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.:RESEARCH ON SARS

 Background
 Portfolio
 Projects
 Coordinator

Background
The SARS outbreak reminded us of the knowledge gaps in infectious diseases in the field of basic science, clinical medicine and public health. With the establishment of CEID, a new platform is now in place for interdisciplinary research to be developed for understanding the science of SARS and its application in prevention and control.

The WHO SARS Scientific Research Advisory Committee concluded on 22 Oct 2003 in which 30 leading SARS researchers identified specific research most urgently needed to understand the disease better and prepare for its possible recurrence. The priority areas include laboratory diagnostic tests and algorithm of diagnosis, amplification of infection in hospital, the role and effectiveness of infection control measures, laboratory biosafety and socio-economic impacts of infectious diseases.
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Portfolio
The research portfolio of the CEID follows the direction recommended by the SARS expert committee and other scientific forums. Our basic science research aims to develop diagnostic methods with the highest sensitivity and specificity for early diagnosis of SARS. We also endeavour to study why some patients are more susceptible to the infection and develop more severe illness. On the clinical front, we explore new therapies for SARS, define what are the factors constituting super-spreading events, the effectiveness of hospital infection control measures and continue to follow-up patients from the last epidemics for long-term complications. We conduct research on public health issues such as sero-prevalence in the population, environmental factors contributing to SARS outbreaks, psychological and social impacts of infectious diseases.
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Projects
A good range of projects are now in progress. There are listed as follows:
  1. Molecular Epidemiology of SARS-Coronavirus infection
  2. Identification of the Cellular Receptor of the SARS-related coronavirus spike protein
  3. Immunogenetics study in SARS
  4. SARS diagnosis, monitoring and prognostication by SARS-Coronavirus RNA detection
  5. Proteomic profiling in SARS: diagnostic and prognostic applications
  6. Investigation of properties of antibody responses in SARS infection
  7. Determination of viral load and tissue tropism for fatal SARS-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV) infections
  8. The functional roles of 3a in the pathogenesis of SARS
  9. Long-term sequelae of SARS: physical, neuropsychiatric and quality of life assessment
  10. Applcation of personal protective equipments in minimizing transmission of infectious agents by contact spread in high risk procedures
  11. Small interfering RNA( siRNA) in the prevention and treatment of SARS-coronavirus
  12. Correlation of clinical outcome and radiological features in SARS
  13. SARS-lung function correlation with thin-section computed tomography features during convalescent period
  14. Super-spreading events of SARS in hospital setting : Who, When and Why?
  15. A comparative study of stigma associated with infectious diseases(SARS, AIDS, TB)
  16. Development of interfering RNA agents to inhibit SARS associated coronavirus infection and replication
These projects represent only the initial efforts of the Centre. We plan to roll out other studies on public health, clinical and scientific issues in due course.
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Coordinator

Professor David HUI,
SARS Research Group Chief Coordinator,

Department of Medicine Therapeutics,
The Chinese University of Hong Kong,
Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, N.T.,
Hong Kong

Tel: 2632 3135
Fax: 2637 3852 / 2637 3929