Bulletin Autumn‧Winter 2000

Tripartite Collaboration on Molecular Biosciences Molecular biosciences an d biotechnology research are recognized as crucial elements of China's national strategy for food and health care security in the 21st century. A long-term cooperative agreement wa s r e c e n t ly c o n c l u d e d a mo ng t he University, the Chinese Ac a d emy of Sciences, a n d An s o n B i o t e c hno l ogy E n t e r p r i s e to p u r s u e r e s e a r c h in mo l e c u l a r biosciences, f o c u s s i n g on t h e a r e a s of h e a l t h a n d f o o d . Th e signing of the agreemen t took place on c amp u s on 23rd Au g u st 2000 . A total of HK$100 million will be injected into t h e p r o j e c t . The t h r ee p a r t i e s wi ll capitalize o n their respectiv e expertise and resources to s u p p o r t and ma n a g e mu l t i d i s c i p l i n a r y r e s e a r ch activities a nd resourc e d e v e l opme nt w i t h i n the field of biosciences. The ma in effort w i l l f a ll o n b a s i c r e s e a r c h w i t h p o t e n t i a l f or a p p l i c a t i on t h r o u g h b i o c h emi c a l , p h a r ma c o l o g i c a l , a nd genomic studies . From left: Prof. Lu Yongxiang (Chinese Academy of Sciences), Prof. Arthur K. C. Li (CUHK), and Dr. K. C. Cho (Anson Biotechnology Enterprise) Medical News New Research Centre and New Treatment Centre for Atherosclerosis Established The Centre for Atherosclerosis Studies was formally established on 13th April 2000 to examine the increasing prevalence of cardiovascular disease and stroke in Hong Kong, mainland China, and many overseas Chinese communities. It will a d o pt a multi-centre app r oa ch, comparing the situations in different Chinese communities. Most Chinese atherosclerosis patients have no traditional risk factors such as smo k i n g , h y p e r t e n s i o n , hypercholesterolemia, or diabetes mellitus. Yet r e s e a r ch h as s h own t hat Ch i ne s e in modernized cities such as Hon g Kong, Sydney, and San Francisco have higher risk of h e a r t d i s e a s e or stroke t h an Chinese living in rural areas in Southern Ch i n a . The effect s of mo d e r n i z ed lifestyles and dietary habits as well as o t her eme r g i ng ris k f a c t o rs s u ch as abdominal obesity and increased oxidized low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol will be the foci of the centre's studies. News in Brief 63