Scholars of the University of Hong Kong were conferred the 2005 State Science and Technology Award (SSTA) in recognition of the outstanding achievements in their own field, announced the university Wednesday.

The awardees received the award at a prize presentation ceremony held in Beijing on Jan. 9.

Professor Sheung-tat Fan, Chair Professor of the Department of Surgery, and his liver transplant team comprised of Professor Chung-mau Lo, Dr. Chi-Leung Liu, and Dr. See-ching Chan, won the first-class award for the category of State Scientific and Technology Progress Award (SSTPA). This is the first time that an entry from Hong Kong is conferred a first-class award under SSTA.

Professor Fan and his team's winning project, entitled "Adult-to-adult Right Lobe Live Donor Liver Transplantation", was recognized as a breakthrough in the relevant field.

Ever since 1996, Professor Fan and his team have striven to refine the surgical technique of live donor liver transplantation (LDLT) by innovating and developing the procedure of right lobe liver graft. Since then, right lobe LDLT has been widely adopted by numerous liver transplant centers around the world.

Professor Vivian Wing-Wah Yam, Chair Professor of the Department of Chemistry, was honored with the second-class award for the category of State Natural Science Award (SNSA).

"Molecular Design and Luminescence Studies of Transition Metal Complexes with Alkynyl- and Chalcogen-Containing Ligands", a research project undertaken by Professor Vivian Wing-Wah Yam has been recognized.

Professor Yam, who is a member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, has devoted her research efforts to the molecular design and synthesis of novel luminescent inorganic and organometallic metal complexes that can serve as molecular functional materials.

The SSTA is one of the most prestigious awards in the fields of science and technology in the mainland. The awards aim to recognize citizens and organizations that are contributory to the scientific and technological progress activities.

(Xinhua News Agency January 12, 2006)