Calendar 2003–04

66 Par Chinese Medicine Research and Further Development — the University has identified 19 Strategic Research Areas which possess world-class strengths academically and offer unique research opportunities. These areas include computer-assisted diagnosis, treatment and training in medicine, marine biotechnology, proteinomic, e-commerce technologies, educational development in Chinese societies, automation and robotics, research in nanostructured materials, and Hong Kong culture within national, regional, and international contexts. Researchers at the University also contribute their expertise towards tackling sudden and unforeseen social crises, such as the outbreak of SARS in Hong Kong in early 2003. An interdisciplinary team was speedily formed to conduct extensive research on the SARS virus, diagnosis, treatment, prevention, and public health, achieving major breakthrough on all fronts. About one quarter of the government’s annual allocation to the University in the form of block grants goes directly or indirectly to research. The University also relies heavily on different external funding sources to support research activities. The Research Grants Council remains the major sponsor of research. In the 2002–3 exercise, CUHK staff secured some HK$97 million in the form of competitive grants. The high quality of research is also reflected in the many papers published in international and local refereed journals. Other major sources of funding are the Quality Education Fund, the Innovation and Technology Fund, the Health Care and Promotion Fund, and various private donations. The University’s Research Committee is one of the main bodies responsible for allocating internal funding for research. It is supported by seven subject panels, each consisting of up to 10 experienced researchers. In addition to the allocation of research funding, it is also charged with the responsibility of evaluating and recommending project proposals for external grant applications. The committee is supported by the Research and Technology Administration Office (RTAO). The RTAO is the primary office responsible for research administration and technology transfer. All intellectual property rights are administered through RTAO unless and until assigned. The recent years saw a rapid increase in technology transfer activities at the University. More and more technologies developed by CUHK have been adopted by industries. One such technology involves the extraction and cloning of a novel orange fluorescent protein from a marine creature, which is an extremely useful tool for tracking and quantifying biological entities in the fields of biochemistry, biotechnology, molecular biology cell biology, and medical diagnosis. As of May 2003, CUHK and its staff secured 22 US patents, one European patent, five Chinese patents, and four Hong Kong patents, covering various fields in biotechnology, information technology, pharmaceuticals, medical technology, and materials science.