Calendar 2002–03

96 Part 3• ResearchUnits andUniversity Extensions patients; and to organize seminars, workshops and conferences for advancing its objectives. Most of the institute’sactivities areconducted in theSirYue-kong Pao Centre for Cancer located at the Prince of Wales Hospital, which was officially opened on 7th November 1994. The centre provides clinical and counselling services through a paediatric oncology ward, out-patient and day-patient f acilities for adults, and a comprehensive rangeof state-of-the-art diagnostic facilities. There arethree floors of laboratory space providing over 3,500 square metres for cancer research. Institute of Chinese Medicine Tel.:2609 6140 Fax.:2603 5248 E-mail: icm@cuhk.edu.hk Website :http://www.icm.cuhk.edu.hk Having inherited thefine tradition and research strength of the former Chinese MedicinalMaterial Research Centre,and drawing on the rich experience in clinical tr ials fr om th e Pr ince of Wales Hospital and th e well- eq uip ed ‘Pro cess Development Facility for Chinese Medicin e’ in the Hong Kong I nstitute of Biotechnology Limited, the Institute of Chinese Medicine (ICM) aims to elevate Chinese medicine research in Hong Kong to a higher plane. Set up in January 2000, the ICM is made up of six sections: Clinical Trials, Standar dization and Saf ety of Chinese Medicines, Natural Pro ducts, Drug Development, Information, as well as Public and General Education. The Clinical TrialsSection, based at the Prince of Wales Hospital, engages in multilateral trials of Chinese medicine and acupuncture. Itconducts evidence- based and scientific clinicaltrials in the efficacy of traditional Chinese medicines and treatments with the su pport of its Centr e for Clinical Tr ials o n Chin ese Medicine. The Standar dization and Safety of Chinese Medicines Section has rich experience in authentication work, and is involv ed in the quality control and safety assurance of various Chinese medicinal materials and health foods.It also helpslocal and overseas organizations in analysing suspected casesof poisoning. The Natural Products Section, guided by bioassays, focuses on the isolation of organic molecules from Chinese medicine, and other natural resources, and the elucidation of the structures of these molecules. In addition, it also works on chemical syntheses and structure modification of selected molecules that exhibit significant bioactivity and/or unique structures in the hope of obtaining lesstoxic and/ormore potent drug candidates. The Drug Development Section, coordinated by the School of Pharmacy, develops Chinese medicines with proven efficacy into sophisticated drugs. The Chinese Medicine Museum of th e Information Section houses over 2,500 kinds of medicinal materials, and its Chinese Medicine Library contains professional publications and journals in the field, as well as major manuscripts