Newsletter No. 267

E-N EWSLETTER A BSTRACT I Volume 2 No. 19 Six Distinguished Persons to Be Honoured by CUHK The Universit y w i l l confe r honorar y doctorates o n si x distinguished person s at its S i x t y - second Co n g r e g a t i o n fo r th e Conferment o f Degree s o n Thursday , 8t h December 2005 . The six honorary graduand s are Mr . V i n c e n t Chen g Ho i - c h u e n , distinguished banke r and chairman of HSBC ; Prof. Ambros e Kin g Yeo-chi , renowne d sociologist an d forme r vice-chancello r o f CUH K ; Prof . L i Y i h y u a n , f amo u s anthropologist, academicia n o f Academi a Sinica i n Taiwan an d chairman of the Chiang Ching Ku o Foundatio n fo r Internationa l Scholarly Exchange ; Dr . Lie n Chan, eminen t statesman an d honorar y chairma n o f th e Kuomintang; Dr . Richar d J . Roberts , renowned molecula r biologis t an d Nobe l Laureate i n Physiolog y o r Medicin e (1993) ; and Mr . Wan g Daohan , respecte d senio r statesman an d presiden t o f the Associatio n for Relation s Acros s the Taiwan Strait . The Second CUHK Journalism Award T he S c h o o l o f J o u r n a l i s m a n d Communication o f th e Universit y ha s announced th e result s o f th e 2n d CUH K Journal ism Award . Th e winne r o f th e electronic medi a categor y i s executiv e producer (specia l projects ) of TVB New s Mr . Au Ka-lu n and the winner o f the prin t medi a c a t e g o ry i s South China Morning Post reporter, Ms . Ravin a Shamdasani . The y wil l each receive a trophy and a certificate on top of a cash priz e o f HK$20,000 . For details, please visit h t t p s : / / w w w . c u h k . e d u . h k / e n e w s /. Commissioner Yang Wenchang Inaugurated Lecture Series by Diplomats M r. Yang Wenchang, Commissione r o f the Ministry o f Foreig n Affair s of the People' s Republi c o f China i n th e HKSAR , delivere d a lectur e a t the Universit y entitle d 'China' s Roa d o f Peacefu l Development an d Foreig n Polic y o f Peace ' on 12t h Octobe r 2005 . Commissioner Yan g has held position s i n the Chinese embass y i n the U K an d Northern Ireland , France , an d Singapore . H e wa s Ambassado r o f the Ministr y of Foreig n Affair s from 199 5 t o 1997 , Assistan t Ministe r o f Foreig n Affair s i n 1997, Vice-Ministe r o f Foreig n Affair s i n 199 8 an d was appointed t o hi s curren t post i n Augus t 2003 . To broade n students ' perspectiv e an d t o liv e u p t o it s mission , CUH K i s organizing a serie s o f lecture s b y ambassador s an d consuls-genera l o n campus . Lectures t o follo w include : Mr . Jame s B . Cunningham , U S Consul-Genera l i n th e Hong Kon g an d Maca o Specia l Administrativ e Regions , o n 9t h November ; Mr . Stephen Bradley , Britis h Consul-Genera l i n Hon g Kong , o n 1s t December ; an d Mr . Takanori Kitamura , Consul-Genera l o f Japan i n Hon g Kong , i n January 2006 . University-Industry Collaboration to Treat Insomnia with Herbs I nsomnia, characterize d b y difficult y fallin g aslee p an d staying asleep , wakin g to o early , o r experiencin g non - refreshing sleep , affect s betwee n 3 0 to 5 0 pe r cen t o f th e adult populatio n worldwide . Studie s i n Hon g Kon g revea l that u p t o 3 8 pe r cen t o f elderl y an d 1 2 pe r cen t o f th e adult Chines e populatio n suffe r from th e condition . The Universit y an d Brigh t Futur e Pharmaceutica l Laboratories Ltd . announce d o n 11t h Octobe r th e ke y findings o f a HK$ 9 million , three-yea r researc h projec t t o develop globall y marketabl e herba l product s fo r treatin g insomnia. Th e projec t was conducted b y researcher s a t the CUHK Epithelia l Cel l Biolog y Researc h Centr e an d jointl y funded b y Brigh t Futur e and the Innovatio n an d Technolog y Commission o f the HKSAR . It s objective was to identif y an d characterize th e action mechanism , efficac y and safet y of a certain herb-derive d sedativ e so that an alternative treatmen t for insomni a ma y b e developed . Using advance d technologie s includin g DN A array , telemetry EE C recording , an d brai n slic e recording , th e CUHK researc h team demonstrated th e effectiveness o f th e herb i n treatin g insomnia . The y als o identifie d th e activ e components o f th e her b an d thei r molecula r target s i n th e brain. Thi s enable s th e developmen t o f tailor-mad e formulations tha t woul d provid e alternativ e treatment s t o insomnia a s well a s pharmaceuticals wit h a global market . Members of the research team SUPPORT FOR EIGHT PROJECT T he followin g eigh t researc h project s undertake n b y facult y member s o f th e University hav e succeede d i n attractin g funding support : • Colonoscopic Screening in First-degree Relatives of Hong Kong Chinese Patients with Sporadic Colorectal Cancer (HK$400,000) Sponsor ： Th e Hon g Kon g Society o f Gastroenterolog y Principal investigator: Prof . Leun g Wai-keun g (Departmen t o f Medicin e an d Therapeutics) • Building up Knowledge Sharing Communities for Teacher Professional Development: University, School and HKedCity Partnership Project (HK$2,750,000 ) Sponsor: Qualit y Educatio n Fun d Principal investigator: Prof . John Le e (Centre for Universit y an d Schoo l Partnership ) Co-investigators: Mr . Pu n Sai-wing, Ms . Chui Ching-ying , Dr . Barle y Mak , an d Prof . Amy H a • A n Ethnoepidemiolog y Stud y of Psychiatri c Morbidit y Amon g Infertil e Chines e Women i n Hon g Kong (US$20,000 ) Sponsor: Fogart y Internationa l Centr e Principal investigator: Dr . Ingri d Lo k (Departmen t o f Obstetrics and Gynaecology ) • interactive Pluralit y 一 Exploring Hon g Kon g Culture and Religion s (HK$432,900 ) Sponsor: Qualit y Educatio n Fun d Principal investigator: Prof . Pete r Ng (Department o f Cultural an d Religiou s Studies ) • Utilizing CIS in School Geography: Education Software Development for Secondary Students in Hong Kong (HK$670,300) Sponsor: Qualit y Educatio n Fun d Principal investigator: Prof . Fun g Tung (Departmen t o f Geograph y an d Resourc e Management) • Prevalence of Asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease in Elderly Chinese Living in Hong Kong: A Community-based Study with Lung Function Assessment (HK$30,000) Sponsor: Hon g Kon g Lung Foundatio n Principal investigator: Dr . Fann y K o (Department o f Medicine an d Therapeutics ) • Capacity Building for Preschool Children: Health Promoting Kindergarten (HK$3,913,000) Sponsor: Qualit y Educatio n Fun d Principal investigator: Prof . Alber t Le e (Centr e fo r Healt h Educatio n an d Healt h Promotion) • Clinical Researc h on HIV/AIDS Managemen t (HK$7,590,000 ) Sponsor: Counci l fo r the AIDS Trust Fun d Principal investigator: Prof . Joseph Sung (Department o f Medicine an d Therapeutics ) Corrigendum: Th e principa l investigato r o f the projec t ' A We b Gam e o n Democrac y and Citizenship ' i n las t issue should hav e read 'Mrs. Winnie La i Chan Wei-ling' . 1 No. 26 7 4t h Novembe r 200 5