Division of Clinical Pharmacology

We are dedicated to promoting the teaching, clinical care and research in all areas of clinical pharmacology, a speciality that encompasses all aspects of the relationship between drugs and humans. We conduct experimental studies and pragmatic clinical trials to evaluate the effects of technology and therapeutics including Chinese Medicine in the area of metabolic syndrome, diabetes and chronic diseases. We use large databases and biobanks to conduct pharmacoepidemiological, pharmacogenetic and pharmacoeconomic studies in pursuit of combining good clinical practice and quality pharmaceutical care to prevent hospitalization, morbidities and premature mortality.

Head of Division Prof. Juliana CN Chan, Professor of Medicine and Therapeutics
Academic Staff Prof. Brian Tomlinson, honorary professor
Dr. Elaine Chow, assistant professor
Dr. Raymond Wong, honorary associate professor
Dr. Jones Chan, honorary associate professor
Dr. Aimin Yang, research assistant professor
Dr. Juliana Lui, research assistant professor
Research Staff Dr. Benny Fok, scientific officer
Dr. Eric Lau, research associate
Dr. Shi Mai Leon, post doc fellow
Dr. Baoqi Fan, post doc fellow
Dr. Natural Chu, post doc fellow
Dr. Stephanie Cheung, research associate
Dr. Phyllis Kwong, research associate

Ms. Ho Ting Leung, dietitian
Ms. April Wai Yin Lai, research nurse (part time)
Ms. Christine So, research nurse (part time)
Ms. Eliza Choy Ching Yee, research nurse (part time)
Ms. Swen Ip Yuet Wah, research nurse (part time)
Ms. Winnie Yeung Man Ngah, research nurse (part time)
Ms. Helen Wong, research nurse (part time)
Ms. Michelle Luk, research nurse (part time)
Postgraduate Student Mr. James Ling
Mr. Wang Ke
Ms. He Jie
Administrative Staff Ms Vivian Chu, secretary
Ms Maggie Lee, clerical assistant
Ms Ally Chan, clerical assistant
Ms Emily Poon, technician

Research, Education and Care Facilities (Prince of Wales Hospital)

Research Interests

  • Pharmacoepidemiology and pharmacogenetic analysis of mature and novel therapeutic agents in the prevention and treatment of metabolic syndrome, diabetes, cardiovascular-renal disease and cancer
  • Pathophysiology, prediction, prevention and personalized care with precision in young-onset diabetes and diabetic kidney disease
  • Development and evaluation of technology and therapeutics in the field of metabolic syndrome, prediabetes, type 1 and type 2 diabetes and its complications including continuous glucose monitoring system and drug delivery system
  • Early to late phase clinical trials on the efficacy, safety and acceptability of Western and Chinese medicines and alternative therapeutics in the field of prediabetes, diabetes and its comorbidities including cardiovascular-renal disease and cancer
  • Patient reported outcomes, quality of life and cost-effectiveness analysis of therapeutic agents and interventions for prevention and treatment of diabetes and cardiovascular-renal-cancer diseases

Selected Publications

  1. Yang A, Shi M, Lau ESH, Wu H, Zhang X, Fan B, Kong APS, Luk AOY, Ma RCW, Chan JCN, Chow E. Clinical outcomes following discontinuation of renin-angiotensin-system inhibitors in patients with type 2 diabetes and advanced chronic kidney disease: A prospective cohort study. EClinicalMedicine 2023;55:101751
    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/36457651

  2. Chow E, Chan JCN. The emerging role of incretins and twincretins. Nature reviews Endocrinology 2022;18:73-74
    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/34873288

  3. Chow E, Wang K, Lim CKP, Tsoi STF, Fan B, Poon E, Luk AOY, Ma RCW, Ferrannini E, Mari A, Chen L, Chan JCN. Dorzagliatin, a Dual-Acting Glucokinase Activator, Increases Insulin Secretion and Glucose Sensitivity in Glucokinase Maturity-Onset Diabetes of the Young and Recent-Onset Type 2 Diabetes. Diabetes 2023;72:299-308
    https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36342518/

  4. Mao D, Lau ESH, Wu H, Yang A, Shi M, Fan B, Tam CHT, Chow E, Kong APS, Ma RCW, Luk A, Chan JCN. Risk associations of long-term HbA1c variability and obesity on cancer events and cancer-specific death in 15,286 patients with diabetes - A prospective cohort study. The Lancet Regional Health - Western Pacific 2022;18:100315
    https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lanwpc.2021.100315

  5. Yang A, Lau ESH, Wu H, Ma RCW, Kong APS, So WY, Luk AOY, Fu AWC, Chan JCN, Chow E. Attenuated Risk Association of End-Stage Kidney Disease with Metformin in Type 2 Diabetes with eGFR Categories 1-4. Pharmaceuticals 2022;15:1140
    https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8247/15/9/1140

  6. Fan B, Wu H, Shi M, Yang A, Lau ESH, Tam CHT, Mao D, Lim CKP, Kong APS, Ma RCW, Chow E, Luk AOY, Chan JCN. Associations of the HOMA2-%B and HOMA2-IR with Progression to Diabetes and Glycaemic Deterioration in Young and Middle-aged Chinese. Diabetes/metabolism research and reviews 2022:e3525
    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/35174618

  7. Chu N, Chan JCN, Chow E. Pharmacomicrobiomics in Western Medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine in Type 2 Diabetes. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2022;13:857090
    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/35600606

  8. Ling J, Ng J, Lau ESH, Ma RCW, Kong APS, Luk AOY, Kwok JSS, Szeto CC, Chan JCN, Chow E. Continuous Glucose Monitoring Metrics in the Assessment of Glycemia in Moderate-to-Advanced CKD in Diabetes. Kidney Int Rep 2022;7:1354-1363
    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/35685309

  9. Yang A, Wu H, Lau ESH, Zhang X, Shi M, Fan B, Ma RCW, Kong APS, Luk AOY, Chan JCN, Chow E. Glucose-lowering drug use, glycemic outcomes, and severe hypoglycemia: 18-Year trends in 0·9 million adults with Diabetes in Hong Kong (2002–2019). The Lancet Regional Health - Western Pacific 2022;26:10050
    https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lanwpc.2022.100509

  10. Wang K, Yang A, Shi M, Tam CCH, Lau ESH, Fan B, Lim CKP, Lee HM, Kong APS, Luk AOY, Tomlinson B, Ma RCW, Chan JCN, Chow E. CYP2C19 Loss-of-function Polymorphisms are Associated with Reduced Risk of Sulfonylurea Treatment Failure in Chinese Patients with Type 2 Diabetes. Clinical pharmacology and therapeutics 2021;111:461-469
    https://ascpt.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/cpt.2446

  11. Chan JCN, Lim LL, Wareham NJ, Shaw JE, Orchard TJ, Zhang P, Lau ESH, Eliasson B, Kong APS, Ezzati M, Aguilar-Salinas CA, McGill M, Levitt NS, Ning G, So WY, Adams J, Bracco P, Forouhi NG, Gregory GA, Guo J, Hua X, Klatman EL, Magliano DJ, Ng BP, Ogilvie D, Panter J, Pavkov M, Shao H, Unwin N, White M, Wou C, Ma RCW, Schmidt MI, Ramachandran A, Seino Y, Bennett PH, Oldenburg B, Gagliardino JJ, Luk AOY, Clarke PM, Ogle GD, Davies MJ, Holman RR, Gregg EW. The Lancet Commission on diabetes: using data to transform diabetes care and patient lives. Lancet 2021;396:2019-2082
    https://www.thelancet.com/commissions/diabetes

  12. Mao D, Tian XY, Mao D, Hung SW, Wang CC, Lau CBS, Lee HM, Wong CK, Chow E, Xing M, Cao H, Ma RC, Chan PKS, Kong APS, Li JJX, Rutter GA, Tam WH, Chan JCN. A polysaccharide extract from the medicinal plant Maidong inhibits the IKK-NF-kappaB pathway and IL-1beta-induced islet inflammation and increases insulin secretion. The Journal of biological chemistry 2020;295:12573-12587
    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/32605924

  13. Yang A, Wu H, Lau ESH, Ma RCW, Kong APS, So WY, Luk AOY, Chan JCN, Chow E. Trends in Glucose-Lowering Drug Use, Glycemic Control, and Severe Hypoglycemia in Adults With Diabetes in Hong Kong, 2002-2016. Diabetes care 2020;43:2967-2974
    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/33046501

  14. Chan JCN, Lim LL, Luk AOY, Ozaki R, Kong APS, Ma RCW, So WY, Lo SV. From Hong Kong Diabetes Register to JADE Program to RAMP-DM for Data-Driven Actions. Diabetes care 2019;42:2022-2031
    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31530658

  15. Zhao HL, Sui Y, Qiao CF, Yip KY, Leung RK, Tsui SK, Lee HM, Wong HK, Zhu X, Siu JJ, He L, Guan J, Liu LZ, Xu HX, Tong PC, Chan JC. Sustained antidiabetic effects of a berberine-containing Chinese herbal medicine through regulation of hepatic gene expression. Diabetes 2012;61:933-943
    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22396199