Welcome to the 62nd edition of CUHK in Focus.
It was an immense honour for me to attend an award presentation ceremony held by March of Dimes, an esteemed American organisation that works to improve the health of mothers and babies, in the United States in late March, to receive the 2025 Richard B. Johnston, Jr., MD Prize in Developmental Biology. I take great pride in joining the distinguished ranks of past recipients of this prestigious award, all of whom have made significant advancements in science related to pregnancy, birth and prenatal development. It was particularly meaningful for me to become the first Chinese scientist to be presented this award since its establishment in 1996, showcasing the tremendous potential of Chinese scientists in contributing to global healthcare. I would like to share this honour with my research team and international partners, who have been working alongside me in our quest to improve maternal and infant health worldwide. I am deeply thankful for their support and dedication. Witnessing non-invasive prenatal testing become the standard of care for expectant mothers throughout the world has been the privilege of my lifetime. This award serves as a powerful driving force to motivate me to further collaborate with global peers to translate cutting-edge scientific research achievements into clinical applications in order to make a far-reaching impact on the world and bring tangible benefits to humanity.
Connecting minds across borders
CUHK recently celebrated a significant milestone in global engagement with the announcement that the University will host the Asia-Pacific Association for International Education (APAIE) Conference and Exhibition in February 2026. As one of the three most prominent international education conferences, the APAIE Conference and Exhibition brings together international educators, university leaders, policy-makers and industry experts from around the world to discuss heated topics and emerging trends in international higher education. As a founding member of APAIE, CUHK is thrilled to host this event once again after a 13-year interlude since the resounding success of the 2013 APAIE Conference organised as part of the University’s golden jubilee celebrations. We were proud to join Dr Choi Yuk-lin, Secretary for Education of the HKSAR, in receiving the APAIE’s flag at a handover ceremony of the 2025 APAIE Conference in Delhi, India on 27 March 2025, marking the formal start of CUHK’s journey as next year’s host. Over the years, CUHK has nurtured numerous successful partnerships in international education, student mobility and research. The 2026 APAIE Conference will enable us to pave the way for future collaborations that will propel our global endeavours to new heights. With the support of the HKSAR Government, the University Grants Committee, the Hong Kong Tourism Board and the seven other UGC-funded universities, CUHK aspires to deliver an impactful event that will build the “Study in Hong Kong” brand, consolidating Hong Kong’s position as an international hub for higher education and connecting our city with the world.
Reinforcing mainland engagement
Earlier this month, I had the pleasure of welcoming several mainland delegations at different occasions. On 1 April, CUHK held the 15th Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Academicians Visit Programme cum Lecture Series on campus. A delegation headed by Professor Guo Huadong, Director General of the International Research Center of Big Data for Sustainable Development Goals and a professor of the CAS Aerospace Information Research Institute, visited various academic departments of the Faculty of Science and exchanged ideas and explored potential collaborations with our faculty members. Six outstanding CAS academicians were invited to deliver a series of public lectures to inspire hundreds of academics, researchers, and university students from CUHK and beyond, as well as members of the general public. Their insights covered a diverse range of fields, including life and medical sciences, earth sciences, mathematics and physics, and information technical sciences. CUHK is thankful for the unwavering support of CAS for the annual CAS Academicians Visit Programme cum Lecture Series, which has been running since 2007 as a major undertaking for CUHK to promote academic exchange in science with our counterparts across the border.
I was delighted to meet with representatives from the Beijing-Hong Kong Academic Exchange Centre (BHKAEC), a non-profit-making organisation originally proposed and set up by CUHK’s Distinguished Professor-at-Large and Director of the Institute of Theoretical Physics, Professor Yang Chen-ning, in 1985 to promote academic exchange between Hong Kong, mainland and overseas institutes. CUHK has been working closely with BHKAEC for many years to organise academic exchange visits and seminars, support local researchers in their applications for national science and technology awards and nurture mainland research talent on campus in order to cultivate a robust scientific innovation ecosystem in Hong Kong. In addition, a good number of CUHK scholars coming from the mainland have been able to undertake postdoctoral research and training in Hong Kong thanks to the generous sponsorship from the Hong Kong Scholars Programme executed by BHKAEC. It gave me great pleasure to welcome our long-term partners in person and express my gratitude for their passionate commitment to promoting the development of science and technology and strengthening collaborations between Hong Kong and the mainland.
With pharmaceutical products being one of the most obvious examples of how translational research can benefit society, CUHK has been actively fostering partnership with government organisations and industry practitioners to expand opportunities for research funding and talent development. On 2 April, I had the honour to meet with representatives from the National Medical Products Administration, the official organisation responsible for overseeing the safety and quality of drugs, medical devices and cosmetics in our country. The 2024 Policy Address of the HKSAR Government emphasised the need to promote the productivity of biomedical technologies and support related research and development, clinical trials and applications, demonstrating the importance of strengthening exchanges between Hong Kong and the mainland in order to jointly build a hub for pharmaceutical science and technology. Our discussions with officials from the mainland drug and medical device regulatory authority allowed us to reflect upon how CUHK can better align its research and development efforts with national standards and priorities. We are eager to step up our efforts in commercialising our biomedical and pharmaceutical research into products and therapies to create greater societal impact and contribute to the development of health technology in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and beyond.
Act of benevolence
It gave me great honour to express our heartfelt gratitude to Mr Lau Tat-chuen, Chairman of Sino International Industrial Limited, at the naming ceremony of the Lau Tat-chuen Research Centre of Brain Degenerative Diseases in Chinese earlier this month. The generous support from Mr Lau has empowered the Centre to engage in cutting-edge research to develop innovative diagnostic methods and treatment strategies for common age-related brain diseases affecting the local Chinese population. With deep compassion for patients, as well as a noble aspiration for a healthier society, Mr Lau kindly graces CUHK with his benevolence, staunchly supporting our endeavours to improve human health through research. I am confident that the Centre, now proudly carrying his good name, will continue to pursue excellence in research on brain degeneration and make substantial contributions to the global understanding of Alzheimer’s disease among the Chinese population. We aspire for the Centre to pioneer new research exploration and popularise new diagnostic methods, enabling patients to receive timely treatment. Additionally, we aim to enhance public awareness of dementia and encourage greater attention to brain health.
I look forward to sharing more stories with you in our next edition.
Best wishes,
Professor Dennis Lo Yuk-ming
Vice-Chancellor and President
The Chinese University of Hong Kong
