Bulletin Autumn‧Winter 2002

An Address given by Prof. Feri d Mu r ad MD, Ph.D., Nobel Laureate in Physiology or Medicine O n behalf of all the Ho n o r a ry Graduates, I thank The Chinese Un i v e r s i ty of H o n g K o ng for the h o n o ur y o u have bestowed u p o n us. It gives us a great pleasure to be h e re t o d a y a n d w e l o o k f o r w a r d to f u t u r e interactions w i t h the University. I w o u l d like to address m y comments to the younger graduates, and their families and friends w h o are here to share i n their recognition and excitement. This must be a most exciting time in your lives to reach this important education milestone. Some of y o u w i l l seek employment and others w i l l continue their education and training for advanced degrees. Granted, these are the most exciting times for you. Howe v e r, they are also challenging times w i t h r a p id changes i n the economy, technology and healthcare t h r o u g h o ut the w o r l d. There is unrest, t e r r o r i sm, a nd threats of w a r a r o u nd the w o r l d t h at w i l l undoubtedly affect the economy and standard of living of ma ny nations. The technological advances in the past several decades have been most remarkable. They have influenced all aspects of our lives f r om healthcare to travel to telecommunications. There are no areas of our daily lives that are not affected and that are not changing rapidly. You can be sure that the rate of changes and advances w i l l not d i m i n i s h. W h o w o u l d have b e l i e v ed 20 or 30 years ago that cell phones or computers w o u l d have such an i mp a ct on business, healthcare and other aspects of our lives. I n the past decade, the h uman genome has been c omp l e t e ly sequenced a nd discloses an e n o r mo us amo u nt of i n f o r ma t i on to diagnose and treat ma ny diseases. Gene therapy is on the h o r i z on as is tissue engineering f r om stem cells for tissue repair a nd t r a n s p l a n t a t i o n. Ma j or advances have been ma de i n t r e a t i ng cancer, heart disease, and other disorders. The biotechnology i n d u s t ry has advanced ma ny n ew therapies, diagnostic methods and surgical devices i n a d d i t i on to emp l o yme nt opportunities. O n l y education can prepare y o u to adapt to the r a p id changes i n the wo r l d. I am sure the y o u ng graduates w i l l look back 20 to 30 years f r om n ow and w i l l be astonished by the remarkable changes they w i l l experience. M a n y difficult diseases w i l l be prevented or cured, economic and trade agreements w i l l be common, travel and communications about the w o r l d w i l l be faster. Good luck to all of y o u in y o ur careers and educational plans and be prepared for the r a p id advances and changes that are inevitable i n the future. 5 0 Chinese University Bulletin Autumn • Winter 2002