A recent study led by the Department of Medicine, School of Clinical Medicine, LKS Faculty of Medicine of the University of Hong Kong (HKUMed), in collaboration with the Correctional Services Department, has demonstrated that mass screening of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection among persons in custody (PICs) is a cost-effective strategy. By enabling early identification and treatment of infected PICs, this approach can offer measurable health benefits. The data provides strong evidence to support the implementation of systematic prison-based HCV screening in Hong Kong. The findings were published in The Lancet Regional Health – Western Pacific.

A joint research team led by the LKS Faculty of Medicine of the University of Hong Kong (HKUMed), in collaboration with The Chinese University of Hong Kong, New York University and Newcastle University, has found that a combination of policies and service measures could enhance the value and affordability of esketamine nasal spray, a novel rapid-acting treatment for adults with treatment-resistant depression (TRD) in Hong Kong. The study found that measures such as price negotiation, value-based access arrangements, optimised service delivery and targeted patient selection could help make esketamine more accessible while maintaining the sustainability of the healthcare system. The findings were published in PLOS Medicine.

This review highlights microneedle-based cosmetic delivery as a minimally invasive strategy for overcoming the skin barrier and improving intradermal delivery of active ingredients. It summarizes advances in solid, coated, dissolving, hollow, and hydrogel-forming microneedles, together with their materials, fabrication methods, and delivery mechanisms. Key cosmetic applications include anti-aging, skin rejuvenation, pigmentation control, acne management, hydration, barrier repair, and hair-growth treatments. The review also discusses safety, regulation, consumer acceptance, commercialization, and emerging innovations such as smart, stimuli-responsive, personalized, wearable, and IoT-integrated microneedle systems, emphasizing their potential to transform conventional topical skincare into precise, controlled, next-generation dermal delivery platforms for aesthetic dermatology.

Nipah virus (NiV), a highly pathogenic zoonotic paramyxovirus, has emerged as a significant global public health threat due to its high mortality rate, potential for human-to-human transmission, and the absence of licensed vaccines or specific antiviral treatments. Since its initial identification in 1998 during an outbreak in Malaysia and Singapore, NiV has caused recurrent outbreaks in Bangladesh and India, with case fatality rates ranging from 40% to over 90%, and has been classified as a priority pathogen by the World Health Organization and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations. This perspective article provides a comprehensive international risk assessment of Nipah virus outbreaks and evaluates the medium- to long-term prevention and control prospects for China, a country that shares borders with endemic regions and possesses ecological conditions conducive to NiV transmission. The authors analyze the global epidemiology of NiV, including the natural reservoir (fruit bats of the Pteropus genus), transmission dynamics, and the factors driving outbreak emergence, such as deforestation, agricultural intensification, and increasing human-animal interface.

For centuries, Epimedium has been used in traditional medicine to support bone health and vitality, yet the precise location of its active compounds within the plant—and the enzymes that create them—has remained a mystery. 

With the advancement of long-term crewed deep-space exploration missions, the effects of the microgravity environment on astronauts' brain function have become an important topic in aerospace medicine. The disappearance of the hydrostatic pressure gradient during spaceflight induces cephalad fluid shifts, which can alter cerebral blood flow (CBF) and are closely associated with visual impairment, spatial disorientation, and cognitive decline. However, existing studies have predominantly focused on the steady-state phase during the middle and late stages of microgravity exposure, with insufficient understanding of the characteristics of CBF fluctuations during the early phase of postural transitions. Moreover, as an indicator of terminal perfusion in the cerebral microcirculation, the coupling relationship between CBF and the upstream hemodynamics of the internal carotid and vertebral arteries has not been systematically investigated. In addition, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) cannot be applied in real time during spaceflight due to its bulky equipment, whereas ultrasound offers the advantages of portability, real-time capability, and radiation-free operation. Therefore, elucidating the association between early macrovascular hemodynamic changes under simulated microgravity and regional CBF alterations, and evaluating the feasibility of using ultrasound parameters as portable predictors of CBF, holds significant scientific importance and application value.

A research paper by scientists at Tianjin University proposed a magnetically steerable catheter incorporating 2 radially magnetized magnets and a thermosetting shape memory polymer.

The research paper, published on Sep 1, 2026 in the journal Cyborg and Bionic Systems.