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Nine outstanding students from the Faculties of Medicine and Science of The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) have been awarded the Innovation and Technology Scholarship 2020. Awardees will each receive up to HK$150,000 for participating in a series of initiatives, including exchange and research programmes at foreign universities, to widen their international exposure and develop their passion and commitment towards science and technology and thereby contribute to society.

The brain is the most complex organ in the human body. The chain of events that generates a thought, behavior or response, and the limit of brain functions remain mysterious. This year, three of the awardees are planning to participate in neuroscience or brain diseases research, with the financial support of the Scholarship.

Ting Lung Ngai, a Year 3 awardee studying the MBChB programme (Global Physician-Leadership Stream), with a strong scientific curiosity and a keen interest in medical science, has tried to be actively involved in different research projects at CUHK. He is deeply honoured and grateful to receive the Scholarship which encourages him to continue his pursuits in medical research. He said, “The scholarship is both an important milestone and a stepping stone in my journey to be a clinician-scientist. I plan to join research attachments at overseas institutions, especially working in the field of neuroscience and bioinformatics. I want to know more about how innovative computational methods can help us understand the nervous system both in its normal physiological and pathological states.”

Wong Chun, another awardee in Year 5 of the same study programme, is particularly interested in human consciousness. He said, “Our understanding of the biological nature of our consciousness is limited. Therefore, to understand how various structures in the brain give rise to consciousness and emotions has always been my ultimate academic pursuit.” The Scholarship sponsors his plan to attach at the Brain Mapping Unit at the University of Cambridge and attend various academic conferences. Through using different advanced neuro-imaging techniques, he aims to investigate the intricate connections between brain structures and how these connections are altered in various diseases such as schizophrenia and depression. He added, “Neuroscience is going to be in the spotlight of scientific advancement in the future. If we can apply the recent discoveries in neuroscience to the field of psychiatry, not only could we gain an insight into the pathophysiology of various psychiatric disorders, but we could also develop targeted therapies for patients suffering from these disorders.”

Cheung Man Hin, Year 3 in Public Health, is excited about the coming overseas exposure and plans for a research attachment at Harvard Medical School, where he would continue his project on delineating the epigenetic mechanism of DNA demethylation. He said, “Aware of the rapidly aging population worldwide, and the simultaneously growing burden of neurodegenerative diseases, my aspiration has always been to seek for an effective intervention to tackle such a major public health issue and improve the quality of life of the mentally-deprived elderly — all of which underlies my current research efforts in epigenetic mechanism and public health meta-analysis.” He thinks the Scholarship serves as a recognition of his past efforts, a milestone that marks the start of his journey of innovation, and the fuel that powers him to go forward.

CUHK Awardees of 2020 Innovation and Technology Scholarship:

About the Innovation and Technology Scholarship

The Innovation and Technology Scholarship, organised by The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups with the joint sponsorship and support of the Innovation and Technology Commission and The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited, aims to give due recognition to outstanding undergraduates in science, engineering and medicine related fields. Nominated by the university and then selected by the Awardee Selection Committee with members from different sectors, 25 awardees per annum receive up to HK$150,000 each to participate in a series of initiatives, including overseas/Mainland attachment, mentorship, a service project and an optional local internship programme.