Bulletin Autumn‧Winter 2006

Biomedical Sciences 11 will use the major area to develop more core facilities e.g. for generating data or for DNA microarray, so researchers can concentrate on their work,’ explains Prof. Lo. Funding Support Toadvancehumanhealth inHongKong, South China andAsia, the major area requires start- up funding to set up new infrastructure and recruit research talent, especially translational research talent; medium-term funding for appointing research and management staff; and, in the longer run, an endowment fund to sustain core functions. ‘The University has allocated substantial research funding to us and the RGC has also raised its support by some 20% last year. I hope other funding bodies will also increase their funding. Donations are gaining momentum. With increased resources, we can hope to increase our efficiency in unravelling the causes of diseases and in developing life- saving tests and treatments for those in need.’ concludes Prof. Lo. The online version of the Biomedical Sciences brochure is available at www.cuhk. edu.hk/v6/en/cuhk/strategicplan/fivemajor_ bs.html. New Institute for Translational Research ‘Translational research is a worldwide trend and a main theme of the major area,’ Prof. Lo points out. Translational research is research that translates basic science discoveries into clinical applications. It focuses on the integration of activities frombench to bedside. Elements necessary for translational medicine include access to the required technology and animal models, proximity of the researchers to clinical materials, and ease of communications among basic scientists and clinicians. The Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, to be housed in a new 12-storey building devoted predominantly to translational research, will open at the Faculty of Medicine later in 2007. ‘To conduct quality translational research, we need a good team of basic scientists, mathematicians, statisticians, clinicians, bioinformatics experts etc. who can pool their different talents and expertise. Hence the research institute is a very timely development,’ observes Prof. Lo. The institute’s location in one of Hong Kong’s largest clinical catchment areas provides it with a broad clinical base for translational research in diagnostics and therapeutics of important diseases. And to ensure that at any one time, space is given to areas that most need it and that can best justify their need, the institute will allocate space to user areas on a competitive basis. ‘Biology research is becoming similar to high energy physics research in the past. Equipment is crucial and is becoming so sophisticated and therefore expensive that it can no longer be afforded by one or two departments. We The Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences