Most of us have heard the recommendations: “Do not blast your music, it’ll destroy your ears.” Well, turns out it’s not just about your hearing. “Although hearing loss is usually seen as an ear problem, it really affects brain areas associated with memory, feeling, and sound processing,” says Dr. Sojeong Rebecca Pak, who finished her PhD in neuroscience at City University of Hong Kong’s (CityUHK) College of Biomedicine (CBM) and is now a postdoctoral scientist at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts Eye and Ear Healthcare Facility.
Dr. Pak is working with the Polley and Takesian labs to study how the brain changes over time and to reverse conditions like ringing in the ears (hearing a noise even when there is no sound around you) and hyperacusis (when your ears are additional sensitive to sound).
“It’s exciting to work at the crossway of fundamental neuroscience and prospective treatment strategies, and I feel lucky to be part of a team that unites various knowledge to deal with these tough hearing conditions,” she states.
Dr. Pak credits her academic journey as a crucial catalyst to her profession. “It offered me both the technical foundation and the individual competencies needed to protect and be successful in my postdoctoral role,” she shares.
At CityUHK, you’re encouraged to stay curious. Supervisors guide you along the way, but also give you area to explore your own concepts and find out to believe for yourself. Source: City University of Hong Kong Where research has no limits The CBM was developed to support CityUHK’s objective of ending up being an international leader in biomedicine and health. It does this by combining the strengths of biomedical engineering, biomedical sciences and neuroscience. For PhD students, this implies stepping into a cross-disciplinary environment from day one. Dr. Pak, for example, dealt with a group from Yonsei University to evaluate a brand-new type of multielectrode selection. “Experiences like that make the research environment feel truly open and resource‑rich,” she says.
Xingting Liu, a PhD trainee in Biomedical Engineering who’s building a custom-designed microscope, shares a similar experience. “There’s a strong culture of cooperation, not only among trainees but likewise between various labs,” she says. “The professors are also extremely approachable.”
Coming from the Department of Biomedical Engineering’s MSc program, Liu states her manager made the shift much easier. “Beyond helping me with experimental design, she would assist me through hands-on laboratory work, encouraging me to believe seriously at every step,” she shares. “She would refine my discussion skills throughout group conferences too, pressing me to express my ideas more realistically and effectively.”
Encouraging professors, with proficiency in AI-driven diagnostics, regenerative medication, neurotechnology, and infectious disease, are everywhere at CBM. “Beyond my manager, I benefited from a more comprehensive network of fantastic coaches and consultants who provided thoughtful feedback, challenged me academically, and supported my advancement,” states Dr. Pak. “This cumulative mentorship produced an environment where I felt both supported and pressed to reach higher.”
There are many kinds of research study at CBM. Trainees in biomedical engineering research study nanomedicine, biomedical science students concentrate on cancer, and neuroscience trainees research dementia– just to name a few. Source: City University of Hong Kong
Beyond the lab
Something else stood out to Liu and Dr. Pak throughout their studies: CBM’s advanced facilities. “I’ve utilized precision 3D printers with a resolution of 2 micrometres, in addition to mixers, vacuum systems, confocal microscopes, multiphoton microscopes, and structured illumination microscopes,” says Liu. For Dr. Pak, it was the Lab Animal Research Study Unit (LARU) that made an effect. “The staff there take extraordinary care of the research study animals and makes the work possible,” she states.
What you find out at CBM does not simply remain in the laboratory though. Belonging to Hong Kong’s innovation and technology community, and CityUHK’s “Health@InnoHK” effort, which focuses on health care technology, PhD prospects have direct pathways to real-world impact. That consists of dealing with clinicians, along with industry partners like worldwide biotech and medtech firms.
Supporting you on your journey is the Knowledge Transfer Workplace. It links CityUHK with the larger community through services such as innovation licensing, copyright administration, and market partnership, while fostering innovation and entrepreneurship.
For Liu, this community has actually been instrumental in shaping her future goals. “After completing my PhD, I want to pursue a career in research and advancement, either in the biomedical market or within academic community, focusing on translational medication,” she says. “The university’s strong focus on innovation and its substantial alumni network in Hong Kong and mainland China are likewise vital possessions that are preparing me well for my future profession.”
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