Forty-eight Research Projects Receive Grants

Vehicle Safety Enhancement System Based on Wireless Communication (HK$1,994,968)
Sponsor: Automotive Parts and Accessory Systems R&D Centre Limited
Principal investigator: Prof. Xu Yang-shang, Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering

Internet-based Education for Design and Innovation (HK$1,756,800)
Sponsor: Quality Education Fund
Principal investigator: Prof. Liu Yun-hui, Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering

The Novel Role of Cytoskeletons in the Control of Apoptosis (HK$124,800)
Sponsor: RGC-Fulbright Hong Kong Dissertation Research Programme for 2009/2010
Principal investigator: Mr. Tang Ho Lam, Department of Biology

Human Being, Rhetoric and Legislation: Artistotle’s Solution to the Tension between Private and Common Good (HK$112,320)
Sponsor: RGC-Fulbright Hong Kong Dissertation Research Programme for 2009/2010
Principal investigator: Mr. Liu Wei, Department of Philosophy

Of Institution and Individual: the Marco and Micro Worlds of Health Care Reform in Urban China (HK$124,800)
Sponsor: RGC-Fulbright Hong Kong Dissertation Research Programme for 2009/2010
Principal investigator: Mr. Liu Junqiang, Department of Social Work

A Novel Wearable Multifunction Prosthetic Control System (HK$1,398,676)
Sponsor: Innovation and Technology Fund
Principal investigator: Prof. Zhang Yuan-ting, Division of Biomedical Engineering

Informed Decision of Women in Breast Cancer Screening—A Qualitative Study (HK$50,000)
Sponsor: Hong Kong College of Community Medicine
Principal investigator: Prof. Chor Sin-yee Josette, School of Public Health

Promoting Independent Enquiry Learning Skills in the New Senior Secondary Curriculum (NSS) through Satellite Remote Sensing and Geo-information Science (HK$4,569,300)
Sponsor: Quality Education Fund
Principal investigator: Prof. Lin Hui, Institute of Space and Earth Information Science

The Dietary Intake and Body Weight Status of Adolescent Psychotropic Substance Abusers in Hong Kong—An Explorative Study for Improving Drugs Rehabilitation Programme (HK$457,199)
Sponsor: Beat Drugs Fund
Principal investigator: Prof. Lau Tak-fai Joseph, School of Public Health

Transnationalism and Drug Abuse: A Study on the Nepalese Drug Abusers in Hong Kong (HK$165,761)
Sponsor: Beat Drugs Fund
Principal investigator: Prof. Tam Siu-mi Maria, Department of Anthropology

Multicentre, Randomized, Double-blinded, Placebo Controlled Clinical Trial Comparing Oseltamivir, Zanamivir or Placebo Drug as the First Line Treatment for Human Swine Influenza (H1N1) Infection in Designated Flu Clinics during the Pandemic Influenza in Hong Kong (HK$2,722,000)
Sponsor: Research Fund for the Control of Infectious Diseases
Principal investigator: Prof. Zee Chung-ying Benny, Centre for Clinical Trial, School of Public Health and Primary Care

An Extensible Measurement Platform on Mobile Devices for Healthcare Monitoring and Personal Wellness Applications (HK$399,600)
Sponsor: Office of Telecommunications Authority
Principal investigator: Prof. Lau Wing-cheong, Department of Information Engineering

In Vivo Imaging of Retinal Ganglion Cells—A New Model to Study Neuroprotection in Glaucoma (US$38,400)
Sponsor: The Glaucoma Foundation
Principal investigator: Prof. Leung Kai-shun Christopher, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences

Strategic Re-positioning on Direct Transportation Link between Mainland and Taiwan: Case Studies and Analysis (HK$300,000)
Sponsor: Hong Kong Logistics Development Council
Principal investigator: Prof. Cheung Wai-man, Department of Decision Sciences and Managerial Economics

Hong Kong Visual Arts Year Book 2009 (HK$500,000)
Sponsor: Hong Kong Arts Development Council
Principal investigator: Prof. Chan Yuk-keung, Department of Fine Arts

Public Participation in the Sustainable City Development: Starting from the Community (HK$289,327)
Sponsor: Sustainable Development Fund
Principal investigator: Prof. Lim Wan-fung Bernard, Community Participation Unit, Department of Architecture

A Collaborative Machine Learning Framework for Multimedia (HK$98,000)
Sponsor: Microsoft Research Asia
Principal investigator: Prof. King Kuo-chin Irwin, Department of Computer Science and Engineering

Speech Signal Analysis to Support Detection and Correction of Suprasegmental Mispronunciations in Second Language Learning (HK$131,000)
Sponsor: Microsoft Research Asia
Principal investigator: Prof. Meng Mei-ling Helen, Department of Systems Engineering and Engineering Management

Prevalence of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Advanced Liver Fibrosis in Hong Kong—A Cross-sectional Population Study Using Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy and Transient Elastography (HK$716,728)
Sponsor: Health and Health Services Research Fund
Principal investigator: Dr. Wamg Wai-sun, Department of Medicine and Therapectics

Roundtable on Entrepreneurship Education—Global Entrepreneurship (HK$424,350)
Sponsor: Innovation and Technology Fund
Principal investigator: Prof. Wong Kam-fai, director, Centre for Innovation and Technology

Metagenomics of Tuberculosis Infection in Hong Kong (HK$800,000)
Sponsor: Research Fund for the Control of Infectious Diseases
Principal investigator: Prof. Fung Yin-wan Wendy, Faculty of Science

Role of Toll-like Receptors in Naturally Occurring Influenza (HK$799,588)
Sponsor: Research Fund for the Control of Infectious Diseases
Principal investigator: Dr. Lee Lai-shun Nelson, Department of Medicine and Therapeutics

Role of H3K27 Trimethylation in Hepatitis B Virus-induced Hepatocarcinogenesis (HK$798,280)
Sponsor: Research Fund for the Control of Infectious Diseases
Principal investigator: Prof. Cheng Sze-lok Alfred, Institute of Digestive Disease

Differential Gene Expression Profiles of CD4+/CD8+ T Cells in HIV, HCV Monoinfected and HIV/HCV Coinfected Patients (HK$800,000)
Sponsor: Research Fund for the Control of Infectious Diseases
Principal investigator: Prof. He Ming-liang, Stanley Ho Centre for Emerging Infectious Diseases

Modulatory Effects of Antimicrobials on the Pathogenicity of Community-acquired Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus ( CA-MRSA) in Hong Kong (HK$794,072)
Sponsor: Research Fund for the Control of Infectious Diseases
Principal investigator: Prof. Margaret Ip, Department of Microbiology

Profiling of Substrate-specificity and Rational Design of Broad-spectrum Peptidomimetic Inhibitors for Main Proteases of Coronaviruses (HK$799,092)
Sponsor: Research Fund for the Control of Infectious Diseases
Principal investigator: Prof. Wong Kam-bo, Department of Biochemistry

Study on the Effect of Pregnancy on the Activity and Infectivity of Hepatitis B Virus in Women with Chronic Hepatitis B Infection (HK$800,000)
Sponsor: Research Fund for the Control of Infectious Diseases
Principal investigator: Prof. Lao Tzu-hsi Terence, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology

The Use of Serum Hepatitis B Viral DNA in Prognostication of Liver Cancers Undergoing Non-surgical Therapy (HK$80,000)
Sponsor: Research Fund for the Control of Infectious Diseases
Principal investigator: Dr. Chan Lam Stephen, Department of Clinical Oncology

Human MicroRNA Profiling in Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Infections: Potential Association with Strain Virulence and Host Predisposition (HK$799,972)
Sponsor: Research Fund for the Control of Infectious Diseases
Principal investigator: Dr. Leung Tung-yiu Eric, Department of Microbiology

Virus RNA Replication and Transcription as a Restriction to Host Adaptation of Influenza Viruses (HK$798,256)
Sponsor: Research Fund for the Control of Infectious Diseases
Principal investigator: Prof. Chan Kay-sheung Paul, Department of Microbiology

Elucidating Functional Significance of Hepatitis B Virus Subgenotype Cs Genomic Markers (HK$787,428)
Sponsor: Research Fund for the Control of Infectious Diseases
Principal investigator: Prof. Tsui Kwok-wing Stephen, School of Biomedical Sciences

Development of a Non-invasive Algorithm for Advanced Liver Fibrosis in Chronic Hepatitis B (HK$259,140)
Sponsor: Research Fund for the Control of Infectious Diseases
Principal investigator: Prof. Chan Lik-yuen Henry, Department of Medicine and Therapeutics

Expression Analysis of Putative Small Regulatory RNAs in Mycobacterium Tuberculosis: Effects of Growth Phase and Oxidative Stress (HK$149,000)
Sponsor: Research Fund for the Control of Infectious Diseases
Principal investigator: Dr. Au Tai-kong, Department of Micorbiology

Effect of Genetic Polymorphisms and Gene Expression on Chemotherapy-related Toxicities in Chinese Breast Cancer Patients (USD$250,000)
Sponsor: GlaxoSmithKline Oncology International Ethnic Research Initiative Grant
Principal investigator: Prof. Winnie Yeo, Department of Clinical Oncology

Initial Study on the Roadmap for Design Entrepreneur in Hong Kong—A Case Research Approach (HK$1,313,429)
Sponsor: Commerce and Economic Development Bureau
Principal investigator: Prof. Au Yuk-fai Kevin, Centre for Entrepreneurship

Evaluation of the Test Performance and Cost-effectiveness of Medical Surveillance Programs for Workers Exposed to Silica Dusts (HK$1,590,800)
Sponsor: Pneumoconiosis Compensation Fund Board Research Fund
Principal investigator: Prof. Tse Lap-ah, Department of Community and Family Medicine

A Longitudinal Study of the Prevalence, Incidence and Predictors of Seasonal Influenza Vaccination among Children Aged from 6 Months to 5 Years Old in Hong Kong (HK$799,815)
Sponsor: Research Fund for the Control of Infectious Diseases
Principal investigator: Prof. Lau Tak-fai Joseph, Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health and Primary Care

REM Sleep Behavioral Disorder and Psychiatry: A Hidden But Potential Serious Condition. A Case-Control Study (HK$616,951)
Sponsor: Health and Health Services Research Fund
Principal investigator: Prof. Wing Yun-kwok, Department of Psychiatry

3D Object Matching Based on Surface Flexibility and Gravitational Fields (HK$98,000)
Sponsor: Microsoft Research Asia
Principal investigator: Prof. Liu Jian-zhuang, Department of Information Engineering

Xiqu Information Centre 2009/10 (HK$400,000)
Sponsor: Hong Kong Arts Development Council
Principal investigator: Prof. Tsai Tsan-huang, director of Cantonese Opera Research Programme

An Assistive Communication Brain-Computer Interface for Traditional Chinese Character Input: the P300 Chinese Speller (HK$999,557)
Sponsor: Innovation and Technology Fund
Principal investigator: Prof. Wang Shiu-yuan William, Department of Electronic Engineering

Psychiatric Comorbidity and Cognitive Dysfunction in Primarily Ketamine Users—A Closer Look (HK$1,133,100)
Sponsor: Beat Drugs Fund
Principal investigator: Prof. Tang Wai-kwong, Department of Psychiatry

Novel Widely-tunable Femtosecond Fiber Laser Technology for Autofluorescence Imaging in Endoscopic Applications (HK$950,000)
Sponsor: Innovation and Technology Fund
Principal investigator: Prof. Chan Kam-tai, Department of Electronic Engineering

Flagship Collaboration Project: Surveillance Surveys on Population-based Responses to Human Swine Influenza in Hong Kong (HK$1,236,128)
Sponsor: Research Fund for the Control of Infectious Diseases
Principal investigator: Prof. Lau Tak-fai Joseph, Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health and Primary Care

Efficient and Accurate Quantification and Turnkey Software Development for Dynamic Contrast Enhanced MR Imaging (HK$999,580)
Sponsor: Innovation and Technology Fund
Principal investigator: Prof. Heng Pheng-ann, Department of Computer Science and Engineering

Low-cost Linear Optical Modulator for Multiservice Wireless Networks Distribution (HK$999,999)
Sponsor: Innovation and Technology Fund
Principal investigator: Prof. Tsang Hon-ki, Department of Electronic Engineering

Power-Management Circuit for Passive UHF RFID Tag (HK$999,545)
Sponsor: Innovation and Technology Fund
Principal investigator: Prof. Leung Ka-nang Alex, Department of Electronic Engineering

Algorithmic Approach to Enhance Product Advertisement in Social Networks (HK$999,000)
Sponsor: Innovation and Technology Fund
Principal investigator: Prof. Lui Chi-shing John, Department of Computer Science and Engineering