Newsletter No. 119

2 No. 119 4th January 1998 CUHK Newsletter Br a i n Tumou r Expe r t E l uc i da t es t he Cha r ac t e r o f t he f os Oncogene P rof. Thomas Curran, founding chairman of the Department o f Developmental Neurobiology of St. Jude's Children Research Hospital i n the US, gave a lecture on 19th December 1997 in his capacity as Wei Lun Visiting Professor to the University. In his lecture entitled 'Transcription Factors, Oncogenes and the Brain: the Good, the Bad and the Ugly', Prof. Curran discussed some of the work his laboratory conducted on the characterization of the fos oncogene. Prof. Curran is credited with the identification of fos, th e oncogene responsible for the induction of bone tumours i n mice by the FBJ murine sarcoma virus, i n 1982. Continuous research conducted by Prof. Curran not only opened a new area of signal transduction research, but also provided new approaches to drug discovery and insights into diseases such as epilepsy and neurodegenerative disorders. Prof. Curran graduated from the University of Edinburgh in 1978 and obtained his Ph.D. in 1982 from University College, London, for studies conducted at the Imperial Cancer Research Fund Laboratories. He subsequently underwent postdoctoral training at the Salk Institute in San Diego. Prof. Curran spent approximately 10 years at the Roche Institute of Molecular Biology, holding the position o f associate director from 1992 to 1995, after which he moved to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital i n Memphis, Tennessee, as the founding chairman of the Department o f Developmental Neurobiology. Prof. Curran is also a professor in the Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology at the University of Tennessee. Prof. Curran i s the recipient of many awards and honours associated with neuroscience and cancer research. He i s currently chairman of the publications committee of the American Association fo r Cancer Research, and a member of the NCI Initial Review Group Committee. In his present position at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Prof. Curran is building a research effort in basic neurosciences and is co-leader of a developing programme on brain tumours. Department of O&G Organizes Conference and Satellite Meeting The Department of Obstetrics and G y n a e c o l o g y hosted the Fifth World Symposium on Computers i n G y n a e c o l o g y, Obstetrics an d Neonatology from 10th t o 14t h November 1997 at the Sha Tin club- house of the Hong Kong Jockey Club. Experts from China, Japan, Malaysia, Australia, the UK, Holland, Belgium, Russia, Israel, the US, and other regions attended the symposium. The opening session on computer interpretation of tracings of the foetal heart during labour was presented b y members o f the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology as well as their counterparts from the University o f Nottingham. This was followed by sessions on computerized decision support systems, expert systems, computer-assisted learning, the use of the Internet, and signal capture and analysis. The function was organized on behalf of the International Society o f Computers i n Gynaecology, Obstetrics and Neonatology. After the symposium, the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology organized a satellite meeting in Beijingjointly with the Chinese Medical Association on 16th and 17th November. Over 50 presentations were made by speakers from Hong Kong, mainland China, and overseas. The abstracts have been published in the Chinese Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. SCS Helps Organize Information Technology Education for Working Adults An agreement was recently signed between the School of Continuing Studies and the Victoria University of Technology in Australia to run business courses i n systems support (computing) in Hong Kong from March 1998. Dr. Suzannah Wong, programme director of the part-time degree course, said the agreement signed on 24th November is part of the effort of the School of Continuing Studies towards developing information technology education for working adults in Hong Kong. Graduates of the course will be awarded bachelor's degrees by the Victoria University of Technology, and are expected to take up posts such as analysts, applications developers, consultants, information centre managers, network administrators, and training officers. Dr. C.C. Wan of the School of Continuing Studies and Prof. Jarlath Ronayne of the Victoria University of Technology after the signing of the agreement Professor of Fine Ar ts Looks at China's A r t Educat ion F rom self-learning and artistic transmission from master to disciple, the modes of art education in China have since the mid-19th century changed to formal training at art institutions, according to Prof. Mayching Kao, professor of fine arts and director of the Art Museum. At her professorial inaugural lecture, 'Art Education in China: from Tradition to Modernity' , delivered on 5th December 1997, Prof. Kao pointed out that modern art education came about in the late Qing period with the introduction of Western technology and institutions to China. I n particular th e development of modern art education was divided into four phases: the preparatory phase (1860 to 1902 ), the foundation phase (1902 t o 1911 ), t he developing phase (1912 t o 1949), and the divergent phase (1949 to present). Citing the experiences of major artists as we l l as t he i r ro l es i n ar t education, Prof. Kao elucidated the relationship between art and education in China. Prof. Kao concluded the lecture with a description of the present situation of art education in China, pointing out that the education objectives an d curricula of the art institutions as well as the qualification and methodology adopted by the teachers have direct bearing on the quality of art graduates and on artistic development. Prof. Kao graduated from The Chinese University in 1967. She then went abroad to the US where she obtained her MA from the University of New Mexico and her doctorate i n oriental ar t history from Stanford University. Prof. Kao joined the University's Department of Fine Arts in 1972, and has been director of the Art Museum since 1981. She was appointed professor of fine arts in August 1994. Study on Falls And Mobility Decline Receives Gerontology Award The project 'Health Risks, Health Changes and Quality of Life in the Hong Kong Elderly Cohort: Risk Factors for Falls and Mobility Decline' was recently awarded the Hong Kong Association of Gerontology Tenth Anniversary Award for Outstanding Research in Gerontology. Members of the Faculty of Medicine involved in the project are Prof. Suzanne C. Ho, the principal investigator, and six other team members 一 Prof. Jean Woo, Dr. Yuen Yieu Keung, Dr. Joseph Lau, Ms. S.G. Chan, Ms. Aprille Sham, and Prof. Lee Siu-hung. A paper on the project was presented in the Fifth Annual Congress of Gerontology on 29th November 1997. Service to the Community and International Organizations • Prof. Lee Kam-hon, professor of marketing, has been appointed by the Chief Executive as chairman of the Advisory Committee on Social Work Training and Manpower Planning for two years from 1st November 1997. • Prof. Chan Wing-wah, professorin the Department of Music, has been appointed by the ChiefExecutive as a memberof the CopyrightTribunal for two years from 1st December 1997. • Prof. Ching Pak-chung, dean of engineering, was appointed by the Secretary for Education and Manpower as a member of the Committee on Technical Education of the Vocational Training Council from 1st October to 31st December 1997. • Dr. Wan Chin-chin, director of the Schoolof Continuing Studies, was appointed by the Secretary for Education and Manpower as a member of the Committee on Management and Supervisory Training of the VocationalTraining Council from 1 st October to 31st December 1997. • Prof. Yeung Yue-man, head of Shaw College and director of the Hong Kong Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies, has been invited to be a member of the International Scientific Advisory Board of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). • Prof. Simon Ho, professor in the School of Accountancy, was elected vice-president of the International Association for Accounting Education and Research (IAAER). • Dr. Eva Hung, director of the Research Centre for Translation, has been appointed guest professor by PekingUniversity fromMay 1997. (Information in this section is provided by the Information and Public Relations Office. Contributions should be sent direct to that office for registration and verification before publication.)

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