e-Bulletin December 2024

獅子山精神 (Lion Rock Spirit) and Public Health
Nurturing Resilience and Solidarity for Health and Success in Hong Kong

I was drawn to Hong Kong as a public health professor because of its legendary good health, successful tobacco control, and news that it was investing in my own specialty area of comprehensive primary health care. Before my arrival I spent weeks checking social media to learn more about my new home. One of the buzzwords that I gleaned about Hong Kong from Reddit was Lion Rock Spirit.

Lion Rock Spirit is a term familiar to the generation of Hong Kong residents that grew up in the 1970s boom times of high economic growth built on hard work, a can-do attitude, resilience, and optimism. As I started my work here, I wondered how much of this spirit would remain 50 years later and after tremendous political and economic changes.

To be honest, my frame of reference is mostly our School, but I have to remark that on HKU campus we have ample “can do” attitude. To be indomitable is not all genetic. There is much that we have to learn from our families and peers. Just as we learn it, we teach it and model it. Perseverance is a choice we make every day. We overcome the vicissitudes of grant competitions, deadlines, contracts, paperwork, and the infamous reviewer number 3. We keep going — trying to balance our work at the School with our obligations to our families and loved ones. One of the key realizations is that the solidarity of working with others makes it easier to keep going and to succeed. While individual efforts can achieve swift results, it is through collective action and unity that we can truly achieve enduring success and overcome challenges together.

The people of Hong Kong look to our university staff for more inspiration. We are critical guardians of this community’s will to succeed. When our students go out for their practicum placements or patient care project assignments, they are ambassadors for Lion Rock Spirit. They simultaneously teach and learn that by working together we create the solidarity that is the foundation of public health. The complex challenges of climate resilience, NCDs, pandemic preparedness, and mental health demand solutions from intersectoral partnerships. Lion Rock Spirit is a choice we all make. Guarding this flame is our contribution to the Faculty of Medicine, the University, and the larger community around us.

Professor David Bishai
Director and Clinical Professor
School of Public Health, The University of Hong Kong

A Record-breaking Twelve SPH Faculty Members Named “Highly Cited Researchers 2024”
Recognition for their Exceptional Research Impact

A record-breaking twelve faculty members from our School have been named by Clarivate as “Highly Cited Researchers 2024”. The works of these scholars have been highly cited by fellow academics and are hence making a significant impact on ongoing research in their respective fields of study.

Our School’s twelve Highly Cited Researchers are *:

• Professor Ester Cerin, Honorary Professor
• Professor Ben Cowling, Helen and Francis Zimmern Professorship in Population Health, Chair Professor of Epidemiology, and Head of Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics
• Professor Tommy Lam, Associate Professor
• Dr Eric Lau, Honorary Assistant Professor
• Professor Gabriel Leung, Honorary Clinical Professor
• Professor Kathy Leung, Assistant Professor
• Professor Malik Peiris, Tam Wah-Ching Professor in Medical Science and Chair Professor of Virology
• Professor Leo Poon, Associate Dean (Human Capital) of LKS Faculty of Medicine, Daniel C K Yu Professorship in Virology, Chair Professor of Public Health Virology, and Head of Division of Public Health Laboratory Sciences
• Professor Joseph Wu, Sir Robert Kotewall Professorship in Public Health and Professor
• Professor Wu Peng, Assistant Professor
• Professor Hui-ling Yen, Associate Professor
• Professor Zhang Tong, Professor (by courtesy) and Chair Professor of Water and Environmental Engineering (Department of Civil Engineering)

*In alphabetical order of surname

The “Highly Cited Researchers 2024” are selected for their exceptional research performance. This selection is determined by the production of multiple highly cited papers that rank in the top 1% by citations for their fields and publication year in Web of Science over the past decade. According to Clarivate Analytics, a total of 6,636 scholars from 59 countries and regions worldwide have been named in this list.

The School extends our heartfelt congratulations to our colleagues.

Topping the HKU List for Six Consecutive Years
Nineteen SPH Faculty Members Listed as World’s Top 1% Scholars

Nineteen SPH faculty members are listed as the world’s top 1% scholars. Out of all academic units in the University, our School has topped the list six years in a row, accounting for 19 out of 196 scholars in HKU in the top 1% list in 2024.

The Top 1% Scholars at SPH are*:

• Professor Sheikh Taslim Ali, Assistant Professor
• Professor David Bishai, Director and Clinical Professor
• Professor Ben Cowling, Helen and Francis Zimmern Professorship in Population Health, Chair Professor of Epidemiology, and Head of Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics
• Professor Karen Grépin, Associate Professor
• Professor Guan Yi, Chair Professor of Emerging Viral Diseases and Cluster Leader (Influenza and Infections of Public Health Significance)
• Professor Daniel Ho, Associate Professor
• Professor Tommy Lam, Associate Professor
• Professor Kathy Leung, Assistant Professor
• Professor Julie Liao, Assistant Professor
• Professor Malik Peiris, Tam Wah-Ching Professor in Medical Science and Chair Professor of Virology
• Professor Leo Poon, Daniel CK Yu Professorship in Virology, Chair Professor of Public Health Virology, Head of Division of Public Health Laboratory Sciences, and Associate Dean (Human Capital) of LKS Faculty of Medicine
• Professor Parco Siu, Assistant Dean (Well-being) of LKS Faculty of Medicine, Professor and Head of Division of Kinesiology
• Professor Linwei Tian, Associate Professor
• Professor Tim Tsang, Assistant Professor
• Dr Jessica Wong, Research Assistant Professor
• Professor Joseph Wu, Sir Robert Kotewall Professorship in Public Health and Professor
• Professor Wu Peng, Assistant Professor
• Professor Hui-ling Yen, Associate Professor
• Professor Zhu Huachen, Associate Professor

*In alphabetical order of surname

This list recognises HKU researchers ranked by Clarivate Analytics in the top 1% worldwide by citations in at least one of the 22 research fields. Data is drawn from Essential Science Indicators (ESI).

The School extends our heartfelt congratulations to our top scholars.

Source: HKU Scholars Hub

Dr Dana Vackova Received the University’s Outstanding Teaching Award
Recognising Excellence in Teaching

Dr Dana Vackova, Principal Lecturer of our School, received the “Outstanding Teaching Award” of the University’s Teaching Excellence Awards 2024.

The HKU Teaching Excellence Award Scheme aims to recognise, reward and promote excellence in teaching at the University. The awards are open to all full-time teaching staff with a substantial responsibility for teaching, curriculum design, scholarly contribution and impact on the development of effective teaching practices etc.

Dr Vackova joined the erstwhile Department of Community Medicine in 2006 and has been teaching for us for almost 20 years. She is responsible for coordinating SPH MBBS courses and Interprofessional Education (IPE), and planning and developing the MBBS curriculum. She developed MBBS courses such as interdisciplinary Health Research Project, Occupational Medicine, Challenges in Health Care Management and online Induction course for Enrichment Year students. Dr Vackova is a Fellow of the Hong Kong College of Community Medicine, HKAM (Community Medicine) and a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

The University’s Selection Panel was deeply impressed with Dr Vackova’s dedication to teaching, her tireless and creative efforts to make learning enjoyable and rewarding, and the impact she has made on student learning.

The School extends our hearty congratulations to Dr Vackova.

World Pneumonia Day
Raising Awareness and Advancing Research

On World Pneumonia Day, we stand with the global community in raising awareness about pneumonia, a deadly disease affecting millions every year, especially among children and the elderly.

Did you know? Emerging respiratory virus infection, like influenza viruses, can cause severe pneumonia and acute lung injury. At our School, Professor Michael Chan, Professor Kenrie Hui, and other researchers are combating pneumonia with an in vitro lung injury model to offer screen treatments for emerging respiratory diseases. The model has been crucial in exploring therapies like mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) for treating influenza H5N1-induced pneumonia and acute lung injury.

Their work also includes investigating viruses like influenza A and SARS-CoV-2 damage lung tissue. Their discoveries aid novel drug discovery and guide experiments to repurpose FDA-approved drugs. The team has found that common drugs like statins can alleviate inflammatory responses in influenza A virus infection, and also found that imatinib, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor used in cancer, can reduce COVID-19 inflammation.

Here are some references for further reading:

• Role of epithelial–endothelial cell interaction in the pathogenesis of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Infection
  Clinical Infectious Diseases
  Hui, Kenrie Pui-Yan*; Cheung, Man-Chun*; Lai, Ka-Ling*; Ng, Ka-Chun*; Ho, John Chi-Wang*; Peiris, Malik*; Nicholls, John Malcolm; Chan, Michael Chi-Wai*

• Human mesenchymal stromal cells reduce influenza A H5N1-associated acute lung injury in vitro and in vivo
  Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
  Chan, Michael C.W*; Kuok, Denise I.T.*; Leung, Connie Y.H.*; Hui, Kenrie P.Y.*; Valkenburg, Sophie A.*; Lau, Eric H.Y.*; Nicholls, John M.; Fang, Xiaohui; Guan, Yi*; Lee, Jae W.; Chan, Renee W.Y.*; Webster, Robert G.; Matthay, Michael A.; Peiris, J.S. Malik*

Distinguished Lecture by Professor David M. Cutler
Survival of The City: Living and Thriving in an Era of Pandemic Disease

On October 31, 2024, our School hosted a distinguished lecture entitled “Survival of the City: Living and Thriving in an Era of Pandemic Disease” by Professor David M. Cutler, Otto Eckstein Professor of Applied Economics at Harvard University. The lecture took place at the HKU medical campus and saw an in-person participation of over 50 attendees.

The event commenced with opening remarks from Professor David Bishai, Director and Clinical Professor of our School, followed by an introduction of the speaker by Professor Karen Grépin, our Associate Professor. Professor Cutler then explored how cities can adapt and thrive amidst pandemic diseases, drawing on his extensive research in health economics and public policy. His insights provided valuable perspectives on urban resilience and public health strategies.

The Q&A session was engaging with insightful questions from the participants. It was a great opportunity for the participants to better understand the challenges and solutions related to urban living in the context of pandemics.

To watch the lecture recording, please click here.

Book Launch Seminar
Strategic Investment for Health System Resilience: A Three-Layer Framework

On November 13, 2024, our School hosted a book launch seminar entitled “Strategic Investment for Health System Resilience: A Three-Layer Framework”.

Co-authors Dr Zhao Feng from the World Bank and Professor David Bishai of our School shared practical insights on building emergency-ready health systems. Participants had the chance to explore a comprehensive investment framework proposed by the authors, and delved into a case study presented by Dr Inuk Hwang from the Seoul Institute and Graduate School of Public Health Seoul National University.

The event was highly engaging, providing valuable insights into making strategic investments that strengthen resilient health systems.

Please click here to view the recording of the book launch seminar, and a link to the book is here.

SPH Faculty Retreat
A Spark for Connection and Collaboration

On November 16, 2024, the School hosted a faculty retreat that was attended by over 30 academic and teaching staff. Professor David Bishai, our School Director, delivered welcome remarks, followed by an overview of the School’s matrix structure and its development over the past decade by Professor Dennis Ip. The participants were then divided into four groups to analyse the SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) of the matrix structure, and to discuss strategies for enhancing integration and collaboration among researchers and teaching staff. Each group delivered a brief presentation and explored new avenues for collaboration.

The latter half of the retreat, led by Professor Ben Cowling, focused on RPg teaching. Participants engaged in discussions centered around two case studies and shared ideas on improving the supervision of RPg students.

The participants found the Saturday retreat engaging and eagerly anticipated more opportunities for in-person interactions to foster deeper connections and understanding of each other’s projects. The suggestions and feedback will be presented to the School Executive Committee for further consideration.

World Health Summit 2024
Building Trust for a Healthier World

Professor Chak-sing Lau, Dean of LKS Faculty of Medicine at HKU (HKUMed); Professor David Bishai, our School Director; and several SPH faculty members attended the World Health Summit 2024 in Berlin, Germany this October.

HKUMed is the first institution in the Greater Bay Area to be invited to join the elite group of 30 academic groups making up the World Health Summit Academic Alliance. Under the theme “Building Trust for a Healthier World”, the event brought together heads of state including the German Vice-Chancellor, Dr Tedros from the World Health Organization, Bill Gates from the Gates Foundation, as well as scientists, business leaders, and civil society from around the world to set an agenda for a healthier future by inspiring innovative solutions for better health and well-being.

The central idea of the World Health Summit is that together we build trust, resilience and actionable global health responses for those areas that need them most. During the Summit, our representatives participated in pivotal discussions on how HKUMed could contribute its scholarship to learn and share innovative solutions from our region.

We are proud to be part of this world-class event, which we believe provides a great platform to expand the scope of our School and facilitate our future development.

Coffee & Career Talks by PD Hub
Exploring Public Health and Global Health Careers – A Discussion with Dr Raymond Hutubessy

The Professional Development (PD) Hub is a platform dedicated to empowering students and staff to develop professionally in preparation for a meaningful career in public health. It routinely organises thought-provoking events known as Coffee and Career Talks, which encourage engaging dialogues amongst students, faculty, alumni, and the larger community.

On November 4, 2024, a sharing session took place featuring Dr Raymond Hutubessy, Lead of the Value of Vaccines, Economics and Modelling (VoV) team within the World Health Organization (WHO) Department of Immunization, Vaccines and Biologicals (IVB). Funding for his travel to Hong Kong was raised through a University fund for visiting professors. He actively participated in a vibrant conversation on the economic aspect of vaccine implementation and its impact on global health outcomes.

Central to the discussion was Dr Hutubessy’s personal career trajectory in public and global health. His shared wisdom, drawn from a wealth of experience gained in vaccine-related research, was a treasure trove of knowledge. His compelling narrative offered the participants unique perspectives and insights.

The event concluded with a riveting Q&A session moderated by Dr Polly Wong, Senior Lecturer of the School. This segment was a dynamic exchange of concepts and ideas that left the participants deep in thought. Attendees found the experience enriching, gaining considerable knowledge and inspiration from the event.

In essence, the event was more than a mere discussion; it was a journey into the fascinating world of public and global health, expertly led by Dr Hutubessy. His sharing transformed the event into a rich learning experience, leaving attendees better informed and inspired about the prospects of global health.

SPH Christmas Party
Celebrate the Season with Joy and Cheer

Over 300 staff members and RPg students enthusiastically participated in the SPH Christmas Party held on December 13, 2024. The event was filled with joy and excitement as attendees relished the delectable food and played fun games. Highlight of the event was a lucky draw with prizes generously supported by the faculty members of the School.

The School of Public Health wishes everyone a warm and joyful holiday.

SALT Workshop
Co-creating Better Health in Hong Kong

The four-day Support, Appreciate, Learn/Listen, Transfer (SALT) workshop was held from November 4 to 7, 2024, with a total of 30 participants from various local NGOs such as Christian Action, Christian Family Service Centre, Haven of Hope Christian Service, Health In Action, Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups, Hong Kong Red Cross, OXFAM, Pathfinders, PharmCare, The Salvation Army, and United Christian Nethersole Community Health Service.

The workshop empowered frontline NGO staff in Hong Kong to leverage community strengths in addressing challenges, prioritising people-centric approaches to health concerns, expand networks within the community health sector, and tackle health determinants and disparities. Led by experts including Ms Marlou de Rouw, Board Member of the Constellation; Dr Rapeepun Jommaroeng, Instructor from the Mahidol University in Thailand; Dr Nason Tan, Senior Lecturer from our School, and other faculty from the University of Hong Kong, participants learnt about the Support, Appreciate, Learn/Listen, Transfer (SALT) and Community Life Competence Process (CLCP) methodologies, which were proven to drive positive changes globally. By adopting the SALT-CLCP approach, participants were equipped to facilitate community-driven solutions for various health issues in their line of work.

The workshop encouraged participants to become change-makers by fostering connections in their communities, promoting health ownership among individuals, supporting dignified aging, and implementing green initiatives. Through this transformative experience, participants gained practical skills in community engagement, facilitation, and action planning, while also joined a network of like-minded professionals and champions committed to enhancing community health in Hong Kong and beyond.

Outreach Vaccination Service in Local Schools
Visit by Government Officials Director of Health, Dr Ronald Lam, and Controller of the Centre for Health Protection, Dr Edwin Tsui

Seasonal influenza vaccination (SIV) remains the most effective approach to prevent seasonal influenza virus infection. For decades, many countries have adopted school-based SIV programmes to enhance vaccination rates among young children.

Since the 2018-19 season, the Department of Health of the HKSAR Government has launched school-based SIV service in local schools through the Vaccination Subsidy Scheme. Led by Professor Dennis Ip, Clinical Associate Professor and Head of Division of Community Medicine and Public Health Practice of the School, our health promotion team has been part of this programme for seven consecutive seasons. They visited various local kindergartens, primary and secondary schools, and have administered over 55,000 doses of influenza vaccine to students. Besides being one of the largest service providers in the territory, the team is also the only outreach services provider offering a free choice between the Inactivated Influenza Vaccine (IIV) by injection or the Live Attenuated Influenza Vaccine (LAIV) by nasal spray at school level. Supported by a commissioned Health and Medical Research Fund, Professor Ip’s team is assisting the Government in evaluating vaccine acceptability, the direct protective effect on the vaccinated children, as well as the indirect protection in the household, school and community levels.

The 2024-25 season marks a significant milestone as it is the very first time for service providers to be able to offer both IIV and LAIV within the same vaccination session. This new arrangement, known as the “hybrid mode”, aims to improve vaccine acceptance among children by providing free choice of vaccine type in the same school. Professor Ip’s team was visited by Director of Health, Dr Ronald Lam, and Controller of the Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health, Dr Edwin Tsui, on November 4, 2024, to observe their outreach vaccination service and to promote vaccination under this new hybrid vaccination arrangement.

For more information, please visit here.

Publications in October and November 2024
Scholars’ Output Highlighted

The following are research papers published by SPH researchers in October and November 2024:

Remarks:

• This list is compiled by searching in Scopus using the keywords “School of Public Health, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong” for October and November 2024
• * Member of School of Public Health, The University of Hong Kong
• Arranged by date of publication