Calendar 2002–03

Faculty andDepartmentalResearch/ConsultancyUnits 123 through closed circuit video transmission from the operating room; • en ables orthop aed ic learning to be linked with an d d eliver ed to oth er international centres through telemedicine; • allows information retrieval on the orthopaedic information superhighway via an ex ten sive intran et and I nternet n etwork and the estab lishment of a comprehensive resource centre in orthopaedics and traumatology. The Psychiatric Genetics Research Unit Tel.:2632 3646 Fax.:2646 2284 E-mail :psychiatry@cuhk.edu.hk The Psychiatric Genetics Research Unit was established in January 1998 in the Department of Psychiatry. The focus of research has been ethnic differences in genetic factors determining the metabolism of drugs used in psychiatry, as well as in genetic factors contributing to the development of various mental illnesses including schizophrenia and affective disorders. Research Laboratory for Food Protein Production Tel.:2609 6389 Fax.:2603 5745 E-mail: bio@cuhk.edu.hk The Resear ch Laboratory for Food Protein Produ ction, established under the Depar tment of Biology , aims at using bioch emical and biotechn olo gical approachesto improve existing food proteins and to explore new sources of food protein for human and animal consumption. Major research areas include the evaluation of the quality of some underutilized legume seeds and the assessment of their potential use; bioconversion of agricultural and food-industrial wastes to fungal proteins; genetically engineering plant proteins for improved nutritional quality and nutraceutical property; and the use of plants as bioreactors to produce specialty food proteins. Research Laboratory for Food Science Tel.:2609 6285 Fax.:2603 5646 E-mail: bio@cuhk.edu.hk Established in 1991 under the Department of Biology, the Research Laboratory for Food Science aims to serve the food industries in Hong Kong and mainland China through the development of new food products and new technology in food processing. Theactivitiesof thelaboratory are focused on the modernization of p rocedur es for processing tr adition al Chinese fo od items, and the use of integrative biotechnology in developing health food products. Research pro jects underway include the evaluation of the medicinal and nutritional value of mushrooms; development of mushroom-based health food items; quality control in the canning of mushrooms; cloning of DNA associated with shrimp-derived allergens; application of molecular biology to mushroom