The Annual Scientific & General Meeting of the Hong Kong Society of Nephrology was held at Kerry Hotel on 30 September 2018, with a total of 367 participants (115 full members, 234 associate members, 7 overseas speakers, 4 low-to-middle income countries participants, 4 APSN Young Nephrologists’ Committee members and 3 non-members).  The Richard Yu Endowment Fund Award Lecture was delivered by Prof. Carmine Zoccali (Italy) and the Chan Woon Cheung Memorial Fund Award Lecture was delivered by Prof. Mark Okusa (USA).  The two keynote lectures were delivered by Prof. Philip Li and Prof. Sydney Tang respectively.

During the Annual General Meeting, the Council Members 2018-2019 were also elected as follows:

Chairman:
Dr. Cheng Yuk Lun

Honorary Secretary:
Dr. Tang Hon Lok

Honorary Treasurer:
Dr. Yung Chun Yu

Council Members:
Dr. Chan Yiu Han, John
Dr. Cheung Siu Fai
Dr. Chow Chik Cheung, Vincent
Dr. Wong Sze Ho, Sunny
Dr. Yap Yat Hin, Desmond
Dr. Yip Pok Siu, Terence
Prof. Tang Chi Wai, Sydney (ex-officio)
Dr. Chow Kai Ming (co-opt)
Dr. Fung Ka Shun, Samuel (co-opt)
Dr. Hau Kai Ching (co-opt)
Prof. Li Kam Tao, Philip (co-opt)
Dr. Mak Siu Ka (co-opt)
Dr. Tong Kwok Lung, Matthew (co-opt)

This year, the Young Fellow Showcase session was delivered by Dr. Sin Ho Kwan from Kwong Wah Hospital whom shared his study findings on cardiac calcification and cardiovascular disease in peritoneal dialysis patients. Two previous HKSN Research Grant awardees, Prof. Szeto Cheuk Chun (CUHK) and Dr. Stella Yiu (HKU), also presented their research findings during the meeting. Following the presentation by previous awardees, the HKSN Research Grants 2018 were presented to five successful applicants.

The awardees of HKSN Research Grants 2018 were as follows:
1. Ms. Sarah WY Lok
Project title: The role of lncRNA growth arrest-specific transcript 5 (GAS5) on TLR4-induced podocyte injury in diabetic kidney disease

2. Mr. Bin Li
Project title: Effect of hypoxia-induced endoplasmic reticulum stress regulating lncRNA (HypERlnc) on mediating lipotoxicity in tubular epithelial cells via modulating endoplasmic reticulum stress

3. Dr. Jack KC Ng
Project title: The relation between left ventricular global longitudinal strain and volume overload in Chinese peritoneal dialysis patients.

4. Dr. Becky MY Ma
Project title: The role of B lymphocyte subsets and related signatures in minimal change nephropathy

5. Dr. Vickie WK Kwong
Project title: Association of C-reactive protein (CRP) single nucleotide polymorphism and renal allograft dysfunction in Chinese renal transplant recipients

The proposal by Ms Sarah Lok scored highest and was awarded the joint HKSN/HKKF Research Grant.

The HKSN 35th Anniversary Research Fund was awarded to Dr Fung Wing Shing, Winston. His study proposal titled ‘A longitudinal observational cohort of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease patients in Hong Kong: the establishment of a disease data registry’.

This year, we also included a joint symposium between HKSN and the European Renal Association – European Dialysis and Transplant Association (ERA-EDTA) to share experience in the kidney transplant and organ donation.

More photos will be shared coming issue of newsletter.