It's smiles all round as high-achieving Chinese University biochemistry students swap notes in the laboratory. The three have a lot in common, having been awarded prestigious doctoral scholarships to the National Institutes of Health (NIHs) research body, based in Maryland, US. Jenny Cheung Yuen-nei, 29 (left), who arrived back in Hong Kong last weekend for a flying visit after completing 21/2 years of her four-year Phd, was just in time to wish bon voyage to Albert Cheung Hoi-hung, 25, who flew out to take up his scholarship on Thursday. Tsang Kit-man, 24, is due to fly out during the next month. This is the fourth year of the graduate partnership agreement between CUHK and NIHs, which awards US$30,000-a-year scholarships to two students a year. Ms Cheung, who studied the anti-cancer properties of polyphyllin extracted from the Chinese medicine Diao plant for her MPhil at CUHK, is now researching the mechanism of synthesising protein in DNA. 'It's a precious chance being chosen,' she said. 'But it's also a responsibility. I want to let people know that Hong Kong is good enough and up to a comparable standard with the rest of the world.' Ms Tsang, who also studied the anti-cancer properties of Chinese medicine ingredients while at CUHK, will research the genetic disorders of malignant tumours for her Phd. Mr Cheung focused on the drug resistant properties of cancer cells for his MPhil but is to research the genetic background of the development of sperm cells in mice for his doctorate. It is the first time any of the three has lived away from their families in Kowloon and Mr Cheung said that while he was anxious, he was hoping to settle down quickly and was looking forward to learning more about American culture. Ms Tsang said the move was a good chance to learn to live independently.