HKU currently has four State Key Laboratories (SKLs). Two of the SKLs, Brain and Cognitive Sciences and Emerging Infectious Diseases, were set up in 2005, and were then the first and only SKLs in their respective fields located outside of mainland China. Two more SKLs, Liver Research and Synthetic Chemistry, were established in 2010.

SKLs are regarded as key components of China's science and technology research system. They serve as the base for top-level basic research and applied basic research development, assembling and nurturing outstanding researchers, as well as scholarly exchanges for the country.

The SKL of Brain and Cognitive Sciences conducts interdisciplinary research that combines state-of-the-art functional magnetic imaging (fMRI), nanoscience, and genetic neuroscience approaches to investigate brain and cognitive functions such as language, attention, perception, and memory. Two important research directions are (1) comparative studies of the brain mechanisms supporting Chinese and other languages, and (2) studies of neurogenetic factors in the central nervous system.

The SKL of Emerging Infectious Diseases has four major research directions:

• ecology and evolution of avian influenza viruses
• pathogenesis of influenza and SARS viruses
• emerging viral pathogens
• new vaccine technology

The SKL of Liver Research will undertake frontier basic research on the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of liver diseases developed from hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. The sequelae of chronic HBV infection, such as hepatitis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, are major causes of death in Hong Kong and mainland China. The SKL, while operating independently, will partner with the SKL for Oncogenes and Related Genes of the Shanghai Cancer Institute.

The SKL on Synthetic Chemistry has two main objectives: (1) to create or identify novel chemical entities that are of fundamental interest with regard to structure and bonding and/or have unique properties that have useful applications; and (2) to devise/develop new environmentally friendly methods for the synthesis of chemical entities of importance to society. The SKL is set up in collaboration with the Chinese University of Hong Kong, and it will partner with the SKL of Organometallic Chemistry of the Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry.

HKU is also one of six collaborating local universities for the SKL in Marine Pollution, established in 2009 and hosted by City University of Hong Kong.

Directors of SKLs

SKL of Brain and Cognitive Sciences:
Professor L.H. Tan, School of Humanities (Linguistics) (tanlh@hku.hk), Professor K.F. So, Department of Anatomy (hrmaskf@hkucc.hku.hk) and Professor P.C. Sham, Department of Psychiatry (pcsham@hku.hk)

SKL of Emerging Infectious Diseases:
Professor K.Y. Yuen, Department of Microbiology (kyyuen@hku.hk) and Professor Y. Guan, School of Public Health (yguan@hku.hk)

SKL of Liver Research:
Professor I.O.L. Ng, Department of Pathology (iolng@hku.hk)

SKL on Synthetic Chemistry:
Professor C.M. Che, Department of Chemistry (cmche@hku.hk)