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Theme-based Research Scheme -
Call for Proposal
The Theme-based Research Scheme (TBRS), which supports academic research on
themes of a longer-term nature and strategically beneficial to the development of Hong Kong,
has been making good progress, says RGC Chairman Professor Roland Chin.
Earlier this year, the Steering Committee for Research Themes identified three research
themes for the first round of TBRS, including “Promoting good health”, “Developing a
sustainable environment” and “Strengthening Hong Kong as a regional and international
business centre”. Following the receipt of over 300 white papers from local academics, sixteen topics for the selected themes were
identified by RGC’s White Papers Review Panel formed mainly by external experts.
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Theme-based Research Scheme
- Call for Preliminary Proposals
As mentioned in the previous issue of this newsletter,
academics in Hong Kong were invited to submit “white papers” for the
suggestion of “grand challenge topics” for
the three selected themes of the Theme-based Research Scheme. In response, a total
of over 300 white papers were received. These white papers were examined and
honed down to four to six initial topics for each of the three selected themes by a White Papers Review Panel formed mainly by
external experts (with overseas academics or
local experts who are not full time academic
staff).
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Launch of New Joint
Research Schemes
Congratulations! In August 2010, RGC signed an agreement with the
Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO)
to mark the launch of a new joint research scheme which strengthens cooperation
in the fields of science and innovation, and promotes scientific research and
technological exchanges between the researchers in the Netherlands and Hong
Kong. The Scheme offers travel grants to support scholarly
collaboration between individual Hong Kong and Dutch
researchers as well as workshop grants to sponsor
workshops held in Hong Kong and the Netherlands.
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Nanotherapeutics in Angiogenesis:
Synthesis and in Vivo Assessment of Drug Efficacy and
Biocompatibility in the Zebrafish Embryos
To grow and spread, tumors need blood vessels to provide
nutrients. Scientists are trying to find ways to stop angiogenesis.
Angiogenes is inhibitors stimulate cells to stop the angiogenesis process. Hence, angiogenesis
inhibition therapy can help chemotherapy drugs and
radiation therapy work more effectively when
given in combination. Vascular integrins, in particular
alpha-v-beta-3, are important regulators of
angiogenesis, including tumor angiogenesis. The integrin alpha-v-beta-3
is highly expressed on activated endothelial cells and tumor cells but is
not present in resting endothelial cells and most
normal organ systems.
The cyclic arginine-glycine-aspartic acid (RGD) peptide
recognizes alpha-v-beta-3 integrin receptors and thus target to cancer cells.
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Nimodipine suppresses chemokine release via inhibition of
adenosine uptake in endothelial cells
Atherosclerosis is a common disease in which
the artery wall thickens as a result of a buildup
of fatty materials. The narrowing of arteries
caused by atherosclerosis can significantly reduce the blood supply to vital organs. The
complications of advanced atherosclerosis include heart attack and stroke, which are the
major killers in modern society. While many clinicians consider the use of lipid-lowering
agents like statins as the main strategy to prevent atherosclerosis, the combination of
dihydropyridine-type calcium channel
blockers (DHP) (a blood vessel dilator used in the treatment of patients with angina and
hypertension) and statins has been shown to produce an additional 60% reduction of atherosclerosis compared with that observed
with statins alone. Therefore, the effects of
DHP on atherosclerosis are promising.
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DNA-binding Activities of Some Alkaloids
from Chinese Medicinal Herbs
In recent years, small organic molecules have
attracted a great deal of interests of scientists
in new drug design targeting biological macro-molecules, such as proteins, enzymes,
receptors and nucleic acids (DNA and RNA). The interactions of drug with DNA comprise noncovalent binding and covalent bonding.
The former one is reversible but the later one
is irreversible. Most of the interactions between
drugs and DNA belong to reversible binding, except for aristolochic acids in some toxic herbs from
Aristolochiaceae which damage
DNA irreversibly.
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Development of a High Performance Liquid Chromatographic
Method for the Quality Control of Rhizoma Smilacis Glabrae
and its Derived Products
Rhizoma Smilacis Glabrae (RSG), belonged to Liliaceae family, smilax genera, is
a commonly used traditional Chinese medicine for detoxication and diuresis.
It is the principal medicine used for the treatment of syphilis in ancient China.
Besides, it is also used for skin problems, such as psoriasis and chronic eczema.
The extract of this herb is also the main ingredient in turtle jelly, which is a
functional food consumed popularly in Hong Kong and in Southern China. However, there are many confusable
species of RSG existed in the market. These include
Rhizoma Smilacis Chinae, Rhizoma
Heterosmilacis etc.
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Interactions between UGT isoenzymes and MRP transporters
during the oral absorption process of Baicalein
Flavonoids are polyphenolic phytochemicals present extensively in our
daily diet,
medicinal plants and herbal remedies. Since 2001, with the continuous support of RGC
grants and CUHK Direct Grants, a series of investigations on Baicalein (B), a bioactive
flavonoid isolated from the root of Scutellaria
baicalensis Georgi, and related flavonoids have been conducted in our research group. Previous studies from us and others
have indicated that extensive intestinal
first-pass
metabolism, mainly glucuronidation catalyzed by UDP-glucuronsyltransferase (UGT)
isozymes, and a subsequent unfavorable efflux transport mediated by multidrug
resistance associated protein (MRP) are the two major reasons responsible for the low oral
bioavailability of B.
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Gender Differences in the Regulation of
Endothelium-Dependent Contracting Factor
Results of Significance
It is now recognized that there are differences
between males and females in the incidence and manifestation of vascular diseases, of which
endothelial dysfunction is the
underlying cause. Endothelial dysfunction is characterized by an imbalance between
the release of endothelium-derived relaxing (EDRF) and
contracting (EDCF) factors. It is
precipitated by aging, western diet, obesity,
diabetes and hypertension and thus becomes an increasing problem in societies like Hong
Kong, facing the aging of the population combined with
increasing access to western
food.
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Areas of Excellence
Scheme Project: Introducing the Work of the Hong Kong Institute of
Economics and Business Strategy
The Hong Kong Institute of Economics and Business Strategy (HIEBS –
香港經濟及商業策略研究所) is a research center of the Faculty
of Business and Economics at The University of Hong Kong. As an
Area of Excellence (AoE)
recipient it was principally funded by the University Grants Committee in the period 1999-2006. Since then it has raised its own funding to
sustain and support its work.
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Areas of Excellence of Scheme Project:
Building excellence in plant and agricultural biotechnology research
Ten years ago, under the UGC’s Areas of Excellence
(AoE) scheme, the Chinese University of Hong
Kong established a Center for Plant and Agricultural
Biotechnology, to conduct research in a number of
crucial aspects of plant & agricultural biotechnology.
During the past decade, the Center has assembled
a world-class interdisciplinary team of researchers
from several institutions. This team has successfully
pursued a research approach that integrates
state-of-the-art modern technologies with the traditional
wisdom of breeders. It is also a significant example
to demonstrate cross-institution deep collaboration
in Hong Kong.
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RGC Collaborative Research Fund
– Layman Summaries of Projects Funded in 2009/10 Exercise
Quantum order in novel materials: superconductivity and topological order
Iron-based (pnictides) superconductors and topological insulators are the most important
discoveries in hard condensed matter physics
in recent years. The two classes of materials
exhibit the common feature of exotic quantum
behaviors (quantum order). Elucidating the principles that govern the properties of these
materials and exploring their technological implication are the goals of the physics
community. The complexity in tackling the many intervening issues in this area calls for
a collaborative approach. With the help of a previous Collaborative
Research Grant, a research team to tackle this problem is ready.
The proposal consolidates the team to study holistically the novel quantum order behind
these materials and to explore the nature of
general topological order, a key ingredient in quantum information science.
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