常见疾病分子机理的研究是一个新兴的重要领域，具有巨大的潜在影响力。研究表明许多常见疾病的分子致病因素源于人类基因组的群体差异。对于灵长类动物的分子进化分析将提供前所未有的关于常见疾病分子机制的重要依据。香港中文大学的研究团队与中国科学院昆明动物所的研究以此为契机共同开展人类疾病相关的科学研究。昆明动物研究所是中国动物和人类群体遗传差异的主要研究机构。双方的合作有较长的历史。早在1999年，动物所郑永唐教授到香港研究天花粉蛋白的抗病毒性质时，便与生理学系的谭兆祥教授启动了一个双边交流计划。随后，化学病理学系邓亮生教授于2003年3月访问昆明动物所，与张亚平教授启动了一个的联合项目。2006年7月，动物所所长张亚平院士应邓亮生教授的邀请访问香港中文大学。双方的合作进一步加强，并建立了联合实验室。由此，中大和动物所的研究人员一起从事科学研究，通过优势互补，共同完成高水平的研究项目。截至2010年，双方合作完成了20多篇高质量的论文。

    Molecular research into common disease is an important and emerging field of study with great potential impact. The molecular etiologies of a number of common diseases have been shown to be due to genetic diversity in human populations and the carrying out of molecular evolution analysis in primates will provide important and unprecedented evidence regarding the molecular mechanisms of common diseases. Thus, the collaboration between the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) and Kunming Institute of Zoology (KIZ), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) was established to study human disease. KIZ is the principal research institute of genetic diversity in animals and Chinese population in China. Members of CUHK research team have a long history of collaboration with KIZ. Prof. Michael SC Tam (Physiology) initiated an exchange program in his department in 1999, when Prof. YT Zheng came to Hong Kong to study the anti-viral property of an anti-ribosomal protein, trichosanthin. Prof. Nelson Tang (Chemical Pathology) visited KIZ in March 2003 and started a joint project with Prof. Ya-Ping Zhang. Prof. YP Zhang, the Director of KIZ, Professor and Academician, has been invited by Prof. Nelson Tang to visit CUHK in July 2006. The collaboration between the two institutes was further strengthened and a joint research laboratory has been built. At this moment, colleagues from CUHK and collaborators from KIZ are teamed up and have either on-going or pending projects. Up to 2010, the collaboration has resulted in more than 20 high quality publications.