Bulletin No. 1, 2016

News in Brief 51 The Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO) Scientific Collaboration and the Virgo Collaboration officially a n n o u n c e d o n 15 J u n e t h a t gravitational waves were detected by both of its twin detectors for the second time. CUHK has become a member of the LIGO Scientific Collaboration since March 2016. The only research team from a Hong Kong institution was led by Prof. Tjonnie G.F. Li of the Department of Physics. The first detection of gravitational waves, announced on From left: Dr. Siew C. Ng, Prof. Justin Wu and Prof. Simon Ng 11 February 2016, confirmed a major prediction of Albert Einstein’s 1915 general theory of relativity, and marked the beginning of the new field of gravitational-wave astronomy. The black holes found in the second discovery were much less massive than those observed in the first detection. Due to their lighter masses compared to the first detection, they spent more time—about one second—in the sensitive band of the detectors. This can help scientists to map the populations of black holes in the universe. 3D Printing Technology in Complex Cardiac Surgery Procedures University of Hong Kong, collaborated to use echocardiographic data to create soft silicone- based models of complex cardiac structures using 3D printing. The models allow cardiologists to personalize planning for cardiovascular intervention for each patient. The practice, the first of its kind in Hong Kong, was applied to a complex case of Left Atrial Appendage occlusion last year and the patient is now in good condition. Dr. Alex Lee (centre), assistant professor, Division of Cardiology, Faculty of Medicine, CUHK stated that 3D patient- specific cardiac models help patients better understand the operation procedures and enhance training of cardiologists. Researchers from the Division of Cardiology of the Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine, CUHK, and the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, rESEArcH Global First Study Confirms New Colorectal Cancer High Risk Group From 2010 to 2014, researchers of the Faculty of Medicine recruited 600 people aged 52 to 64 to participate in a prospective case-control study. Results showed that siblings of individuals with advanced adenomas had a six-fold increased odds of having advanced adenomas compared with subjects from the control group. It is worth for them to undergo colonoscopy in order to prevent colorectal cancer by early detection and removal of advanced adenomas. The study has been published in the leading medical journal Gastroenterology and recognized by world-renowned leaders in this field. CUHK Researchers Take Part in LIGO’s Detection of Gravitational Waves