Vice-Chancellor's Report 1985-87

More tha n 50 0 researc h project s hav e bee n launche d i n th e newl y established Facult y o f Medicine . Severa l endowmen t fund s hav e bee n created t o suppor t suc h long-rang e researc h a s a study o n th e frequenc y and distributio n o f psychiatri c morbidit y i n th e Shati n District . Othe r major researc h initiative s rang e fro m In Vitro Fertilization , Molecula r Aspects o f Sensor y Transductio n i n Cutaneou s Mechani c Receptors , Occupational Healt h Surveillanc e Programm e an d Am i n o Ac i d Transport in Re d Bloo d Cells , t o virtuall y al l branche s o f basi c medica l sciences, clinical science s an d pathologica l sciences . I n 1986 , th e establishmen t o f a Biotechnolog y Laborator y wa s made possibl e b y a generou s gran t fro m th e Crouche r Foundatio n an d Dr. H o T im . A s a joint projec t o f th e Department s o f Biochemistr y an d Biology, th e Laborator y w i l l identif y area s o f researc h i n biotechnolog y which ar e o f loca l relevance , suc h a s th e clonin g o f gene s involve d i n alcohol fermentatio n an d starc h hydrolysis . Th e Laborator y serve s further a s a n educatio n centr e fo r biotechnolog y a t th e postgraduat e level. I n th e fiel d o f Socia l Science , severa l interdisciplinar y researc h programmes hav e bee n launche d representin g a broa d spectru m o f research interest s including : studie s o f televisio n viewin g pattern s an d leisure tim e activitie s o f youth s i n Hon g Kong , long-ter m crim e research, gende r rol e research , socia l indicator s fo r th e developmen t o f Hong Kong , China' s ope n polic y an d specia l economi c zones , an d a comprehensive interdisciplinar y stud y o n th e populatio n o f China . A researc h committe e wa s re-activate d i n lat e 198 4 i n th e Facult y of Busines s Administratio n t o promot e researc h activitie s amon g it s faculty members . B y Ma y 1987 ， more tha n 3 0 workin g paper s ha d bee n released. Th e Facult y i s als o conductin g a stud y abou t busines s collaboration between Hon g Kon g an d mainlan d Chin a an d industria l development i n Hon g Kong , whic h w i l l assum e increasin g significanc e in vie w o f th e growin g tie s betwee n th e territor y an d it s vas t hinterlan d i n th e comin g decades . Since 198 0 th e Schoo l o f Educatio n ha s bee n conductin g large - scale cooperativ e researc h o n physica l activities , healt h an d qualit y o f life i n densel y populate d urba n areas . Thi s i s a join t projec t o f th e School o f Education , th e Departmen t o f Commun i t y Medicin e an d th e Physical Educatio n Un i t o f thi s University , an d th e Universit y o f Michigan in th e Un i t e d States . Phas e I o f th e project , whic h focuse d o n th e physical fitnes s o f school-ag e childre n i n relatio n t o educationa l provision, urban stress , psychologica l adjustment , an d academi c performance, was successfull y complete d w i t h th e finding s release d i n boo k form i n 1985 . Phas e I I o f th e projec t consist s o f scientifi c analyse s o f the exercis e valu e o f differen t physica l activitie s practise d i n an d ou t o f school. The Universit y an d othe r tertiar y institution s i n Hon g Kon g hav e been makin g continuou s plea s fo r a significant increas e i n researc h funding support. Beginnin g fro m th e 1985-8 8 Triennium, th e Universit y an d 7