ORT Newsletter

Dean Shares Inspiring Vision with Our Department

On March 25, 2025, we had the honor of welcoming Prof. Philip Chiu, Dean of CUHK Medicine, to our department. During his visit, Prof. Chiu shared his inspiring vision for the future development of CUHK Medicine. He emphasized the importance of innovation in clinical practices, groundbreaking research, and excellence in teaching. His insights and forward-thinking approach have invigorated our team, motivating us to strive for greater achievements. We are excited to work towards realizing the faculty’s vision and continuing to set new standards in the medical field.

Reflections on Our Annual Department Retreat

Our annual department retreat, led by Prof. Louis Cheung on 9th March 2025, was a great success. Prof. Patrick Yung, Chairman, shared his vision for our development, sparking valuable discussions among junior and senior faculty. The focus on collaboration and excellence in orthopaedic research was clear throughout the day. We are proud of our team's dedication and look forward to building on this momentum to further advance in the field of orthopaedics and traumatology.

Hong Kong 2025 Postgraduate Orthopaedics International FRCS (TR&ORTH) Revision Course

A 6-day “Hong Kong 2025 Postgraduate Orthopaedics International FRCS (TR&ORTH) Revision Course” was successfully organized between 17 and 22 March 2025 to provide high yield orthopaedic topics and preparation for orthopaedic fellowship examinations. The course was internationally accredited by the RCSEng.

During the course, 56 participants, who were orthopaedic trainees from Hong Kong, Singapore, Sri Lanka and The United Arab Emirates, attended lectures, small group viva teaching, mock viva, clinical examination teaching, and mock clinical examination. There were 28 local and overseas faculties. The lectures and teachings comprised of high yield orthopaedic topics. Faculties also provided feedback to candidates in what they may be expected to do. Clinical examination with real patients allowed participants to have a mock experience in orthopaedic fellowship examinations.

All in all, the course offered an intense and comprehensive review and was ideally aimed for candidates planning to sit orthopaedic fellow examinations.

21st Annual Meeting of Joint Scoliosis Research Centre of the Chinese University of Hong Kong and Nanjing University (JSRC)

The 21st Annual Meeting of the JSRC, held in Shenzhen on 12 January 2025, brought together 30 dedicated individuals for a day of insightful discussions and knowledge exchange. The event commenced with a comprehensive review of the pivotal events and achievements of the year 2024, expertly presented by Prof. Wayne Lee (Hong Kong) and Prof. Sen Li (Nanjing).

The core of the meeting consisted of 16 engaging presentations that delved into a diverse range of topics. These presentations explored the innovative applications of artificial intelligence (AI) in orthopaedic research, shedding light on cutting-edge developments in the field. Additionally, the spotlight was on clinical and basic science research related to Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS), offering valuable insights and findings to the attendees.

The dynamic discussions that ensued among the participants were not only enthusiastic but also highly productive. The meeting provided a platform to engage in meaningful dialogues, fostering an intellectually stimulating environment that encouraged the free flow of knowledge and ideas. This collaborative spirit served to enhance the collective understanding of the subjects discussed and further solidified the bonds within the research community.

New mechanism and potential treatment for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy

Adult skeletal muscle stem cells (MuSCs) play a crucial role in muscle regeneration and are tightly regulated by their niche components, including macrophages (MPs) and fibro-adipogenic progenitors (FAPs). Disruptions in the interactions between MuSCs, MPs, and FAPs, along with the resulting inflammation and fibrosis, are characteristic features of dystrophic muscle. The research work of Prof. Huating Wang and Dr. Yang Li et. al. investigates how intrinsic deletion of transcription factor Yin Yang 1 (YY1) in MuSCs affects dystrophic pathologies and their findings have been recently published on Nature Communications (Yang Li et. al. Skeletal Muscle Stem Cells Modulate Niche Function in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy Mouse through YY1-CCL5 Axis Feb. 2025 Nature Communications). In this study their findings reveal that YY1 loss alters the composition and heterogeneity of MPs and FAPs, exacerbating muscle degeneration. Further analysis shows that the absence of YY1 leads to the upregulation of immune genes in MuSCs, notably C-C Motif Chemokine Ligand 5 (Ccl5). The increased secretion of CCL5 enhances MP recruitment through CCL5/C-C Chemokine Receptor 5 (CCR5) interactions, which, in turn, impairs the clearance of FAPs due to elevated Transforming Growth Factor-β1 (TGFβ1) levels. Notably, pharmacological blockade of the CCL5/CCR5 pathway using Maraviroc effectively alleviates muscle dystrophy and enhances muscle performance. Additionally, they demonstrate that YY1 represses Ccl5 transcription by binding to its enhancer, facilitating promoter-enhancer looping. Collectively, their study underscores the active role of MuSCs in shaping their niche and offers new insights into potential therapeutic interventions for muscle dystrophy.

This study is a multicenter collaborative work among Dept of ORT, CUHK, the Division of Life Science, HKUST and Lyon University, France.

Fig 1: Skeletal Muscle Stem Cells Modulate Niche Function in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy Mouse through YY1-CCL5 Axis

Fig 2: Prof. Huating Wang and Dr. Yang Li

JC Fit City - Run with your Heart 2025

The "Run With Your Heart 2025" event, which took place at the West Kowloon Cultural District on January 25, featured a relay race and a Sports Carnival. The event aimed to unite individuals from diverse backgrounds and abilities through accessible sports activities, enabling everyone to embrace the spirit of sports. The invitation extended to the CUHK Sports Medicine Team involved providing on-field support and medical services, including taping, massage recovery, and medical consultations for all participants. Furthermore, our alumni and students had the opportunity to be interviewed by Keyman, a distinguished sports commentator based in Hong Kong.

The 9th Asian Winter Games Harbin 2025

The 9th Asian Winter Games (AWG) was held in Harbin in Heilongjiang, China February 7 to 14, 2025. Featuring 64 medal events spanning 6 sports, including biathlon, curling, ice hockey, skating, skiing, and ski mountaineering. The CUHK Sports Medicine Team, comprising doctors, physiotherapists, and athletic trainers, was cordially invited to deliver essential medical support throughout the AWG.

HKSSF – All Hong Kong Schools Jing Ying Tournament

The All Hong Kong Schools Jing Ying Tournaments, a prestigious interschool sports event held annually in Hong Kong, took place this March. The CUHK Sports Medicine Team was honored to extend our expertise by offering on-field medical support, including taping, massage recovery, and medical consultations, to all participating players in volleyball, basketball, football tournaments, and the All HK Inter-Area Primary Schools Futsal.