Newsletter No. 485

06 # 4 8 5 | 1 9 . 1 0 . 2 0 1 6 邵逸夫獎得主揭示發育障礙症療法 Shaw Laureates Shed Light on Rett Syndrome Therapy 2016年邵逸夫生命科學與醫學獎得主艾德里安  • 伯德教授（右二）及 胡達 • 佐格比教授（左二）於9月28日親臨逸夫書院，分別以「從DNA甲基 化到大腦功能」及「蕾特氏症：從臨床到基因組學、表觀基因組與神經迴 路」為題演講，吸引四百三十名中大、本地其他院校和中學師生，以及相關 專家學者出席。 愛丁堡大學布坎南遺傳學講座教授伯德及貝勒醫學院兒科及分子與人類 遺傳學教授佐格比發現的基因和蛋白，可辨識染色體脫氧核醣核酸一種 影響基因調控的化學改變，而這基因的突變亦是發育障礙疾病蕾特氏症 的致病主因。 佐格比和伯德的研究小組各自研究出蕾特氏症的遺傳病動物–老鼠– 模型，證實在大腦製造一種特定的遺傳缺陷，可引發蕾特氏症的主要症 狀。MeCP2蛋白在神經細胞中數量很多，並接近染色體結合組織蛋白的 水平。由此推斷，改變MeCP2蛋白水平的平衡，對病患者的染色體結構會 有嚴重的影響。 佐格比教授指出，用於柏金遜症的腦深層刺激法，亦可治療一些學習和記 憶的症狀。大部分神經系統疾病會出現不可逆轉的損毀，然而，伯德教授 及其研究小組發現，注入methylC結合蛋白的活性基因，卻可修復蕾特氏 症的動物模型。這個發現開啟了以基因重組的新技術來治療某些神經系 統疾病之途徑。 Prof. Adrian Bird (2nd right) and Prof. Huda Zoghbi (2nd left), Shaw laureates in Life Science and Medicine 2016, lectured on ‘From DNA Methylation to Brain Function’ and ‘Rett Syndrome: From the Clinic to Genomes, Epigenomes, and Neural Circuits’, respectively, on 28 September at Shaw College. The lectures attracted 430 staff and students from CUHK and local universities, professionals in the field, as well as secondary school teachers and students. Professor Bird, Buchanan Professor of Genetics, Wellcome Trust Centre for Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, and Professor Zoghbi, Professor of Pediatrics and Molecular and Human Genetics Baylor College of Medicine, were awarded for their discovery of the genes and the encoded proteins that recognize one chemical modification of the DNA of chromosomes. The modification influences gene control as the basis of the developmental disorder Rett syndrome. The Zoghbi and Bird groups independently produced a genetic animal- mouse-model of the disease and showed that the creation of a brain specific genetic defect reproduced the major symptoms of the disease. The MePC2 protein is quite abundant in nerve cells, approaching the level of the major chromosome-binding histones; thus a change in the balance of the MePC2 protein is likely to have a profound effect on chromosome structure in disease patients. Professor Zoghbi showed that some of the learning and memory symptoms could be treated with a form of deep brain stimulation that is used on patients with Parkinson’s disease. In dramatic contrast to the irreversible damage associated with most neurologic disorders, Bird’s group showed that the animal model of Rett syndrome could be restored to normal by reintroducing the active gene that codes for the missing methylC binding protein. This discovery suggests a path to treatment of certain neurologic disorders using the emerging technology of gene editing. 剖析公正與誤解 Lecture on Justice and the Misunderstood 法律學院邀請牛津大學聖休學院校長Elish Angiolini女爵士蒞校， 於9月29日假李兆基樓以「公正與誤解」為題演講，逾二百位來自各 界人士出席，包括香港司法機構法官、莫慶堯慈善基金代表、聖休 學院邀請的嘉賓、法律界知名人士、校友、師生及巿民等。Angiolini 女爵士除分享她的獨特見解，亦深入探討人類行為的認知如何影 響公平體系之回應。 講座為莫慶堯訪問學人計劃的重點活動之一，該計劃是中大為紀 念莫慶堯博士及莫氏家族的慷慨捐款而設立，並獲得莫慶堯慈善 基金大力支持，旨在提升中大的教學、研究及學術發展，每年邀請 一位知名學者到香港參與教學、學術交流及主講一場公開講座。 The Rt. Hon Dame Elish Angiolini, DBE QC, Principal of St . Hugh’s College, University of Oxford, has been invited by the Faculty of Law to give a lecture on ‘Justice and the Misunderstood’, under the Mok Hing Yiu Visiting Professorship Scheme supported by Mok Hing Yiu Charitable Foundation, on 29 September at Lee Shau Kee Building. Coinciding with the Faculty’s 10th Anniversary celebration, the lecture attracted over 200 attendees including judges from Hong Kong judiciary, representatives of Mok Hing Yiu Charitable Foundation, guests of St. Hugh’s College, distinguished guests of legal community, alumni, staff, students and the general public. Dame Elish gave her views on the subject and elaborated on exploring the extent to which knowledge of human behaviour influences the responses of systems of justice. The Mok Hing Yiu Visiting Professorship Scheme was established by CUHK in memory of the late Dr. Mok Hing Yiu with a generous donation from the Mok family. The aim of the scheme is to advance teaching, research and academic development of CUHK. Under the scheme, one widely acclaimed scholar will be invited to Hong Kong on an annual basis, and will participate in teaching, scholastic exchange and to deliver a professorial lecture in a public form to inspire staff and students of CUHK, alumni, professional groups and the general public. 從伊波拉爆發到戰地醫院受襲 From Ebola Epidemic to Brutal Hospital Attacks 中大於10月5日舉辦首屆「呂志和獎－ 世界文明獎」獲獎者公開講座，由獲 「人類福祉獎」的無國界醫生（香 港）總幹事卡磊明先生（左）及緊急 救援支援組經理暨2014年無國界醫 生利比里亞伊波拉救援項目醫療統 籌韋達莎醫生（右）主講，講題為「無 國界醫生：從伊波拉爆發到戰地醫院 受襲」。 「呂志和獎－世界文明獎」由呂志和 博士於2015年成立，旨在促進世界文明，並激勵世人建構更和諧的世界。該獎為國際跨界別創新獎項，每年 因應世界當前挑戰或需要，為持續發展、人類福祉及正能量等三項獎別訂定一個關注領域。 2010年海地霍亂爆發及2014年西非伊波拉病毒肆虐時，無國界醫生在控制疫情及醫治病人所作出無可替 代的貢獻，因而獲獎。卡磊明先生以及韋達莎醫生以他們親身經歷，與在場聽眾分享無國界醫生在受天災、 疫症或武裝衝突影響的地區，如何提供醫療及人道援助予，並縷述在戰地醫院受襲和伊波拉疫症爆發下進 行救援的挑戰。 On 5 October, the University hosted the LUI Che Woo Prize – Prize for World Civilization public lecture. Mr. Rémi Carrier (left) and Dr. Natasha Reyes (right), representatives of Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)— awardees of the prize in the welfare betterment category—spoke on ‘From the Worst Ebola Epidemic to the Brutal Hospital Attacks–the First-hand Experience and Perspective of Médecins Sans Frontières’. Founded by Dr. LUI Che Woo in 2015, the prize is an annual, first of its kind, international, cross-sector and innovative award for advancing world civilization and inspiring people to build a more harmonious world. In order to address ever-evolving global needs and challenges, each year the prize will set a specific area of focus under three prize categories, namely, sustainability, welfare betterment and positive energy. MSF was awarded for its indispensable contributions to the treatment and control of the cholera outbreak in Haiti in 2010 and the Ebola epidemic in West Africa in 2014. Mr. Carrier, executive director at MSF Hong Kong, and Dr. Reyes, emergency Response Support Unit manager at MSF Hong Kong, briefly introduced how MSF act to provide medical and humanitarian aid to areas of armed conflict, disaster and/or epidemic on a first-response basis. They also shared their first-hand experience and perspective on the challenges of responding to the Ebola epidemic, the brutal hospital attacks they faced, and more.