Bulletin No. 1, 2015

News in Brief  47  Nobel Laureate on New Era of Medicine with iPS Cells Prof. Shinya Yamanaka, Nobel Laureate in Physiology or Medicine 2012, Shaw Laureate in Life Science and Medicine 2008 and currently director of the Centre for iPS Cell Research and Application in Kyoto University, was invited by the Lui Che Woo Institute of Innovative Medicine at Faculty of Medicine as Dr. Lui Che Woo Distinguished Professor. He delivered a public lecture on ‘New Era of Medicine with iPS Cells’ on 17 November 2014. Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) were originally generated from mouse and human skin fibroblasts by introducing four specific transcription factor genes. Since iPSCs have the ability to proliferate almost indefinitely and differentiate into multiple lineages, they could provide unprecedented opportunities in regenerative medicine, disease modelling, drug screening, and personalized medicine. Professor Yamanaka and his research team announced the successful generation of mouse iPS cells in 2006 and of human iPS cells in 2007, surmounting the ethical use of human embryos and problems with tissue rejection after implantation. Global Leader Series The Global Leader Series, organized by the Business School’s Alumni and Corporate Affairs Office, was held on 18 November 2014 at the New World Millennium Hong Kong Hotel. Mr. Charles Li, chief executive of Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited, shared his insight and analysis of the ‘Shanghai-Hong Kong Stock Connect’. Mr. Li addressed the growing relationship between Hong Kong and China and how the respective markets can be further integrated and mutually beneficial.