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Programme(s) to which this project applies: |
| ☒ MPhil/PhD | ☑ MRes[Med] | ☒ URIS |
About the Project
Hepatitis is a very common entity in clinical practice. However, in many cases, the cause is often unknown. My group has recently identified emerging virus candidates for infectious hepatitis such as rat hepatitis E. This project will use multiple modalities to characterize the clinical significance, epidemiology, and prevalence of these emerging agents of hepatitis. Students will learn a wide variety of biomedical techniques to address research questions. They will be closely guided by myself and a friendly team of senior research assistants, postdocs and RPG students. Students will also experience life in a research institution with the opportunity to attend seminars and conferences.
About the Supervisor
Professor S Sridhar, Department of Microbiology
Professor Sridhar is a Clinical Assistant Professor at the Department of Microbiology of The University of Hong Kong (HKU). He obtained his medical degree from HKU and subsequently trained as a clinical virologist. He received his Doctor of Medicine degree from HKU in 2021, for which he was awarded the Sir Patrick Manson Gold Medal.
Professor Sridhar’s research focuses on novel emerging causes of viral hepatitis and their impact on the health of immunocompromised persons. In 2018, he discovered that rat hepatitis E virus causes hepatitis in humans and evades detection by conventional hepatitis E diagnostic tests. He established a surveillance network for rat hepatitis E in Hong Kong using state-of-art diagnostics, finding that this virus is the most common rodent-origin human infectious disease locally and accounts for 15% of all hepatitis E cases. Rat hepatitis E human infections have since been identified in Europe and North America. He has invented virus-like-particle vaccines and disease models for hepatitis E. His research is featured in major journals in the fields of Infectious Diseases and Gastroenterology & Hepatology. He has published over 100 articles (h-index: 29).
Professor Sridhar has presented his research findings in major local and international conferences. He is a regular invited speaker on emerging viral infectious diseases to healthcare workers and the public. He serves on two HKSAR government committees and is an elected council member of the Hong Kong College of Pathologists.
Next Step?
For more information or to express interest for this project, please email the supervisor or the specified contact point in the project description. Interested candidates are advised to enclose with your email:
- your CV,
- a brief description of your research interest and experience, and
- two reference letters (not required for HKUMed UG students seeking MRes[Med]/URIS projects).
Information on the research programme, funding support and admission documentations could be referenced online at the Research Postgraduate Admissions website. General admission enquiries should be directed to rpgmed@hku.hk.
HKUMed MBBS students interested in the Master of Research in Medicine (MRes[Med]) programme may visit the programme website for more information.
HKUMed UG students interested in the Undergraduate Research Internship Scheme (URIS) may visit the scheme’s website for more information.
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