A rare genetic variant found in families affected by schizophrenia completely abolishes the function of TAAR1, an emerging drug target for psychiatric disorders. The C182F mutation causes a 40% reduction in receptor surface expression and total loss of response to therapeutic compounds in laboratory studies.

A mini-review in Brain Medicine examines the distinct and often opposing roles of AMPKα1 and AMPKα2 isoforms in Alzheimer's disease pathophysiology. The synthesis reveals that these two variants of the cellular energy sensor AMPK may contribute to cognitive decline through separate molecular pathways, potentially explaining decades of contradictory findings about AMPK's role in neurodegeneration.

A research team from the Kunming Institute of Zoology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has demonstrated for the first time in non-human primates that auditory stimulation at 40-Hz significantly elevates β-amyloid levels in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of aged rhesus monkeys, with this effect persisting for over five weeks.

Organised by the Beijing-Hong Kong Academic Exchange Centre, the results of the annual selection for the ‘Top 10 Innovation & Technology News in Hong Kong 2025’, have recently been announced. The University of Hong Kong (HKU) is pleased to report that three of its groundbreaking research projects have made it onto this prestigious list, leading among all local institutions. These selected projects in the fields of medical health and astronomical sciences highlight HKU's strong capabilities in advanced translational research and technology transfer. The university aims to address global challenges and deliver impactful real-world solutions, all while striving to benefit society and support sustainable development.  

A research team from the Department of Medicine, School of Clinical Medicine, LKS Faculty of Medicine at the University of Hong Kong (HKUMed) has uncovered a key biological mechanism that explains how exercise maintain strong bones, paving the way for novel treatments for osteoporosis and bone loss in people who are unable to engage. By identifying a protein that acts as the body’s ‘exercise sensor’, the research has opened the door to the development of drugs that mimic the effects of physical activity, offering hope for vulnerable groups, such as the elderly, bedridden patients and those with chronic illnesses who face a high risk of fractures. The research findings were published in the journal Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy.

The University of Hong Kong (HKU) and Tsinghua University signed five Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) on 22 December 2025, expanding their partnership across diverse fields including public health, engineering, law, and astronomy, further strengthening the partnership between the two institutions in academic research and talent development.

Flu activity has surged in many parts of the Northern Hemisphere, driven primarily by a newly emerged H3N2 strain known as ‘subclade K’. A research team led by the Department of Microbiology and the Department of Medicine, both under the School of Clinical Medicine at the LKS Faculty of Medicine of the University of Hong Kong (HKUMed), has found that most hospital patients in Hong Kong have little to undetectable levels of neutralising antibodies against this mutated strain. HKUMed researchers strongly advise the public to get vaccinated as soon as possible.