Bulletin Spring‧Summer 2001

communities and conduct clinical studies on their prevention and treatment. Hong Kong-China Brain Tumour Research Centre A Hong Kong-China Brain Tumour Research Centre has been set up by the Neurosurgical Un it of the Department of Surgery wit h an anonymous donation. The centre will be jointly administered by the unit and the Department of Anatomical and Cellular Pathology. The centre, located at the Prince of Wales Hospital, will capitalize on the clinical and scientific materials and expertise o f the University, Tian Tan Hospital in Beijing, and Shanghai Hu a Shan Hospital to conduc t research focussing on the genetics of brain tumourformation. Knowledge generated from such research will enable early diagnosis and prognosis and the development of technology targeted at genetic changes which will result in malignant tumours. HK's First Drug Evaluation Lab The first drug evaluation laboratory in the territory was established by the Department of Pharmacy to carry out safety studies on drug p r o d u c t s and t o c e r t i f y d r ug efficacy . Established with a grant from the Industrial Support Fund, the laboratory will help ensure drug products meet internationally recognized s t a n d a r ds o f q u a l i t y a n d c o n d u c t pha rma c o k i ne t ic studies to gain better knowledge o f d r ug therapy i n different diseases. As the only tertiary institution in Hong Kong with a pharmac y department staffed by experts in all aspects of drug evaluation, the University believes that the Drug Evaluation Laboratory will boost the local pharmaceutical industry by helping them to establish the credibility of their products. It will also help improve patient care in Hong Kong and benefit the development of new drugs from traditional Chinese medicine. Chinese Opera Information Centre Opens The Chinese Oper a I n f o r ma t i on Centre , managed by the Cantonese Opera Research Programme o f the Department of Music, was officially opened on 1st Ma r ch 2000. Set up with an allocation of HK$300,000 f r om the Hong Kong Arts Development Council, the centre houses a large amount of Chinese opera research materials, most of which are related to Cantonese opera , i n c l u d i n g musical instruments, programme notes , leaflets, posters, scripts, scores, books, newspaper clippings, videotapes, audi o cassette tapes, compact disks, photographs, slides, and artefacts. The centre is initially open to the public by appointment. China Hope Project Personnel Receive Training on CU Campus The University's Department of Social Work offered an intensive professiona l training course to senior executives of the China Hope Project from March to April 2000. The first of its k i n d for social w o r k personnel f r om ma i n l a nd China , the course was j o i n t l y organized with the China Yout h Development Foundation and was sponsored b y The Asia Foundation. Chinese University Bulletin Spring • Summer 2 0 0 0 62