OUR PEOPLE

Tom Cheung received his Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the University of Colorado at Boulder in 2006. Before he joined the Division of Life Science at HKUST, he was a postdoctoral fellow in Prof Thomas Rando laboratory at Stanford University School of Medicine. Prof Cheung is currently a member of the Center for Stem Cell Research, the State Key Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, the Center for Systems Biology and Human Health, and an affiliated member of the Division of Biomedical Engineering and Bioengineering Graduate Program at HKUST. Prof Cheung is a recipient of the Croucher Innovation Award in 2015 for the study of “Molecular regulation of stem cell ageing”.

Vanessa Cheung is the Group Managing Director of Nan Fung Development Ltd., managing the Group’s global real estate development portfolio.

She is also the Founder of The Mills – a revitalization project of transforming the Nan Fung Textile Mills into a global innovation techstyle destination comprising of art, start-up incubator and experiential retail. She currently spearheads the Group’s SEWIT framework, which stands for social cohesion, environmental sustainability, wellness, innovation and technology. Along with her experience in working for AECOM as a Landscape Designer and a part-time lecturer at University of Hong Kong on City Branding, she hopes to inspire the younger generation and unlock Hong Kong’s leadership potential beyond the status quo.

She is a convener of NarrativeHK, an initiative promoting positive attitude among her generation in envisioning the future of HK. She is the co-owner of HK’s first CrossFit gym Asphodel Fitness and Performance.

Dr Cheung obtained her Degree of Doctor of Philosophy at City University of Hong Kong, Master in Landscape Architecture at Harvard University and Bachelors in Molecular and Cell Biology from the University of California, Berkeley. 

Irene Chu is a Partner of KPMG China leading the Technology and New Economy sector, and Life Sciences sector at KPMG for the Hong Kong region. Since 2020, Irene also leads the ESG reporting and advisory practice for KPMG in Hong Kong. She has extensive experience in working with emerging growth companies and leading audit and IPO engagements. The industry sectors of her current and past clients include biopharmaceutical, diagnostics, fintech, consumer markets, e-commerce, software, semiconductors and telecommunications.

Irene is currently serving the following public services: The Chair of Finance Committee, Board Member of the Executive Council and Governor of WWF-Hong Kong, Member of the Innovation and Technology Venture Fund Advisory Committee of The Innovation and Technology Commission, The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administration Region of the PRC, Member of the Estate Agents Authority, The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administration Region of the PRC, Member of the Sustainability Committee of the Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants, and Member of the Sustainability Committee of the British Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong.

Shan Fu joined Vivo in 2013 as a Managing Partner, Co-CEO and CEO of Greater China. Before joining Vivo, Shan worked for Blackstone as Senior Managing Director in the Private Equity group and the Chief Representative of Blackstone’s Beijing Office. Shan also worked in the Department of Foreign Investment in China’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), the State Economic and Trade Commission of China, the Office of Economic and Trade in State Council of China, and the Office of Production in State Council of China.

Shan received a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree in History from Peking University in Beijing, China.

Meng Gao is Group Chief Investment Officer of the Group CEO’s Office  Nan Fung Group. He is responsible for overseeing Nan Fung's overall investment activities, as well as developing the group's strategic initiatives including Nan Fung Life Sciences. Meng is also a board member of New Frontier Group, a China-based investment group.

Prior to joining Nan Fung, Meng was a Managing Director at Blackstone’s Private Equity Group in Hong Kong. At Blackstone, he was involved in a number of transactions across multiple industries. Before joining Blackstone, Meng was a Senior Vice President at Oaktree Capital Management, where he was involved in sourcing, structuring and executing private equity investments in China. Prior to that, Meng was an investment banker with Credit Suisse and JPMorgan in New York.

Meng received a Bachelor of Economics degree from Peking University, an M.A. from Yale University and an M.B.A. from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, where he graduated with Honours.

Gladdy He founded Become Consulting with the vision and mission to develop top global organizations and leaders from China.

Previously, she was the Senior Client Partner and APAC Managing Director of Life Science Practice at Korn Ferry. She led the team across executive search, RPO and leadership consulting, and achieved superior business growth in 10 years.

Prior to Korn Ferry, she was Director of Consulting and Leadership Consultant for Gallup Consulting in Greater China and Southeast Asia. She managed global accounts focusing on talent selection and employee engagement, and conducted hundreds of coaching sessions for C-level and senior executives in APAC. Before that, she served as Engagement Manager and Research Director for Gallup in Washington, D.C.

Her clients covered top government and healthcare agencies. She started her career as a management trainee in market and risk leadership program at General Electric (GE) Capital Services.

Gladdy holds a master’s in business administration degree from Wharton Business School, University of Pennsylvania, and a master of science degree in agricultural and resource economics from the University of Connecticut, as well as a bachelor’s degree in economics from Nankai University in Tianjin, China.

Gladdy is the Founding Board Member at Wharton Alumni China Healthcare Club, Success Coach for Harvard Medical School President Program, the Member and Chapter Chair of Young President Organization (YPO).

David Ho is the Clyde’56 and Helen Wu Professor of Medicine, founding scientific director of the Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center, and director of the Wu Family China Center for Health Initiatives at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons. He received degrees from California Institute of Technology and Harvard Medical School.  

Prof Ho has been at the forefront of AIDS research for 42 years, publishing over 500 papers. His elegant studies unraveled the dynamic nature of HIV replication in vivo and revolutionized our basic understanding of a disease that took the lives of so many. He championed combination antiretroviral therapy that resulted in unprecedented management of HIV in patients, transforming a disease that meant almost certain death into a chronic condition for more than 25 million individuals worldwide. His research team is now devoting considerable effort to vaccine and antibody research directed at halting or slowing the spread of AIDS. After working on the SARS virus, he has turned his work now to developing drugs and antibodies to fight the new coronavirus.

Prof Ho has received 14 honorary doctorates, including one from Columbia University. He was named Time Magazine’s Man of the Year in 1996 and received a Presidential Citizen Medal in 2001. He was inducted into the California Hall of Fame, recognized by the Kingdom of Thailand with the Prince Mahidol Award in Medicine, and given the Distinguished Alumni Award by Caltech. He is a member of the National Academy of Medicine as well as the Chinese Academy of Engineering.

Lu Huang joined Morningside in 2003, and is now in charge of Morningside’s overall healthcare investment activities in China. With more than 20 years’ healthcare industry and venture investment experience, Dr Huang has led nearly 3 dozen healthcare/life-science investments in greater China and the North America, representing Morningside on various company boards. Morningside healthcare/life-science investments cover sectors across bio-pharmaceutical, medical devices, IVD, healthcare services, healthcare IT etc.

Prior to joining Morningside, Dr Huang served as a Marketing Associate in the Public Relations & Marketing group at Continuum Health Partners in New York City, which provides integrated healthcare management services throughout the New York metropolitan region.

Dr Huang holds her medical degree from Shanghai Jiao Tong University Medical School (Former Shanghai Second Medical University), trained and practiced in Obstetrics/Gynecology; and her M.B.A. degree from St. John’s University, New York.

Emmanuel Hui is the CEO of the Tiger Jade Pebble Accelerator (“Pebble”), a USD early-stage investment company ultimately backed by Tigermed — China’s largest clinical research organization. Emmanuel is also a Domain Partner of Saltagen Ventures. He sits on many boards, most notably Opharmic, Tonisity China, and the Hong Kong Hospital Authority Central Institutional Review Board (Paediatrics). Prior to Pebble, Emmanuel oversaw all healthcare and life science exposure for Sagamore — a China-only private equity platform; and before that he was the co-founding CEO of Moogene, a gene therapy company that started as a Senior Fellow at Dartmouth.

Daniel Lee is a clinical biochemist and has been an Advisory Committee Member of the School of Pharmacy, and Scientific Advisor of the Clinical Trial Centre, Prince of Wales Hospital, for CUHK. He obtained his BSc and PhD in Pathology from The University of Hong Kong. After teaching at The University of Hong Kong for seven years, he joined the pharmaceutical industry and served for over 25 years in pharma companies including Johnson and Johnson USA, Biogen USA, GSK China and served as General Manager and Head of site for Roche Pharma R&D China from 2010.

Prof Lee has broad experience of both small molecule and biologic drug discovery and development, including companion diagnostics, covering therapeutic areas from central nervous system, infectious diseases, diabetes complications to oncology and inflammation. He joined the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation as Head of the Biomedical Technology Cluster from 2013 to 2018 and contributed significantly to the biotech industry and translational medicine development in Hong Kong. He has published over 50 peer-reviewed papers, actively engaged in teaching and journal manuscript reviews, and co-invented 14 published patents. He has served as CEO and board director of biotech companies, consultant for several institutes and companies. After serving as the Associate Vice-President (Innovation and Enterprise) of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, he has retired in 2025 and serving as Adjunct Professor of the Division of Life Science, and the Department of Management, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.

Nisa Leung served as a Managing Partner at Qiming Venture Partners, where she founded and led the firm's healthcare practice since 2006. Under her leadership, Qiming became a pioneering investor in healthcare and biotech sectors, backing some of the most innovative companies in the industry.

Nisa has been consistently recognized as one of the most influential investors in the industry. She has been featured on the Forbes Midas List for seven consecutive years (2019–2025). In 2024, she was honored as one of Fortune Asia’s Most Powerful Women (MPW Asia).

Nisa earned her MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business and a BS from Cornell University.

Suet Yi Leung graduated from HKU Medical Faculty with a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery Programme (MBBS) and a Doctor of Medicine, and is now Department Chairperson of Department of Pathology at The University of Hong Kong. Her groundbreaking research on cancer genetics, genomics, and tumour biology of gastrointestinal tract cancer has been recognised as among the most read and cited. She has been identified by ISI Essential Science Indicators as being in the top 0.1% of authors worldwide in terms of total research citations.

Prof Leung and her research team discovered a new genetic cause of early onset hereditary colorectal cancer (Lynch Syndrome) that has led to the development of a standard genetic diagnosis protocol that is now listed in the World Health Organisation textbooks and used globally. Prof Leung’s other major achievements include decoding the cancer genome of stomach cancer. Through this she uncovered many new cancer driver genes and provided the roadmap for the development of personalized cancer therapy.

Prof Leung has received numerous awards and honours for her research, including the prestigious Croucher Senior Medical Research Fellowship and the Outstanding Researcher Award of The University of Hong Kong in 2007. In 2012, Prof Leung was conferred an Endowed Professorship Status and appointed as the YW Kan Professor in Natural Sciences in recognition of her research achievements. 

Prof Leung has translated her research findings to serve the community through provision of a unique charitable genetic diagnosis service for the Hong Kong population at risk of hereditary colon or other types of cancer. Over the years, the service has led to the prevention of colon cancer, especially among young people at risk. Prof Leung is also highly involved in community service both in Hong Kong and the region. She serves as the Chairman of the Medical Laboratory Technologist Board, member of the Supplementary Medical Professions Council, member of the Research Council and grant review board of the Health and Medical Research Fund, Food and Health Bureau and international journal editorial boards.

Kai Liu received his Bachelor degree from School of Life Sciences at Peking University in 1998, and received his Ph.D. from Rutgers University at New Brunswick in 2006. Then he did his postdoc research at Children’s Hospital Boston/Harvard Medical School. He joined Division of Life Science at HKUST as Assistant Professor in 2011, and is currently Cheng Associate Professor of Science. His research interest focuses on the intrinsic mechanisms regulating axonal regeneration and functional repair after central nervous system injuries.

Stephanie Ma is currently the Jimmy and Emily Tang Professor in Molecular Genetics at the School of Biomedical Sciences in The University of Hong Kong Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine (HKUMed), and the Associate Vice-President (Research and Innovation) at HKU. Previously, she served as an Associate Director in the School of Biomedical Sciences and the Assistant Dean (Innovation and Technology Transfer) at HKUMed and was the Associate Director of the Knowledge Exchange Office at HKU. She holds a B.Sc. and M.Sc. degree from the University of British Columbia and a Ph.D. degree from the University of Hong Kong. Prof Ma has over 20 years of experience in scientific research and teaching in academia, with interest in cancer and biomedical sciences, and has been recognized by numerous awards including the 2008 Young Scientist Award in Life Sciences from the Hong Kong Institution of Science, the 2014 Croucher Innovation Award, the 2014 Scientific Research Outstanding Achievement Awards (Second-class Award in Science and Technology Section) from the Higher Education Institution of China, the 2017 University of British Columbia Alumni Builder Award (Canada), the 2021 Research Grants Council (RGC) Research Fellow Scheme as well as the 2023 Croucher Senior Research Fellowship.

Prof Ma is also a Founding Member of the Hong Kong Young Academy of Sciences, where she currently serves as Vice-President and Co-Chair of their Outreach Committee. She is also a Principal Investigator in the State Key Laboratory of Liver Research. Prof Ma is active in community services and currently serves as a board member at Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks (HKSTP), and as a member of both the Science Sub-committee under the Museum Advisory Committee and the Expert Panel on the Designation of Designated Local Research Institutions.

Jay Mei has over 25 years of experience in clinical research and development of oncology therapeutics globally. He has published over 70 publications and is the co-inventor of multiple patents. In the 1990s, Dr Mei dedicated himself to extensive cancer research at the National Cancer Institute in the United States. In 2001, Dr Mei joined as a Principal Scientist in the oncology team in the drug discovery division and Associate Director at Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Research & Development, L.L.C.. From 2006, Dr Mei worked as a Senior Director at Novartis Oncology, part of the Innovative Medicines division of Novartis AG. From 2008 to 2017, he served as an Executive Director of the clinical development department at Celgene (now part of Bristol-Myers Squibb). At Celgene, Dr Mei was one of the leading members in the clinical development of multiple blockbuster drugs that represent the most significant part of Celgene’s portfolio today, including REVLIMID®, which is among the best-selling oncology therapies worldwide, and was also involved in the clinical development of POMALYST®, also one of the best-selling oncology drugs worldwide, and IDHIFA®, a first-in-class drug for the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia. Dr Mei was involved in the management of Antengene since April 2017. Dr Mei also currently holds adjunct professorship at the Baruch S. Blumberg Institute.

Dr Mei received his Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) degree from Hunan Medical University (now XiangYa School of Medicine of Central South University) and obtained his Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree in pharmacology and toxicology from the University of Maryland. Dr Mei has been a member of the American Society of Hematology since 2006.

Malik Peiris joined the University of Hong Kong (HKU) in 1995 and has become Emeritus Professor starting July 2025. Prior to his retirement, Professor Peiris was Tam Wah-Ching Professor in Medical Science and Chair of Virology. He co-directed the WHO H5 Reference Laboratory and the WHO SARS-CoV-2 reference laboratory at the School of Public Health at HKU. Currently, he serves on many Hong Kong and WHO advisory committees, including the WHO International Health Regulations Emergency Committee on COVID-19.   

He is a clinical and public health virologist with a particular interest in emerging viral diseases at the animal-human interface – using a “One-Health” approach. His research encompasses the pathogenesis, innate immune responses, transmission, ecology and epidemiology of human and animal influenza viruses such as avian influenza subtypes H5N1, H9N2 and H7N9, the emergence of the 2009 pandemic H1N1 from swine, and coronaviruses such as SARS-CoV-1, MERS-CoV, and SARS-CoV-2.

In 2003, Prof Peiris and his research team discovered SARS-CoV, a novel coronavirus, as the etiological agent for SARS. He has contributed to understanding the emergence, spread and pathogenesis of SARS – and of viral zoonotic avian influenza diseases, including their control. He has served on WHO missions to Saudi Arabia on MERS and to China on avian influenza H7N9. His research team is currently investigating the recently emerged SARS-CoV-2 that caused the COVID-19 pandemic.

Prof Peiris has over 900 peer reviewed research publications in international scientific journals, which have been cited over 97,000 times. In recognition of his research contributions, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of London (2006). He has received the Mahathir Science Award, Akademi Sains, Malaysia (2007); a Silver Bauhinia Star, Hong Kong SAR (2008); the Medal “100 Years of Virology” of the D.I. Ivanovsky Institute of Virology of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences (2009); and the title Officier de la Legion d’Honneur, Republic of France (2017). He was elected a Foreign Associate of National Academy of Sciences, USA (2017), and awarded the John Dirks Canada Gairdner Global Health Award (2021) and conferred Doctor of Science Honoris Causa by the University of Oxford (2023).

Prof Peiris had his undergraduate medical education in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), followed by postgraduate training in virology at the University of Oxford, UK.

Leo Poon, a virologist and public health scientist, received his doctoral training at the Sir William Dunn School of Pathology at the University of Oxford. After graduating, he returned to Hong Kong to work as a postdoctoral fellow at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. In 2001, he joined the University of Hong Kong as a Research Assistant Professor and currently serves as a Chair Professor in the School of Public Health at HKU. He is also a co-director of HKU-Pasteur Research Pole at HKU.

Prof Poon's research primarily focuses on emerging and re-emerging viruses that pose human health concerns, such as SARS-CoV, SARS-CoV-2, MERS-CoV and human/animal influenza viruses. He employs the "One Health" concept to study emerging viruses at the animal-human interface. He has developed several molecular tests for emerging zoonotic influenza viruses, such as H5N1, pandemic H1N1/2009, and H7N9. In 2003, he was involved in the discovery of a novel coronavirus as the etiological cause of SARS, and he was among the first to decode the SARS coronavirus sequence. This identification of the SARS coronavirus in humans and animals led him to discover many coronaviruses in wildlife, including the first bat coronavirus. In 2009, he played an active role in the H1N1 pandemic and identified the first reassortant of the pandemic H1N1/2009 virus in pigs. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he made significant contributions to our understanding of SARS-CoV-2 and applied these scientific findings to public health practices. He also has a strong interest in researches related to vaccinology.

Prof Poon has published over 300 peer-reviewed articles and is a founding member of the Hong Kong Young Academy of Sciences. In 2017, he was awarded a Senior Research Fellowship by the Croucher Foundation. He has consistently ranked in the top 1% of the world's most-cited scientists since 2005, according to Clarivate Analytics, with over 44,000 citations and an H-index of 98. He has also been recognized as a Highly Cited Researcher since 2015. In recognition of his contributions to combating emerging infectious diseases, he received the highly prestigious Louis Pasteur Bicentenary Prize from the Institut Pasteur in 2023.
Pro Poon serves as an expert for several international organizations and acts as an advisor for various task groups focused on infectious disease control within the WHO, FAO, and WOAH. He is also the Co-Editor-In-Chief of the Virology Journal.

Jin Seok Seo is the Joint Chairperson of the board and CEO of Celltrion Inc., a biopharmaceutical company headquartered in Incheon, South Korea with a global-leading position in research, development and manufacturing of biosimilar and innovative drugs.

Dr Seo has been actively involved in portfolio management and investment decisions since he joined Celltrion in 2014. He has brought sharp management focus to selection of biosimilar and new drug candidates which are under rigorous research and development. In addition to his contribution to biopharmaceutical area, he has served as the CEO of Celltrionskincure, Inc., a cosmetic company from March 2018 to March 2019 before taking his current position. Dr Seo is currently in charge of chairs to Product Development Committee and Investment Committee as well as the Co-Chair of the board. 

Dr Seo holds a bachelor’s degree in animal resources from College of Agriculture and Life Sciences from Seoul National University. He has a master’s and doctorate degrees in Biological Sciences from Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST).

Anderson Shum is the Vice-President (Research) of City University of Hong Kong. He also serves as the Chair Professor of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering in the Department of Chemistry and Department of Biomedical Engineering of CityUHK.

Prof Shum received his B.S.E. Degree, summa cum laude, in Chemical Engineering from Princeton University, S.M. and Ph.D. in Applied Physics from Harvard University. His research focuses on emulsions, biomicrofluidics, biomedical engineering and soft matter.

Prof Shum is a recipient of the 15th Guanghua Engineering Science and Technology Prize by Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE, 2024), awardee of Research Grants Council of Hong Kong (RGC) Senior Research Fellow Scheme (SRFS, 2024) and of Croucher Senior Research Fellowship (2020). He was also selected as Young Fellow of Hong Kong Academy of Engineering (2024); Fellows of the International Association of Advanced Materials (FIAAM, 2023), Hong Kong Institution of Engineers (FHKIE, 2023), Royal Society of Chemistry (FRSC, 2017). He is also the President and founding member of the Hong Kong Young Academy of Sciences, a non-official member of the Committee on Innovation, Technology and Industry Development in the Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau of the HKSAR Government, and a member of the Curriculum Development Council Standing Committee on STEAM Education, Education Bureau of the HKSAR Government.

William Tang holds the position of Executive Director at Peninsula Knitters and has demonstrated a dedication to social and community services.

He serves as a Co-opted Member of the HKUST Institutional Advancement and Outreach Committee. He is also a Member of both the 14th Shanghai Municipal Committee and the 15th Wuxi Municipal Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference. His affiliations include being a Member of the China Overseas Friendship Association, a Member of the All-China Youth Federation, and a Standing Committee Member of the Jiangsu Youth Federation. Furthermore, he is the Chairman of the Youth Committee of the HK Wuxi Trade Association, and the Deputy Director of the Youth Committee of the Friends of Hong Kong Association. He holds the role of Executive Vice President of the Federation of HK Jiangsu Community Organizations, Vice President of the Federation of Hong Kong-Shanghai Association, Executive Vice President and Secretary General of Federation of Hong Kong Jiangsu Youth, and serves as the Executive Director of the Shanghai Tang Junyuan Education Foundation.

In addition to his role as a professional investor in Technology and Life Science, William has established deep connections with the education sector in both Mainland China and Hong Kong, and his contributions have been noteworthy.
 

Lap-Chee Tsui is Chairman of the University of Hong Kong Foundation for Educational Development and Research, Emeritus University Professor of University of Toronto, and Qiushi Distinguished Professor of Zhejiang University, China (serving as Advisor of Residential College of its International Campus in Haining). He was the 14th Vice Chancellor of The University of Hong Kong (2002-2014) and, prior to which, the Geneticist-in-Chief at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto and University Professor at University of Toronto, Canada. He was also the Founding President of Hong Kong Academy of Sciences (2015-2022)

Prof Tsui was born in Shanghai, China. He received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the Chinese University of Hong Kong and his PhD from University of Pittsburgh in 1979. He is world renowned for his research work in human genetics and genomics, most notably the identification of the gene for Cystic Fibrosis in 1989 and, later, other human genetic disorders while conducting a comprehensive characterisation of human chromosome 7.

Prof Tsui is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, Royal Society of London (FRS), and Academia Sinica. He is also an International Member of the National Academy of Sciences (USA), a Foreign Member of Chinese Academy of Sciences, a member of Hong Kong Academy of Sciences and a Canadian Medical Hall of Fame Laureate. He is the recipient of many national and international awards, including 16 honorary doctoral degrees from prestigious universities around the world, the Orders of Canada (OC) and Ontario (OOnt) and Knighthood of the Légion d'Honneur of France. Prof. Tsui was appointed Justice of the Peace (JP) in 2001 and awarded the Gold Bauhinia Star (GBS) and the Grand Bauhinia Medal (GBM) by the Hong Kong SAR Government in 2011 and 2016, respectively.

Yung Hou Wong is the Dean of Science at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. Prof Wong also serves as a Chair Professor in the Division of Life Science, the Director of the Molecular Neuroscience Center and Associate Director of the Biotechnology Research Institute and the Center for Aging Science. He obtained his PhD in Pharmacology from the University of Cambridge and received postdoctoral training at the University of California San Francisco. Prof Wong has assumed various major administrative positions at different levels since joining HKUST in 1992. Prof Wong is an accomplished scholar in molecular pharmacology whose research interest focuses on the delineation of the mechanisms of cell signaling, particularly those involving the G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). As one of the prominent figures in the field, Prof Wong has published over 220 scientific articles. He has been very active in the international academic community through his membership of major academic societies including the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, International Society for Neurochemistry and the Asia-Pacific International Molecular Biology Network. He is also the Co-Editor-in-Chief of FASEB BioAdvances, an official journal published by the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology. Over the years, Prof Wong has received a number of awards including the Croucher Senior Research Fellowship and the Medal of Honor by the Hong Kong SAR Government.

Frank Yu is the founder, CEO and CIO of Ally Bridge Group, a leading global life science-dedicated investment group. Frank carries a strong track record as an investment manager across multiple funds and strategies with investments in the U.S., China and Europe. Frank started his career in New York, then worked in Hong Kong for over two decades. Previously, Frank was Managing Director and Head of China Investments at Och-Ziff Capital Management (OZ), a leading global hedge fund, where he made some of OZ’s largest and highly successful investments. Prior to OZ, Frank was a Managing Director at Goldman Sachs in Hong Kong, where he headed several business units and played instrumental roles in some of the most important restructuring, IPO and M&A transactions of leading Chinese companies. Frank also advised leading global institutions on their China and Asia strategies and transactions. Before Goldman Sachs, Frank worked at Moody’s in New York, and then Credit Suisse in London and Hong Kong.

Since 2010, Frank has founded, launched and managed 7 funds covering venture, growth, buyout and hedge fund investing from China to U.S. to Europe.  Frank excels in originating and executing major investment themes such as global life science investing, which has become the primary focus of Frank and Ally Bridge, creating high-impact deals such as the landmark US$3.3 billion WuXi Pharmatech. He has expertise in cementing strategic transactions between emerging players and industry leaders across the U.S., China and Europe.

Kwok-Yung Yuen is the Chair Professor in the Department of Microbiology and Henry Fok Professor of Infectious Diseases at the University of Hong Kong, and the co-director of the State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases since 2005. He is a physician and microbiologist, and holds an MBBS and MD from the University of Hong Kong.

Prof Yuen has discovered over 100 novel species of virus, bacteria, fungi and parasites from patients and animals. Several of these novel animal viruses or their close relatives cause emerging infectious diseases by jumping from animals to human. In 2003, he led his team in the discovery of human SARS coronavirus, and the bat SARS related coronavirus. Prof Yuen has published more than 1,300 research papers on coronaviruses, influenza, and other emerging virus infections, and was named by Clarivate, in its list of Highly Cited Researchers, among the top 1% of scholars worldwide for several consecutive years.

During the COVID-19 outbreak, Prof Yuen was the first in the world to provide evidence that SARS-CoV-2 could be easily transmitted from person-to-person in a family cluster presenting to the hospital, and that patients could be re-infected with the virus. His discoveries and expertise have been referenced by governments and healthcare policy makers internationally as they responded to the spread of the global pandemic.

Prof Yuen is a qualified specialist in clinical microbiology, internal medicine and surgery in the Hong Kong SAR and the United Kingdom. He is also academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering (Basic Medicine) and the American Academy of Microbiology. He was awarded the Future Science Prize in 2021. The HKSAR government has awarded him a Silver and Gold Bauhinia Star for his work on microbial hunting and emerging infections.