As Asia’s largest and the world’s second largest biotechnology fund-raising center, Hong Kong has world-class infrastructure and resources for life sciences industry development. The latest Policy Address 2020 outlined various measurements to foster the development of Hong Kong’s life sciences industry. Together with Hong Kong’s unique role as an International Financial Centre and it being a home for diverse international talent pool, allowing government, corporations and academia to have full confidence in the future development of the local life sciences industry. Unleash Life Sciences Industry Potential with Government-Business Collaboration Policy Address 2020 introduced a number of measurements to foster the development of the life sciences industry in Hong Kong, including the expansion Stock Connect that allows eligible pre-revenue biotech companies in Hong Kong to be included in southbound trading. This initiative will add a bright spot to the mutual access of the financial markets of Hong Kong and Mainland China, boosting up the development of local life sciences industry. The government has increased funding for local postgraduate students and cultivation of technology professionals substantially over the past few years, attracting a lot of overseas innovation and technology talents to develop their career in Asia, especially Hong Kong. In addition, the government will invest $2 billion in a five-year Global STEM Professorship Scheme to attract overseas in starting their business in Hong Kong. What’s more, the government will launch the Greater Bay Area Youth Employment Scheme, providing younger generation with more career opportunities in the innovative and technology industry.  Strengthen Life Sciences Ecosystem in Hong Kong with HKLSS Internship Program As an active force in building Hong Kong's life sciences ecosystem, Hong Kong Life Sciences Society (HKLSS or the Society) is committed to nurture and retain life science talents in Hong Kong, and to promote knowledge exchange and talent collaboration. HKLSS actively launches various programs and activities, including Summer Internship Programs, Mentorship Scheme, hosting webinars, lecture sharing and workshops. As one of the key programs of HKLSS, the Summer Internship Program aims to provide a platform for local students studying in life sciences or related disciplines to learn and communicate within the industry, and to assist companies in recruiting talents. One of the interns from Summer Internship program 2019, Kobby Ng, was arranged to work in Sumitomo Pharmaceuticals in Shanghai for a month. She said, “The Manager in my department was willing to share with us different perspective and ideas. I have gained a lot of valuable knowledge outside classrooms in this Internship Program.” Participated companies of the Program also spoke highly of the program and the interns. Eddy Wu, Founder and CEO of Arctic Vision said, “Summer interns had the opportunity to attend meetings, contribute their ideas, present their findings and making connections with colleagues in our scientific research, clinical development, commercial planning and business development units.” In addition, Mr. Vincent Cheung, Chairman of HKLSS said, “We hope the establishment of HKLSS could create positive synergy among industry representatives, investors, government departments locally and internationally. We also hope that Hong Kong will become world-class life sciences industrial cluster through talent nurturing and cultivation.” For this year’s Summer Internship Program 2020, HKLSS has selected 16 students from 160 applicants to intern at various biotech start up,  pharmaceutical or venture capital firms to learn latest industry knowledge and skills which will be applicable in their career. The participating companies all agreed that the interns performed very well, some of the employers have expressed their eagerness to hire the interns after the completion of internship program which undoubtedly affirmed the effort of HKLSS in talent cultivation. Another key program, Mentorship Scheme 2021 have invited 43 industry elites including Ms. Irene Chu, Head of New Economy and Head of Life Sciences of KPMG China, Professor Yuen Kwok Yung, Chair Professor of the Department of Microbiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, and Professor Dennis Lo, Associate Dean (Research) of the Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, as mentors to guide about 80 selected mentees. Meetings will be arranged between mentors and mentees throughout the program, mentors will offer advice to guide mentees on their career direction based on the mentee’s preference, strengths and developmental needs as well as skills, values and interests. In addition to Summer Internship Program and Mentorship Scheme, HKLSS also holds many online and offline activities that are dedicated to promoting the comprehensive development of the students, such as Webinar Series on Coronavirus, Beyond Global Cities Dialogue Series 2020, Workshop on Data Science Fundamentals and so on. HKLSS devoted to encourage the communication between academia, industry and business sectors and help students to equip themselves in keeping pace with the rapid development and to seize numerous opportunities within life sciences industry.  

Hong Kong Life Sciences Society (HKLSS or this society) aims to attract, cultivate and retain talent in Hong Kong’s life sciences and biotechnology sectors. As one of the signature programs of HKLSS, the Mentorship Scheme sets to provide university students and young industry practitioners with opportunities to share their challenges, listen to their mentors, and work together to find a solution to a workplace or study issue. By the end of the mentorship, mentees are expected to equip themselves with a study or career plan, workplace knowledge and the soft skills that many life sciences employers look for in candidates. All our mentors take the lead to work hand-in-hand with their mentees to set goals in initial meetings and offer useful advice to the mentees’ overall development. Gather Industry Leaders to Strengthen the Mentorship Experience Our mentors belong to industry leaders, spanning across consulting, data analysis, investment, finance, healthcare, law and compliance and non-profit organizations. Mentees are carefully selected and encouraged to step out of the laboratory, sharpen interpersonal communication, and unleash their potentials. During the scheme, every mentor will be guiding not more than two mentees, ensuring the effectiveness and the quality of the mentoring relationships. On top of that, networking events including kick-off ceremony also provide mentees with a platform that enables them to meet with more industry experts,  practitioners, and researchers. It creates opportunities for mentees to expand their network, not only with the biotech experts but also the peers within the industry.  To keep both sides on the right track during the whole process, three to four meetings between mentors and mentees will be scheduled. Mentors will offer advice to guide mentees on their career direction based on the mentee’s preference, strengths and developmental needs as well as skills, values and interests. It is worth mentioning that our Mentorship Scheme is also available for e-mentoring.  If the assigned mentor is not usually residing in Hong Kong or the mentee is studying abroad, e-mentoring can be an effective and ideal solution for both sides. The Mentorship Scheme last year invited industry experts including Mr. Vincent Cheung, Chairman of HKLSS, Mr. Antony Leung, Chairman and CEO of Nan Fung Group, Professor Yuen Kwok-Yung, Chair of Infectious Diseases, Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, Dr. Chun Wu, Managing Director of Boston Consulting Group, Professor Tom Cheung, SH Ho Associate Professor of HKUST’s Division of Life Science, and Ms. Irene Chu, KPMG Partner, Head of New Economy and Life Sciences Hong Kong as our mentors. Mr. Vincent Cheung, Chairman of HKLSS, said: “As one of the fastest-growing industry clusters in Mainland China and globally, biotech is well-placed to give new impetus to the development of Hong Kong, providing our young people with new horizons and ample career opportunities. The Mentorship Scheme is not simply a career counseling program. Through the regular communication between mentors and mentees, mentees will be able to obtain professional insight and experience imparted from mentors, allowing mentees to understand various career options in the life sciences industry.” Positive Feedback Received and the Mentorship Scheme 2021 is Now Open for Application The Kick-off Ceremony of the first Mentorship Scheme was held in The Annex, Nan Fung Place in Sheung Wan in January 2020 which attracted more than 50 mentees, 20 mentors, and 10 advisory board members of HKLSS. The mentees from the first cohort said that one-on-one guidance laid a good foundation for career development, and their relationship expands the professional network for mentees. Gege Yang, a mentee of the Mentorship Scheme 2020, said: “My mentor gave me useful career advice and suggested several pathways I might take before my PhD graduation which gave me a clear direction and benefited a lot.” The Mentorship Scheme 2021 now accepts online application from 5 October until 20 November 2020. The Scheme is open to all undergraduate and postgraduate students, aged 18 or above, who are studying life sciences or a related academic discipline. Fresh graduates will also be considered on an individual basis.

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected everyone and everywhere, impacting our daily lives in an unprecedented way. Whilst many industries and businesses have seen a downturn, increase in demand for research and development has been seen in industries such as medical care and devices, and COVID-19 vaccines offers hope for the longer run. Some researchers have pointed out that DNA sequencing technology has helped in accelerating the development of vaccines, which demonstrated the importance of life sciences in controlling the global pandemic situation and the growing demand for talents.  Increased Awareness of Life Sciences Maximizes Candidates’ Career Options The outbreak and prevention of COVID-19 has demonstrated the increased importance of life sciences industry and its prosperous future, providing DSE candidates diversified choices to cater to their different interests. In recent years, local life sciences industry has been enjoying the abundant resources, favourable scientific research environment and strong support from the government. Together with the diversed pathways and degree choices, graduates are able to achieve their career aspirations in medical, financial, technology, and science industries.  As a talent cradle for local life sciences industry, Hong Kong Life Sciences Society (HKLSS or the Society) has always been committed to attracting, nurturing and retaining life science talents. It also aims to build a dynamic life sciences ecosystem in Hong Kong and strengthen communication with the young generation. Moreover, HKLSS organizes its Summer Internship Program every year, offering the next generation a platform to connect with the industry, as well as to train up the students' work-related skills and adaptability, laying a solid foundation for their future development in the industry. The Summer Internship Program Kicked Off with Exciting Online Happenings After months of preparation and careful selection, HKLSS Summer Internship Program 2020 officially kicked off. Despite the impact of COVID-19, the internship program has nevertheless received 160 applications, 16 interns successfully stood out through layers of selection. In the coming months, they will be interning at life sciences companies including pharmaceutical and venture capital companies to learn more about operational knowledge of the industry so as to expand their network and widen their horizons. On 15 July (Wednesday), HKLSS celebrated the inauguration of its Summer Internship Program 2020, allowed interns to visit the extensive network and resources of Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks (HKSTP) virtually. Mr. Albert Wong, CEO of HKSTP and Professor W John Kao, Head of the Biomedical Technology Cluster, HKSTP, have also shared their thoughts of the industry’s latest trend and development with the interns. In addition, the interns also took the opportunity to learn about the products and services of three biotechnology companies including Opharmic Technology, ACT Genomics and Belun Technology. This year’s internship program takes place in Hong Kong, allowing interns to go deep into learning and mastering the comprehensive knowledge in areas including research and development, communications, data analysis and investment within the life sciences industry. What’s more, an online dialogue was held on 1 August (Saturday), partner companies were invited to share with students about technology and entrepreneurship, as well as discussing the trends and prospects of local life sciences scene. HKLSS will also invite two partner companies in Shanghai to share more with the interns about the current status and development of the life sciences industry in the Mainland China on 8 August (Saturday), including their career stories, so as to maximize the platform for knowledge sharing.

Hong Kong Life Sciences Society (HKLSS) has been dedicated in nurturing Hong Kong into a vibrant world-class life sciences industry cluster through talents cultivation. With the mission of maximizing the impact of the endeavours through building a strong and sustainable talent pipeline in Hong Kong, HKLSS has connected a committed team of top scholars and professionals to foster the development of life sciences industry in Hong Kong. Since the official inauguration in June 2019, HKLSS has been nurturing and gathering local life sciences talents through a wide range of activities including Summer Internship Program, Mentorship Scheme, bench talks and workshops, dialogue series, webinars and public engagement activities. Strengthen Knowledge and Experience Sharing on COVID-19 Combat In the combat of COVID-19, internationally experts in Hong Kong successfully demonstrated they are ahead of the curve and shared their expertise and experience. As the core members of HKLSS Advisory Board, Professor Yuen Kwok-yung from the University of Hong Kong, Professor Leo Poon, Professor and Division Head of Public Health Laboratory Sciences and Professor Keiji Fukuda, former Assistant Director-General for WHO, and currently Director of HKU’s School of Public Health have contributed tremendously in addressing the COVID-19 crisis. As one of the core members of the HKSAR Government Expert Advisory Group Professor Yuen and Professor Fukuda have offered critical advice by sharing the knowledge and experience from fighting with Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). These valuable comments help in improving public’s understanding of the causes and risks of the pandemic. In addition, Professor Poon and his team have successfully developed rapid nucleic acid amplification tests within six days after the genomic sequence was released to help identify COVID-19 confirmed case earlier. The test a have been sent out immediately, offering support to over 70 countries. The outbreak of COVID-19 has raised public awareness about the importance and the contribution of life science development. To further strengthen knowledge sharing and collaboration between life sciences practitioners HKLSS has launched a series of global webinars on Coronavirus with sharing from experts in different fields, offering young talents and interested parties the opportunity to exchange and share ideas with experts. The next webinar will take place on 10 June (Wednesday) with Professor Denis Wirtz from Johns Hopkins University as the speaker. Please visit the link here for more webinar details and schedule. Two Key Programs in Nurturing Talents to Foster Industry Development HKLSS has been continuously expanding life sciences ecosystem and recruiting talents to bolster the development of local life sciences industry – summer internship program, mentorship scheme, webinars, talks and workshops – to explore latest industry development and trends and widen the horizon of young talents. Summer Internship Program is one of the key annual events of HKLSS. The first internship program has attracted large corporations and bio-tech companies to participate and has successfully competed in Shanghai last year. In response to the global pandemic situation, HKLSS has confirmed to hold the Summer Internship Program 2020 in Hong Kong this year with a determination to continue in supporting and creating more opportunities for young talents during this unprecedented time. Interns will have the opportunities to work in local life sciences companies including start-ups, venture capital and pharmaceutical companies in Hong Kong. During the internship, HKLSS will conduct various interactive talks and networking activities for interns to understand the development and prospect of life sciences industry in a more comprehensive way. In addition to the internship program, HKLSS’ Mentorship Scheme also helps to equip students with the necessary knowledge and skills, and to expand their social network. Participating mentors are all experienced industry experts, young entrepreneurs and senior managements including HKLSS Vice- Chairmen Mr. Anthony Leung, HKLSS Advisory Board members, Professor Yuen Kwok-yung, Professor Keiji Fukuda, offering mentees valuable industry experience and networking resources, providing them the support needed in building their career in Hong Kong and Greater China. Connecting Industry Experts and Younger Generation to Foster Development As the communication bridge to connect life sciences industry experts and new generation, HKLSS has been dedicated its constant effort in offering a platform for industry updates and experience sharing to arouse young talents in joining the industry force.

Hong Kong Life Sciences Society, established in September 2018, aims to attract, cultivate and retain talents in the local life sciences sector through knowledge exchange, collaboration and engagement in order to establish a dynamic life sciences ecosystem in Hong Kong. HKLSS is also dedicated in providing a platform to connect local life sciences talents with Mainland and international companies. Government and Industry Join Hands to Foster Local Life Sciences Development Hong Kong has a lot of outstanding scientific research talent and institutions. The fundamental research, clinical research and capital markets have all developed maturely. Hong Kong is blessed with a strategic location, robust intellectual property protection and unique role as a global business and financial centre, making the city an ideal location for biotech companies and start-ups to invest and collaborate. Nevertheless, the continuous development of the life sciences sector is a collective effort from the industry, business sector and the Government. “We hope to foster the inter-disciplinary collaboration between industry leaders, investors, the Government, local and international organizations through the establishment of HKLSS. We will continue to dedicate our effort in nurturing talents, which helps develop a world-class life sciences cluster in Hong Kong,” said Mr. Vincent Cheung, Chairman of the HKLSS Board of Governors. HKLSS has debuted its first Summer Internship Program in 2019 with the backing of venture capitals and pharmaceutical companies, including Morningside Venture Capital, AstraZeneca, WuXi AppTec and WuXi Biologics. The summer internship program has fully demonstrated HKLSS’ support towards the next generation in realizing their passion in life sciences industry for the betterment of society, which also laid a solid foundation of the development of HKLSS. Promote Talent Exchange and Development via Summer Internship Program HKLSS has been working closely with industry practitioners to nurture younger generation, provide new exposure and visions, and to establish a shared network of resources and talents with China’s life sciences industry. Riding on the success of the previous summer internship program, HKLSS will launch its Summer Internship Program 2020, offering participants unique opportunity to expand their skills and horizons at biotech startup, venture capital firm, healthcare or pharmaceutical company in Shanghai. Intern positions will cover R&D, communications, data analysis and investment. During the internship program, participants will be given the opportunity to engage with sector specialists through workshops, presentations and networking activities, and to explore their career directions in biotechnology and life sciences. The Summer Internship Program 2020 is now open for online application until 30 April 2020. Explore Wide Array of Industry Hot Topics through Events and Activities HKLSS has been continuously dedicating its effort in organizing a series of exciting activities for life sciences talents in different fields and stages, such as our Mentorship Scheme. The Mentorship Scheme is designed to cultivate young students in these industries, by equipping them with workplace-ready knowledge and soft skills, as well as the ability to network and make relevant connections with industry leaders, young entrepreneurs and senior executives from a wide range or professions related to life sciences and biotechnology. HKLSS also encourage further exchange and collaboration between academia, industry practitioners and students through a series of bench talks, workshops and inter-disciplinary dialogues. Looking forward, HKLSS will continue in dedicating its effort and resources to provide an effective channel for interested talents to learn more about life sciences. Dedicated Effort in Fulfilling the Aspirations and Missions of HKLSS In order to build a strong and sustainable talent pipeline in the sector, HKLSS has been gathering and connecting top-notch professionals from different areas in the life sciences sector to join the Board of Governors to exchange insights and industry updates. Among them are Professor Nancy Ip, Vice-President of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology and Professor Dennis Lo, School of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong. Both of the top international bioscientists who have made significant contributions to biotechnology are also the Vice-Chairmen of HKLSS. Dr. David Ho Da-I, who is credited with inventing the combination antiretroviral therapy, popularly known as cocktail therapy, Professor Yuen Kwok-yung, Chair of Infectious Diseases, Department of Microbiology, University of Hong Kong and Professor Leo Poon, virology experts and division head of HKU’s Public Health Laboratory Sciences are also core members of HKLSS Advisory Board. Life sciences has a decisive influence on the development of humankind, covering wide range of aspect including medical, agricultural and food industry. HKLSS will continue its effort to provide a communication platform young talents and scientists through various programs and activities and to foster the development of life sciences industry.