Pharmacogenetics, the study of how genetic differences influence the variability in patient responses to drugs, provides the scientific basis for personalised drug treatment and new drug development. On 28-31 May 2002, Prof. Thomas Y.K. Chan, Prof. Brian Tomlinson, both from the Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, and Dr. Albert Y.W. Chan, Adjunct Assoc. Prof. of the Department of Chemical Pathology, visited the Pharmacogenetics Research Institute, Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan to meet with Prof. Hong-Hao Zhou. In recognition of Prof. Zhou’s extensive research and the importance of pharmacogenetics, this national training centre has recently been designated by the Chinese Government as the Institute of Clinical Pharmacology in the Central South University. Prof. Chan, Prof. Tomlinson, Prof. Zhou and several members of the Institute were speakers at the Joint Symposium of Central South University – Chinese University of Hong Kong on Pharmacogenetics held on 28 May 2002. This Symposium successfully addressed how this field will help target drug treatment more precisely for individual patients and the impact on developments in therapeutics. Plans for collaboration on research and postgraduate training were discussed. To promote the knowledge exchange and linkage among the research centres in the region, proposals were discussed to form the Asian Society of Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmacogenetics to be inaugurated in May 2003. |
