoon Road, Pokfulam Information Course Administrator, Department of Surgery T: 2819 9691 / 2819 9692 F: 2818 9249 E: hkussc@hku.hk W: www.surgery.hku.hk/atls.php
Explore the World of Medicine: Public Lecture Series 2013 2013 Topics Advancement of Stem Cell Therapy March 9, 2013 Caring for Our Next Generation: Knowledge for Parenting April 13, 2013 New Understanding of Brain Function and Overcoming Parkinson’s Disease May 4, 2013
Venue Lecture Theatre, Hong Kong Central Library, Causeway Bay Information T: 2819 9994 F: 2974 0678 E: medfac@hku.hk W: www.med.hku.hk/publiclecture
Update Certificate Course in Nephrology March 9 – 10, 2013 Venue Lecture Theater 1, Cheung Kung Hai Conference Center, G/F, William MW Mong Block, 21 Sassoon Road, Pokfulam Information Executive Officer, Department of Medicine T: 2255 4607 Fax: 2816 2863 E: medinfo@hku.hk W: www.medic.hku.hk/postdip_certcourse.htm
8th International Symposium on Health Aging “How to Age with Fitness” March 9 – 10, 2013 Venue The Ballroom, 3/F, Sheraton Hong Kong Hotel & Towers, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon Information Ms Phoebe Chow, Research Centre of Heart, Brain, Hormone & Healthy Aging T: 2819 9866 F: 2816 5258 E: hbha@hku.hk W: www.med.hku.hk/hbha/isha2013/
APRIL International Symposium on Social Entrepreneurship for Health April 2013 Venue Run Run Shaw Tower, Centennial Campus, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Information Dr Robert Peckham, Centre for the Humanities and Medicine T: 3917 7048 F: 2546 7477 E: rpeckham@hku.hk W: www.chm.hku.hk
Advanced Trauma Care for Nurses (ATCN) Provider Course April 12 – 13, 2013 Venue Surgical Skills Centre, Department of Surgery, 10/F, Laboratory Block, 21 Sassoon Road, Pokfulam Information Course Administrator, Department of Surgery T: 2819 9691 / 2819 9692 F: 2818 9249 E: hkussc@hku.hk W: www.surgery.hku.hk/atcn.php
HKU – Pasteur Cell Biology Course April 14 – 26, 2013 Venue 1/F, Dexter HC Man Building, 8 Sassoon Road, Pokfulam Information Ms Anne Li, HKU – Pasteur Research Pole T: 2816 8403 F: 2872 5782 E: anneli@hku.hk W: www.hkupasteur.hku.hk The 10th Hong Kong International Orthopaedics Forum April 20 – 21, 2013 Venue Cheung Kung Hai Conference Centre, G/F, William MW Mong Block, 21 Sassoon Road, Pokfulam Information Ms YN Chang, Department of Orthopaedics & Traumatology T: 2255 4257 F: 2817 4392 E: ynchang@hku.hk W: www.ortho.hku.hk/forum2013.html Hong Kong Early Psychosis Intervention Society (EPISO) FitMind Charity Run 2013 April 21, 2013 Venue Hong Kong Disneyland, Lantau Island Information Ms Charlene Chan, Department of Psychiatry T: 6037 8604 E: cchancl@hku.hk W: www.episo.org/fitmind.html
International Conference on “Rethinking the Humanitarian” April 25 – 26, 2013 Venue Run Run Shaw Tower, Centennial Campus, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Information Dr Harry Wu, Centre for the Humanities and Medicine T: 3917 7309 F: 2546 7477 E: hyjw@hku.hk W: www.chm.hku.hk
MAY 18th Hong Kong Medical Forum May 11 – 12, 2013 Venue Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Center, 1 Expo Drive, Wan Chai Information Executive Officer, Department of Medicine T: 2255 4607 F: 2816 2863 E: medinfo@hku.hk W: www.medic.hku.hk/hkmf.htm
Update Certificate Course in Gastroenterology & Hepatology May 25 – 26, 2013 Venue To be confirmed Information Executive Officer, Department of Medicine T: 2255 4607 F: 2816 2863 E: medinfo@hku.hk W: www.medic.hku.hk/postdip_certcourse.htm
FORTHCOMING EVENTS