Newsletter No. 419

8 No. 419, 4.6.2013 治療腸道傳染創新研究獲蓋茨基金會資助 Biologist Receives Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Grant 生命科學學院院長陳文博教授利用「dawadawa」治療腸道傳染病的 創新研究，獲比爾及梅琳達蓋茨基金會（蓋茨基金會）探索大挑戰計劃 頒發十萬美元研究資助。 是項研究計劃由陳文博教授及美國俄亥俄州立大學Manoj Nair博士合 作進行。「dawadawa」本是一種發酵豆類食品，陳教授提出一個全新 配製「dawadawa」的方法，可預防及治理經泥土傳染的線蟲病害，由 於「dawadawa」是非洲西部的主要糧食，故有潛力開發為有效及低成 本的預防及治療線蟲感染產品。 陳教授表示：「是次獲獎，我和Manoj Nair博士皆深感興奮，蓋茨基金 會的資助，將有助我們探索這項創新技術能否應用於治療傳染病。」 探索大挑戰計劃旨在鼓勵世界各地科學家構思大膽而未經實踐的方 案，以改善發展中國家人民的健康。陳教授是中大第三位獲蓋茨基金 會資助的學者，另外兩位曾獲資助的學者為生命科學學院榮休教授  辛世文教授及生物醫學學院陳揚超教授。 Conducted by Prof. Michael K. Chan, director of the School of Life Sciences, the research project entitled ‘Novel Dawadawa Therapy for Intestinal Helminthic Infections’ received a US$100,000 Grand Challenges Explorations grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Professor Chan and his collaborator, Dr. Manoj Nair of Ohio State University, plan to engineer a new formulation of dawadawa, a staple food in western Africa, which can be used to treat and prevent infections by soil-transmitted nematodes. It will help to make the newly formulated dawadawa a potentially effective product for preventing intestinal kelminthic infections at low cost. ‘We are extremely enthusiastic about receiving this grant as it will allow us to explore whether the novel technologies we are developing can be used to treat infectious disease,’ said Professor Chan. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Grand Challenges Explorations is an initiative to help scientists around the world explore bold and largely unproven ways to improve health in developing countries. Professor Chan is the third CUHK scientist to receive a grant from the foundation. Prof. Samuel S.M. Sun, Emeritus Professor, School of Life Sciences and Prof. Chen Yangchao of the School of Biomedical Sciences are the other two who have previously received the grant. 創進坊助創業 Launch of Hub to Advance Entrepreneurship 在創業研究中心、創新科技中心及知識轉移處的共同努力下，中大創進坊於5月9日在  范克廉樓大堂舉行成立典禮暨展覽，由沈祖堯校長（ 中 ）、副校長張妙清教授（ 左二 ）、 創業研究中心主任區玉輝教授（ 左一 ）、創新科技中心主任黃錦輝教授（ 右一 ）及知識轉 移處處長譚小蘭女士（ 右二 ）主禮。 創進坊的設立，旨在協助有志創業的中大學生和校友開拓及把握商業機遇，透過教育項 目和顧問服務，包括一系列創業實用教材和指引、培訓工作坊及業務諮詢，並經由各協 作單位，支援用家在創業道路上邁進。本地協作機構包括：浩觀有限公司、香港天使投 資脈絡、香港數碼港管理有限公司、香港生產力促進局、香港科技園公司，以及香港貿 易發展局。 論壇邀請了三位校友分享創業過程，道出創業絕非只憑創意，而是協作的社交活動。  信息工程系畢業的何應煇在2003年沙士爆發、經濟低迷的大環境下創立昇科有公司， 除了憑一腔熱誠和堅定意志，還得依仗一些創業的配套基礎建設和資源。 With the concerted effort of the Centre for Entrepreneurship (CfE), the Centre for Innovation and Technology (CINTEC), and the Knowledge Transfer Office (KTO), the Advancing CUHK Entrepreneurship Hub (ACE Hub) was launched on 9 May in the lobby of the Benjamin Franklin Centre. The event was officiated by Prof. Joseph J.Y. Sung ( centre ), Vice-Chancellor; Prof. Fanny M.C. Cheung ( 2nd left ), Pro-Vice- Chancellor; Prof. Au Yuk-fai ( 1st left ), director of CfE; Prof. Wong Kam-fai William ( 1st right ), director of CINTEC; and Ms. Sharon Tam ( 2nd right ), director of KTO. The ACE Hub aims to promote the entrepreneurial spirit within the CUHK community by giving students and alumni the opportunity to explore entrepreneurial ideas and develop practical entrepreneurial skills. Through education initiatives and advisory service, it develops and offers entrepreneurial toolkit and training workshops, and bridging them with investment opportunities. Moreover, with the support of local partner organizations, ACE Hub helps to connect regional resources and university programmes to assist entrepreneurs. These organizations include CoCoon, Hong Kong Business Angel Network, Hong Kong Cyberport Management Company Limited, Hong Kong Productivity Council, Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation, and Hong Kong Trade Development Council. A forum was held after the ceremony where three alumni entrepreneurs told attendees that far from being solo heroes who dwell on innovation alone, the entrepreneurial journey is a social activity. Mr. Jason Ho, a graduate from information engineering who started Zensis Limited during the SARS epidemic, said that help from local infrastructure and facilities had been indispensable for a venture that was neither backed by personal savings nor family wealth. 中大校慶足球邀請賽稱王 CUHK Champion of Anniversary Soccer Tournament 為誌五十周年校慶，中大教職員足球會於4月初至5月中 舉辦「香港中文大學五十周年校慶足球邀請賽」，邀請  香港浸會大學、香港理工大學、香港科技大學及香港  教育學院參賽，切磋聯誼。決賽於5月12日在大學嶺南 運動場舉行，由中大與科大爭冠，結果中大隊以三比二  險勝。 To celebrate the University’s 50th anniversary, the Chinese University Staff Football Association organized the CUHK 50th Anniversary Soccer Tournament from early April to mid May. Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), and the Hong Kong Institute of Education were invited to take part in the tournament. The finals were held on 12 May at CUHK’s Lingnam Stadium. CUHK defeated HKUST by 3 to 2.