Professor George Fu Gao Captivates Young Readers at Hong Kong Book Fair with New Children Science Books and Strengthens Ties with CityUHK

Professor George Fu Gao — a Senior Fellow of the Hong Kong Institute for Advanced Study (HKIAS) at City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK), an Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and a world-leading virologist and immunologist — visited Hong Kong this July to introduce his two latest children's science books at the Hong Kong Book Fair on 17 July together with his co-authors, Professor Xiaopeng Ma and Professor Guangjun Yu, while also meeting with scholars from CityUHK on 18 July.

A Mission to Educate — Preventing Children Diseases through Early Health Education

Professor Gao delivered a lively public lecture titled "Hide and Seek between Humans and Microbes" alongside co-authors Professor Xiaopeng Ma, President of Shenzhen Children's Hospital and Professor Guangjun Yu, Associate Dean of the School of Medicine of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen. The session introduced their two newly published children's science books, "Why Do I Have a Runny Nose?" and "Why Do I have a Stomachache?".

Written by the three — leading infectious disease and paediatric experts from Chinese mainland — the books draw on years of clinical experience and research to make health science accessible and engaging. Using personified characters and everyday scenarios from a child's perspective, the series explains how microbes interact with the human body, the causes of common illnesses, and the body's defence mechanisms. Covering topics such as vaccination, personal hygiene and food safety, the books are designed for both independent reading and parent-child reading, helping children develop practical health awareness from an early age.

During the Book Fair Talk, Professor Gao and his co-authors shared the inspiration behind writing these books and their goal of preventing childhood diseases through early health education. The session also featured a lively question-and-answer session that engaged young readers and their families.

The two newly published children's science books, "Why Do I Have a Runny Nose?" and "Why Do I have a Stomachache? were introduced at the Hong Kong Book Fair on July 17, 2026 by Professor George Fu Gao, Professor Xiaopeng Ma and Professor Guangjun Yu.

Professor George Fu Gao delivering a presentation on "Hide and Seek between Humans and Microbes" at the Hong Kong Book Fair on July 17, 2026.

Academic Exchanges at CityUHK

As part of his visit to Hong Kong, Professor Gao also met with scholars from CityUHK on 18 July. His visit began with a morning discussion hosted by Professor Kenneth Leung, Vice-President (Research) of CityUHK, bringing together Professor Gao's delegation from the Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and CityUHK faculty from across the biomedical sciences. In the afternoon, the delegation visited the Hong Kong Centre for Cerebro-Cardiovascular Health Engineering (COCHE) at the Hong Kong Science Park, where they were met by Professor Michael Mengsu Yang, Senior Vice-President (Innovation and Enterprise) of CityUHK, together with a number of CityUHK faculty members and engaged with them in a series of research presentations covering digital medicine, biomedical research, infectious diseases, and public health. A number of CityUHK faculty and researchers participated in these discussions and greatly benefited from the academic exchange.

Bridging Science and Society

Professor Gao's visit this July reflects his dedication to bringing science closer to the public, whether through his new children's books or through academic exchange. By making health science accessible to young readers, he has opened a meaningful path for early science education. The University looks forward to deepening ties with Professor Gao and exploring further opportunities for research collaboration and knowledge exchange.