News

The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) organized the Presentation Ceremony of ‘Sin Wai Kin CUHK Golden Jubilee Scholarships in Arts, History and Philosophy’ and luncheon on Wednesday, 8 October 2025. The event was graced by the presence of Mr Sin Nga-yan, Benedict, the representative of Dr. Sin Wai-kin and the Director and General Manager of Myer Jewelry Manufacturer Limited, Dr Pang Yuk-wing, Joseph, Convenor of CUHK 50^th Anniversary Fund Raising Committee, Mr Heung Shu-fai, Louis, Trustee of New Asia College of CUHK, Professor Chan Tak-cheung, Anthony, Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President of CUHK, Professor Tang Xiaobing, Max, Dean of Arts of CUHK, Professor Wong Ka-chat, Andy, Director of Admissions and Financial Aid of CUHK, and Ms Wong Shuk-fan, Lolitta, Director of Institutional Advancement of CUHK.

In the welcoming speech, Professor Anthony Chan thanked the late Dr. Sin, Mr. Sin and their family for their longstanding trust and support, as well as their effort in providing students with diverse learning opportunities and enriching campus life. Mr Benedict Sin encouraged all scholarship recipients to continue exploring boldly in their respective professions and to bring about positive changes to society. Chau Ying-tung, a third-year PhD student from the Department of Chinese Language and Literature represented all scholarship recipients to express their gratitude to Dr. Sin for his generosity in establishing the scholarship. She noted that the scholarship not only alleviates students’ financial burden but also opens doors for cross-cultural dialogue, inspiring them to step beyond Hong Kong and embrace the wider world. The recipients had a meaningful exchange and shared their insights in future plans with the honourable guests during the post-ceremonial luncheon.

Aiming to foster academic research, the ‘Sin Wai Kin CUHK Golden Jubilee Scholarships in Arts, History and Philosophy’ was established in 2013 by Dr Sin Wai-kin in the midst of the 50^th anniversary of CUHK to award outstanding students majoring in Arts, History and Philosophy.

The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) organized the “Shanghai Fraternity Association Diligence Bursaries Recipients Gathering” at Shanghai Destiny, a clubhouse established by Shanghai Fraternity Association (the Association), on Thursday, 14 August 2025. Mr. Frank Lee and Mr. Jimmy Jim, Vice-President of the Association, Professor Anthony Chan Tak-cheung, Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President of CUHK and honorable guests of the Association and over thirty recipients of Shanghai Fraternity Association Diligence Bursaries attended this delightful event.

In his welcoming address, Professor Anthony Chan extended his heartfelt gratitude for the staunch support received from the Association over the years. The Association always provides the students with different opportunities to broaden their horizons and expand their social circle. Professor Anthony Chan also extended his congratulations on the establishment of new clubhouse to the Association and expressed his appreciation to the Association for its generosity in offering the venue for hosting the gathering this year. Professor Chan encouraged the recipients to contribute to society in the future. He said, “I hope all of you will treasure your time in the University, embrace new challenges, set clear goals and make the best use of “Shanghai Fraternity Association Diligence Bursaries” to equip yourselves for the future. I encourage you to plan ahead, stay committed to your aspirations, and carry forward the spirit of the Association and the University, striving for the excellence.” Yang Wan-yi, one of the recipients, gave a vote of thanks on behalf of all recipients. She expressed earnest thanks to the Association for alleviating the financial burden on recipients and for providing them with opportunities to participate in activities that enrich their experiences.  

Shanghai Fraternity Association made a donation to CUHK for the establishment of the Shanghai Fraternity Association Diligence Bursaries in 2017. The program provides financial support to 125 undergraduate students with financial needs at CUHK, including 35 students from Lee Woo Sing College. The program aims at alleviating the financial burden on students, enabling them to concentrate on their academic pursuits and personal development.

The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) hosted the naming ceremony of the Lau Tat-chuen Research Centre of Brain Degenerative Diseases in Chinese (the Centre) recently. With a generous donation from Mr Lau Tat-chuen, the Centre is dedicated to developing innovative diagnostic methods and treatment strategies for common age-related brain diseases in the local Chinese population. The ceremony was officiated by Professor Dennis Lo Yuk-ming, Vice-Chancellor and President of CUHK; Mr Lau Tat-chuen, Chairman of Sino International Industrial Limited; Mr Alex Lau Yiu-tung; and Professor Vincent Mok Chung-tong, Director of the Centre and Mok Hing Yiu Professor of Medicine in the Department of Medicine and Therapeutics of CUHK’s Faculty of Medicine (CU Medicine).

Addressing the growing burden of age-related brain diseases in Hong Kong

Common brain degenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and cerebral small vessel disease (SVD), significantly impact an individual’s cognitive and motor function, functional independence, quality of life and lifespan. Ageing is the primary risk factor associated with these diseases. With Hong Kong’s rapidly ageing population, the prevalence of these brain diseases is expected to double or triple in the next 30 years. Therefore, developing effective preventive strategies is of critical importance to Hong Kong, our nation, and the global community.

Mr Lau Tat-chuen has entrusted CUHK to establish the Centre to further enhance research and therapeutic development for age-related brain diseases. The Centre will launch large-scale projects aimed at developing simple and accessible screening strategies for early AD and SVD in Chinese people and investigating the effectiveness and safety of an anti-diabetic drug in slowing early SVD progression. Findings from these projects hold the potential to reduce the increasing burden associated with common age-related brain diseases in our rapidly ageing society.

Professor Lo expressed his gratitude to Mr Lau and said: “We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Mr Lau for his invaluable support in establishing the Centre. Together, we shall advance research on brain degeneration and contribute to the understanding of Alzheimer’s disease among the Chinese population. We aspire for the Centre to pioneer new research exploration and popularise new diagnostic methods, enabling patients to receive timely treatment. Additionally, we aim to enhance public awareness of dementia and encourage attention to brain health.”

Developing affordable and accessible diagnostic methods for early AD and SVD detection

Studies over the past decades have shown that the pathological changes of AD and SVD evolve in ageing brains for years to decades, leading to secondary brain degeneration and eventual development of disabling symptoms such as dementia. Recent clinical studies have shown that through early identification of and intervention in individuals harbouring these pathological brain changes at the subclinical or mildly symptomatic stage, progression of the diseases and related symptoms may be slowed down.

While current detection methods, such as positron emission tomography (PET) and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis are accurate in the detection of AD, they remain costly, invasive and inaccessible for widespread clinical use. While MRI is able to detect SVD, it is still costly and less accessible. To address these challenges, a research team from CU Medicine is collaborating with the Shenzhen Bay Laboratory to develop simple, safe, accessible biomarkers for brain health assessment, early detection of AD and SVD, and the monitoring of disease progression and treatment effectiveness.

Professor Mok explained: “Our Centre will establish a Chinese cohort aged 50 to 85 with mild cognitive symptoms. Among the various clinical, multi-modal imaging (retinal, MRI, PET), and plasma data collected, we will first focus in utilising advanced AI technology in developing novel AI models based on retinal imaging data for the detection of early AD and SVD. The retina is an extension of the brain and brain changes associated with AD and SVD are also reflected in the retina. Developing state-of-art AI model based on retinal pictures taken through a simple fundus camera is probably the most affordable and accessible method that can facilitate earlier detection and treatment of AD and SVD in the community, and potentially delaying the onset of dementia.”

Developing novel therapeutics for SVD

In the area of cerebral SVD treatment, the Centre will strategically explore the innovative approach of drug re-purposing. SVD elevates the risk of developing many symptoms that are commonly seen among older people, such as dementia, gait disturbance and depressive mood, and also increases the risk of stroke and AD. To date, specific pharmacological therapy for SVD is still not available.

Recent animal studies from CU Medicine have shown that a particular class of anti-diabetic drug, glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA), is able to reverse ageing-related SVD. Clinical trials are urgently warranted to clarify whether re-purposing the drug can effectively slow down SVD progression. To this end, the Centre will investigate its efficacy and safety in doing so, alleviating the escalating burden of common age-related brain diseases in our ageing society.  

(Reprinted from CUHK News Centre)