Prof. Sandra Sau Man CHAN
Professor (Clinical)

• Assistant Dean (Student support), Faculty of Medicine, CUHK (2016- )
• Chairman, Graduate School Disciplinary Committee, CUHK (2020- )
• Convenor, Special Interest Group in Clinical Neuroscience, The Hong Kong College of Psychiatrists
• Chairman and convenor of the DEC Sub-Committee for MMR, Executive Committee member, The Mental Health Association of Hong Kong (2017- )
• Executive Committee member, HATCH (Hub of Advanced Technology for Child Health), The DH Chen Foundation (2022- )

• Pacific Rim College of Psychiatrists’ Research Award: Best original research on Mood Disorder 2006 “Elderly Suicide and 2003 SARS Epidemic”
• Faculty Education Award 2021

• Specialists in Psychiatry with the Hong Kong College of Psychiatrists (Fellowship in 2005) and The Royal College of Psychiatrists (UK) (Membership in 2001/ Fellowship in 2015)
• National Institute of Health’s ICOHRTA Fellowship ( Suicide prevention and research) with University of Rochester, USA (2002-03)
• Visiting Fellowship at Martinos Centre for Biomedical Imaging(2012)/Berenson-Allen Center for Non Invasive Brain Stimulation, Harvard Medical School (2013)
• Certified Completion of Training in Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy with The China American Psychoanalytic Alliance (CAPA) (2013-2014)

• Functional brain mapping of mood disorders and neurodevelopmental disorders 
• Network-informed transcranial magnetic stimulation for psychiatric disorders 
• Neuromodulation for cognitive remediation in childhood neurodevelopmental disorders 
• Treatment resistant depression 
• Digital mental health platform 
• Resilience and developmental mental health 
• Suicide prevention 

1. Sleep and Circadian Rhythm: Potential Window for Prevention of Mental Disorders in Adolescents
   (Co-PI, Funded source: Theme-based Research Scheme (TRS))
2. Relationship between social motivation tendency, schizophrenia symptoms, and social functioning
   (Co-I, External Grant: Research Grant Council/ GRF 14605020)
3. Establishing the electro-physiological basis of inner speech deficits in Schizophrenia
   (Co-I, External Grant: Research Grant Council/ GRF 14601122)
4. Personalized prediction of transcranial magnetic stimulation clinical response in patients with treatment-refractory depression using neuroimaging biomarkers and machine learning
   (PI, External Grant: Research Grant Council/ GRF 14120322)
5. A mobile-phone-based intervention for caregivers of adolescents – empowerment through mindfulness-based and empathy-guided continuous learning and support programme
   (Co-I, External Grant: Mental Health Initiatives Fund- Phase I/ MH-0068)
6. Microbiome signature in ASD- case-controlled study in pre-pubertal children
   (Project supervisor under HATCH research team) 

1. Wong SY, Chan SC, Mo YMF, Tsoh J, Wong O, Yu TM, *Chan SSM, *Lai HM.
   Effects of Empagliflozin and lifestyle intervention on improving body weight and other metabolic parameters in atypical antipsychotics-treated patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders — A double-blind randomized placebo-controlled trial.
   Schizophrenia Bulletin 2026; 52(3): 1-10. DOI: 10.1093/schbul/sbag050. (* co-corresponding authors)
2. Ma K, Chan S, Wong E, Choi O., Mo F, Shea C, Ho C, Leung P, So S, Chau S, Bogels S, Lai K, Ng F, Fung G, Wong O.
   Mindfulness-based psychoeducation app to improve the wellbeing of parents and caregivers of children with autism: A development and usability study.
   JMIR Paediatrics and Parenting 2026.
3.  Li Y, Chan VKY, Jit M, Cheng FWT, Yiu E, Bishai DM, Craig D, Chan E, *Chan SSM, *Li X.
   Cost-effectiveness of Esketamine versus Alternative Treatment Strategies for Treatment-resistant Depression in Hong Kong: A Multi-armed Modelling Study.
   PLOS Medicine
   Published: April 16, 2026 (* co-corresponding authors)
4.  Cho T, So S, Wu DCH, Chau SWH, Chan SSM, Mo FYM, Ching EWK, Wong OWH, Lai KYC, Ma SL, Tsoi KKF, Kwok NKF, Hung SF, Leung P.
   Rest-activity rhythm across the clinical spectrum of depression among adolescents.
   Journal of Psychiatric Research 2026 (DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2026.05.030)
5. Liu CYT, Kwok NTK, Chan SSM, Mo FYM, Ching EWK, Chau SWH, Wong OWH, Ma SL, Tsoi KKF, Lai KYC, Leung PWL, Hung SF, So SHW.
   Affective dynamics in adolescents with major depressive disorder and subthreshold depression: an experience sampling study.
   Psychological Medicine 2026; 56: e165.
6. Kwok NT, So SH, Chan SSM, Tsoi KKF, Ma SL, Wong OWH, Chau SWH, Lai KYC, Hung SF, Leung PWL.
   Clinical and subthreshold depression in an epidemiologic sample of adolescents.
   Journal of Affective Disorders 2026;392:120143.
7. Chung KHL, Whitford TJ, Griffiths O, Jack BN, Le Pelley ME, Barreiros AR, Harrison AW, Han N, Libesman S, Pearson D, Elijah RB, Godwin M, Haroutonian C, Nickerson A, Chan SMS, Chong GHC, Lau GKW, Wong YC, Wong J, Ford J, Mathalon D, Harris A, So HW
   Corollary discharge dysfunction to inner speech and its relationship to auditory verbal hallucinations in patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders.
   Schizophrenia Bulletin 2025 doi: 10.1093/schbul/sbaf167. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 41116234.
8. Chung LKH, Whitford TJ, Chau AKC, Chan SSM, Chong GHC, Ho SHW.
   Momentary dynamics of inner speech varieties, auditory verbal hallucinations, and affect in schizophrenia spectrum disorders: an experience sampling study.
   Psychological Medicine 2026 Jan 12:56:e13. doi: 10.1017/S0033291725102985.
9. Wong OWH, Lam AMW, Moore TM, Ruparel K, Chan SSM, Gur RE, Gur RC.
   Psychometric properties and validity of the Hong Kong Version of the Penn Computerised Neurocognitive Battery (CNB-HK) in Chinese Children with and without Autism Spectrum Disorder.
   Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society 2026; 32(10: 67-78.
10. Wu Y, Chan SSM, Leung PWL, Lo HHL, Ho SWS, Mo FYM, Ho CSW, Shea CKS, Su Q, Leung TF, Chan FKL, Ng SC, Wong OWH.
    The Mediating Role of Eating Behaviors Between Autistic Symptoms and Dietary Issues Among Chinese Children With Autism.
    Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders 2025 Nov 17. doi: 10.1007/s10803-025-07133-y.
11. Wong IHW, Ng SM, Lam AMW, Chan SSM, Ng SH, Leung J, Lee KCL, Wong ACC, Wu Y, Chan FKL, Ng SC, Wong OWH.
    The Distinctive Clinical Profiles of Children with Autism Suffering from Different Subtypes of Rome IV Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders
    Autism Research 2025; 18(12):2478-2489.
12. Su Q, Lu W, Wong OWH, Zhu J, Chen S, Tun H, Wan Y, Xu Z, Cheung CP, Ching, JYL Cheong PK, Chan SSM, Wong S, Chan D, Chan FKL, Ng S.
    Gut microbiome composition and strain-sharing in multiplex autism spectrum disorder families.
    Nature Communications 2026; 17, 3255 (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-70142-7
13. Wong OW, Xu Z, Chan SSM, Mo YM, Shea CKS et al.
    A novel synbiotic (SCM06) for anxiety and sensory hyperresponsiveness in children with autism spectrum disorder: an open-label pilot study.
    Npj Biofilms and Microbiomes 2026 Jan 14;12(1):36. doi: 10.1038/s41522-025-00902-8.
14. Chan SSM, Wong OWH, Hussain S, Tsoi KKF, Ma KKY, Chau SWH, Ma SL, Lai KYC, Chu WCW, Lo HHL, Ho SWS, Leung CC, Yiu KKL, So SHW, Sham PC, Hung SF, Leung PWL.
    Twelve-month prevalence of DSM-5 mental disorders and the psychosocial correlates- a child and adolescent psychiatric epidemiologic survey in Hong Kong SAR.
    Lancet Regional Health Western Pacific 2025; 29;57:101533.
15. Chan VKY, Cheung ECL, Chan SSM, Knapp M, Hayes JF, Fan M, Lai FTT, Luo H, Lum T, Wong RSM, Lau LKW, Wan EYF, Wong GHY, Chan EWY, Ip P, Wong ICK, Li X.
    Mortality-causing mechanisms and healthcare resource utilisation of treatment-resistant depression: A six-year population-based cohort study.
    The Lancet Regional Health – Western Pacific 2022;22: 100426
16. Hopman HJ, Choy HY, Ho WS, Lu H, Wong WH, Chan SSM.
    The effects of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation antidepressant response on cold cognition: a single-arm prospective longitudinal study.
    Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment 2021; 17: 1-12.
17. Hopman HJ (co-first author), Chan SSM (co-first author), Chu CWW, Lu H, Tse CY, Chau SWH, Lam LCW, Mak ADP, Neggers SFW.
    Personalized prediction of transcranial magnetic stimulation clinical response in patients with treatment refractory depression using neuroimaging biomarkers and machine learning.
    Journal of Affective Disorders 2021; 290: 261-271.
18. Wong OWH, Lam AMW, Lai KYC, Ma SL, Hung SF, Chan S, Wong S, Leung PWL.
    An elevated anxiety level among prepubertal autistic boys with non-treatment-seeking functional gastrointestinal disorders: A case–control study.
    Autism Research 2021; 14(10): 2131-2142.
19. So SHW, Chan GHK, Wong CKW, Ching EWK, Lee, SSW, Wong BCW, Chen Z, Sun X, Chung, LKH, Hung AY, Wong JOY, Chan SSM.
    A randomized controlled trial of metacognitive training for psychosis, depression and belief flexibility.
    Journal of Affective Disorders 2020; 279(15): 388-39.
20. Chan SSM, Leung PY, Tsoh J, Li SW, Yu CS, Yu KK, Poon TK, Pan PC, Chan WC, Conwell Y, Lam LCW, Chiu HFK.
    Outcomes of a two-tiered multi-faceted elderly suicide prevention program in a Hong Kong Chinese Community.
    American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry 2011;19: 185-96.

Supervisor of:
Mr. HUNG, Tin Shing
Ms. YUEN, Vivian Ka Hey
ADAMSKA-STOLARCZYK, Iga Anna
GABRYSIAK, Maciej
Zou, Olivia