HKU Bulletin February 2004 (Vol. 5 No. 2)

21 20 Outstanding Researcher Award The Outstanding Researcher Award is conferred for exceptional research accomplishments of international merit. Professor Lau Yu Lung Professor: Chair of Paediatrics and Head of the Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine P rofessor Lau is part icular ly interested in the study of paediatric infectious diseases and immune responses and the genetics involved in immunologic and infectious diseases. He and his colleagues have established the disease burden of several childhood infectious diseases, and their findings have been used by the HKSAR Government in its formulation of public health policy. Research at his laboratory has focused on developmental immunology using cord blood as a model, and he has recently been considering why infections such as bird flu and SARS in children result in much lower death rate than adults. His research group has also identified several disease susceptibility genes in lupus, tuberculosis and SARS, which may help in the management of patients. Professor Lau believes that research plays an important role in ensuring a high standard of clinical care for patients and high-quality decisions in public health. He also encourages his students to be independent thinkers, which is the goal of university education. He firmly believes that teaching and learning are inseparable. lauylung@hkucc.hku.hk http://www.hku.hk/paed / Professor Victor Li On Kwok Professor: Chair of Information Engineering P rofessor Li pioneered the study of wavelength-convertible optical networks. In fiber optical communications, digital informat ion is represented by l ight pulses of di f ferent wavelengths (or colours). Conf l icts occur when mul t iple transmissions at the same wavelength share the same fibre. By devising a way whereby a transmission can be changed from one wavelength to another, Professor Li has greatly improved the capacity of the system. More recently, he has obtained government and industry support to develop a complete 3G handset, and to transfer 3G technologies to industry. Professor Li is Managing Director of Versitech Ltd, the University’s technology transfer and commercial arm. His advice is routinely sought by civil servants, industrialists, and academic organizations, and he has lectured and consulted extensively around the world. He says, “For a researcher, the biggest satisfaction is to see one’s research results put into practice.” vli@eee.hku.hk http://www.eee .hku.hk/staff/vli.htm Outstanding Researcher Award RESEARCH AND TEACHING