HKU Bulletin April 2006 (Vol. 7 No. 2)

28 29 Professor Bakr Rabie Professor, Faculty of Dentistry P rofessor Rabie’s philosophy of research student supervision focuses on inspiring his students to challenge their limits. He believes firmly that if he can give students the confidence to go further than they ever dreamed they could, they will become great research students. He does that by encouraging them to publish in the leading journal in their respective fields or to compete for the top national or international awards in their field. He believes that they gain from this experience whether or not they are successful, as the experience of setting their sights high gives them the confidence they need to go further in the future. This approach has worked very well in practice, as his graduate students have won several national and international awards. In turn, winning these awards has further boosted their self-confidence, and reassured them that they have what it takes to belong to the top 1% in their fields. Another very important aspect in his philosophy of supervision is to create future top academicians out of his research students. His PhD graduates have gone on to become Professors, Associate Professors and Assistant Professors both here at the University and at other prestigious institutions, including Beijing Medical Universi ty, Shanghai Second Medical University, Sydney University and the University of British Columbia. rabie@hkusua.hku.hk http://www.hku.hk/dental/english/index.html Outstanding Research Student Supervisor Award The Outstanding Research Student Supervisor Award is granted in recognition of supervisors of research postgraduate students whose guidance has been of particular help to their students in the pursuit of research excellence. Outstanding Research Student Supervisor Award Professor Lai Kar Neng Professor: Chair of Nephrology P rofessor Lai Kar Neng’s research interests focus on the pathophysiological mechanisms of selected diseases. He has made important new findings on the pathogenesis and treatment in IgA nephropathy, hepatitis-related nephritis, lupus nephritis, and peritoneal membrane dysfunction in peritoneal dialysis. Professor Lai is an international advisor to the Royal College of Physicians, London and the Royal Australasian College of Physicians. He has published over 400 full papers in international peer-reviewed journals and 30 book chapters. He has also served on the editorial boards of different journals including Kidney International, the American Journal of Kidney Diseases, Nephron and Nephrology. Professor Lai believes that research is fundamental in the practice of clinical medicine. Translational laboratory research is the foundation for the success of clinical medicine at the bedside. Research is the best way of training dedicated young students to realize their potential and to challenge the unknown. knlai@hku.hk http://www.hku.hk/medicine/staff.htm