Bulletin No. 2, 2014

Scientists, Muses and their Labs  17  Lui Che Woo Institute of Innovative Medicine Director : Prof. Francis Chan The Lui Che Woo Institute of Innovative Medicine integrates multiple disciplines in clinical medicine and combines the strengths of basic research and clinical studies with the aims of exploring innovative methods of diagnosis and treatment, and bringing new hope to patients. The institute is a platform for CUHK and overseas experts from disciplines including medicine, bioengineering, psychology and linguistics, to collaborate and innovate in the areas of basic science, translational medicine and clinical medicine. The institute, established in 2012, is dedicated to the advancement of three focused initiatives, namely BRAIN (Brain Research and Innovative Neuroscience), SMART (Sports Medicine and Regenerative Technology), and CARE (Cardiovascular Advancement, Research and Education). BRAIN involves the development of novel interventions against neurological and neuropsychiatric diseases such as stroke, dementia, neurocognitive disorders, language impairments, and autism. The novel techniques include counterpulsation, transcranial magnetic stimulation, and robotic arm therapies. State-of-the-art multi-modal imaging and electrophysiological techniques, coupled with genetic testing and the study of new peripheral biomarkers, will also be used to unravel the mechanisms of these diseases. SMART features, among other things, the introduction of minimally invasive surgery in the treatment for sports injuries, and the application of regenerative technologies on challenging sports injuries, such as cartilage and ligament repair. CARE focuses on developing innovative treatment for heart failure, coronary heart diseases and cardiac arrhythmia. It aims at improving the technology of ultrasonic imaging of the heart and major blood vessels, so that predictive markers in heart failure could be detected at an early stage to raise the survival rate of patients. It also endeavours to optimize coronary angioplasty, with the introduction of innovative optical coherence tomography scan to assist in coronary artery intervention therapy, and assist in stent implantation in patients with arteriosclerosis obliterans.