January 30, the World Health Organization declared a global health emergency on the spread of the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) that originated in Wuhan, China. Healthcare experts have warned that Covid-19 could rapidly spread, if not properly contained, and many governments around the world have begun to take precautionary measures to ensure public health safety. Amid the international concern and heightened fears about the disease, what is fact and what is fiction? The Asia Society Hong Kong Center brings you regular updates on the coronavirus story in Hong Kong that has reverberations elsewhere in the world. We are pleased to present on-the-ground public health experts and internationally renowned specialists with the latest facts and evidence-based findings regarding this epidemic outbreak. In episode 15, hear from Prof. Honglin Chen from State Laboratory of Infectious Diseases, HKU and Dr. John P. Cooke from the Houston Methodist Research Institute. S. Alice Mong, Executive Director of Asia Society Hong Kong Center will moderate the discussion.

Prof. Honglin Chen graduated from Xiamen University in 1983 with BSc in Biology and completed his PhD study at the University of Hong Kong in 1992, working on pathogenesis of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).  He went on to continue his post-doctoral research on tumor virus at John Hopkins University School of Medicine in 1997. Prof. Chen re-joined the University of Hong Kong in 2003 and has since expanded his research scopes to RNA viruses including emerging influenza and coronaviruses.  He has since established several research programs which focus on studying molecular determinants for cross species of avian influenza viruses and coronavirus. His research on the NS1 protein of influenza virus has led to the establishment of a unique DelNS1 live attenuated influenza vaccine platform which can be used to develop vaccines for other viruses. 

Dr. John P. Cooke MD PhD is the Joseph C. "Rusty" Walter and Carole Walter Looke Presidential Distinguished Chair of the Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, the Director of the Center for Cardiovascular Regeneration, and Director of the RNA Therapeutics Program at the Houston Methodist Research Institute. He trained in cardiovascular medicine and obtained a Ph.D.in physiology at the Mayo Clinic. He was then recruited to Harvard Medical School as an assistant professor of medicine. In 1990, he was recruited to Stanford University to spearhead the program in vascular biology and medicine as Professor in the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, and served as associate director of the Stanford Cardiovascular Institute until his recruitment to Houston Methodist in 2013.

Dr. Cooke has published over 600 research papers, position papers, reviews, book chapters and patents in the arena of cardiovascular medicine and biology with >30,000 citations. He has served on committees of the American Heart Association, American College of Cardiology, Society for Vascular Medicine, and the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, and has served as president of the Society for Vascular Medicine.

Edward “Eddie” R. Allen is a co-founder and Senior Partner of Eagle Global Advisors, an investment advisory firm based in Houston, Texas. He serves on the management committee and all investment committees of the firm. In addition to serving as a co-manager of the Eagle MLP Strategy Fund, he is a portfolio manager for a variety of institutional and high net worth clients. Eddie is a co-creator of many of the portfolio strategies and proprietary investment management tools of the firm. Eddie received a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Chicago and his B.S.E. in Engineering from Princeton University.

Eddie holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation and is also a member of the CFA Society of Houston. Before entering the investment advisory business, Eddie served as an Assistant Professor of Economics at the University of Houston. Eddie currently serves as Chairman of the Asia Society Texas Center and is on the board of the Asia Society Global organization. He also currently serves on the boards of The Menil Collection and The Chinquapin School. He is a past board member of St. John’s School and past Chair and President of the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston.

In Partnership with Asia Society Texas Center