13 Jul 2023
SCM has achieved another year of strong performance in competitive research grants. In the latest round of the Research Grants Council’s funding schemes, the School won five General Research Fund (GRF) and three Early Career Scheme (ECS) grants, maintaining its leadership among peer institutions.
General Research Fund (GRF)
Principal Investigator | Project Title |
Prof. Bian, Zhaoxiang | Investigation of abdominal pain management in diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome via short-chain fatty acids/GLP-1 axis |
Dr. Cheung, Kenneth | Investigating and examining the role of Hyocholic acid signalling in athero-immunometabolism |
Dr. Cheung, King Ho | Elucidating the role of TRPM7 chanzyme and its therapeutic potential in neuroinflammation of Alzheimer’s disease |
Prof. Han, Simon | Radix Astragali polysaccharide RAP: an ideal intestinal M cell-targeted oral vaccine carrier and immunostimulant? |
Prof. Zhang, Ge | Macrophagic sclerostin loop2-ApoER2 interaction participates in the suppressive effect of sclerostin on atherosclerosis |
Early Career Scheme (ECS)
Principal Investigator | Project Title |
Dr. Liu, Jin | Blocking exosome release from atrophic skeletal muscle to strengthen bone: a novel therapeutic strategy for muscle atrophy-associated bone loss? |
Dr. Tan, Hor-Yue | Role of lysyl oxidase-like-4 in modulating the macrophage transition in ulcerative colitis |
Dr. Wong, Xavier Hoi-leong | Investigating the regulatory role of phenethylamine for serotonin reuptake in the pathogenesis of diarrhea-predominant Irritable Bowel Syndrome |
In addition to securing over $7 million in GRF grants, which represents a 27% increase over last year’s funding amount, the School was also awarded ECS grants totaling $4 million this year, demonstrating its support for young scholars.
The awarded projects showcase an array of innovative research in Chinese medicine and integrated medicine using interdisciplinary methodologies. The outcomes can potentially advance treatment options, uncover mechanisms of Chinese herbs and therapies, and promote integrative approaches to health and disease management.
Professor Lyu Aiping, Dean of Chinese Medicine, expressed gratitude for colleagues’ dedication in pushing the boundaries of research. “Congratulations to all our colleagues who have been successful in securing a GRF/ECS grant this round. These grants are clear demonstration of the research competitiveness and academic excellence of our researchers. At SCM, we are committed to enhancing the quality of research, generating impact, and contributing to society.”
SCM has been at the forefront of Chinese medicine research, and these grants further demonstrate its commitment to advancing the field through innovative research and interdisciplinary approaches. The achievement also reflects its strong research capabilities and its dedication to contributing to the society through impactful research outcomes.