Major Research Grants

The Department strives to achieve excellence in research. Our academic staff have earned numerous major funding success and honours across different subspecialties. In addition to research grants and fellowships offered by the University, as well as other external sources, the Department has continued to achieve outstanding results in regular funding exercises, including the Collaborative Research Fund (CRF), Theme-based Research Scheme (TRS), General Research Fund (GRF), Research Impact Fund (RIF) and Joint Research Schemes of the Research Grants Council, the Health and Medical Research Fund (HMRF) of the Health Bureau, and the Innovation and Technology Fund (ITF) of the Innovation and Technology Commission.

RGC Collaborative Research Fund (CRF)

Year Principal Investigator  Project Title Amount Awarded
(HKD)
2023/24 Professor Lau Chak-sing Integrating Genetic, Transcriptomic, and Clinical Studies for SLE to Achieve Personalized Treatment of The Disease Based on Predisposition, Early Manifestation, and Molecular and Cellular Signatures $6,476,284
2023/24 Professor Tse Hung-fat Programmable RNA Pseudouridylation for Premature Termination Codon Suppression as Gene Therapy for Cardiac Laminopathy $2,661,362

RGC Theme-based Research Scheme (TRS)

Year Principal Investigator  Project Title Amount Awarded
(HKD)
2023/24
(Thirteenth Round)
Professor Xu Aimin
(Co-Principal Investigator)
Single-cell Multi-omics Study of Atherosclerotic Vascular Disease: Narrowing the Gap Between Bench and Bedside $1,800,000
2023/24
(Thirteenth Round)
Professor Yiu Kai-hang
(Co-Investigator)
Single-cell Multi-omics Study of Atherosclerotic Vascular Disease: Narrowing the Gap Between Bench and Bedside $1,206,000

RGC General Research Fund (GRF)

Year Principal Investigator  Project Title Amount Awarded
(HKD)
2024/25 Professor Daniel Chan Tak-mao Defining the Role of Annexin-A2 in Epithelial-to-mesenchymal Transition and Tubulo-interstitial Fibrosis in Chronic Kidney Disease $1,559,463
2024/25 Professor Paul Lee Chi-ho Tirzepatide Versus Semaglutide as an Adjunct to Improve Glycaemia and Cardiovascular Risk Factors Control in Overweight and Obese Patients with Type 1 Diabetes – A Randomized, Crossover, Treat-to-target Study (TACKLE-T1D Study) $1,553,283
2024/25 Professor Philip Li Hei Recapitulating and Repairing Inborn Errors of Immunity Using a Novel Personalized Stem Cell Platform $1,461,315
2024/25 Professor Xu Aimin CUB Domain-containing Protein 1 as a Novel Mediator of Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis: Molecular Mechanism and Therapeutic Implications $1,553,537
2024/25 Professor Jacqueline Yuen Kwan-yuk A Communication-priming Intervention to Improve Shared Decision-making Between Older Adults with Advanced Chronic Kidney Disease and Clinicians $1,214,852
2024/25 Dr Geng Leiluo β-Klotho as a Novel Anti-ageing Factor by Suppressing Adipose Senescence $1,057,481
2024/25 Dr Wang Baile Semaphorin 6B as a Novel Glucose-lowering Hormone to Counteract Type 2 Diabetes: Molecular Mechanism and Clinical Implications $1,558,606
2023/24 Professor Will Chan Yap-hang A Randomized Controlled Trial on Effects of Ivabradine for Strict Rate Control in Persistent Atrial Fibrillation: Ameliorating Myocardial Dysfunction and Inflammation $1,293,844
2023/24 Professor Wong Chun-ka Glucagon-like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonist for Reduction of Peri-operative Myocardial Injury in Non-cardiac Surgeries: A Randomized Controlled Trial $1,072,696
2023/24 Professor Xu Aimin STAP1 as a Novel Perpetrator of Metabolic Inflammation: Molecular Basis and Pathophysiological Implications $1,596,200
2022/23 Professor Chan Koon-ho Role of B Lymphocytes and Potential Therapeutic Efficacy of Bruton's Tyrokine Kinase Inhibitor in Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder $1,166,064
2022/23 Professor Will Chan Yap-hang Treating the Metabolic Syndrome with a Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter-2 Inhibitor: A Randomised Controlled Trial $1,179,805
2022/23 Professor Walter Seto Wai-kay Multi-scale Deep Learning Versus Standard Radiological Interpretation in Computed Tomography to Predict Microvascular Invasion In Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Multi-Center Randomized Trial $1,056,473
2022/23 Professor Sydney Tang Chi-wai Dissecting the Role of C5aR-mediated Autophagy and Mitophagy in Diabetic Kidney Disease $1,180,213
2022/23 Professor Xu Aimin A Novel Role of Stanniocalcin-2 in the Regulation of Insulin Secretion from Pancreatic β cells $1,369,053
2022/23 Professor Yiu Kai-hang Effect of Empagliflozin on Progression of Left Ventricular Hypertrophy and Myocardial Dysfunction in Patients with Aortic Stenosis: A Randomized Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Trial $762,224
2022/23 Professor Susan Yung Sou-ying Defining the Role of Hyaluronan in the Pathogenesis of Lupus Nephritis and the Effect of 4-Methylumbelliferone and Mycophenolate $1,179,884
2022/23 Dr Wang Baile Bone Marrow Adipose Tissue Orchestrates Hematopoiesis to Facilitate Type 2 Immune Response During Cold-Induced Beiging of White Adipose Tissue $1,180,022

RGC Research Impact Fund (RIF)

Year Principal Investigator  Project Title Amount Awarded
(HKD)
2022/23 Professor Shirley Li Xue Horizon Scanning of Medium- to Long-term Burden of Chronic Diseases and Care Needs to 2030 in Hong Kong (SCAN-2030) $2,950,000
2021/22 Professor Tse Hung-fat Therapeutic application of induced pluripotent stem cells derived mesenchymal stromal cells for treatment of heart failure $9,840,000

National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) / RGC Joint Research Scheme

Year Principal Investigator  Project Title Amount Awarded
(HKD)
2021/22 Professor Anskar Leung Yu-hung Deciphering Recurrent Mutation Combinations In Myelodysplasia Syndromes Using Zebrafish – Mechanistic and Therapeutic Insights $1,185,561

Health and Medical Research Fund (HMRF)

Year Principal Investigator  Project Title Amount Awarded
(HKD)
2022 Professor Paul Lee Chi-ho Evaluating the Health Impact of Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Fatty Liver Disease and Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: Insights from a Contemporary, Prospective Population-Based Study of Hong Kong $1,462,156
2022 Professor David Lui Taki-wai Risks and Burdens of Metabolic Sequelae in Long COVID: Focusing on Glucose, Lipid and Bone Metabolism $1,493,807
2022 Professor Loey Mak Lung-yi Clinical Utility of GALAD-assisted Ultrasonography in Detection of Tumor Recurrence after Curative Hepatic Resection or Liver Transplantation for Liver Cancer $1,494,648
2022 Professor Teo Kay-cheong Vitamin D Treatment in Intracerebal Hemorrhage to Enhance Hematoma Resolution (VICToHR): A Pilot Study $426,473
2022 Professor Jacqueline Yuen Kwan-yuk Effects of a Home Based Feeding Enhancement in Dementia (FEED@home) Intervention on Hospital Readmissions: A Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial $1,305,512
2022 Dr Cheong Lai-yee The Potential Role of L-arginine in Managing Type 2 Diabetes: From Prediction to Therapeutic Treatment $461,296
2021 Professor Ivan Hung Fan-ngai An Open Label Randomised Controlled Trial on Inhaled Remdesivir for COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) Infection $1,499,200
2021 Professor Herbert Kwok Wang-chun A double-blind Randomized Controlled Trial of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) for the Treatment of Acute Exacerbation of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease $715,048
2021 Professor David Lui Tak-wai Fragility Fractures in Type 2 Diabetes as an Emerging Diabetic Complication: Epidemiology, Burden and Strategies of Primary Prevention $678,248
2021 Professor Loey Mak Lung-yi Development of a Hepatitis C Infection Care Model for Prisoners: A Pilot Program for Micro-Elimination of Hepatitis C Infection in Hong Kong $1,260,196
2021 Professor Jacqueline Yuen Kwan-yuk Preparing Surrogates of Dementia Patients for In-The-Moment Decision Making Through a Structured Advance Care Planning Intervention: A Mixed-Methods Pilot Study $499,946
2020 Professor Shirley Chan Chiu-wai Open-label, Non-inferiority Randomized Controlled Trial of Dose Reduction of Biologic Therapy in Axial Spondyloarthritis (SpA) $1,406,054
2020 Professor David Lui Tak-wai The effect of simvastatin on bone density in postmenopausal women with type 2 diabetes: a double-blind, randomized, active-comparator (ezetimibe) controlled clinical trial $1,478,393
2020 Professor Loey Mak Lung-yi Effectiveness of a smartphone app in promoting weight loss in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: a pilot multi-center randomized controlled trial $953,528
2020 Professor Harry Singh Gill Harinder Efficacy and safety of ropeginterferon alfa-2b for pre-fibrotic primary myelofibrosis and DIPSS low/intermediate-1 risk myelofibrosis – the ROPEG-MF trial $1,189,872
2020 Professor Sydney Tang Chi-wai The role of mitochondrial translocator protein TSPO in progressive kidney disease $1,474,796
2020 Professor Xu Aimin Branched-chain Amino Acids Mediate the Crosstalk Between Gut Microbiome and Adipose Tissue to Induce Metabolic Inflammation $1,432,160
2020 Dr Vera Chan Sau-fong Immunological characterization of PE/PPE proteins of Mycobacterium tuberculosis $1,308,610
2020 Dr Yick Leung-wah An investigation of targeting ICOS-ICOSL pathway for the treatment of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders $ 1,482,344

Health and Medical Research Fund (HMRF) Research Fellowship Scheme

Year Principal Investigator  Project Title Amount Awarded
(HKD)
2022 Professor Shirley Li Xue Health Technology Appraisal of Innovative Therapies for Osteogenesis Imperfecta: Bridging Clinical Evidence to Improve Care for People Living with Rare Disease (HERO) $927,300

Innovation and Technology Fund (ITF)

Year Principal Investigator  Project Title Amount Awarded
(HKD)
2024 Professor Michael Cheung Ka-shing Development of a Novel Biodegradable Endoclip for Endoscopic Procedures $1,199,990
2024 Professor Xu Aimin Development and Efficacy Evaluation of Therapeutic Monoclonal Antibodies Targeting Autotaxin $1,800,706
2023 Professor Walter Seto Wai-kay Developing a Next-Generation Synbiotic for the Treatment of Metabolic Dysfunction Associated Fatty Liver Disease $3,284,239
2023 Professor Harry Singh Gill Harinder Frontline oral arsenic trioxide-based induction in newly diagnosed acute promyelocytic leukaemia $3,607,045
2022 Professor Desmond Yap Yat-hin Development of a rapid ambulatory kidney function assessment technology by electrical impedance tomography $218,500

Awards and Fellowships

Awardee Fellowship
Dr Mak, Loey Lung Yi Croucher Foundation Fellowship 2021/22
Prof Tang, Sydney Chi Wai Croucher Senior Medical Research Fellowship 2019/20
Prof Yuen Man Fung Croucher Senior Medical Research Fellowship 2021/22
Dr Cheung, Michael Ka Shing GRF Clinical Research Fellowship 2020/21
Prof Hung, Ivan Fan Ngai HKU Outstanding Researcher Award 2019
Dr Kwok Wang Chun Li Shu Fan Medical Fellowship for Internal Medicine 2020/21
Dr Gao Yuan Li Shu Fan Medical Fellowship for Internal Medicine 2020/21
Dr Chan, Shirley Chiu Wai Li Shu Fan Medical Fellowship for Internal Medicine 2021/22
Dr Chan, Will Yap Hang Li Shu Fan Medical Fellowship for Internal Medicine 2021/22
Prof Tse Hung Fat Li Shu Pui Medical Foundation Fellowship
Dr Mak, Loey Lung Yi Lo Ying Shek Chi Wai Foundation Award for Young Investigator 2020-2021
Dr Cheung, Michael Ka Shing Sir Patrick Manson Gold Medal 2019-20