Bio-security: Secretary for Health, Welfare & Food Dr Yeoh Eng-kiong (centre) addresses a contract signing ceremony to commission HK University to carry out research projects under the Research Fund for the Control of Infectious Diseases.

HK University has been commissioned to conduct research projects under the Research Fund for the Control of Infectious Diseases.

Secretary for Health, Welfare & Food Dr Yeoh Eng-kiong said the fund is one of the Government's concrete measures to further enhance Hong Kong's research base in infectious disease.

Officiating a ceremony commissioning the university today, Dr Yeoh said experiences with SARS and avian influenza have highlighted the importance of infectious disease research and cross-boundary collaboration.

The $500 million fund has been formed to encourage, facilitate and support research on the prevention, treatment and control of infectious disease in Hong Kong, particularly emerging ones like SARS.

$50m to support Mainland research

Of the sum, $50 million will support research projects on infectious disease on the Mainland through the Chinese Ministry of Science & Technology. The remaining $450 million will support 'commissioned projects' and 'investigator-initiated projects'.

Commissioned projects are those addressing specific research needs, filling in gaps in scientific knowledge and responding to public health needs and threats identified by the Government. The university is one of the institutions invited to carry this out.

The fund will provide $8 million to enhance the university's research infrastructure, facilitating the construction of a state-of-the-art Biosafety Level 3 laboratory.

Another $22 million will be provided so the university can undertake a portfolio of research in basic laboratory, epidemiological and public health research in emerging infectious diseases. The research will span five years producing results from almost 30 different research projects.

25 investigator-initiated projects supported

On investigator-initiated projects, the research community has responded positively to two open rounds of calls for grant applications by the Health, Welfare & Food Bureau. 

So far, 25 investigator-initiated projects on infectious diseases with a funding commitment of $18.7 million has been supported.

The projects cover basic research, etiology, epidemiology and public health as well as clinical and health services research. The Research Council will further consider another 13 investigator-initiated projects for funding in its June meeting.

The Government announced the setting up of the fund in July after the World Health Organisation removed Hong Kong from the list of areas with recent local transmission of SARS.