Prof Clement Tham initiated the establishment of the CUHK Ophthalmic Research Centre (CORE) in July 2015, with Prof Calvin Pang, our former chairman of the Department as the Founding Director, to coordinate and support research of the Department. We are committed to research of eye diseases at the highest standard and using state-of-the-art technologies. We conduct clinical research, laboratory based basic research and community research.
Our basic research involved studies on the etiology, molecular genetics, histopathology, biochemistry, and therapeutic responses of various eye diseases. In 1999, we have established a comprehensive research laboratory system with modern facilities:
- Ocular Histology: embedding center, automated tissue processor, cryostat, rotary microtome, stereomicroscope with light source, fluorescent photomicroscope with polarization and imaging processing system
- Experimental Animals: animal surgical room, animal suites, transgenic and gene manipulation technologies, surgical microscope, multifocal electroretinography (mf-ERG), retina angiography
- Cell Biology: cell culture rooms, biological safety cabinets, Laminar flow hood, CO2 incubators, inverted microscopes, Live cell imaging system: High Precision upright Fluorescence Microscope , and MoFlo™ Astrios cell sorter system
- Molecular Biology: automated sequencer, PCR and Real-time PCR machines, DNA microarray scanner, Fluidigm:gene sequence variation analysis platform
- Analytical Biochemistry: sample processing facilities, LC solid phase extraction system, high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GCMS), Ultra-Performance Liquid Chromatography (UPLC) and liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LCMSMS)
- Microscopy and Photography Laboratories: fluorescence microscopy with imaging system, laser capture micro-dissection system, multiphoton confocal microscopy imaging system with high speed scanner
- Ophthalmic Imaging Laboratories
Clinical research is conducted by our faculty members in collaborations with colleagues at major hospitals in Hong Kong, including Hong Kong Eye Hospital, Prince of Wales Hospital, and Alice Ho Nethersole Hospital. The patient pool of the centers cover a population of around 3 million people and together we see over 400,000 outpatient cases and perform over 10,000 eye operations per year. In addition to providing quality services to the patients in need, the huge case number and case-mix provide a lot of good clinical material for research and publication. Clinical staff in all three centers have attended regular courses in good clinical practice (GCP) to facilitate good quality clinical research. A dedicated clinical research office is available in Hong Kong Eye Hospital for coordinating clinical trials.
Our Major Clinical Research Areas
| Cataract Surgery | Diabetic Retinopathy |
| Glaucoma | Lamella Keratoplasty |
| Diabetic Retinopathy | Macular Diseases |
| Myopia | Neuro-ophthalmology |
| Ocular Genetics | Ocular Imaging |
| Ocular Surface Diseases | Ophthalmic Epidemiology |
| Pediatric Eye Diseases | Prevention of Eye Diseases |
| Pterygium | Refractive Surgery Procedures |
| Retinal Detachment Surgery | Retinal Vascular Diseases |
| Retinoblastoma | Visual Electrophysiology |
