Introduction
The Division of Haematology, Medical Oncology & Haemopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation at Queen Mary Hospital is a tertiary / quaternary referral centre for blood diseases and malignant diseases in Hong Kong.

Range of Clinical Service
The Division comprises teams of experts in benign and malignant blood diseases, bone marrow transplantation and medical oncology. About 1000 new cases of these diseases are referred annually. The majority of these patients have haematological malignancies, consisting of acute and chronic leukaemias, lymphomas, plasma cell myeloma and other haematological neoplasms. Patients with other benign blood diseases including coagulation and bleeding disorders, acquired and inherited anaemias, and platelet disorders are also treated. The major facility for these patients is a specially designed haematology ward with HEPA-filtered air, which accommodates more than twenty patients.
The Division manages an adult haematopoietic stem cell transplantation suite, where more than a hundred allogeneic or autologous transplantations are performed every year. For allogeneic transplantation, this facility is the only one in Hong Kong. The full range of allogeneic transplantation is performed, with haematopoietic stem cells coming from HLA-identical siblings, matched unrelated donors and umbilical cord blood. Autologous transplantations are mainly performed for lymphomas and myeloma. The transplantation suite contains ten single rooms, a cytapheresis facility for isolation of peripheral blood haematopoietic stem cells, and a transplantation laboratory.
Medical Oncology is a relatively new development in the Division. Patients with a wide range of solid tumors are treated. Special emphasis has been placed on breast, liver and gastrointestinal cancers.

Clinical Research
The Division is active in clinical research. Specific areas include new treatment protocols for acute leukaemias, malignant lymphomas and plasma cell myeloma; novel therapeutic approaches in patients with complications or relapses after haematopoietic stem cell transplantation; and thrombotic diseases. Predisposing factors and treatment of infective complications, including viral and invasive fungal infections, are also studied. Oral arsenic trioxide has been pioneered in the Division for the treatment of leukaemias and other haematological malignancies.
Medical Oncology research is focused on developing novel treatment strategies for various solid tumours, especially breast and gastrointestinal cancer. Early phase clinical trials are actively conducted to bring the novel therapeutics from the bench to the clinic.

Clinical Trials
The Division conducts phase I, phase II and phase III clinical trials of novel therapeutic agents in benign and malignant blood diseases, and also solid tumors. These trials have included studies in coagulopathy, leukaemias, lymphomas, plasma cell myeloma and various solid tumors. Recruitment of patients is territory-wide, and cover all major hospitals in Hong Kong.

Basic Research
The Division engages in basic research in the molecular genetic defects in haematological neoplasms, benign and malignant haematopoiesis, and solid tumors. For in vivo experiments, murine and zebrafish models are used. State-of-the-art technologies are utilized.

Specialist Outpatient Clinic
Patient referrals are seen in specialist outpatient clinics, which are listed below. Both Hong Kong residents and foreign patients are welcome. Private patients are also welcome, and appointments can be obtained from the Private Clinic at Queen Mary Hospital. Private patients can be admitted into specially designed private wards at Queen Mary Hospital, which include first class (single room) and second class (double room) suites.

Educational Activities
Clinical fellows are welcome. Clinicians who want to conduct clinical work in Hong Kong need to check with the Hong Kong Medical Council on registration requirements. A knowledge of spoken Chinese is highly recommended, although not mandatory. Research laboratory fellows are accepted all year round. The Division also holds the following weekly meetings.

Our research interests include both basic science and clinical topics. The former theme aims to elucidate the pathogenic mechanisms in common or important kidney diseases such as lupus nephritis, diabetic nephropathy, and IgA nephropathy. The latter focuses on advancing treatment to achieve better clinical outcomes in patients.

Research Topics in our Division

Research Themes	Principal Investigators
1. Lupus Nephritis Novel immunosuppression and advances in clinical management Immuno-pathogenic mechanisms focusing on renal inflammation and fibrosis	Prof Tak Mao CHAN Dr Susan YUNG Dr Desmond YAP
2. Diabetic Kidney Disease Role of Toll-like receptor 4 in disease pathogenesis Pathogenic role of proximal tubular epithelial cells in diabetic kidney disease	Prof Sydney TANG Dr Joseph LEUNG Dr Gary CHAN Dr Stella YIU
3. IgA Nephropathy Glomerulopodocytic-tubular communication Clinical studies including novel immunomodulatory agents	Prof Sydney TANG Dr Joseph LEUNG Prof Tak Mao CHAN
4. Peritoneal Dialysis Mesothelial cell biology and function Peritoneal membrane inflammation and fibrosis Biocompatibility of peritoneal dialysis fluids Cognitive function Renal nutrition and protein-energy wasting	Dr Susan YUNG Dr Angela WANG Dr Sing Leung LUI Dr Terence YIP Dr Cindy CHOY Dr Desmond YAP Dr Joseph LEUNG Dr Maggie MOK Prof Tak Mao CHAN
5. Haemodialysis Home haemodialysis Novel technologies	Dr Maggie MOK Dr Lorraine KWAN Prof Tak Mao CHAN
6. Kidney Transplantation Viral hepatitis Clinical management and outcomes - immunosuppression, recurrent glomerular diseases, CMV and BK virus infections ABO-incompatible transplantation	Prof Tak Mao CHAN Dr Desmond YAP Dr Maggie MA Dr Cindy CHOY Prof Sydney TANG
7. Cardiovascular Complications and CKD-MBD Cardiovascular disease and vascular calcification in patients with chronic kidney disease and dialysis patients Cardiovascular-parathyroid interactions	Dr Angela WANG Dr Sing Leung LUI
8. Sleep Apnea and Kidney Disease Clinical studies on sleep apnea in dialysis or CKD patients	Prof Sydney TANG Dr Gary CHAN
9. Immunopathogenesis of Renal Inflammation and Fibrosis Role of proteoglycans and glycosaminoglycans in tissue inflammation and fibrosis Fibronectin isoforms in epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition Role of tubular Wnt and β-catenin signaling in renal inflammation Role of stem cells in overload proteinuria	Dr Susan YUNG Prof Tak Mao CHAN Prof Sydney TANG Dr Desmond YAP Dr Stella YIU Dr Joseph LEUNG
10. Traditional Chinese Medicine Integration with Western medicine in the management of chronic kidney disease and diabetic kidney disease	Dr Sing Leung LUI Prof Sydney TANG Dr Susan YUNG Dr Kam Wa CHAN
11. Renal Supportive or Palliative Care Palliative, psychosocial and supportive management	Dr Terence YIP Dr Kwok Ying CHAN* Dr Sing Leung LUI Dr Desmond YAP Prof Tak Mao CHAN *Palliative Medicine Unit, TGH

Current Research Interests of the Division

Parkinson's disease: molecular aspects of xenobiotic enzymes, evaluation of different treatment; Epilepsy: evaluation of different treatment including epilepsy surgery; Stroke: in vivo and in vitro studies on neuroprotection during ischaemia; Functional CT perfusion study during the acute phase. Collaboration with Cardiology: percutaneous carotid and vertebral artery angioplasty with primary stenting.

Research Interests of Division Members

Prof Shu Leong HO / Professor & Division Chief 
1. Pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease 
2. Disease modification strategies in Parkinson's disease
3. Biomarkers in Parkinson's disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Prof Raymond TF CHEUNG / Professor
1. Neuroprotection against stroke
2. Acupuncture-brain interactions
3. High resolution EEG
4. Advanced CT and MRI neuroimaging
5. Autonomic complications of stroke

Dr Koon Ho CHAN / Clinical Associate Professor 
1. Immune mediated neurological disorders such as myasthenia gravis and paraneoplastic neurological disorders
2. Idiopathic inflammatory demyelinating disorders including multiple sclerosis and neuromyelitis optica
3. Neuroinflammation in Alzheimer's disease
4. Neuroprotection for Alzheimer's disease
5. CNS infection

Dr LAU Kui Kai, Gary / Clinical Assistant Professor
1. Stroke epidemiology
2. Primary and secondary preventive strategies of stroke
3. Blood pressure management in stroke  
4. Neuroimaging in stroke

 

Current Research Interests of the Division
Lung cancer

1. Molecular markers for early detection of bronchial dysplasia and lung cancer in high risk population
2. Factors associated with progression/regression of pre-cancerous lesion
3. Expression and functional assessment of antioxidants and biomarkers in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)
4. Oncogenomics and proteomics: microarray analysis in relation to clinical parameters
5. Establishment and characterization of lung cancer cell lines from Chinese patients, as models for studying gender and smoking differences and for prediction of responses to therapeutic agents
6. Endobronchial treatment of early lung cancer
7. Clinical trials of chemotherapy and novel molecular targets as anti-cancer agents for the treatment of NSCLC
8. Epidemiology, pathology and treatment of lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma of the lung
9. Pre-clinical models of novel lung cancer therapeutics: arsenic trioxide, autophagy inhibitors, arginase
10. Genetic risks associated with development of lung cancer among never-smokers

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)

1. OSA and cardimetabolic regulation -  vascular function, glucose metabolism, metabolic syndrome
2. Interactions of OSA and adiposity on cardiometabolic function
3. OSA and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
4. OSA and normal tension glaucoma 
5. Clinical trials on treatment of OSA with CPAP, oral appliances and others
6. Role of patient education in improving CPAP adherence
7. Sleep disordered breathing in renal failure
8. Intermittent hypoxia as a model for studying cellular and biochemical sequelae of OSA

Asthma

1. Role of natural products having antioxidant or/and anti-inflammatory effects in the treatment of asthma

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

1. Genetics of COPD: phenotype-genotype correlation of candidate genes
2. Role of oxidants/antioxidants and cytokine network in pathogenesis and pathophysiology of COPD
3. Role of natural products having antioxidant or/and anti-inflammatory effects in the management of COPD
4. The cellular mechanisms of adipokine and serotonin function in COPD
5. Modulation of protease -antiprotease activity in COPD

Animal model of cigarette smoke (CS)-induced lung injury

1. Cellular and molecular mechanisms of oxidants/antioxidants and cytokine network
2. Airway remodeling
3. Role of nicotine and nicotine acetylcholine receptors
4. Screening of natural products or Chinese herbal medicines in the management of CS-induced lung injury 

Other airway and parenchymal diseases

1. Bronchiolitis obliterans and other pulmonary complications in bone marrow transplant  recipients
2. Translational research using therapeutic compounds including pure EGCG (the major catechin in Chinese green tea) as an antioxidant in human primary cells and then to various rodent models in vivo to identify new targets and pathways
3. The molecular link between aging and lung function decline
4. Novel therapeutic strategy in bronchiectasis with modulation of protease - anti-protease activity 
5. Interstitial lung disease 

The Rheumatology & Clinical Immunology Laboratory Research Team

Principal Investigators:
Prof Chak Sing Lau
Dr Vera Sau Fong Chan
Dr Philip H Li

Current Research Staff and Students:
Dr Frankie Chi Fat Ko
Mr Albert Wai Kin Chan
Miss Ivy Lo
Mr Guanghua Chen
Mr Hiu Chung Law
Mr Ken Kong
Ms Dorothy Lam
Ms Christine Kwan
Miss Kylie Yuen

Current Research Postgraduates:
Miss Jia Xin Chow (PhD candidate)
Miss Jie Ma (PhD candidate)
Mr Gavin Shun Yin Sze (MRes candidate)
Mr Walter Siqi Wang (MRes candidate)
 
Graduated Research Postgraduates since 2013:
Dr Selena Sheng Yan (PhD)
Dr Rachel Chung Yee Tam (PhD)
Dr Haijin Wu (PhD)
Dr Ian Kar Yin Lam (PhD)
Dr Gloria Guo (PhD)
Dr Ada Lok Yan Yim (PhD)
Mr Daniel Luk (MPhil)
Mr Christopher Chak Pui Lee (MPhil)
Mr Alfred Lee (MRes)

Research Interests

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (PIs: Prof CS Lau & Dr Vera SF Chan)

Our main research area is to study the immunobiology of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), a prototypic autoimmune disorder that predominantly affect young females. Immunologically, SLE is characterized by a loss of tolerance to self-antigens, T and B cell activation, and increased autoantibody production. Immune complex mediated vasculitis and specific antibody directed organ damage account for many of the clinical manifestations, however, the etiology of SLE remains unclear. Our team has previously identified phenotypic, functional abnormalities as well as the underlying mechanisms various immune cellular compartments in SLE patients. Through understanding the underlying causes of cellular and molecular immunodysregulation in SLE, we aim to identify potential therapeutic targets for exploitation in clinical settings. Our current research projects focus on the following areas:

1) Inflammasome dysregulation in SLE (GRF-funded): a mechanistic study to dissect the role of a core immune component in SLE patients

2) Elucidation of the roles of regulatory non-coding RNAs in SLE: to explore the unidentified roles and mechanisms of regulatory RNAs in autoimmunity

3) Dissecting SLE disease heterogeneity by Omics technologies: a large scale research program to study lupus immunopathogenesis, teasing out pathogenic factors at the genetics, expression and cellular functional levels in correlation with patient stratification by clinical manifestations. It is a multidisciplinary research program, collaborating with geneticists, bioinformaticians and rheumatologists.