The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) is proud to announce its participation in the newly launched Liverpool–Hong Kong Partnership—an international initiative led by The Pandemic Institute to address emerging infections and pandemic threats through collaborative research and innovation.
Backed by nearly £250,000 (approximately HK$2.59 million) in pump-priming funding from The Shaw Foundation—one of Asia’s most esteemed philanthropic organisations—the partnership unites the three founding university members of The Pandemic Institute – the University of Liverpool, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, and Liverpool John Moores University, with three leading Hong Kong institutions: CUHK, the University of Hong Kong, and the Hong Kong Polytechnic University.
The funding supports nine cross-institutional research projects targeting a wide range of high-impact infectious diseases. Among them is a flagship project co-led by Professor Maggie Wang Haitian from the JC School of Public Health and Primary Care, CUHK’s Faculty of Medicine (CU Medicine), and Professor Julian Hiscox from the University of Liverpool. This project leverages artificial intelligence to forecast the evolution of high-consequence viral agents—an approach that could transform how the global community anticipates and responds to rapidly mutating pathogens.
Other funded projects address critical threats such as seasonal and pandemic influenza, MERS-CoV, Ebola, COVID-19, antimicrobial resistance, enteroviruses causing brain infections, and hepatitis E. Each project brings together experts from both the UK and Hong Kong to deliver innovative, interdisciplinary solutions.
The partnership’s official launch ceremony was held on 24 October 2025 at the British Consulate in Hong Kong, attended by local dignitaries, University of Liverpool alumni based in Hong Kong, and researchers from all participating institutions.
Professor Samuel Wong Yeung-shan, Associate Dean (Education) and School Director of JCSPHPC at CU Medicine, said CUHK was honoured to be part of this meaningful international collaboration.
Professor Wong remarked, “The COVID-19 pandemic reminded us, painfully and powerfully, that infectious diseases know no borders. It also reminded us of the critical importance of international cooperation, scientific innovation, and shared learning. Today’s launch is a testament to those values.”
Professor Tom Solomon, Director of The Pandemic Institute and Chair of Neurology at the University of Liverpool, expressed gratitude for the support from the Shaw Foundation.
Professor Solomon remarked, “This funding will enable us to address key viral and bacterial hazards with epidemic or pandemic potential. Our teams are applying complementary scientific and technological approaches – including artificial intelligence and machine learning, novel diagnostics, therapeutic innovation, epidemiological modelling, genomic analysis, and disease mechanism studies – to strengthen preparedness and response capacity worldwide.”
Dr Raymond Chan, Chairman of The Shaw Foundation, added, “During COVID, Hong Kong universities made vital contributions through research and education. As we look ahead to future outbreaks, international collaboration is more essential than ever. We hope this programme paves the way for greater global efforts to combat a foe that knows no borders.”
Established in 2021, The Pandemic Institute is a unique collaboration of academic, health, and civic partners in Liverpool with a global mission to enhance pandemic preparedness and response.
Appendix – The Funded Projects
Discovery of Synergistic Anti-Influenza Drug Combinations via Machine Learning
Influenza continues to pose one of the greatest pandemic threats, and current treatments are limited. This project is using artificial intelligence to quickly identify combinations of existing drugs that could work better together against the virus.
UK Principal Investigator: Professor Saye Khoo, University of Liverpool
HK Principal Investigator: Professor Shuofeng Yuan, University of Hong Kong
Leveraging Antibody Discoveries for the Development of MERS-CoV Rapid Diagnostics
MERS coronavirus is a high-risk virus with a high death rate and ongoing outbreaks in the Middle East. At present, there is no rapid test available. This project is testing specially designed antibodies to see which work best in a simple “pregnancy-style” lateral flow test for MERS.
UK Principal Investigator: Dr Caitlin Thompson, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine
HK Principal Investigator: Dr Hin Chu, University of Hong Kong
Epidemiological Surveillance and Public Health Risk Assessment of Food-Mediated Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR)
Drug resistance is spreading not only in hospitals but also in communities, and food can be one route of transmission. This project is linking data from food, wastewater, and patients to build the first integrated picture of how resistant bacteria move through the community.
UK Principal Investigator: Dr Edward Hill, University of Liverpool
HK Principal Investigator: Professor Gilman Siu, Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Advanced Small RNA Therapeutics for Influenza A Virus Brain Injury
Severe influenza can sometimes cause life-threatening brain complications, but there are no treatments for this. This project is testing a new idea: using tiny RNA molecules to calm brain inflammation and protect the blood–brain barrier.
UK Principal Investigator: Dr Cordelia Dunai, University of Liverpool
HK Principal Investigator: Dr Keith C.L. Lee, Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Using AI to Predict the Evolution of High-Consequence Viral Threat Agents
One of the biggest challenges in pandemics is how quickly viruses evolve – often outpacing vaccines and treatments. This project is developing artificial intelligence tools that can “look ahead” to predict how a virus is likely to change.
UK Principal Investigator: Professor Julian Hiscox, University of Liverpool
HK Principal Investigator: Professor Maggie Wang, Chinese University of Hong Kong
Investigating the Genomic Variations of Carbapenemase-Producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE) from Clinical Settings
Antimicrobial resistance is a growing global crisis, and carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CPE) are among the most dangerous, often resistant to last-line antibiotics. In Hong Kong, CPE infections have risen sharply in recent years. This project will collect resistant bacteria from hospitals in Hong Kong and Liverpool, sequence their genomes, and study how resistance genes spread and evolve.
UK Principal Investigator: Dr Ismini Nakouti, Liverpool John Moores University
HK Principal Investigator: Dr Qing Xiong, Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Studying Enteroviral Neuroinvasion Mechanisms Using In Vitro Blood–Brain Barrier Models
Enteroviruses can invade the brain and cause serious illnesses such as meningitis, paralysis, and even fatal complications, yet we still don’t fully understand how they cross the brain’s protective barrier. This project will use advanced “organ-on-chip” models of the blood–brain barrier to mimic how viruses interact with brain cells.
UK Principal Investigator: Dr Claire Hetherington, University of Liverpool
HK Principal Investigator: Dr Man Lung Yeung, University of Hong Kong
Monoclonal Antibody Toolkit for Hepatitis E Virus (HEV)
Hepatitis E is a major cause of liver disease worldwide. A new rat-derived strain has crossed into humans, with outbreaks in Hong Kong and beyond, but current diagnostic tests cannot reliably detect it. This project will generate a toolkit of monoclonal antibodies that can detect both human and rat hepatitis E viruses.
UK Principal Investigator: Dr Richard Urbanowicz, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine
HK Principal Investigator: Dr Siddharth Sridhar, University of Hong Kong
Saliva Testing for Emerging Pathogens: Gaps, Opportunities and Evaluation for Use
During outbreaks, traditional swab or blood tests can be invasive, uncomfortable, and difficult to scale. Saliva offers a simple, non-invasive alternative for diagnosing infections, but its potential is underused. This project will explore how saliva could be used to test for high-risk pathogens such as avian influenza or chikungunya.
UK Principal Investigator: Dr Bhagteshwar Singh, University of Liverpool
HK Principal Investigator: Professor Kelvin To, University of Hong Kong