HKU School of Biomedical Sciences

25/07/2025

✨ The recent Non-JUPAS High Table Dinner at St John’s College brought together prospective students and HKUMed representatives for an evening of connection and exploration. 🎓🍽️ The event featured exclusive activities, including a postcard corner, college tour sessions, and the traditional High Table Dinner. 📝🏫

Our representatives included Dr. Rachel Kwan, Yuky Wong (BBMS Year 1), Hugo Cheung (BBMS Year 1), and a member of our Teaching and Learning staff. We welcomed 14 prospective BBMS students, offering them a valuable opportunity to meet faculty members and gain insights into studying at HKUMed. 😊💙

It was a pleasure to meet and chat with all of you, and we look forward to seeing you again! 🌟

#港大生物醫學 #港大生物訊息學 #香港大學

23/07/2025

🔬 At HKU School of Biomedical Sciences, 26 MBBS Year 2 students recently took part in an intensive anatomy dissection competition held by (IG page). Over two weeks, they refined their dissection skills on specific body regions, emphasising precision and understanding of anatomical complexity. 🧠🦵

These MBBS students also explored clinical relevance and variations, encouraging critical thinking and real-world application. They created short videos and delivered on-site presentations to showcase their findings and communication skills. 🎥🗣️

The event concluded with a celebration of their achievements at the Prize Presentation Ceremony 🏆. We look forward to seeing their continued growth and innovation! 🌟

21/07/2025

Let’s throwback to HKU Biomedical Sciences Summer Academy 2024 because in just two weeks, we will be welcoming the 2025 cohort where 49 selected secondary school students join us for an unforgettable 5-day adventure with access to exclusive hands-on experiments, lectures, and presentation opportunities. 💡🔬 Super excited to meet everyone! 🌟

#港大生物醫學 #港大生物訊息學 #香港大學

08/07/2025

Welcome, ZJE delegates and students! 🎉 The Zhejiang University-University of Edinburgh Institute (ZJE) 2025 Summer Workshop on “Innovation in Biomedical Sciences” was held in mid-June, with the group being warmly welcomed by the teaching and learning team. 🤝 This exchange activity featured a full programme of engaging events, including an opening ceremony, team-building and icebreaking activities, seminars, campus and Hong Kong Science Park tours, lectures, and workshops. 🧪🏫

Building on the success of our previous visit to ZJE in March, this summer workshop further strengthened the bond between the two institutes. It was a fantastic opportunity for students and staff to deepen collaboration in education and research, fostering academic and cultural exchanges. 🌍✨ Everyone had an amazing time, and we look forward to many more collaborations in the future to advance biomedical sciences education and programmes. 🚀

#港大生物醫學 #港大生物訊息學 #香港大學

04/07/2025

🎊𝗛𝗮𝗽𝗽𝘆 𝗕𝗶𝗿𝘁𝗵𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗦𝗕𝗠𝗦: 𝗖𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗘𝘅𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲🎊
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the HKU School of Biomedical Sciences (SBMS), established on July 1, 2015, through the merger of the Departments of Anatomy, Biochemistry, and Physiology, with Professor Gabriel Leung serving as the School’s first Interim Director (supported by Professor YS Chan as Deputy Director). Professor Leung was succeeded by Professor S.Y. Leung in 2017, Professor Danny Chan in 2018, and Professor Michael Häusser in 2024. Over the past decade, SBMS has grown into a vibrant hub of teaching and learning, research, innovation, and societal impact.

Our flagship Bachelor of Biomedical Sciences programme has become one of HKU’s most sought-after undergraduate degrees, attracting nearly a thousand applicants annually. The BBMS programme features 4 majors: Biomedical Research, Bioinformatics, Clinical Sciences, and Health Technology, and we are offering a Master of Biomedical Innovation in the coming academic year, further broadening our academic offerings. Our PhD Programme has also expanded steadily with an intake of more than 60.

Thanks to our outstanding scientists, teachers and dedicated colleagues, SBMS continues to make important scientific discoveries that shape the future of biomedical sciences. We look forward to commemorating this significant milestone together as a community with a series of school-wide celebrations to pave the way for breakthroughs in biomedical sciences for empowering human health. 🚀🔬

04/07/2025

【明德教授】馬桂宜教授：揮之不能 擊退癌症輪迴 (一)

香港大學協理副校長(研究及創新)、港大醫學院生物醫學學院教授馬桂宜教授獲繼任為鄧鉅明伉儷基金教授席 (分子遺傳學)。從事了20年的生物醫學研究，馬教授一直以擊退癌症幹細胞作為研究目標之一。癌症為全球第一大殺手，令人聞風色變，即使病人接受治療，仍需面對癌症復發、出現抗藥性的風險，令病人進入癌症的「輪迴」。在眾多癌症中，常見於華人的肝癌是屬於復發率相當高的癌症。背後的原因是甚麼？馬桂宜教授指：「肝癌出現復發的原因之一是因為癌細胞內存有幹性 (stemness)。」

切身之痛成癌症研究的動力

近年，香港政府大力推動發展生物科技、鼓勵創科。然而，在馬教授讀書的年代，科學研究被視為「冷門行業」，也不流行所謂「生涯規劃」的支援。即使大學本科選修的是科學，馬教授也沒有立志想要成為科學家，她坦承當時的自己十分迷惘。馬教授笑說：「我家人都是從事商業、投資的行業，而身邊沒有朋友投身科研，所以連想詢問其他人的意見，也無從入手。」

惟她擁有一樣科學家的必要特質 —— 「勇於嘗試」。她到處聯絡不同機構，爭取實習機會。她曾到過廣華醫院藥劑部實習，但覺得很多東西需要死記硬背，提不起興趣。直到大學三年級，她到了British Columbia Cancer Research Centre進行實習，這是專門研究前列腺癌的實驗室，從導師身上認識了甚麼是科學研究，正正是這次的經歷，為她埋下了日後投身研究的種子。

說起研究，不少人皆抱有艱澀乏味的印象。馬教授卻笑著平反：「其實作為科學家，我們需要與很多人合作，又要四處去。」她亦指笑言自己在小小的實驗室，找到屬於她的樂趣：「每天能夠天馬行空地構想實驗，然後在實驗室試行一下，是很有趣味的。」完成碩士課程後，儘管她對科研感興趣，但還未決定自己想深入研究的範疇，因此她曾擔任內科及外科的研究助理，也嘗試過中醫藥、沙士的研究，但最終還是決定以有切膚之痛的癌症作為研究方向。

「我很多家人都因癌症離世。二十年前，我外婆患上癌症，然而當時還未有標靶藥，只有化療。目睹她與癌症搏鬥，感受很深刻，因此覺得癌症這範疇離自己特別接近。」

有些人問她，這樣兜兜轉轉，不會覺得走了冤枉路嗎？她卻認為：「正正是親身嘗試，才知道自己會否喜歡這些工作。」馬教授是香港青年科學院的創院院士及副院長，正因為自身經歷，她也渴望為年輕一代帶來更多的體驗與資訊。「我希望跟他們多些分享，邀請他們到實驗室親手接觸科學，讓他們體會科學研究的趣味，也跟他們分享日後有甚麼工作機會。」她認為年青一代才是茁壯的未來：「政府經常說香港是下一個創新科技中心，我們不單止需要引入外國的科研人員，更應該要好好扶植本地新一代。」

識別癌症幹細胞 為藥物找出靶點

自修讀博士開始，馬桂宜教授一直以肝癌中的「癌症幹細胞」 (Cancer Stem Cells) 作為她的主要研究範疇。馬教授說：「這個範疇在20年前，只有很少科學家進行研究。」當年在學術平臺搜索，只會找到約二十份零星的相關研究。時至今天，相同的搜索結果成千上萬，足見這研究方向日趨成熟，慢慢變成了癌症研究的方向之一。

要認識馬教授她的研究，或許我們要從「幹細胞」談起。普羅大眾聽到幹細胞，很多人聯想起的都是「再生」、「修復」等帶有治療含義的詞語。聽上去似是對身體「有益」的幹細胞，事實上擁有自我更生能力及分化的特性。然而，幹細胞不單會出現在正常細胞上，癌細胞中也會出現類似癌症幹細胞的特性，更會化身成抗病路上的天敵。

馬教授比喻癌症幹細胞就像是癌症的「樹根」，她解釋：「正因幹細胞擁有分裂、自我複製、再生的特性。當人體內出現癌症幹細胞，不但會使癌細胞增生，更會出現復發、令癌症治療出現抗藥性，減低治療效果。」換句話說，如果想殺死癌細胞，其中一個要思考的方向是如何殲滅癌症幹細胞。

但到底該如何判斷癌細胞上是否出現幹細胞？馬教授的博士研究中，其中一個最關鍵的發現便是在肝癌幹細胞表面上找到「CD133」標記物，是肝癌幹細胞的特徵之一，有助科學家識別肝癌幹細胞。而該突破性的發現，不但讓她取得當年香港大學最佳博士論文榮譽，更讓她贏得「裘槎前瞻科研大獎2014」，奠下她日後研究的主要方向。

除了識別肝癌幹細胞，馬教授亦發現了「AGPAT4」、「ANXA3」蛋白。她續說：「發現這兩個蛋白的意義，是為藥物找到了一個治療的靶點，我們已經透過小鼠實驗來證明了相關效用。」

完整訪問：https://medium.com/hkumed/明德教授-馬桂宜教授-揮之不能-擊退癌症輪迴-683d1a53b829

#港大醫學院 #明德教授

02/07/2025

🎉 Heartfelt congratulations to our on being recognised with the 2025 Long Service Awards by ! Your unwavering dedication, commitment, and loyalty over the years have truly made a difference. 🌟 Whether you've dedicated 15, 25, 35, or even 45 years of hard work—your passion has propelled both and the University forward. 💖 We sincerely appreciate and celebrate each of you for your invaluable contributions. Thank you from all of us!
🌻 Mr. Eric Koo (45 years)
🌻 Mr. Jeffrey Lau (15 years)
🌻 Mr. Harris Mo (35 years)
🌻 Dr. Vivian Tam (15 years)
🌻 Ms. Yuan Zhou (25 years)

#港大生物醫學 #港大生物訊息學 #香港大學 #長期服務獎

30/06/2025

🔥 #𝗦𝗕𝗠𝗦 𝗡𝗲𝘄𝘀𝗹𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗜𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗲 𝟮𝟬🔥
Enjoy feature stories about SBMS’ biomedical adventure at Zhejiang University-University of Edinburgh Institute, resumed KE seminar in a revamped format, how Professor Sung Chul Kwon and his team aim to pave the way for efficient cytosolic applications of CRISPR-Cas13; and check out the research highlight “From Placental Development to Ageing Investigation” contributed by Dr. Qingqing Zhang!

Issue 20 e-copy: https://online.flippingbook.com/view/588614174/

Past issues: https://www.sbms.hku.hk/news/sbms-newsletter

#港大生物醫學 #港大生物訊息學 #香港大學

26/06/2025

Researchers from HKUMed and the Max Planck Institute have discovered a new type of peripheral neural stem cells (pNSCs) in mouse limb and lung tissues. These cells, similar to brain neural stem cells, can differentiate into various neural types, opening new possibilities for regenerative medicine. Dr. Han D**g from says this discovery fundamentally reshapes our understanding of the nervous system and offers promise for innovative therapies.

【最新消息】港大醫學院發現全球首個「隱藏」外周神經幹細胞 顛覆傳統認知推動再生醫學治療

港大醫學院科研團隊聯同德國馬克斯·普朗克分子生物醫學研究所進行的研究，全球首次在實驗小鼠體內發現一種存在於中樞神經系統之外的全新「隱藏版」神經幹細胞類型。這項研究顛覆了長久以來「神經幹細胞僅存在於大腦和脊髓中」的傳統認知，為神經系統疾病和損傷的再生醫學治療帶來新希望。相關研究成果更入選《自然》期刊 「年度幹細胞和發育生物學論文」之一。

數十年來，科學家普遍認為哺乳動物神經幹細胞僅存在於中樞神經系統中。神經幹細胞像神經系統的「萬能細胞」，具有自我更新和多向分化的潛能，能夠產生各類神經細胞。來自港大醫學院生物醫學學院助理教授（研究）韓東博士，以及教授兼InnoHK幹細胞轉化研究中心總監劉澎濤教授的團隊，首次從小鼠的肢體和肺部組織中發現並分離出一類前所未見的多能神經幹細胞，命名為「外周神經幹細胞」。這些細胞展現出與大腦神經幹細胞相似的特性，包括分化成多種神經細胞類型的能力。韓東博士闡釋：「這一發現完全改變了我們對神經系統的認知！外周神經幹細胞的發現打破了固有傳統觀念，不僅擴展了我們對哺乳動物神經系統發育的理解，更為再生醫學的革命性療法帶來巨大希望。」

研究團隊運用基因追蹤技術，證實外周神經幹細胞源自神經管中的神經上皮細胞。早在胚胎發育初期，這些細胞會遷移至四肢、肺等外周器官。令人驚訝的是，部分細胞即使到了成年階段仍能保持年輕的未分化幹細胞狀態，具備生成新的神經組織的能力。與難以獲取的腦源性神經幹細胞相比，外周神經幹細胞可輕易從胚胎四肢、新生兒肺組織、尾部、背根神經節，甚至成年肺組織等易於取得的部位分離。研究還表明，外周神經幹細胞在實驗室環境下能無限增殖，且移植後不會形成畸胎瘤，使其成為極具臨床應用潛力的候選細胞。

劉澎濤教授強調：「這一發現意義深遠，如果人類體內存在類似細胞，它們可能徹底改變神經退化性疾病和創傷性損傷的治療方式。」目前，研究團隊正在探索人類組織是否存在外周神經幹細胞，並評估其在治療柏金遜症、阿茲海默症、脊髓損傷及中風等疾病的潛力。一旦證實這些細胞在人體組織中的功能，並成功實現大規模擴增，將克服傳統神經幹細胞治療中的諸多挑戰，為臨床患者帶來全新的神經細胞治療策略和希望。

研究結果已發表在《自然·細胞生物學》：https://www.nature.com/articles/s41556-025-01641-w

(English version): HKUMed uncovers world’s first ‘hidden’ peripheral neural stem cells, revolutionising regenerative medicine : https://www.med.hku.hk/en/news/press/20250624-hkumed-uncovers-worlds-first-hidden-peripheral-neural-stem-cells

#港大醫學院 #幹細胞

26/06/2025

Following the Hong Kong InnoHealth Cup Project Showcase Expo 🩺 themed “AI and Big Data for Health” in April, 22 winning teams were selected as semi-finalists to join the Attachment Programme at in May and June. We’re excited to share some flashbacks 📸 from these fun and inspiring meetings with teachers at and several clinical professors. 👩‍⚕️👨‍⚕️ The Final Presentation and Prize Ceremony 🎖️ will be held in mid-July—best of luck to all finalists! 🍀

#2024 #2025 #港大生物醫學 #港大生物訊息學 #香港大學

24/06/2025

Co-hosted by the Protein And Cell Engineering Laboratory in early June, the 2nd Edinburgh–Hong Kong Joint Symposium on Stem Cells & Regenerative Medicine brought together brilliant minds from the University of Edinburgh, , and CUHK. Two of our RPG students were chosen based on their abstract submissions to join professors and colleagues from the Centre for Translational Stem Cell Biology to present their research work. The event featured inspiring talks, innovative research presentations, and lively discussions that pushed the boundaries of regenerative medicine. 💡🧬

Highlights included a memorable dinner in a historic castle, fostering collaboration and camaraderie. 🍽️🏰 This milestone marks a promising step forward in global scientific partnerships, with exciting developments on the horizon for both communities. 🚀🤝 Together, we're shaping the future of regenerative medicine beyond borders!

20/06/2025

In May, the 16th HKTDC Medical and Healthcare Fair invited Professor Joshua Ho to speak at the AI-driven Healthcare for a Better Life seminar and hosted a guided tour.

This was a unique opportunity for BBiomedSc and BSc(Bioinformatics) students to engage with leading experts in AI-driven healthcare innovations 🤖, explore cutting-edge technologies 🚀, and hear from distinguished speakers including ’s Professor Gary Lau, another awardee of the 49th International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva (IEIG) Gold Medal 🥇 with Congratulations of the Jury.

We hope this inspiring experience sparks new curiosity and motivation in our students 💡, enriching their learning journey 📚 and inspiring future innovations in healthcare 🌟.

#港大生物醫學 #港大生物訊息學 #香港大學