Research Projects
Aetiology, Assessment and Treatment of Scoliosis and Related Spine Disorders

Scoliosis is an abnormal curvature of the spine that can be present in 3-4% of the population. If left untreated, some can progress to lead to back pain, shortness of breath and severe deformities. There are a number of different causes for scoliosis and tools are constantly being developed for diagnosis, prognosis and treatment.

Our lab is involved in all aspects of scoliosis research, from human genetics, animal models, novel engineering tools for early diagnosis and management, novel imaging modalities for 3-dimensional classification and AI powered studies for predictive analytics, as well as clinical studies of novel treatment techniques.

Passionate students with background in clinical medicine, human genetics, bioinformatics, molecular biology, computer science, computational modelling, biomechanics, etc are welcomed to apply.

Professor KMC Cheung, Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology

Kenneth M.C. Cheung is the Jessie Ho Professor in Spine Surgery and Chair Professor at the Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong.  He is the current Hospital Chief Executive of the HKU-Shenzhen Hospital and leads the area of excellence programs in spinal deformities and rare diseases there.  He is also the Past President of the Hong Kong College of Orthopedic Surgeons, and Past President of the (International) Scoliosis Research Society. He went to the Medical College of St Bartholomew’s Hospital, The University of London, between 1982 to 1987. He became a fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of England in 1991, a Fellow of the Hong Kong Academy of Medicine in 1995 and obtained his doctorate degree from the University of Hong Kong in 2007. 

He is a world-renowned academic spine surgeon with special expertise in the treatment of spinal deformities in children and adults. He pioneered a procedure for the treatment of early onset scoliosis in children, which has gained worldwide acceptance. He has a special interest in translational research related to the development of novel technologies to manage spinal conditions.

Professor Cheung is invited to give lectures to academic institutions and learned societies globally and has extensive experience in science and medicine related matters. He has received 37 awards for research excellence, published over 370 peer reviewed scientific articles, 22 book chapters and holds 63 patents.

In 2021, he was awarded the prestigious international Walter P. Blount Humanitarian Award by the Scoliosis Research Society for his outstanding service to those with spinal deformity, and for generosity to the profession and society.

Biography
HKU Scholars Hub
ORCID
cheungmc@hku.hk

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:

1. your CV,
2. a brief description of your research interest and experience, and
3. 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.