Medical Faculty News v25i1

09 Medical Faculty News The nine young scholars featured in this issue are distinguished by significant research success early in their careers. For example, they have tracked the paths of H7N9 bird flu and Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), pinpointed cancer stem cells, and shown that antioxidants can help some cancers to grow. These achievements are the result of their wide-ranging curiosity, deep understanding of new technologies and attention to patient experiences, which they have harnessed to great effect. “Novel multi-omics, big data research demands new thinking,” the HKUMed’s Dean, Professor Gabriel Leung , said. “We are placing priority in attracting young talents who have an intuitive understanding of this approach and providing them with an environment to flourish. They are integral to the Faculty’s future success and to better outcomes for patients in future.” To support those goals, we have launched an initiative to recruit 140 more professoriate members, including up-and-coming scholars, by our 140th birthday in 2027. This is in addition to HKU’s generous Presidential PhD Scholarships and Post-doctoral Fellowships to attract young scholars and provide them with research funding. The Faculty has also invested heavily in the cutting- edge technology and systems that enable scholars to make ground-breaking discoveries. Our Centre for PanorOmic Sciences was established in 2019 as a successor to the Centre for Genomic Sciences and boasts such facilities as new single-cell sequencing platforms, a multi-disciplinary biobank, and expanded capabilities for bioinformatics and original research. We are also preparing to establish Hong Kong’s first GMP facility in collaboration with Hong Kong Science Park. “We have done very well in recent years recruiting young talent and providing incentives to help them succeed. Their achievements speak to the quality and commitment of our recruits,” said Professor Leung Suet-yi , who recently completed a six-year term as Associate Dean (Research) of HKUMed. The nine scholars have collectively also earned strong external recognition for their achievements. They have all published in leading journals. Two have been named among the top 1% most-cited scholars in their fields – Dr Stephanie Ma Kwai-yee and Dr Tommy Lam Tsan-yuk. And they have all received awards in their fields and/or from HKU for their work. Professor Leung’s successor, Professor Leung Wai-keung , will continue the drive to recruit and nurture young talent that can enhance the Faculty’s contributions to medical science. “With the Hong Kong government’s recent emphasis on innovation and technology and the transformation of the Greater Bay Area into an innovation hub, there are many opportunities out there. We are ensuring that we will have the talent and energy to seize them for now and the longer term,” he said. 本期介紹的九位年輕學者，他們在研究事業的早期階 段已取得傑出成就，當中包括成功追蹤H7N9禽流感和中東呼 吸綜合症冠狀病毒的傳播途徑，準確破解癌幹細胞的特性，以 及發現證據顯示抗 氧 化物有助某些癌細胞繁殖生長等。這幾 位年輕學者，對科研懷有廣泛的探研之心，對新技術認識深入 且運用嫻熟，亦時加留意病人臨床反應的細節，這些都是促使 他們成功的原因。 醫學院院長 梁卓偉教授 說：「新多組學和大數據研究， 需要新思維。醫學院當今要務，是致力吸引在這方面有天賦的 年輕人才，並為他們提供優良環境，讓其發揮科研潛力。醫學 院要保持發展優勢，年輕學者的力量不可少，他們是未來社會 的健康福祉所依。」 為了吸引年輕科學家，港大一向設有多個豐厚獎學金。 以此為目標，醫學院亦計劃在2027年慶祝成立140周年之前 的七年間，多招募140名教授人員，其中當不乏在科研界嶄露 頭角的年輕學者。 醫學院亦重點投放資源於先端技術系統和平台，以配 合科研人員尋求突破性發現。2019年，前身為基因研究中心的 港大泛組學科研中心正式成立。中心擁有單一細胞排序平台 及跨學科的生物資料庫，大大提升了處理生物訊息和原創科 研的能力。此外，醫學院正與香港科學園合作，籌備成立香港 首個GMP（生產質量管理規範）設施。 剛剛卸任六年任期副院長（科研）職位的 梁雪兒教授 說： 「醫學院近年在聘請年輕學者方面，成績很是不俗；學院也盡 力提供支援和鼓勵。他們的成就，正好表明醫學院作出聘請優 秀科研人才的承諾。」 這九位年輕學者的科研成績在國際間均贏得高度認 可。他們的研究成果都登上國際知名醫學期刊，其中馬桂宜博 士和林讚育博士更在生命科學領域中躋身首1%獲最多引用 的學者。他們幾位亦屢獲殊榮，得到校內校外所頒發的各種獎 項。 接替梁雪兒教授重任的新任副院長（科研） 梁偉強教 授 ，將繼續不遺餘力地羅致和栽培年輕人才，傳承醫學院在科 研上的堅實貢獻。梁教授說：「香港政府近年大力推動創新科 技，大灣區也正朝著作為創新科技中心的方向發展，機遇處 處，因此無論是現在、還是將來長期計劃中，醫學院必須確保 有優秀人才和充足的幹勁，去把握每個發展機會。」