AR-News: (CN - HKG) HKU gets $30m to fund disease research

[Dr John Wedderburn]

South China Morning Post
Saturday, May 22, 2004
http://hongkong.scmp.com/hknews/ZZZH1O1LXRD.html
HKU gets $30m to fund disease research
by PATSY MOY

         The University of Hong Kong has received $30 million in grants to
carry out scientific research on infectious diseases and to help build an
advanced laboratory to carry out testing on animals.

      The $30 million is part of the government's $500 million special
research fund for the control of infectious diseases set up in July.

        Of the $30 million, $8 million will help cover the cost of
constructing the university's $24 million bio-safety level three
laboratory - scheduled to be completed by next year - to carry out tests on
animals.

      Bio-safety level three laboratories are equipped to deal with
potentially deadly diseases that have a potential for respiratory
transmission, such as tuberculosis and Sars. Access to the labs is
controlled and they have specialised ventilation systems to keep all
pathogens inside.

      Both microbiologist Yuen Kwok-yung and Lam Tai-hing, chair professor
and head of the university's department of community medicine, promised to
safeguard academic freedom and the free flow of information, despite the
heavy government funding.

      The pair spoke during the signing ceremony of the $500 million
Research Fund for the Control of Infectious Diseases, held at the government
offices in the Murray Building in Central, yesterday.

      "We would not accept any conditions which bound us to do research in a
certain way," Professor Lam said. "I also believe the government does not
intend to exert any influence."