Hong Kong University teaches traditional medicine using AI

Hong Kong, China, has combined artificial intelligence and data science in the research and teaching of traditional Chinese medicine to improve the quality of training in this field, which has also been growing strongly in China in recent years.

The School of Chinese Medicine at Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) is a pioneer in the effort to introduce AI into traditional Chinese medicine education , aiming to build a bridge between Eastern and Western medicine. The school uses AI to analyze and select traditional Chinese medicines and prepare them into specific medicinal products to treat diseases that have no “solution”. Some of the school’s medicines have been approved for clinical trials by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

“AI helps analyze clinical data and historical documents, which record traditional prescriptions used for thousands of years. From this vast database, AI can identify potential drug candidates, which are then tested using modern pharmacological, biochemical and toxicological methods. The long-term goal is to develop new drugs, file patents and expand into the global market,” said Professor Martin Wong, President of HKBU.

The first Chinese Medicine Hospital in Hong Kong is scheduled to officially open in December, with HKBU acting as the main consultant. The hospital will not only provide integrated Chinese and Western medical care, but will also serve as a center for clinical trials and research. Collaborative agreements between HKBU, the University of Hong Kong (HKU) and the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) have expanded the scope of interdisciplinary research, paving the way for comprehensive development.

This success demonstrates the great potential of combining ancient knowledge with modern technology and continues to be applied by the school in teaching. HKBU is organizing many training programs on traditional medicine, including the Master's program in Traditional Chinese Medicine Research, which attracts a large number of Chinese students. According to Mr. Wong, the training goal is to build a generation of doctors who are able to deeply combine the knowledge of Traditional Chinese Medicine with modern biomedical science.

A report by HKBU and educational organization Elsevier noted that the number of research articles on traditional medicine has tripled in the past decade. However, experts also emphasized that for traditional medicine to become a global trend, more evidence-based, transparent and internationally recognized research is needed.

However, Professor Lyu Aiping, Vice President of Research and Development at HKBU, stressed that strong clinical evidence is key to international recognition of TCM. He also warned that over-reliance on AI could lead to a loss of personalization, which is the essence of traditional methods.

“Our graduates need to be both preservers of tradition and agents of innovation. Only in this way can traditional medicine continue to thrive and make a sustainable contribution to global health,” added Mr. Lyu.

The convergence of AI, data science, and traditional Chinese medicine is ushering in a new era for medicine. With the strategic direction of Hong Kong and China, and increasingly deep international cooperation, traditional Chinese medicine has the opportunity to step out of the borders of Asia, becoming an important part of 21st-century medicine.

“The core difference between the two systems of medicine is the approach,” commented Professor Lyu Aiping, Vice President of Research and Development at HKBU. “While Western medicine typically focuses on diagnosis and individual compounds, TCM emphasizes systemic treatment, combining multiple herbs to create synergistic effects. AI is expected to clarify these complex interactions, opening up new directions in the treatment of chronic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension.”

According to University World News

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