HKBU scholars harnessing Chinese medicine and AI secure HMRF funding to tackle obesity and liver cancer

We are delighted to announce that two HKBU scholars have been awarded total funding of around HK$2.6 million by the Health Bureau in the latest round of the Health and Medical Research Fund (HMRF). Professor Wong Hoi Leong, Xavier, from the School of Chinese Medicine, was awarded a grant under the HMRF Investigator-initiated Projects scheme, and Dr Yin Kejing from the Faculty of Science has been awarded the HMRF Research Fellowship Scheme.

Leveraging Professor Wong’s expertise in metabolic disorders and integrative medicine, he will conduct his awarded project, “Efficacy and safety of artesunate treatment for patients with obesity: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study,” in collaboration with Professor Chan Kam Wa (School of Chinese Medicine) and other local experts. Based on Professor Wong’s prior research published in Nature Communications, his funded project is a first-in-human pilot study to evaluate the therapeutic potential of artesunate (ART) for treating obesity in Hong Kong. The investigation supports Hong Kong government health strategies to combat the rising prevalence of obesity and associated metabolic diseases.

Dr Yin is an expert in machine learning for high-dimensional healthcare data analytics, including computational phenotyping and predictive analytics for large-scale electronic health record (EHR) data. His funded project entitled “Explainable AI Methods for Early Screening and Prognosis Prediction for Liver Cancer Using Electronic Health Records” aims to develop and validate explainable AI models using routine electronic health records. These models are designed to improve the accuracy of early detection and prognosis prediction for liver cancer in at-risk patients, outperforming current statistical methods through superior predictive performance and clarity.

The HMRF's main objectives are to build research capacity and to promote health and medical research. This effort is designed to inform policy, improve public health, strengthen the health system, enhance care practices, advance standards of care, and foster clinical excellence by generating evidence-based scientific knowledge.

Congratulations to Professor Wong and Dr Yin on their achievements. Their success reflects HKBU’s ongoing commitment to advancing integrative medicine and contributing to public health through impactful interdisciplinary research.