CUHK-led projects awarded US$22.5 million funding as UGC Areas of Excellence
Two projects led by Prof. Yunhui Liu (2nd left) and Prof. Ronald Ma (1st right) have been awarded by the Areas of Excellence Scheme.
Two outstanding projects led by CUHK researchers were granted over US$22.5 million funding in the 12th round of the Areas of Excellence (AoE) Scheme under the Hong Kong University Grants Committee (UGC). The project ‘AI-Powered Surgical Robot’, led by Prof. Yunhui Liu, Choh-Ming Li Professor of Mechanical and Automation Engineering at the Faculty of Engineering, has been granted over US$12.2 million, receiving the highest amount of funding in this round. Another project, ‘Using Data to Transform Diabetes Care and Patient Lives’, led by Prof. Ronald Ma, S.H. Ho Professor of Diabetes at the Department of Medicine and Therapeutics of the Faculty of Medicine, has been granted over US$10.2 million.
AI-powered surgical robots
Prof. Yunhui Liu aims to introduce novel AI and automation functions to surgical robots to enhance operational safety and accuracy. He will form an interdisciplinary research team comprising robotics, AI and medical experts to establish an internationally leading research centre for automated robotic surgery in Hong Kong. The team will gather experts from local and international institutions such as Johns Hopkins University, Technical University of Munich, University College London, Shanghai Jiao Tong University to validate the safety and efficacy of these AI-powered surgical robots, with the aim of optimising medical services in Hong Kong and transforming the city into a world-class hub for medical research and surgical robotics development.
Using data to transform diabetes care and patient lives
Diabetes is a major health issue globally, affecting over 530 million people worldwide. The Diabetes and Endocrine Research Group at CUHK has been devoted to diabetes research for the past three decades, translating knowledge into prevention and treatment strategies. Led by Prof. Ronald Ma, this project aims to bridge the existing gaps in diabetes prevention, treatment and professional education by leveraging CUHK’s resources, experience, and local and international partnerships, contributing to developing Hong Kong as a global centre of excellence for innovative medicine, translational research, education, and care.
The AoE Scheme aims to provide support to the UGC-funded universities to build upon their existing strengths and develop them into areas of excellence. As at now, a total of 32 AoE projects from various disciplines have been funded. Among them, 13 were led by CUHK researchers.
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