Discover HKBU

CESAME leads a new era of sports and health science

30 Apr 2026

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The Centre for Exercise Science and Medicine newly established by HKBU.
Ms Vivian Sum Fong-kwang, Permanent Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism of the Government of the HKSAR (4th right); Dr Kennedy Y H Wong, Chairman of the Council and the Court of HKBU (4th left); Professor Alex Wai, President and Vice-Chancellor of HKBU (3rd right); Professor Fabio Pigozzi, President of FIMS (3rd left); Mr Edgar Yang, Honorary Secretary General of the Sports Federation & Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China (2nd right); Professor Lyu Aiping, Vice-President (Research and Development) cum Dean of Graduate School of HKBU (1st left); Professor Patrick Yung Shu-hang, Vice President of FIMS (1st right); and Professor Yannis Pitsiladis, Director of CESAME at HKBU (2nd left) officiate at the opening ceremony of CESAME.
CESAME has become Hong Kong’s first Collaborating Centre of Sports Medicine (CCSM) recognised by the International Federation of Sports Medicine (FIMS). Professor Fabio Pigozzi, President (2nd right), and Professor Patrick Yung Shu-hang, Vice President of FIMS (1st right) present the FIMS-CCSM plaque to Dr Kennedy Y H Wong, Chairman of the Council and the Court of HKBU (middle); Professor Alex Wai, President and Vice-Chancellor of HKBU (2nd left); and Professor Yannis Pitsiladis, Director of CESAME at HKBU (1st left).
Ms Vivian Sum Fong-kwang, Permanent Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism of the Government of the HKSAR, said in her speech that the Government has shown continuous support in the development of sports medicine and sports science.
Dr Kennedy Y H Wong, Chairman of the Council and the Court of HKBU, said in his welcome address that CESAME embodies the University’s bold, strategic vision.
Ms Vivian Sum Fong-kwang, Permanent Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism of the Government of the HKSAR, and other guests visit CESAME.

 

The newly established Centre for Exercise Science and Medicine (CESAME) at Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) is a transdisciplinary research hub driving new scientific momentum for elite sports and public health. CESAME is the first in Hong Kong, the third in the Nation, and one of just 29 worldwide recognised by the International Federation of Sports Medicine (FIMS) as a Collaborating Centre of Sports Medicine (CCSM), underscoring its international research standing.

On 17 April 2026, the opening ceremony was officiated by Ms Vivian Sum Fong-kwang, Permanent Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; Professor Fabio Pigozzi, President of FIMS; Professor Patrick Yung Shu-hang, Vice President of FIMS; Mr Edgar Yang, Honorary Secretary General of the Sports Federation & Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China; Dr Kennedy Y H Wong, Chairman of the Council and the Court of HKBU; Professor Alex Wai, President and Vice-Chancellor of HKBU; Professor Lyu Aiping, Vice-President (Research and Development) cum Dean of Graduate School of HKBU; and Professor Yannis Pitsiladis, Director of CESAME at HKBU.

At the ceremony, Professor Fabio Pigozzi and Professor Patrick Yung Shu-hang presented the FIMS‑CCSM plaque to Dr Kennedy Y H Wong, Professor Alex Wai and Professor Yannis Pitsiladis.

Dr Kennedy Y H Wong said that: “We live in an era where the challenges surrounding sports, health, and holistic well-being are increasingly complex: from safeguarding the integrity of clean athletes and decoding the science of elite performance, to tackling the growing burden of chronic disease across Asia and beyond”  

 

Research facilities

CESAME features a range of advanced laboratories and research facilities, spanning human movement analysis, body composition assessment, and studies at the genetic and molecular levels. Together, they form a complete sports science research system.

The Biomechanics & Performance Lab analyses athletes’ movement and running performance. The Biomechanics & Performance Lab analyses athletes’ movement and running performance.
The Biomechanics & Performance Lab analyses athletes’ movement and running performance.

 

Biomechanics & Performance Lab

A performance-testing facility that combines biomechanics, physiology, and technology to analyse athletes’ movement and running performance through motion analysis and metabolic monitoring, with the following equipment:

Instrumented Pressure-Embedded Treadmill – Captures real-time ground reaction forces and plantar pressure distribution, quantifying running symmetry, impact loading, and gait dynamics with every step.

Vicon Motion Capture System – A high-speed, multi-camera optical system that tracks reflective markers on the runner to produce sub-millimeter, 3D joint kinematics and full-body movement analysis.

Vmax Encore229 Metabolic Cart – Measures breath-by-breath oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide production, providing precise data on energy expenditure, substrate utilisation, and cardiorespiratory efficiency.

RunScribe IMU Shoe Sensor – A lightweight, wearable inertial sensor mounted on the shoe that records cadence, foot strike pattern, pronation, shock impact, and stride length in real-world running conditions.

 

The Advanced Body Composition (DEXA Suite) is used for precise body composition and anthropometric analysis. The Advanced Body Composition (DEXA Suite) is used for precise body composition and anthropometric analysis.
The Advanced Body Composition (DEXA Suite) is used for precise body composition and anthropometric analysis.

 

 

Advanced Body Composition (DEXA Suite)

A state-of-the-art facility for precise body composition and anthropometric analysis. Using highly advanced, low-dose imaging technology, it enables detailed assessment of bone density, muscle mass, and body composition, which is critical for both elite performance and clinical applications. The Main Hologic DXA System can provide clinical-standard fracture risk assessment.

 

The Multi-Omics, Genetics and Biomolecular Laboratories is one of the world’s most advanced integrated genomics environments in sports science. The Multi-Omics, Genetics and Biomolecular Laboratories is one of the world’s most advanced integrated genomics environments in sports science.
The Multi-Omics, Genetics and Biomolecular Laboratories is one of the world’s most advanced integrated genomics environments in sports science.

 

 

Multi-Omics, Genetics and Biomolecular Laboratories

A facility is equipped with automated robotic systems, advanced sequencing technologies, and real-time analytical workflows, enabling integrated multi-omics profiling across genomics, transcriptomics, epigenomics, and proteomics; making it one of the world’s most advanced integrated genomics environments in sports science. The work underway spans high-performance athlete genomics, anti-doping and drug detection, as well as research related to major sporting issues etc.

 

The Biobank houses biological samples from elite athletes and research cohorts worldwide. The Biobank houses biological samples from elite athletes and research cohorts worldwide.
The Biobank houses biological samples from elite athletes and research cohorts worldwide.

 

Biobank 

A unique and growing global resource platform housing over 3,000 biological samples from elite athletes and research cohorts worldwide, enabling longitudinal research across performance, health, and disease.

 

The Environmental & Hypoxic Chamber can simulate extreme conditions. The Environmental & Hypoxic Chamber can simulate extreme conditions.
The Environmental & Hypoxic Chamber can simulate extreme conditions.

 

 

Environmental & Hypoxic Chamber 

A highly specialised facility capable of simulating extreme conditions, including high altitude (low oxygen), heat, and cold, allowing researchers to study human performance and physiological response under controlled conditions.

 

Transdisciplinary vision for collaboration 

CESAME adopts a transdisciplinary framework, integrating diverse fields such as physiology, biomechanics, genetics and molecular biology, neuroscience, artificial intelligence, wearable technology, and public health. By establishing connections across different domains, the Centre responds to key challenges in elite sports, preventive health, exercise-based therapy, and the sports industry, and is committed to translating its research into practical applications to support the development of the sports industry in Hong Kong and the region.