Tsang Shiu Tim Endowed Professor in Chinese Medicine Clinical Studies
Professor Bian Zhaoxiang, MH
Appointed in 2017
“Traditional Chinese Medicine is one of our national treasures. Today, Chinese medicine demonstrates significant therapeutic effects on a variety of illnesses, including some that cannot be completely cured by Western medicine. We hope that through the Endowed Professorship in Chinese Medicine Clinical Studies, more Chinese medicine talents can be nurtured and more scientific evidence on the efficacy of Chinese medicine can be found. Also, we envisage that more new drugs can be developed based upon Chinese medicine to enhance public health.”
Mr. Tsang Shiu Tim
Tsang Shiu Tim Charitable Foundation
Traditional Chinese Medicine, one of the world’s oldest medical systems, plays an increasingly important role in the healthcare of China and its impact is also spreading worldwide. Integrating the wisdom of Traditional Chinese Medicine into the present healthcare system is a new trend with a momentum growing from East to West.
Professor Bian Zhaoxiang, MH, is a leading expert in clinical studies of Chinese medicine. At Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU), he is Associate Vice-President (Clinical Chinese Medicine), Chair Professor of Chinese Medicine and Director of the Centre for Chinese Herbal Medicine Drug Development. He also serves as Hospital Chief Executive of Hong Kong's first Chinese Medicine Hospital. Professor Bian earned his Bachelor's and Master's degrees (Chinese medicine) from Nanjing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Beijing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, respectively. He later received his Doctorate degree (Integrative medicine) at Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine. He joined HKBU in 2001.
Professor Bian has made a seminal contribution to the research of Chinese medicine in gastrointestinal (GI) diseases, which have become increasingly common, such as colorectal cancer, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), chronic constipation, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and so on. Although Western medicine has provided cures for these diseases, patients are constantly afflicted by the side effects that accompany treatment. Therefore, more and more patients are turning to Chinese medicine, which not only has proven effectiveness but also has fewer side effects.
In 2016, his team found that a natural compound, “Pd-Ib”, extracted from the Chinese herbs Bupleurum malconense could effectively alleviate acute ulcerative colitis. The research team was granted a US patent and expected to develop “Pd-Ib” into a new drug. In the same year, HKBU entered into a cooperation agreement with The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) and PuraPharm Corporation Ltd to develop new drugs for treating IBS. This collaboration was founded on a pioneer project between Professor Bian’s research team and the Faculty of Medicine of CUHK that had been treating IBS with Chinese medicine since 2002. In the past decade Professor Bian has also led an international group of experts to work on standardised reporting guidelines for Chinese medicine clinical trials. In 2017, the group published a recommendation for reporting clinical trials with Chinese medical formulas in the internationally renowned Annals of Internal Medicine, the goal being that the guidelines will lift the quality of reporting and therefore enhance the global influence of Chinese medicine.
The impact of Professor Bian’s research is also evident in his ever-growing list of patents, awards and published papers. By June 2017, Professor Bian possessed 52 patents. He has presented over 300 papers in journals, books and conferences, and received a host of national accolades including second prize in the National Science and Technology Advancement Award of China.
Realising the imperative need for conducting Chinese medicine clinical studies, Professor Bian initiated the establishment of the Hong Kong Chinese Medicine Clinical Study Centre, which was later upgraded and named the Vincent V.C. Woo Chinese Medicine Clinical Research Institute. He currently serves as the Institute’s Founding Director and Co-Director.
Updated as at 1 November 2017
Video and Interview
Video of Professor Bian Zhaoxiang, Tsang Shiu Tim Endowed Chair of Chinese Medicine Clinical Studies
