HKUMed News
Faculty Achievements

• 'Nose-to-Brain NanoPowder Nasal Spray for Rapid Ischemic Stroke Rescue' by Professor Aviva Chow Shing-fung (周聖峰) (Pharmacology & Pharmacy) and team

• 'A Novel Immunisation Method and Powder: Gaining Immunity Against the Three Major Respiratory Viruses through Home-Based Toothbrushing' by Professor Raven Kok Kin-hang (郭健恒) (Microbiology, SClinMed)
• 'Rapid Point-of-Care Molecular Detection of Evolving Mosquito-Borne Viruses' by Professor Tommy Lam Tsan-yuk (林讚育) and team (Public Health)
• 'Rapid Finger-Prick Blood Test for Diagnosis, Early Prediction of Relapse Subtypes and Treatment Monitoring of Epstein-Barr Virus-Associated Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma (NPC)' by Professor Victor Lee Ho-fun (李浩勳), Dr Eymon Wu Ka-chun (胡嘉雋) and Syrus Lai Pak-hei (黎柏希) (Clinical Oncology, SClinMed)
• 'Rhytma: A Rapid and Quantitative Biochemical Hormone Monitor for Mobile and Smart-Devices' by Professor Julian Alexander Tanner (唐柱霖) (Biomedical Sciences) and team

• 'Synthetic Ion Channels: A Novel Multifunctional Therapeutic for Emerging Infectious Disease and Acute Lung Injury' by Professor Michael Chan Chi-wai (陳志偉), Dr Rachel Ching Hiu-ha (程曉霞) (Public Health) and team
• 'Sialic Acid-Anchored Neutralising Antibody Against Diverse Pathogenic Influenza Viruses' by Professor Chen Zhiwei (陳志偉) and Professor Ron Zhou Runhong (周潤宏) (AIDS Institute, Microbiology, SClinMed)
• 'Design of a Toxin Export System-Targeting mRNA Vaccine Against Staphylococcus Aureus Infection' by Professor Huang Jian-dong (黃建東) (Biomedical Sciences)
• 'New Osteoanabolic and Neuromodulatory Peptide for Bone Regeneration and Osteoporosis Treatment' by Dr John Akrofi Kubi, Professor Kelvin Yeung Wai-kwok (楊偉國), Dr Augustine Suurinobah Brah and Cheng Ka-huen (鄭家楦) (Orthopaedics and & Traumatology, SClinMed)
• 'Implementation of Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer Optical Texture Analysis (ROTA) for Early Detection of Glaucoma' by Professor Christopher Leung Kai-shun (梁啟信), Dr Alexander Lam Ka-ngai (林嘉毅) and Dr Guo Yawen (郭亞文) (Ophthalmology, SClinMed)
• 'A Broad-Spectrum Live-Attenuated Mucosal Vaccine Against Beta-Coronaviruses' by Dr Nigeer Te, Dr Alex Chin Wing-hong (錢永康) and Professor Leo Poon Lit-man (潘烈文) (Public Health)
• 'Development of a Functional Nasal Mucociliary Organoid Model: Benchmarking the Next Generation of Pre-Clinical Disease Modelling' by Professor Philip Yeung Man-lung (楊文龍) (Microbiology, SClinMed) and team

Three HKUMed research projects received funding under the National Natural Science Foundation of China/RGC Joint Research Scheme (NSFC/RGC) 2025/26 Exercise. 

Funded under Collaborative Research Scheme

• Project Coordinator (Hong Kong): Professor Tommy Lam Tsan-yuk (林讚育) (Public Health) 
  Project: Host Ecology and Genetic Factors of Tick-borne Virus Emergence

Funded under Joint Research Scheme

• Principal Investigator (Hong Kong): Professor Kwong Yok-lam (鄺沃林) (Medicine, SClinMed) 
  Project: Compare and Evaluate Anti-Tumour Responses of IL-10 Producing Fourth Generation CD19 Chimeric Antigen Receptors T cells (CAR-T) with the Commercially Available Products
  IL-10

• Principal Investigator (Hong Kong): Professor Rio Sugimura (杉村竜一) (Biomedical Sciences) 
  Project: Defining the Origin and Regulatory Mechanisms of Hematoendothelial and Cardiac Specification from Mesoderm
  
  

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Six research projects led by HKUMed, including five under the Research Grants Council (RGC) Collaborative Research Fund (CRF) and one under the RGC Research Impact Fund (RIF), received a total of HK$37.6 million in the 2025/26 funding exercise.

CRF Projects

• Project Coordinator: Professor Cora Lai Sau-wan (賴秀芸) (Biomedical Sciences)
  Project: Neural Mechanisms of Consolidated Memory Editing in Humans and Mice
  
  
• Project Coordinator: Professor Liang Shikang (梁世康) (Biomedical Sciences) 
  Project: Molecular Mechanisms of Non-Homologous End Joining Regulating Nucleosome Remodelling in Human DNA Repair
  
  
• Project Coordinator: Professor Ni Tao (倪濤) (Biomedical Sciences) 
  Project: Investigation the Mechanism of Coronavirus RNA Replication and Translocation within Replication Organelle
  
  
• Project Coordinator: Professor Carmen Wong Chak-lui (黃澤蕾) (Pathology, SClinMed)
  Project: A Deep Dive into Immune Dynamics and Drug Resistance to Advance Therapeutic Innovations for FGFR2-altered intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma
  
  
• Project Coordinator: Professor Zhou Keda (周鈳達) (Biomedical Sciences) 
  Project: Human Centromere Structure and Its Maintenance Mechanism
  
  

RIF Projects

• Project Coordinator: Professor Wong Chun-ming (黃俊銘) (Pathology, SClinMed) 
  Project: Single-Base m6A Epitranscriptomic Profiling: A New Frontier in Cancer Biomarker Discovery and Precision Medicine

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HKU has secured funding for seven projects in the third round of the Research, Academic and Industry Sectors One-plus (RAISe+). Among them, two projects were led by HKUMed.

• Project Leader: Professor Nancy Man Kwan (萬鈞) (Surgery, SClinMed)
  Project: Liver-in-Cube: Novel Precise Theranostics for Liver Cancer and Diseases
  
  
• Project Leader: Professor Zhou Zhongjun (周中軍) (Biomedical Sciences)
  Project: Production of Human Pluripotent Stem Cell-derived Islet Organoid for Diabetes Treatment

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The five winning teams of HKUMedXelerate 2025, the faculty's innovation challenge, received funding support from the HKUMed Tam Wing Fan Innovation Start-up Grant to propel their research to translate findings into practical applications.

• Professor Aviva Chow Shing-fung (周聖峰) (Pharmacology & Pharmacy) and team
  Project:  Revolutionising Pre-Hospital Ischemic Stroke Management: NanoPowder Nasal Spray 
  
  
• Professor Joshua Ho Wing-kei (何永基) (Biomedical Sciences) and team
  Project: An AI-driven Antibody Oligonucleotide Conjugates (AOC) Discovery Platform for Neuromuscular Diseases
  
  
• Professor Gary Lau Kui-kai (劉巨基) (Medicine, SClinMed) and team
  Project: SmartRehab (An Accessible and Affordable AI-Powered Telerehabilitation platform) – Facilitating Personalised Home-Rehabilitation and Empowering Recovery with AI
  
  
• Professor Christopher Leung Kai-shun (梁啟信) (Ophthalmology, SClinMed) and team
  Project: SightTorch: AI-Powered System for Diagnosis and Management of Eye Diseases
  
  
• Professor Nancy Man Kwan (萬鈞) (Surgery, SClinMed) and team
  Project: Organ-in-Cube: New Generation of Biomimetic Organ for Precision Medicine 

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The following teams received funding support under the Technology Start-up Support Scheme for Universities (TSSSU) by the Innovation and Technology Commission: 

• Dr Alex Chin Wing-hong (錢永康) (Public Health) and team
• Professor Joshua Ho Wing-kei (何永基) (Biomedical Sciences)
• Professor Christopher Leung Kai-shun (梁啟信) (Ophthalmology, SClinMed) and team
• Professor Stephanie Ma Kwai-yee (馬桂宜) (Biomedical Sciences) and team

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Professor Jasper Chan Fuk-woo (陳福和) (Microbiology, SClinMed) and Professor Ron Zhou Runhong (周潤宏) (AIDS Institute, Microbiology, SClinMed) received separate grants under the National Science and Technology Major Project scheme by the Ministry of Science and Technology.
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Professor Chan Koon-ho (陳灌豪) (Medicine, SClinMed) received a grant from the Health and Medical Research Fund by the Health Bureau.
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Professor Esther Chan Wai-yin (陳慧賢) (Pharmacology & Pharmacy) received a research grant from the Beat Drugs Fund of the Beat Drugs Fund Association.
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Professor Martin Cheung Chi-hang (張知恒) (Biomedical Sciences) received a grant from Shenzhen Natural Science Foundation in Basic Research Fund - 2025 General Program by Science, Technology and Innovation Commission of Shenzhen Municipality for Research
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Professors Martin Cheung Chi-hang (張知恒) and Rio Sugimura (杉村竜一) (Biomedical Sciences) received separate grants under the Innovation and Technology Fund: Seed Projects of the Innovation and Technology Support Programme 2024 by the Innovation and Technology Commission for research
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Professor Christian Fang Xinshuo (方欣碩) (Orthopaedics & Traumatology) was awarded a major grant by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust for the Jockey Club FORTIFY Programme.
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Professor Ralf Jauch (Biomedical Sciences) received a grant from Revive & Restore's Applied Stem Cell Conservation for research.
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Professor Wendy Lam Wing-tak (藍詠德) (Public Health) was awarded a major grant by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust for the Jockey Club Cancer Care for Survivors Project.
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Professor Liu Pengtao (劉澎濤) (Biomedical Sciences) received a grant under the Innovation and Technology Fund: Guangdong-Hong Kong Technology Cooperation Funding Scheme 2023 by Innovation Technology Commission for research.
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Professor Stephanie Ma Kwai-yee (馬桂宜) (Biomedical Sciences) received a grant under the Innovation and Technology Fund: Mainland-Hong Kong Joint Funding Scheme 2024 by Innovation and Technology Commission for research.

Professor Ryan Au Yeung Shiu-lun (歐陽兆倫) (Public Health) was appointed Academic Editor of PLOS Medicine; recognised as one of the top reviewers of CHEST Journal in 2025; and awarded Fellowship Through Distinction by the UK Faculty of Public Health

Professor Albert Chan Chi-yan (陳智仁) (Surgery, SClinMed) and team received the IHH Medical Excellence Award from IHH Healthcare

Professor Sophia Chan Siu-chee (陳肇始) (Public Health) was awarded Honorary Fellowship by the Royal College of Nursing in the UK

Professor Daniel Chan Tak-mao (陳德茂) (Medicine, SClinMed), Professor Jason Cheung Pui-yin (鍾培言) and Dr Prudence Cheung Wing-hang (張頴恒) (Orthopaedics & Traumatology, SClinMed) and Professor Irene Ng Oi-lin (Pathology, SClinMed) were named 2025 Highly Ranked Scholars by ScholarGPS in their respective fields

Professor Will Chan Yap-hang (陳熠恒) (Medicine, SClinMed) was awarded the Young Investigator Award (Second Prize) at the 18^th Asia Pacific Heart Rhythm Society Scientific Session and appointed Fellow of the European Society of Cardiology (FESC)

Professor Kathryn Cheah Song-eng (謝賞恩) (Biomedical Sciences) was elected as a foreign member of the Academia Europaea, as a tribute to her contributions to the field of biomedical sciences

Professor Michael Cheung Ka-shing (張嘉盛) (Medicine, SClinMed) received the Best Abstract Presentation Prize at the United European Gastroenterology (UEG) Week

Professor Jason Cheung Pui-yin (鍾培言) (Orthopaedics & Traumatology, SClinMed)'s study won the Research Highlight of the Year by Arthritis UK. He was also a Top Reviewer of the publication of the Association of Bone and Joint Surgeons Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research^® in 2025

Professor Celine Chui Sze-ling (徐詩鈴) (Nursing) was awarded the Fellowship Through Distinction by UK Faculty of Public Health

Professor Marvin Chung Man Ting (鍾汶庭) (Orthopaedics & Traumatology, SClinMed) received the Clinical Teacher 'New Voices in Health Professions Education' Award from the Association for the Study of Medical Education; he also received the Asia Pacific Orthopaedic Association Young Ambassador Award

Professor Henry Fun Chun-him (傅俊謙) (Orthopaedics & Traumatology, SClinMed) was awarded the 2026 John N Insall Travelling Fellowship

Dr Hu Yong (胡勇) (Orthopaedics & Traumatology, SClinMed) was awarded the IEEE Consumer Technology Society (CTSoc) Chester W Sall Award: 1st Place and the China Brain-Computer Interface (BC) Hua Nao Award

Professor Dennis Ip Kai-ming (葉啟明) (Public Health) was appointed International Advisor by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow

Professor Ralf Jauch (Biomedical Sciences) Was Appointed Associate Editor of the journal Stem Cells

Professor Herbert Kwok Wang-chun (郭宏駿) (Medicine, SClinMed) was appointed Member of the Advisory Board of Pulmonary Therapy

Professor David Lam Chi-leung (Medicine, SClinMed) was appointed Co-Editor-in-Chief of Respirology by Asian Pacific Society of Respirology (APSR)

Professor Wendy Lam Wing-tak (藍詠德) (Public Health) served as the co-convenor of the COSA-IPOS 2025 World Congress

Professor Kathy Leung Sze-man (梁詩敏) (Public Health) contributed as a member of the Scientific Committee and a poster presenter at the EPIDEMICS 10: 10th International Conference on Infectious Disease Dynamics

Through the efforts of Professor Philip Li Hei (李曦) (Medicine, SClinMed), HKU Immunology & Allergy was certified as both an Urticaria Centre of Reference and Excellence (UCARE) and an Angioedema Centre of Reference and Excellence (ACARE)

Professor Loey Mak Lung-yi (麥龍兒) (Medicine, SClinMed) was a Finalist of the Women in Leadership Awards 2025 by Liquid Learning

Professor Walter Seto Wai-kay (司徒偉基) (Medicine, SClinMed) was elected a Fellow of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD)

Professor Kendrick Shih Co (施愷廸) (Ophthalmology, SClinMed) received the Asia Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology Senior Achievement Award 2026

Samson Wong Ki-sum (王琦森) (MEHU, SClinMed) won a Gold Award in the Nurturing Wellbeing and Purpose category at QS Reimagine Education Awards 2025

Professor Joseph Wu Tsz-kei (胡子祺) (Public Health) served as Conference Co-Chair at the EPIDEMICS 10: 10th International Conference on Infectious Disease Dynamics and as Co-Editor-in-Chief of Epidemics

Professor Philip Yeung Man-lung (楊文龍) (Microbiology, SClinMed) was awarded a Silver Medal at iCAN by the Toronto International Society of Innovation & Advanced Skills (TISIAS), a Special Award by Satit Chula Innovation Society (SCIS), and a Special Award by the Organization for Creativity, Innovation, and Invention Promotion (OCIIP)

Professor Kelvin Yeung Wai-kwok (楊偉國) (Orthopaedics & Traumatology, SClinMed) was inducted into the 2026 Class of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE) College of Fellows

Professor Philip Li Hei (李曦) (Medicine, SClinMed) was appointed Standing Committee Member of the Allergy Medicine Committee by Cross-Straits Medicine Exchange Association

Two Papers of Professor Kelvin Wang Man-ping (王文炳) (Nursing) were selected as Outstanding Papers at the 26th National Conference on Tobacco Control and Health by the Chinese Association on Tobacco Control (CATC)

Professor Xu Aimin (徐愛民) (Medicine, SClinMed) received a grant from the Hong Kong Scholars Program 2025 of China Postdoctoral Science Foundation for research

Dr Ye Ziwei (葉子葳) (Biomedical Sciences) received the Best Poster Award at the 11th Wuhan International Symposium on Modern Virology & Viruses 2025 - Recent Progress in Virology Research

Professor Florence Chan King-pui (Medicine, SClinMed) was awarded the Research Grant Award 2025-2026 by the Hong Kong Lung Foundation Limited

Professor Michael Cheung Ka-shing (張嘉盛) (Medicine, SClinMed) was awarded the Sir David Todd Lectureship 2025 by the Hong Kong College of Physicians

Professors Chu Ziqin (褚智勤) and Alan Wong Siu-lun (黃兆麟) (Biomedical Sciences) was elected as Member of The Hong Kong Young Academy of Sciences (YASHK)

Professor Michael Häusser (Biomedical Sciences) was elected Member of The Hong Kong Academy of Sciences (ASHK)

Hemio Lam Chung-yan (林頌恩) (Nursing) received the Best Poster Award at the 15th Hong Kong International Nursing Forum cum International Forum on Proactive Health and Ageing

Professor Philip Li Hei (李曦) (Medicine, SClinMed) received the Research Excellence in Allergic Disease Award 2025 from The Hong Kong Institute of Allergy

Professor David Lui Tak-wai (呂德威) (Medicine, SClinMed) received the 2025 Prize for Best Original Research by Young Fellows from the Hong Kong Academy of Medicine

Professor Loey Mak Lung-yi (Medicine, SClinMed) (麥龍兒) received the Distinguished Research Paper Award for Young Investigators 2025 from the Hong Kong College of Physicians

Dr Wilson Chan Cheuk-wing (陳卓榮), Dr Rachel Kwan Hiu-lam (關曉琳) (Biomedical Sciences) and Professor Celine Chui Sze-ling (徐詩鈴) (Nursing) were awarded HKU Advance HE Fellowship

Dr Enoch Chan (陳以諾) (Biomedical Sciences) was supported by HKU Teaching Exchange Fellowship Scheme 2025-26

• Dr Ginger Ko Wai-kuen (高慧娟) (Orthopaedics & Traumatology, SClinMed)

• Professor Walter Seto Wai-kay (司徒偉基) (Medicine, SClinMed)

• Professor Kathy Leung Sze-man (梁詩敏) (Public Health)

• Professor Stephanie Ma Kwai-yee (馬桂宜) (Biomedical Sciences)
• Professor Judy Yam Wai-ping (任蕙蘋) (Pathology, SClinMed)

• Professor Christopher Leung Kai-shun (梁啟信) (Ophthalmology, SClinMed)
  ‘Global Implementation of Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer Optical Texture Analysis for Early Detection of Glaucoma’
  
   

• Dr Tomasz Cecot (Biomedical Sciences)
• Professor Jason Cheung Pui-yin (鍾培言) (Orthopaedics & Traumatology, SClinMed)
• Jody Chu Kwok-pui (朱幗珮) (Pharmacology & Pharmacy)
• Professor Jacqueline Yuen Kwan-yuk (阮君毓) (Medicine, SClinMed and Public Health)

• Professor Albert Chan Chi-yan (陳智仁) (Surgery, SClinMed), Professor Chiang Chi-leung (蔣子樑) (Clinical Oncology, SClinMed) and team
• Professor Jason Cheung Pui-yin (鍾培言) (Orthopaedics and Traumatology, SClinMed) and team
• Professor Aya El Helali (Clinical Oncology, SClinMed) and team
• Professor Ivan Hung Fan-ngai (孔繁毅) (Medicine, SClinMed) and team
• Professor Heidi Ling Guang-sheng (寧珖聖) (Biomedical Sciences) and team
• Professor Irene Ng Oi-lin (吳呂愛蓮) (Pathology, SClinMed) and team
• Professor Walter Seto Wai-kay (司徒偉基) (Medicine, SClinMed) and team
• Professor Ti Shih-chieh (狄士傑) (Biomedical Sciences) and team
• Professor Eric Wan Yuk-fai (尹旭輝) (Family Medicine and Primary Care, SClinMed) and team 
• Professor Helen Yan Hoi-ning (甄凱寧) (Pathology, SClinMed) and team
• Professor Thomas Yau Chung-cheung (邱宗祥) (Medicine, SClinMed) and team
• Professor Kelvin Yeung Wai-kwok (楊偉國) (Orthopaedics and Traumatology, SClinMed) and team
• Professor Yuen Man-fung (袁孟峰) (Medicine, SClinMed) and team