Bulletin Spring‧Summer 1993

Main Partner: University of Birmingham Grant: £4,600 • Computer simulation of processing for optoelectronic devices Coordinator. Prof. I. H. Wilson, Department of Electronic Engineering Main Partner. University of Surrey Grant: £5,785 • A comparative investigation of breastfeeding practices of Hong Kong and UK women Coordinator: Prof. Kenneth J. Sellick, Department of Nursing Main Partner: University of Surrey Grant: £3,320 Nasopharyngeal Cancer Research Foundation Established A Nasopharyngeal Cancer Research Foundation was recently established in the University to encourage research on nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC) and promote related educational activities. NPC is so prevalent in southern China that it has been dubbed the 'Cantonese cancer'. For years a workgroup on NPC at the Prince of Wales Hospital has actively promoted interdepartmental cooperation on its prevention, early diagnosis, and effective treatment. With recent donations of HK$1.5 million from Health Care Asia Inc. and HK$0.5 million from the Providence Foundation, the NPC workgroup has now been strengthened and enlarged into the Nasopharyngeal Cancer Research Foundation. To be housed in the Sir Y. K. Pao Cancer Centre at the Prince of Wales Hospital, the foundation will continue the good work of the NPC workgroup and aspire to become an international information centre for different aspects of nasopharyngeal cancer. Professorial Inaugural Lectures Five professorial inaugural lectures were given between January and April 1993: • Prof. David C. Anderson, professor of medicine, delivered his inaugural lecture entitled ‘Hormones and Bone: Breaks and Breakthrough' on 15th January. • Prof. Owen L. Lloyd, professor of community and family medicine, delivered his inaugural lecture entitled 'The Environment and Public Health, Past, Present and Future — There Be Dragons … ， o n 12th February. • Prof. Philip James Johnson, professor of clinical oncology, delivered his inaugural lecture entitled 'Viruses and Liver Cancer: A Journey to a Far Country' on 5th March. • Prof. Vincent Lum, professor of systems engineering, delivered his inaugural lecture entitled ‘An Evolution of Data and Information Management' on 19th March. • Prof. K. N. Lai, professor of medicine (nephrology), delivered his inaugural lecture entitled ‘Over the Rainbow — Tribulation and Thrill of Medical Research' on 30th April. Wei Lun Lecture Prof. Tang Au-chin, honorary chairman of the National Natural Science Foundation of China, delivered a lecture on ‘Fundamental Scientific Research in China —The Role of the National Natural Science Foundation' on 14th January as the University's Wei Lun Visiting Professor. Prof. Tang traced the development of basic scientific research in China over the last 40 years, and described the achievements of the National Natural Science Foundation of China, which was established in 1986 to administer research foundations and NEWS IN BRIEF 23