CUHK
News Centre

The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) has recently hosted the naming ceremony of the Peter Hung Pain Research Institute (the Institute) and Peter Hung Pain Specialist Clinic (the Clinic). By establishing the Institute and Clinic, CUHK aims to raise the awareness of and draw attention to pain as a health problem across all walks of life, strengthen support and care for pain patients, and further enhance research and therapeutic development for pain. Officiating guests included Mr and Mrs Peter Hung; Professor Rocky S. Tuan, Vice-Chancellor and President of CUHK; Professor Francis KL Chan, Dean of CUHK’s Faculty of Medicine (CU Medicine); Dr Fung Hong, Chief Executive Officer of CUHK Medical Centre (CUHKMC); and Professor Gavin Joynt, Director of the Institute.

WHO data shows one in five adults suffers from chronic pain 

Data from the World Health Organization (WHO) shows that one in five adults suffer from chronic pain (excluding cancer patients). About 10% to 30% of people in Hong Kong suffer from chronic pain, adversely affecting their mood, sleep, memory and concentration, work and social life as well as personal relationships.

In his speech, Professor Rocky S. Tuan, CUHK’s Vice-Chancellor and President, remarked, “CUHK’s study shows that chronic pain is a common problem in ageing populations, with varying levels of functional and psychological impairment. Because of the increasing demand for public healthcare services and the lack of awareness of pain management in society, many patients miss a golden opportunity to receive treatment, thus developing chronic pain. There is an urgent need to raise awareness of and draw attention to pain problems and devote more resources to strengthening support and care for pain patients, also to further enhance the research of pain and related developments.”

The Institute integrates bioengineering in neuromodulation and clinical medicine for developing pain therapy

The H H Hung Charitable Foundation (the Foundation) has entrusted CUHK to establish the Institute and the Clinic, and develop innovative, effective, affordable treatment options for chronic pain. Effective treatment not only alleviates pain for long-term sufferers, but also significantly enhances their quality of life. The goal of the Institute is to integrate bioengineering in neuromodulation and clinical medicine for the development of novel therapy in the prevention and treatment of pain. The Institute also coordinates interdisciplinary research programmes, within CUHK and other universities in Hong Kong and abroad.

Professor Francis KL Chan, Dean of CU Medicine, expressed his gratitude to Mr Peter Hung and the Foundation. He said, “The Peter Hung Pain Research Institute is amongst the first in Asia that aims to transform interdisciplinary research into innovative therapy for the treatment of acute and chronic pain. In addition to advancing scientific knowledge, we will nurture our next-generation scientists to develop novel therapeutic modalities in the Greater Bay Area to bridge the unmet needs of pain management. Our ultimate goal is to provide timely and effective pain-relief therapy to improve the quality of life of our patients.”    

The Institute commenced its operation in early 2020. It runs three flagship projects:

• Delivery of Magnetic Nanoparticles for Management of Pain
• Probiotics and their Metabolites for Treating Chronic Pain
• Development of a Non-invasive and Effective Electromagnetic Neural Modulation System for Pain Patients

Professor Gavin Joynt, Director of the Peter Hung Pain Research Institute, remarked, “We have succeeded in bringing together a number of experts and academics to form three research teams. The multidisciplinary teams have begun early pre-clinical trials, and as they are beginning to show positive results, the horizon for clinical application is getting closer.”

The Clinic maintains a personalised approach to pain treatment by identifying and managing biopsychosocial factors in patients

The Clinic, located at CUHK Medical Centre, offers multidisciplinary, tailored treatment solutions to patients suffering from chronic pain and cancer pain by identifying and managing patients’ biopsychosocial factors that contribute to the problem. Dr Fung Hong, Chief Executive Officer of CUHKMC, stated, “With the establishment of the Peter Hung Pain Specialist Clinic, we sincerely wish we could bring hope to patients suffering from pain problems through personalised treatments by our multidisciplinary team, and which can eventually improve their quality of life. The Clinic also serves as a bridge between scientific research and clinical application, facilitating the transition of matured research accomplishments to clinical treatment, making available more choice of treatments for the public.”