Professor Samuel Wong is a clinician with training and experience in both Family Medicine and Public Health. Professor Wong serves as the Director of the School of Public Health and Primary Care at CUHK, and the Thomas Jing Centre for Mindfulness Research and Training. Since July 2019, he has held the position of Associate Dean (Education) at the Faculty of Medicine at CUHK. His international roles include being a Global Faculty Member of the Stanford Medicine Centre for Asian Health Research and Education (CARE) since 2022. His research interests are primarily focused on the evaluation and development of mindfulness-based and mental health interventions in primary care, as well as the evaluation and development of primary care services and models, particularly in the context of multimorbidity.

Professor Wong has published over 370 peer-reviewed papers in international journals has also been successful in securing substantial research funding, with more than 160 million Hong Kong dollars (approximately 20.5 million US dollars, given the exchange rate of 1 US$ = 7.8 HK$) in external competitive research grants and donations for various community interventions aimed at improving mental health and primary care.

Plenary Keynote Address (5) - Health and Well-being

Mindfulness-based interventions have become a prominent approach in addressing and preventing common mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, chronic stress, sleep disorders, and addiction. This presentation will provide an updated review of the current evidence supporting the effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions in managing these mental health challenges and enhancing overall mental well-being. Additionally, the talk will highlight existing research gaps and discuss the limitations present in current mindfulness research, offering insights into areas that require further exploration.