Canadian honour for HKU vice-chancellor
A top Canadian university has named the vice-chancellor of the University of Hong Kong one of 10 'giants of biomedical science'.
Tsui Lap-chee received the honour from the University of Toronto at a ceremony yesterday during which a bronze sculpture dedicated to the scientists was unveiled. One floor of a research centre was also named after Professor Tsui.
The 10 biomedical researchers, who all worked in Toronto in the early stages of their careers, also include Sir Frederick Banting, winner of the Nobel Prize in physiology and medicine in 1923, and his co-researcher, Charles Best.
Professor Tsui said: 'It is a great privilege to be recognised by the University of Toronto alongside the truly great giants in biomedical science, like Banting and Best, whose work saved so many people.
'Looking back, we have indeed contributed something extraordinary to cystic fibrosis research and human genome studies. However, I do not consider myself a giant as I am still learning every day, especially from the other honorees.'
Professor Tsui and his research teams isolated the gene for cystic fibrosis in 1989. He has also made a significant contribution to the human genome project.
