↑As one of the School’s 25th Anniversary events, the 12th Pong Ding Yuen International Symposium on Chinese Medicine gathers renowned experts in Chinese medicine and integrative medicine. 作為學院25周年院慶活動之一，第12屆龐鼎元國際中醫藥研討會匯聚國際知名 中醫藥及中西醫結合科研專家。 COVID-19 prevention, treatment and recovery.’ In a study jointly conducted with the Department of Microbiology, SClinMed, the School discovered the potency of Caulis Spatholobi extract against coronaviruses, which was subsequently patented to produce lozenges and toothpaste. In light of the widespread incidence of ‘long COVID’, Professor Feng led a clinical study that uncovered the therapeutic effects of Cordyceps sinensis extract CS4 to alleviate COVID-related symptoms, such as long-term fatigue and cough. Other research breakthroughs on the use of Chinese medicine to treat the emerging infectious disease include the novel discovery of interferon-related biomarkers, the redevelopment of a proprietary Chinese medicine cough suppressant for treating COVID-19 (which was subsequently published in the national guidelines for COVID-19 home intervention with Chinese medicine), the use of Alisma orientale against the virus, and acupuncture for symptomatic relief. The School has also conducted extensive research on non-communicable diseases, such as tumours, metabolic diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, and cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Other research areas include the use of Chinese medicine to alleviate the side effects of chemotherapy, prevent undesirable reactions between Chinese and Western drugs, and therapeutic treatment of diabetes and related complications. A research study published by the School in 2019 revealed the comparable effectiveness of a Chinese medicine formula with Western medicine in restoring insulin resistance to treat diabetes and uncovered a new biomarker, SBP2, as a potential treatment target for obesity-induced diabetes. The formula was put into production as a proprietary Chinese medicine in the Mainland. Meanwhile, the School has collaborated with the Chinese Academy of Sciences to conduct further research on the active ingredients of the formula. All these research achievements have proven the tremendous potential of Chinese medicine applications for more effective treatment options for patients. The HKSAR government has actively promoted innovation and technology in recent years. In addition to making InnoHK an established R&D hub, a newly launched public initiative, the RAISe+ Scheme, aims to fund university start-up projects to directly transform research outcomes into practical applications. The School aims to take this excellent opportunity to strengthen our innovative medical and translational research, advance R&D in new drugs, and ultimately get them registered in Hong Kong, National Pharmacopoeias, and the US FDA for launch in the market. Advancing Primary Healthcare through Preventive Care As recorded in ancient Chinese medical scriptures, ‘preventive care’ is one of the fundamentals of Chinese medicine, encompassing early intervention to avoid disease occurrence, mitigation of disease progression, and prevention of disease recurrence after recovery. ‘The entire system of Chinese medicine integrates health maintenance, therapeutic treatment and rehabilitation, which is applicable to everyone: the healthy, the sick and those recovering from illness. This also explains why Chinese medicine is commonly perceived as a form of primary care and family medicine,’ explained Professor Feng. ‘The practice of Chinese medicine emphasises “holistic care” and requires practitioners to take all disease-inducing factors 39 HKUMed News Summer 2024
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