Bulletin No. 1, 2023

As if it were newly born Going step by step In the past few years, the government has committed more than HK$100 billion to boosting the local innovation and technology scene. Would the professors, who have witnessed the city’s scientific and technological development, and negotiated with the authorities for years, cast a vote of confidence on the prospect of Hong Kong becoming an international innovation and technology hub? “For two consecutive years, the policy address has laid down the vision of turning Hong Kong into an innovation hub,” says Professor Yung. “This is unprecedented. So, in the first place, this is policy- driven. Second, in terms of investment, HK$10 billion has been put into the InnoHK platform and, in total, more than HK$100 billion has been pumped into the sector. These measures will stand us in good stead. “That said, they will need to overcome a dozen issues. To start with, the world has ground to a halt due to the coronavirus pandemic. Hong Kong is an expansive, export-oriented economy; if we want to excel, we have to step up our game. Second, we have to compete with the rest of the world for talent. Last but not least, facilities count. Although it has been talked about for a long time, a good manufacturing practice (GMP) laboratory is nowhere to be found in Hong Kong. “Fortunately, the University has been building one, and the first ever GMP lab will soon open at the Hong Kong Institute of Biotechnology.” 1 Stem cells are primitive human cells that can differentiate into different types of cells, such as liver, blood and muscle cells. As the earliest type of cells, they can become virtually every type of tissue and organ. As a result, they are widely used in medical settings, especially in repairing and replacing injured tissues. 2 Tissue engineering is a technology and method which makes use of principles and techniques of engineering and life sciences to cultivate tissues and organs outside the body, in order to mimic the human physiological environment or replace the damaged tissues and restore health. Regenerative medicine is a discipline and a grand medical horizon, and can be achieved in different realms, such as cells and genes. Its overarching aim is to reverse illness and ageing. Regenerative medicine is a frontier discipline, whereas tissue engineering has attracted much attention in the recent decade. In the past, they usually went in tandem with the post-cancer rebuilding of organs and tissues. These days, tissue engineering goes hand in hand with regenerative medicine. The setting up of CNRM, with its thematic andmulti- disciplinarynature, and collaboration between twoworld-class research institutions, provide a unique strength to accelerate R&Dbreakthroughs in neuromusculoskeletal disease. It will certainly strengthen the stature and commitment of Hong Kong as an advanced R&Dhub in the region. Professor Patrick Yung Director of the Center for Neuromusculoskeletal Restorative Medicine “ ” Envisioning a healthier future 15