Bulletin Number Four 1985

ranging from agriculture to medicine to the production o f cheaper fuels. For instance, large-scale production o f medically important proteins such as interferon and human insulin is now possible w ith gene cloning techniques. Such research holds out hope for the early diagnosis and treatment o f such dreaded dis eases as β -thalassaemia, Lesch-Nyhan syndrome and perhaps even cancer. Genes inserted into plant cells might make the plants frost resistant or capable o f utilizing atmospheric nitrogen more efficiently for the production o f food materials. In animal husbandry, the viral hoof-and-mouth disease has been success fu lly combatted w ith the introduction o f a vaccine developed through genetic engineering. The Depart ment o f Biochemistry is fu lly aware o f the importance o f these developments and plans to initiate a research and teaching programme in biotechnology. The exact form which the programme w ill take is as yet unclear but the possibility o f setting up a Biotechnology Research Laboratory and o f establishing an inter­ departmental MPhil programme in Biotechnology is being actively explored. TABLE I: Research Fields in the Department o f Biochemistry 1. Biochemistry o f pituitary hormones and neuro­ peptides 2. Growth hormone and prolactin receptors 3. Steroid hormones and sexual differentiation 4. Hepatocyte and hepatoma metabolism - effects o f hormones and drugs 5. Mammary gland and lactation biochemistry — effects o f hormones, drugs and potential regulatory principles from Chinese medicinal materials 6. Determination o f CSF opioid peptide levels in disease and normal states 7. Characterization o f opiate-receptor in neuro­ blastoma X glioma cells 8. Narcotics and neurotransmission 9. Neurochemical changes in neurological and neuropsychiatric illnesses 10. Biological effects and mechanism o f action o f neuropeptides, biogenic amines and adenosine 11. Biochemical studies o f brain development 12. Regulation o f LDL-receptor synthesis 13. Role o f carbohydrate component in receptor binding 14. Denervation changes in proteolytic enzymes o f skeletal muscle 15. Reproductive endocrinology o f teleosts and rodents 16. The mode o f action o f gossypol ， a male contraceptive 17. The physiological effect o f cottonseed oil 18. Anti-spermic natural products 19. Chemistry and biology o f potential fe rtility - regulating agents from Chinese medicinal plants 20. Immunopharmacology and neuropharmacology o f Chinese medicine 21. Bioactive peptides and proteins from Chinese medicinal materials 22. Chemistry o f ginseng 23. Effect o f ginseng on brain metabolism and carbohydrate metabolism 24. Trace elements and iron metabolism 25. The biochemistry o f potassium 26. Pharmacogenetics o f alcohol metabolism 27. Applied microbiology-immobilized cells 28. Effect o f food or drugs on the growth o f Ehrlich ascites tumour 29. Changes o f glucose carriers on erythrocytes during development o f Ehrlich ascites tumour 30. Pharmacokinetic studies o f human interferons 31. Mechanism o f anticancer agent 32. Host immune mechanisms in the control o f tumour growth and metastasis 33. Analysis o f cell surface glycoproteins and receptors using monoclonal antibodies 34. Membrane biochemistry o f tumour cells 35. Red blood cell amino acid transport 36. Nucleoside transport in animal cells 37. Red blood cell membrane antigens 38. Reticulocyte maturation in vitro 39. Sickle cell disease 40. Red blood cell insulin receptors Professor Lee Cheuk Yu Professor Lee Cheuk Yu Professor o f Biochemistry Professor Lee Cheuk Yu has been Professor o f the Department o f Biochemistry since January 1985, and his profile was published in the No. one 1985 issue o f the Chinese University Bulletin. RECENT DEVELOPMENTS 11