CUHK Research: Changing the world

has two sets of genomes – our own genome and microbial genome in our gut,” he says. “We cannot edit our human genes, but we can manipulate our microbial genes to prevent disease, improve health, and even change our fate.” Apart from SIM01, their team has developed novel non-invasive diagnostic tests, including a stool microbiome precision test to detect colorectal cancer (known as M3CRC ). They also planned to launch a stool microbial biomarker test for early detection of autism. Success in stool transplant CUHK established Asia’s first fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) and research centre in 2018. FMT is a therapy that transfers gut microbes from a healthy human donor to a patient to help restore gut dysbiosis. The Faculty of Medicine has performed over 500 successful FMT treatments for recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection, a life- threatening disease causing profuse diarrhoea and rectal bleeding. It is also researching the role of FMT in other diseases such as obesity, autism and irritable bowel syndrome. The faculty is partnering with the Hospital Authority to provide stool transplant as a clinical service to all public hospitals in Hong Kong for recurrent and refractory Clostridioides difficile patients. “Noah’s Ark” in the Greater BayArea For the past five years, the CUHK team has been collaborating with over ten hospitals in southern China in a project involving 100,000 pairs of mothers and babies, regularly collecting biosamples from the women from pregnancy until the birth of the infants. “The first three years of life is the golden period to keep us healthy for the rest of our lives. If we maintain a good set of gut bacteria, we are likely to be protected from many chronic illnesses,” says Professor Ng. “One day, we will be able to provide personalised microbiome therapy in pill form to treat common diseases including eczema, autism and obesity.” Professor Chan says an expedited approval process for new drugs developed in the Greater Bay Area (GBA), covering Hong Kong, Macau and Guangdong Province, would be vital to develop the city into a microbiome innovation and technology hub in Asia. CUHK is proposing to set up a microbiome biobank at the border with the mainland. “We are ready to lead with our world-recognised expertise and innovative discoveries. It is our dream to build a ‘Microbiome Noah’s Ark’ for the 80 million people living in the GBA,” he says. 26