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Professor KWOK Wang Chun, Herbert

Prof Herbert Kwok

Clinical Assistant Professor

  • MBBS (HK), MD (HK), MRCP (UK), FHKCP, FHKAM, FRCP(Glasg), FRCP (Edin)
email kwokwch@hku.hk
email 22556208
email HKU scholar hub
Biography
Prof. Herbert Kwok obtained his MBBS and later Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree from the University of Hong Kong. He completed his specialty training in Respiratory Medicine and Advanced Internal Medicine at the Queen Mary Hospital. He joined the Department of Medicine, the University of Hong Kong, as a Clinical Assistant Professor subsequently.   
 
Prof. Kwok’s research interests include airway diseases including asthma, bronchiectasis and chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases. Lung cancer is another area that Prof. Kwok is actively working on. He was awarded the Li Shu Fan Fellowship for Internal Medicine to support his study in phenotyping and therapeutics of airway diseases. He was also awarded competitive research grant to support his research in respiratory medicine, namely Health and Medical Research Fund, Pneumoconiosis Compensation Fund Board (PCFB) Research Fund, Hong Kong Lung Foundation Research Grant, Hong Kong College of Physicians Young Investigator Research Grant, Hong Kong Obesity Society Research Fund and The Hong Kong Institute of Allergy Research Grant.  
 
Prof. Kwok was awarded the Asian Pacific Society of Respirology (APSR) Young Investigator Travel Award 2025, APSR 2024: Hong Kong Lung Foundation Professor Wah-kit Lam Young Investigator Award, Best Abstract Award in Clinical Research in 31st Medical Research Conference 2026, Travel grant to 2024 Korean Academy of Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases International Conference (KATRDIC 2024, Outstanding Author of the Journal of Thoracic Disease 2024, APSR Travel Award to the JRS Annual Meeting 2024, Assembly Education Award [Respiratory Structure and Function Assembly] and [Respiratory Infections (non-tuberculous) Assembly] in the 26th Congress of the Asia Pacific Society of Respirology 2022, best oral presentation in the 8th Asia Pacific Region Conference of International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (2022), Asian Pacific Society of Respirology Teaching Library Award (2019), best Abstract of the Assembly (Clinical Respiratory Medicine) in the 22nd Congress of the Asia Pacific Society of Respirology (2017) and Professor Wah-kit Lam Young Investigator Award 2017/2018 in recognition of his research work. 
Prof. Kwok is serving as editor and advisory board members in various internal journals, including BMC Pulmonary Medicine, Advances in Therapy, Journal of Thoracic Disease (JTD) Pulmonary Therapy, Discover Public Health, Discover Respiratory Physiology, Hong Kong Medical Journal Frontiers in Pediatrics, Translational Pediatrics and Case Reports in Medicine. 
He is also devoted to serve the medical profession by serving as the President of Hong Kong Public Doctor Association, Council member of Hong Kong Medical Association, Council member of The Medical Council of Hong Kong and Deputy Head of APSR Clinical Respiratory Medicine Assembly. 

Key Offices
  1. President, Hong Kong Public Doctor Association
  2. Council member, Hong Kong Medical Association
  3. Council member, The Medical Council of Hong Kong
  4. Member, Preliminary Investigation Committee 1, The Medical Council of Hong Kong
  5. Deputy Head of APSR Clinical Respiratory Medicine Assembly
  6. Editor, Hong Kong Medical Journal
  7. Editorial Board Member, Translational Pediatrics
  8. Editorial board member of Journal of Thoracic Disease (JTD)
  9. Editorial Board Member of Discover Public Health
  10. Academic Editor, Case Reports in Medicine
  11. Senior Editorial Board Member of Discover Respiratory Physiology
  12. Advisory board member of Advances in Therapy
  13. Advisory board member of Pulmonary Therapy
  14. Young Fellow, Scientific Committee, Hong Kong College of Physicians
  15. Honorary Advisor for Paediatric Home Respiratory Support Society
  16. Committee Member, Scientic Committee and Newsletter and Website committee, Hong Kong Thoracic Society, CHEST Delegation Hong Kong & Macau, Hong Kong Lung Foundation
  17. Editorial board member of BMC Pulmonary Medicine
  18. Associate editor for journal Frontiers in Pediatrics
  19. Early Career Editorial Board member, Vaccines

Academic Awards
  1. Best Abstract Award in Clinical Research in 31st Medical Research Conference 2026 
  2. APSR Young Investigator Travel Award 2025
  3. Travel grant to 2024 Korean Academy of Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases International Conference (KATRDIC 2024) 
  4. APSR-Hong Kong Lung Foundation Professor Wah-kit Lam Young Investigator Award 2024 
  5. Outstanding Author of the Journal of Thoracic Disease 2024
  6. APSR Travel Award to the JRS Annual Meeting 2024
  7. Assembly Education Award [Respiratory Structure and Function Assembly] 26th Congress of the Asia Pacific Society of Respirology 2022
  8. Assembly Education Award [Respiratory Infections (non-tuberculous) Assembly] 26th Congress of the Asia Pacific Society of Respirology 2022
  9. Best Oral presentation, 8th Asia Pacific Region Conference of International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (APRC 2022)
  10. Li Shu Fan Medical Scholarship for Internal Medicine 2020/21
  11. Asian Pacific Society of Respirology Teaching Library Award 2019
  12. Best Abstract of the Assembly (Clinical Respiratory Medicine) – 22nd Congress of the Asia Pacific Society of Respirology 2017
  13. Professor Wah-kit Lam Young Investigator Award Merit 2017-2018

Grant record
  1. Health and Medical Research Fund 2023 and 2021 (Principal Investigator), 2019 and 2023 (Co-Investigator)
  2. Pneumoconiosis Compensation Fund Board (PCFB) Research Fund 2024
  3. Hong Kong Lung Foundation Research Grant 2023-2024, 2022 – 2023, 2021 – 2022, 2018-2019
  4. Hong Kong Obesity Society Research Fund 2023
  5. Hong Kong College of Physicians Young Investigator Research Grant 2023, 2022, 2019
  6. The Hong Kong Institute of Allergy Research Grant 2022
  7. General Research Fund 2024 (Co-investigator) 


Selected Publications
  1. Kwok WC, To KKW, Ko FCF, Pang H, Leung ISH, Tam WO, et al. A pilot study to assess the role of 12-week roflumilast treatment in non-CF bronchiectasis. Pulmonology. 2026;32(1):2742051.
  2. Kwok WC, Pates K, Shah A, Jackson L, Frost F. Antimicrobial resistance in chronic lung infection: the road to resistance. Thorax. 2025. 
  3. Kwok WC, Zhou L, Ma TF, Ngai SM, Leung RYH, Tam TCC, et al. Comparing Pneumonia Risks of Budesonide with Fluticasone Among Patients with Asthma in Hong Kong: A Territory-Wide Retrospective Study. Adv Ther. 2026. 
  4. O. Pitts, C. Premuda, Z. Yuan, M. Nigro, T. Othmer, N. Johl, A. Aboelhassan, S. Eid, S. Hashem, N. Khalil, M. Behnke, O. Melter, P. Drevinek, R. Dhillon, I. Shafiq, N. Acet-Ozturk, O. Aydin Guclu, D. Girelli, J. Duckers, W.C. Kwok, S. Aliberti, A. Gramegna, S. Thee, F. Frost, A. Shah, International epidemiology of antimicrobial resistance in people living with chronic lung infection, Thorax (2026). 
  5. Kwok WC, Tam TCC, Chan SKS, Choi EPH, Ho JCM. Advanced Lung Cancer Inflammation Index (ALI) as an Independent Predictor for Bronchiectasis Exacerbation Risks. J Inflamm Res. 2026;19:581623. 
  6. Kwok WC, Leung SHI, Tam TCC, Chau CH, Lam FM, Ho JCM. The Role of Advanced Lung Cancer Inflammation Index in Predicting COPD Exacerbation Risks. Int J Chron Obstruct Pulmon Dis. 2026;21:559800. 
  7. Kwok WC, Leung ISH, Wong CK, Lam DCL, Ip MSM, To KKW, et al. Cardiovascular-Kidney-Metabolic (CKM) Syndrome as Independent Risk Factor for Pneumococcal Pneumonia: Evidence from a Territory-Wide Study. Microorganisms. 2026;14(2). 
  8. Kwok WC, Leung ISH, Wong CKE, Ho JCM, Lam DCL, Ip MSM, et al. Cardio-Renal Diseases Are Independent Risk Factors of Severe Human Metapneumovirus Infection Among Patients Without Chronic Airway Diseases. J Med Virol. 2026;98(2):e70812. 
  9. Kwok WC, Leung ISH, Ho JCM, Tsui CK, Lam DCL, Ip MSM, et al. In-Hospital Mortality and Severe Respiratory and Renal Outcomes-A Territory-Wide Comparison Between RSV and Influenza. Influenza Other Respir Viruses. 2025;19(6):e70130. 
  10. Kwok WC, Wong JC, Cheung A, Tam TC. Vaccination in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. Vaccines (Basel). 2025;13(3). 
  11. Kwok WC, Tam TCC, Chau CH, Lam FM, Ho JCM. Differences in Blood Eosinophil Level During Stable Disease and During Exacerbation of COPD and Exacerbation Risks. Lung. Feb 27 2025;203(1):37. doi:10.1007/s00408-025-00792-9 
  12. Kwok WC, Yap DYH, Tam TCC, Lam DCL, Ip MS, Ho JCM. Impact of Hyponatraemia at Clinical Stable-State on Survival in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. Int J Chron Obstruct Pulmon Dis. 2025;20:127-135. doi:10.2147/COPD.S488309 
  13. Kwok WC, Yap DYH, Tam TCC, Lam DCL, Ip MSM, Ho JCM. Impact of hyponatraemia during exacerbation on clinical outcomes in patients with bronchiectasis. Int J Tuberc Lung Dis. 2024;28(11):534-40. 
  14. Kwok WC, Tam TCC, Ho JCM, Lam DCL, Ip MSM, Yap DYH. The impact of bronchiectasis and its severity on long-term renal outcomes. Int J Tuberc Lung Dis. 2024;28(9):427-32. 
  15. Kwok WC, Lung DC, Tam TC, Yap DY, Ma TF, Tsui CK, et al. Protective Effects from Prior Pneumococcal Vaccination in Patients with Chronic Airway Diseases during Hospitalization for Influenza-A Territory-Wide Study. Vaccines (Basel). 2024;12(7). 
  16. Kwok WC, Chau CH, Tam TCC, Lam FM, Ho JCM. Outcomes among patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease after recovery from COVID-19 infection of different severity. Sci Rep. 2024;14(1):13881. 
  17. Kwok WC, Ho JCM, Lam DCL, Ip MSM, Tam TCC. Baseline neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio as a predictor of response to hospitalized bronchiectasis exacerbation risks. Eur Clin Respir J. 2024;11(1):2372901. 
  18. Kwok WC, Tsui CK, Leung SHI, et al. Cardiovascular outcomes following hospitalisation for exacerbation of bronchiectasis: a territory-wide study. BMJ Open Respir Res 2024;11(1) doi: 10.1136/bmjresp-2023-001804 [published Online First: 20240418] 
  19. Kwok WC, Ho JCM, Tam TCC, Ip MSM, Lam DCL. Increased exacerbations of bronchiectasis following recovery from mild COVID-19 in patients with non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis. Respirology. 2024. 
  20. Kwok WC, Tam TCC, Ho JCM, Lam DCL, Ip MSM, Yap DYH. Hospitalized acute exacerbation in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease - impact on long-term renal outcomes. Respir Res. 2024;25(1):36. 
  21. Kwok WC, Ma TF, Ho JCM, Lam DCL, Sit KY, Ip MSM, et al. Prediction model on disease recurrence for low risk resected stage I lung adenocarcinoma. Respirology. 2023. 
  22. Kwok WC, Chau CH, Tam TCC, Lam FM, Ho JCM. Variability of Blood Eosinophil Count at Stable-State in Predicting Exacerbation Risk of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. Int J Chron Obstruct Pulmon Dis. 2023;18:1145-53. 
  23. Kwok WC, Ho JCM, Ma TF, Lam DCL, Chan JWM, Ip M, et al. Risk of hospitalised bronchiectasis exacerbation based on blood eosinophil counts. Int J Tuberc Lung Dis. 2023;27(1):61-5. 
  24. Kwok WC, Tsoi MF, Leung SHI, Tsui CK, Tam TCC, Ho JCM, et al. Real-World Study on Effectiveness of Molnupiravir and Nirmatrelvir–Ritonavir in Unvaccinated Patients with Chronic Respiratory Diseases with Confirmed SARS-CoV-2 Infection Managed in Out-Patient Setting. Viruses [Internet] 2023;15(3):610. 
  25. Kwok WC, Tam TCC, Lam DCL, Leung JKC, Chan KPF, Chan SKS, et al. Worsening of asthma control after recovery from mild to moderate COVID-19 in patients from Hong Kong. Respir Res. 2023;24(1):53. 
  26. Kwok WC, Cheung KS, Ho JCM, Li B, Ma TF, Leung WK. High-dose proton pump inhibitors are associated with hospitalisation in bronchiectasis exacerbation. Int J Tuberc Lung Dis. 2022;26(10):917-21. 
  27. Kwok WC, Chiang KY, Ho JCM, Lam DCL, Ip MSM, Tam TCC. Risk factors of nephrotoxicity of maintenance pemetrexed in patients with metastatic non-squamous non-small cell carcinoma of lung. Lung Cancer. 2021;162:169-74. 
  28. Kwok WC, Ho JCM, Tam TCC, Ip MSM, Lam DCL. Risk factors for Pseudomonas aeruginosa colonization in non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis and clinical implications. Respir Res. 2021;22(1):132.  
  29. Kwok WC, Cheong TF, Chiang KY, Ho JCM, Lam DCL, Ip MSM, Tam TCC. Haematological toxicity of pemetrexed in patients with metastatic non-squamous non-small cell carcinoma of lung with third-space fluid. Lung Cancer. 2020;152:15-20. 
  30. Kwok WC, Liang BM, Lui MMS, Tam TCC, Sim JPY, Tse EWC, Leung AYH, Kwong YL, Lie AKW, Ip MSM, Lam DCL. Rapid versus gradual lung function decline in bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome after haematopoietic stem cell transplantation is associated with survival outcome. Respirology. 2019;24(5):459-66.