Prof. CHE Chun-tao of the University of Illinois Chicago, USA, delivered a PAIR Seminar titled “Chinese Medicines and Geriatric Health – A Research Perspective” on 14 January 2026. The event drew around 90 in-person participants and an online audience of more than 15,850 across various social media platforms.
Prof. Che opened his presentation by addressing the global challenge of an ageing global population. He emphasised that society will face substantial healthcare costs if precautionary measures for ageing are not undertaken. Against this backdrop, Chinese Medicine (CM), grounded in the principles of “preventing illness before it arises” and “nurturing life”, offers a complementary perspective that aligns with modern strategies for healthy ageing and geriatric care.
Prof. Che went on to discuss five areas that CM may benefit geriatric health: supporting cognitive function and brain health, managing pain and mobility issues, strengthening immunity and preventing illness, improving digestive health and nutrient absorption, and managing sleep and emotional well-being. He noted that rigorous research projects, modern technologies, collaborative efforts have demonstrated that herbal formulations, acupuncture, moxibustion, cupping, and movement therapies such as Tai Chi and Qigong—when combined with a healthy diet and lifestyle—offer safe and effective ways to help individuals achieve a higher quality of life. He also introduced the audience to some CM herbs that support geriatric health.
In conclusion, Prof. Che affirmed that CM can foster holistic and integrative approaches in preventive and geriatric wellness programmes, highlighting the need for robust evidence-based validation, quality control and safety in herbal and integrative care, while underscoring the importance of integrating both biomedical and traditional models to optimise elderly care.
The seminar concluded with a lively question-and-answer session moderated by Prof. WONG Man-sau, Director of Research Centre for Chinese Medicine Innovation (RCMI), during which the audience engaged in a thoughtful exchange with Prof. Che.
Please click here for an online review.
| Topics | PAIR Seminars |
|---|---|
| Research Units | PolyU Academy for Interdisciplinary Research |
Prof. CHE Chun-tao
Harry H.S. Fong Professor of Pharmacognosy, University of Illinois Chicago, USA
Director of WHO Collaborating Centre for Traditional Medicine
Prof. Che is the Harry H.S. Fong Professor of Pharmacognosy at the College of Pharmacy, University of Illinois Chicago (UIC). He also serves as the director of the World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Herbal Medicines. Prior to joining UIC, he was the director of the School of Chinese Medicine at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
Trained as a pharmacognosist, Prof. Che has a broad background in the botany, chemistry, and pharmacology of herbal medicines. He is also interested in promoting the rational applications of Chinese medicine in modern society. During the 40 years of career as a researcher and educator, he has focused his research interest in the discovery of potential pharmaceutical substances from natural sources, including the isolation, structural elucidation, and modification of biologically active substances from medicinal plants, as well as the analysis, quality assurance, and standardization of plant-based preparations. Over 340 scientific papers have been published to his credit in the areas of pharmacognosy, natural products, and Chinese/herbal medicines.
Personal website: https://pharmacognosy.pharmacy.uic.edu/profiles/chect/
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