Biology is the main engine driving the future economic and social developments in the 21st Century. The mission of our Department is to generate and transfer knowledge, cultivate future star scientists, and train all-round citizens for our society.

To achieve our mission, we place emphasis on both research and education. Our Department has received major funding support from the University Grants Council and is recognized as the Area of Excellence (AoE) on Plant and Fungal Biotechnology. We maintain a global network in research, generating innovation for applications and solving problems using state-of-the-art technologies. Recently, an AoE on marine biotechnology in our Department has been established, and a well-equipped Simon FS Li Marine Science Laboratory was launched in 2002. Also, we conduct researches in other areas including immunology, molecular endocrinology, food and nutritional sciences, traditional Chinese medicine, ecology, environmental biotechnology, etc. Besides contributing to the local, regional and international societies, these researches are also an integral part of our education program. The prospective first year students will be selected and awarded to a Biology Advanced Training & Stipend Scheme to receive hands-on research experiences by taking part in these important projects. Knowledge is just like a pyramid that has a broad base and pointed focus. Our undergraduate study curriculum is structured to first provide a solid foundation of biological sciences and then a wide choice of specializations, e.g. biotechnology, food biology, marine biology, human biology. We offered more than 25 courses with only 9 being compulsory fundamental classes. A certificate system will be issued to students to indicate their specialization upon graduation.

Over the past 40 years, our Department has established a critical mass of high quality scientists and educators. We offer the advisor system to take care of our students and provide an advanced training stipend scheme for the prominent first-yr undergraduate students. You might have known us as we offer a variety of summer programmes for secondary schools for enhancing teaching and learning as well as bridging the gap between tertiary and secondary school sectors in biology education. We provide a full outreach program in Popular Bioscience Talk and give updated and interesting lectures to secondary schools.

After graduation, our students become important assets of the society. To further study, our Department offers both Master and PhD degree programs for qualified students. We also encourage our students to obtain international exposure by studying abroad or being exchange students. In recent years, our graduates receiving scholarships and assistantships have been admitted to the PhD programs of renowned universities including UC Berkeley, Stanford University, Cambridge University, Oxford University and University of Heidelberg. In fact, we have a good track record of producing excellent scientists and prominent teachers besides the Government officials and successful businesspersons.

Our Department is willing to listen to students and provides a dynamic curriculum to suit the needs of the local society meeting the international standard at all times. If you have any doubt, do not hesitate to contact us.