CUHK Research: Changing the world

Hong Kong has been at the centre of numerous infectious disease outbreaks, and its dense, ageing population makes it significantly susceptible to being affected. Assistant Dean of Medicine (Research) at CUHK, Professor Peter Cheung Pak-hang has been conducting research on infectious diseases like influenza A virus and COVID in the past decade, and has contributed significantly to the understanding of how viruses mutate, the workings of antivirals and the formulation of vaccine strategies. Professor Cheung’s motivation to understand infectious diseases comes from a simple desire to minimise the impact of future outbreaks. “Throughout human history, pathogens such as influenza, cholera, and the SARS coronaviruses have caused tremendous impact on human health, and these viruses have the ability to evolve rather rapidly, causing what we call pandemics or epidemics.” The deadly nature of some of these diseases have in turn impacted human health and the global economy, as demonstrated by the COVID pandemic. For Professor Cheung, “understanding the basis for virus evolution and transmissions can help us understand how we control and prevent future pandemics caused by these viruses, such as by designing effective antivirals and vaccine regimens.” Professor Cheung joined CUHK in 2021. He describes the University as the perfect place to conduct research. He is inspired by top scientists here like Professor Dennis Lo from the same department: "He serves as an inspiration for local Hong Kong scientists to conduct excellent scientific research.” Hong Kong is also a city perfectly placed for academic work on infectious diseases, and Professor Cheung believes that not only does the city have the necessary data in place, but the demand for such research Peter Cheung Pak-hang Assistant Professor of Chemical Pathology Infectious diseases and viruses A continuous battle with infectious diseases 68