e-Bulletin February 2026

EVENT SNIPPETS
Public Health Forum 2026
Public Health: Challenges, Opportunities and Innovations

The School of Public Health (SPH) hosted the Public Health Forum 2026 entitled “Public Health: Challenges, Opportunities, and Innovations” on January 24, 2026. The Forum aimed to explore pressing health issues and emerging threats while highlighting innovative solutions, collaborative efforts, and policy development.

The Forum began with welcome remarks from Dr Ronald Lam, Director of Health of the Department of Health, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China, and Professor Lau Chak-sing, Dean of HKU LKS Faculty of Medicine.

The School was honoured to host Dr Michael Lu, Dean of the School of Public Health at the University of California, Berkeley, who inspired us to reimagine public health for a rapidly changing world. The first plenary session explored opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao region over the next decade. Insights were shared by Professor Lin Hualiang, Assistant Dean and Chair of the Department of Epidemiology at the School of Public Health of Sun Yat-sen University; Professor Shelly Tse, Associate Director (Mainland Affairs) and Professor of the Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care, The Chinese University of Hong Kong; and Professor Xiang Yutao, Distinguished Professor and Head of the Department of Public Health and Medicinal Administration at the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau.

During the second plenary session, division heads and representatives from our School, including Professors David Bishai, Dennis Ip, Wendy Lam, Leo Poon, Parco Siu, and Jane Zhao, engaged in a strategic dialogue about the future of public health research, education and emerging opportunities.

The Public Health Forum 2026 brought together more than 200 participants, powerfully demonstrating that by addressing challenges and embracing collaborative opportunities, our School can foster the innovative and equitable approaches needed for a healthier tomorrow. The Forum also featured a student poster session, where 44 posters were displayed, showcasing the research and findings of our next-generation public health professionals.

The winners of the Student Poster Session are as follows:

Best Student Poster Award
Winner: Ms Li Xinyi (MPhil)
Poster Title: Effect of Acute Respiratory Illnesses on Frailty in Community-dwelling Older Adults

First Runner-up: Ms Wang Jianhui (PhD)
Poster Title: Global Evolutionary Dynamics and Host Adaptation of H6 Avian Influenza Viruses in Eastern Asian Poultry

Second Runner-up: Ms Kam Tong Tonia (PhD)
Poster Title: Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza H5N1-induced Lung Injury, Regeneration and Remodelling

  • A group photo of the distinguished guests, speakers, panellists and moderators of the Public Health Forum 2026.
  • Dr Ronald Lam, Director of Health of the Department of Health, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, delivers welcome remarks at the Opening Ceremony.
  • Professor Lau Chak-sing, Dean of HKU Medicine, delivers welcome remarks at the Opening Ceremony.
  • Professor David Bishai, Director and Clinical Professor of the School of Public Health, introduces Dr Michael Lu, the keynote speaker, at the Public Health Forum 2026.
  • Dr Michael Lu, Dean of the School of Public Health at the University of California, Berkeley, delivers his keynote speech on “Innovating the Future of Health”.
  • Professor Gilberto Leung, Director of the School of Clinical Medicine, Co-Director of the Centre for Medical Ethics and Law, and Tsang Wing-Hing Professor in Clinical Neuroscience, LKS Faculty of Medicine, HKU, moderates the Q&A session of Dr Michael Lu’s keynote speech.
  • A roundtable discussion featuring an esteemed panel of speakers, including (second from left) Professor Lin Hualiang Assistant Dean and Chair of the Department of Epidemiology at the School of Public Health of Sun Yat-sen University; (middle) Professor Xiang Yutao, Distinguished Professor and Head of the Department of Public Health and Medicinal Administration, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau; and (second from right) Professor Shelly Tse, Associate Director (Mainland Affairs) and Professor of the Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care, the Chinese University of Hong Kong. The session is moderated by (rightmost) Professor Leo Poon and (leftmost) Professor Maria Zhu from our School.
  • A group photo of distinguished speakers, including (from second left) Professor Xiang Yutao, Professor Lin Hualiang and Professor Shelly Tse, together with the moderators, (rightmost) Professor Leo Poon and (leftmost) Professor Maria Zhu from our School.
  • A group photo of division heads and representatives from our School, including (from left) Professors David Bishai, Dennis Ip, Leo Poon, Wendy Lam, Parco Siu, and Jane Zhao, together with Professor Michael Chan, moderator of the Plenary Session.
  • (From left) Professor Sheikh Taslim Ali poses with Best Poster Award winners: 1st Runner-up, Ms Wang Jianhui (PhD); Winner, Ms Li Xinyi (MPhil); and 2nd Runner-up, Ms Kam Tong Tonia (PhD). The presentation ceremony is hosted by (right) Professor Julie Liao.
  • Dr Ronald Lam, Director of Health of the Department of Health, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, delivers welcome remarks at the Opening Ceremony.
  • Professor Lau Chak-sing, Dean of HKU Medicine, delivers welcome remarks at the Opening Ceremony.
  • Professor David Bishai, Director and Clinical Professor of the School of Public Health, introduces Dr Michael Lu, the keynote speaker, at the Public Health Forum 2026.
  • Dr Michael Lu, Dean of the School of Public Health at the University of California, Berkeley, delivers his keynote speech on “Innovating the Future of Health”.
  • Professor Gilberto Leung, Director of the School of Clinical Medicine, Co-Director of the Centre for Medical Ethics and Law, and Tsang Wing-Hing Professor in Clinical Neuroscience, LKS Faculty of Medicine, HKU, moderates the Q&A session of Dr Michael Lu’s keynote speech.
  • A roundtable discussion featuring an esteemed panel of speakers, including (second from left) Professor Lin Hualiang Assistant Dean and Chair of the Department of Epidemiology at the School of Public Health of Sun Yat-sen University; (middle) Professor Xiang Yutao, Distinguished Professor and Head of the Department of Public Health and Medicinal Administration, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau; and (second from right) Professor Shelly Tse, Associate Director (Mainland Affairs) and Professor of the Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care, the Chinese University of Hong Kong. The session is moderated by (rightmost) Professor Leo Poon and (leftmost) Professor Maria Zhu from our School.
  • A group photo of distinguished speakers, including (from second left) Professor Xiang Yutao, Professor Lin Hualiang and Professor Shelly Tse, together with the moderators, (rightmost) Professor Leo Poon and (leftmost) Professor Maria Zhu from our School.
  • A group photo of division heads and representatives from our School, including (from left) Professors David Bishai, Dennis Ip, Leo Poon, Wendy Lam, Parco Siu, and Jane Zhao, together with Professor Michael Chan, moderator of the Plenary Session.
  • (From left) Professor Sheikh Taslim Ali poses with Best Poster Award winners: 1st Runner-up, Ms Wang Jianhui (PhD); Winner, Ms Li Xinyi (MPhil); and 2nd Runner-up, Ms Kam Tong Tonia (PhD). The presentation ceremony is hosted by (right) Professor Julie Liao.
  • A group photo of the distinguished guests, speakers, panellists and moderators of the Public Health Forum 2026.
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