Since returning to HKUMed, he has applied his expertise to establish a paediatric immunome project that aims to advance understanding of disease in children, identify new therapeutic targets, generate new therapeutic cells and monitor disease response. This is expected to lead to a new generation of synthetic biology and immunome analyses. He has also embraced the administrative duties that come with his new position, especially the teamwork involved in solving problems. ‘My research is going strong in part because research staff in Hong Kong are quite talented and the research environment at HKU is outstanding,’ he said. ‘And being head actually saves me quite a bit of time as things generally move faster through the head’s office.’ There have already been some major challenges, chiefly with the COVID-19 pandemic which has restricted students from accessing wards to observe children with infectious diseases that are common in that age group, and disrupted research. But looking ahead, he sees plenty of opportunities, especially as the Department seeks to recruit young talent. ‘Among all resources, human resources are the most important. One of my top goals will be to nurture and train the next generation of professoriate staff and physician scientists. Another goal will be to broaden our research programmes with crossdepartmental and crossinstitutional collaborations, including with partners overseas and on the Mainland,’ he said. His calm demeanour, nurtured through his deep Christian faith and regular exercise, will surely be an inspiration to new recruits. ‘I cannot get a good sleep letting the sun go down on my anger. I find constant peace and hope in prayer and scripture reading,’ he said. ↑The Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine has always been committed to safeguarding the health and well-being of children and youth through teaching, research, clinical services, as well as community education and charitable events. 兒童及青少年科學系多年來透過教學、科研與臨 床服務，以及舉辦社會公益活動，守護兒童與青 少年的身心健康。 Professor Leung Wing-hang Chairperson of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine 9 HKUMed News Summer 2022
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