Major Research Areas

Basic surgical science:
Surgical oncology: cancer genetics; gene therapy; global gene expression profiling in human diseases by micro-array analysis; cancer proteomics; cancer biomarkers.

Development : developmental genetics; molecular mechanism and signaling in neural development; conditional knockout mouse model.

Immunology : transplantation immunology; mechanism of immune tolerance induction; molecular and cellular basis of inflammation; cell adhesion molecules; leukocyte activation and migration; immune response to hepatitis.

Contact Person
Dr Vincent Lui
Tel: 2819 9607
Fax: 2819 9634
Email: vchlui@hkucc.hku.hk

Breast cancer and surgery:
Clinical projects: Prognostic significance of micrometastasis in breast cancer; study of acute phase response after operation; Study of wound healing and relation of healing with matrix metalloproteinases.

Laboratory projects: Histoculture drug response assay; induction of apoptosis by polysaccharide peptide (PSP) on breast cancers; molecular mechanism of apoptotic action of PSP; molecular mechanism of tumor invasion; detection of micrometastasis in breast cancer by molecular approaches.

Contact Person
Dr George K.H. Li
Tel: 2855 4773/4760
Fax: 2817 2291
Email: georgeli@hkucc.hku.hk

Cardiothoracic surgery:
Clinical projects: Analysis of long term results of CABG in patients with diabetes mellitus; multivariate analysis of mortality and morbidity in redo vavular replacement, multivalent off-pump coronary bypass surgery, infective endocarditis and aortic aneurysm surgery; analysis of long term survival in congenital cardiac surgery such as Fontan operation, arterial switch operation and adolescent tetralogy of Fallot; analysis of relationship between subarterial ventricular septal defect and aortic valve prolapse: determination of timing of surgical correction; correlation of intraoperative cerebral blood flow doppler assessment and postoperative psychoneurological dysfunction.

Contact Person
Dr L.C. Cheng
Tel: 2518 2639/2630
Fax: 25533436
Email: lccheng@graduate.hku.hk

Colorectal cancer:
Clinical projects: Total mesorectal excision of rectal cancer; adjuvant radiotherapy and chemotherapy for Dukes' B2 and C tumor after curative resection (in collaboration with Department of Radiotherapy and Oncology; Queen Mary Hospital ); familial and hereditary colorectal cancer; laparoscopic procedures for colorectal cancer; surgery for recurrent cancer, haemorrhoids; anal physiology and adhesion.

Contact Person
Dr Judy Ho
Tel: 2855 4762
Fax: 2872 8425
Email: judyho@hkucc.hku.hk

Endocrine surgery:
Clinical projects: Parathyroid autotransplantation: clinical and molecular studies; risk group analysis in thyroid carcinoma.

Laboratory projects: Oncogene expression in thyroid and endocrine tumors; rapid PTH assay in parathyroid surgery; ret-protooncogene expression in papillary carcinoma of thyroid; genetic study of multiple endocrine neoplasia syndromes; proteomics of PTC.

Contact Person
Professor C.Y. Lo
Tel: 2855 4773
Fax: 2817 2291
Email: cylo@hkucc.hku.hk

Esophageal surgery:
Clinical projects: Preoperative chemoradiation for treatment of esophageal cancer; chemoradiation as definitive palliative treatment for esophageal cancer; intraluminal brachytherapy for treatment of esophageal cancer; metallic stenting for esophageal cancer; thoracoscopic esophageal resection for esophageal and hypopharyngeal cancer; minimal access surgery for achalasia; swallowing disorders: manometry; gastroesophageal reflux disease in Chinese; quality of life in patients with esophageal cancer; endoscopic ultrasound in staging of esophageal cancer.

Laboratory projects: Molecular genetics of esophageal cancer; proteomic biomarkers.

Contact Person
Professor S. Law
Tel: 2855 4774
Fax: 2819 4221
Email: slaw@hkucc.hku.hk

Gastroduodenal surgery:
Clinical projects: Foreign body ingestion; ulcer disease and their complications(e.g., laparoscopic surgery, therapeutic endoscopy for bleeding, management of perforated ulcer); helicobacter pylori infection; gastrc tumours (adenocarcinoma, gastrointestinal stromal tumour, lymphoma); upper gastrointestinal endoscopy; endoscopic ultrasonography.

Laboratory projects: Ulcer diseases (e.g., growth factors, ulcerogenesis); gastric adenocarcinoma (e.g., molecular genetics, novel therapeutic approaches); gastric stromal tumor (e.g., molecular genetics).

Contact Person
Professor K.M. Chu
Tel: 2855 4637
Fax: 2819 4221
Email: chukm@hkucc.hku.hk

Head and neck surgery:
Clinical projects: Reconstructive options after major resections in head and neck region; whole organ histological section to study patterns of tumor extension; nutritional study for patients undergoing major head and neck surgey; effects of radiotherapy on free tissue transferred with microvascular technique; nasopharyngeal cancer; hearing problems.

Contact Person
Professor W. Wei
Tel: 2855 4237
Fax: 2818 4407
Email: hrmswwi@hkucc.hku.hk

Hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgery:
Clinical projects: Hepatocellular carcinoma: cryotherapy, randomised controlled trials including non-operative treatment, surgical techniques and adjuvant therapy after hepatic resection; liver transplantation: clinical application of living related liver transplant in adults; biliary pancreatitis, acute cholangitis, intrahepatic stones, malignant biliary obstruction; endoscopic and laparoscopic ultrasonography.

Laboratory projects: Liver transplantation: animal model for small size liver transplant and artificial liver support; hepatocellular carcinoma: hepatocarcinogenesis and hepatitis B virus, angiogenesis; metastasis and novel therapeutics.

Contact Persons
Professor S.T. Fan (Email: hrmsfst@hkucc.hku.hk ) or
Professor Ronnie Poon (Email: poontp@hkucc.hku.hk )
Tel: 2855 4703
Fax: 2818 4407

Neurosurgery:
Clinical projects: Platelet function in neurosurgical patients; external ventricular drain and CSF shunt infection; trauma system and head injury managementImmune response in neurosurgical and endovascular procedures; biology of intrinsic brain tumours Cerebro-protection and regenerative therapy for brain trauma

Contact Person
Dr Gilberto K. K. Leung
Tel: 2855 3368/3773
Fax: 2818 4350
Email: gilberto@hkucc.hku.hk

Otorhinolaryngology (Ear, Nose & Throat):
Clinical projects: Acoustic rhinomanometry in children; turbinectomy for hypertrophic inferior turbinate; orbital decompression for thyrotoxicosis; cochlea implant for children; otoacoustic emission for screening of high-risk newborn babies; dizziness and balance problems.

Contact Person
Professor P.W. Yuen
Tel: 2855 4394
Fax: 2819 3790
Email: pwyuen@hku.hk

Paediatric surgery:
Clinical projects : Metabolic response of neonates to major surgey; biliary atresia and choledochal cyst; liver transplantation; experimental small bowel transplantation; intestinal ischaemia-reperfusion; transplantation immunology; childhood cancers; dendritic cell biology in transplantation and anti-tumor therapy.

Laboratory projects: Developmental biology; molecular genetics and pathology of Hirschsprung's disease and related neural crest disorders; embryonic and fetal development of gut; cellular mechanisms involved in VACTERL association, including esophageal atresia and duodenal atresia.

Contact Person
Professor P.K.H. Tam
Tel: 2855 4850/3536
Fax: 2817 3155
Email: paultam@hkucc.hku.hk

Plastic and reconstructive surgery:
Clinical projects: Effect of growth factors on wound healing after radiotherapy; keloid and hypertrophic scars.

Contact Person
Professor W. Wei
Tel: 2855 4237
Fax: 2818 4407
Email: hrmswwi@hkucc.hku.hk

Urology:
Clinical projects : Molecular study of bladder cancer; day surgery for ureteric stone; surgical treatment of male infertility; various treatment options for erectile dysfunction; medical and surgical treatment of begnin prostatic hyperplasia; evaluation & treatment of prostatitis; urethral sphincter physiology.

Laboratory project: Molecular study of bladder cancer.

Contact Person
Dr P.C. Tam
Tel: 2855 3023
Fax: 2872 8425
Email: tampc@ha.org.hk

Vascular disease and surgery:
Clinical projects: Prospective study correlating demographic and biochemical risk factors and the severity and degree of progression and the long-term natural history of atherosclerosis in patients with peripheral arterial diseases; study, using ultrasonography, of the prevalence and the risks of deep-vein thrombosis in the Chinese population; computer-assisted carotid plaque morphology.

Laboratory projects: Study of the molecular basis and cellular signaling involved in the pathogenesis of abdominal aortic aneurysms; expression of different cellular receptors and the modulators of extracellular matrix protein in human aneurismal aortic wall.

Contact Person
Professor S.W.K. Cheng
Tel: 2855 4962
Fax: 2855 4961
Email: wkcheng@hku.hk