The Chinese University of Hong Kong Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong
Peter Hung Pain Research Institute
The Chinese University of Hong Kong
From Discovery to application

Research Projects

  • Innovative Drug Discovery from (2R,6R)-Hydroxynorketamine for the treatment of chronic pain
    The project focuses on developing safe and effective new analgesics to address persistent pain from conditions like diabetes, viral infections (e.g. herpes zosters), and stroke, which are often resistant to conventional treatments. The research will study the use of (2R,6R)-hydroxynorketamine, a ketamine metabolite, as a potential analgesic capable of restoring the brain's natural pain inhibition network without the adverse effects.
    Project Investigator:
    Professor Liu Xiao-dong, Research Assistant Professor, Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, Faculty of Medicine, CUHK
    Co-Investigators:
    • Professor Billy Ng, Assistant Professor, School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, CUHK
    • Professor Zhou Wen-jie, Professor, Songjiang Institute, Shanghai Jiao Tong University
    • Professor Tan Tao, Professor, Oujiang Laboratory
  • Development and Preclinical Evaluation of a Novel MNT Targeted Therapy for Cancer Pain
    This project aims to develop a novel therapy targeting the "Macrophage to Neuron-like cell Transition" (MNT), a phenomenon discovered in solid tumors that promotes cancer pain, with the goal to develop a clinically applicable treatment for cancer patients experiencing unresolved pain.
    Project Investigator:
    Professor Patrick Tang, Associate Professor, Department of Anatomical and Cellular Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, CUHK
    Co-Investigators:
    • Professor Cynthia Jiang, Associate Professor, School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, CUHK
    • Professor Dongmei Zhang, Dean, College of Pharmacy, Jinan University
    • Professor David Nikolic-Paterson, Professor, Centre for Inflammatory Disease Monash Health, Monash University
  • Shingles and PHN: Decoding the Pain with Immune Clues and AI
    This research project aims to understand the immune system's role in Postherpetic Neuralgia (PHN) following shingles by tracking immune cell activity and cytokine levels in shringle patients. By analyzing both immune data and clinical factors, the research will pave the way for more effective treatments for Shringles.
    Project Investigator:
    Professor Likai Tan, Research Assistant Professor, Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, Faculty of Medicine, CUHK
    Co-Investigators:
    • Professor Liu Xiao-dong, Research Assistant Professor, Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, Faculty of Medicine, CUHK
    • Professor Zhang Wei-bo, Professor and Chief Physician, Department of Anesthesia and Pain Management, Zhejang University
  • Development of Joint Pain Medications Using Innervated Joint-on-a-Chip Systems
    This project aims to develop a human cell-based innervated joint-on-a-chip (iJoC) system to model joint pain associated with conditions like osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, the research findings will faciliate development of medications for patients with joint pain.
    Project Investigator:
    Professor Alan Li, Vice-Chancellor Assistant Professor, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, CUHK
    Co-Investigators:
    • Professor Rocky S. Tuan, Professor, Institute for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine (iTREM), School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, CUHK
    • Professor Yong Chen, CNRS Research Director (Emeritus), Head of the Laboratory for Microfluidic, École Normale Supérieure
  • Delivery of Magnetic Nanoparticles for Management of Pain
    The current strategies for pain relief mainly rely on the use of painkiller medication that may cause addiction or other side effects. This project attempts to develop an alternative non-addictive pain-relief intervention based on concepts of TCM and nanomedicine.
    Project Investigator:
    Professor Jonathan Choi, Professor, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, CUHK
    Co-Investigators:
    • Professor Matthew Chan, Professor, Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, Faculty of Medicine, CUHK
    • Professor Lin Zhi-xiu, Director and Professor, School of Chinese Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, CUHK
  • Probiotics and their Metabolites for Treating Chronic Pain
    This project aims to delineate the antinociceptive roles of potentially protective microbes and the underlying mechanisms for alleviation of chronic pain and explore the potential in clinical translation.
    Project Investigator:
    Professor William Wu, Professor, Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, Faculty of Medicine, CUHK
    Co-Investigators:
    • Professor Matthew Chan, Professor, Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, Faculty of Medicine, CUHK
    • Professor Liu Xiao-dong, Research Assistant Professor, Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, Faculty of Medicine, CUHK
  • Development of a Non-invasive and Effective Electromagnetic Neural Modulation System for Pain Patients
    This project aims to develop a non-invasive and effective Electromagnetic Neural Modulation system for pain patient, with the application of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation.
    Project Investigator:
    Professor Zhang Li, Professor, Department of Mechanical and Automatic Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, CUHK
    Co-Investigators:
    • Professor Chan Kai-fung, Tony, Research Assistant Professor, Chow Yuk Ho Technology Center for Innovative Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, CUHK
    • Mr Edwin Yu, PhD Candidate, Department of Mechanical and Automatic Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, CUHK
  • Electroencephalography-assisted Prefrontal Cortex Stimulation via Temporally Interfering Electric fields: a Novel Non-invasive Approach to Neuropathic Pain Treatment
    The research team aims to develop a novel non-invasive method for neuropathic pain treatment by selectively activating the medial prefrontal cortex with temporally interfering electric fields.
    Project Investigator:
    Professor Liu Xiao-dong, Research Assistant Professor, Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, Faculty of Medicine, CUHK
    Co-Investigators:
    • Professor Wang Jie, Professor, Division of Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan
    • Professor Bao Qing-jia, Associate Professor, Division of Precision Scientific Instrumentation, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan
    • Professor Tian Xue-bi, Professor, Department of Anesthesiology, Tongji medical college, Huangzhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan
  • Development of a Novel Chinese Medicine Formula for the Treatment of Gout: Preclinical Evaluation on Its Efficacy, Safety and Molecular Mechanisms
    In recent years, Chinese medicine has attracted great attention as potential therapeutic agents for gout. The project team attempts to explore the therapeutic potential of Gout formula which contains fourteen Chinese herbal medicines in relieving gouty arthritis.
    Project Investigator:
    Professor Lin Zhi-xiu, Director and Professor, School of Chinese Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, CUHK
    Co-Investigators:
    • Professor Matthew Chan, Professor, Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, Faculty of Medicine, CUHK
    • Professor Xian Yan-fang, Lisa, Assistant Professor, School of Chinese Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, CUHK
    • Dr Wang Lan, Post-doctoral fellow, School of Chinese Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, CUHK
  • Gut Microbiota in Adults with Chronic Widespread Pain: a Pilot Case-control Study
    In this study, the research team aims to identify the gut microbiome composition in adults with chronic widespread pain and determine the differences in the profile.
    Project Investigator:
    Professor Sit Wing-shan, Regina, Associate Professor (Clinical), The Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine, CUHK
    Co-Investigators:
    • Professor Francis Chan, Choh-Ming Li Professor of Medicine and Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine, CUHK
    • Professor Siew Ng, Assistant Dean (Development), Faculty of Medicine, CUHK
    • Professor Zhang Lin, Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine, CUHK
    • Professor Hein Tun, Associate Professor, The Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine, CUHK