Bulletin No. 1, 2023

In light of ageing populations and the sporadic emergence of global infectious disease in different parts of the world, biomedical research has become quintessential for safeguarding public health. Hong Kong has significant strength in driving biomedical innovations. The city has two outstanding medical schools ranked among the world’s top 40 by QS World University Rankings and numerous internationally renowned scientists. The Hong Kong government has launched a series of initiatives relating to translational biomedicine. Prime examples include the healthcare cluster of its flagship InnoHK initiative and the Hong Kong Genome Project. Opportunities abound for commercialisation of biomedical inventions, such as the availability of funding and space for start-ups offered by the Hong Kong Science Park and the Hong Kong Stock Exchange’s new initiative for listing pre-revenue biotechnology companies. With funding from the Hong Kong government to the tune of HK$10 billion, InnoHK is part of the administration’s commitment to transform the city into an innovation and technology (I&T) powerhouse and diversify beyond its core competitiveness as an international financial centre and a gateway for business in China and Asia. InnoHK serves as a platform to promote cross- disciplinary and cross-jurisdictional collaboration for translating research outcomes. It is hoped that this synergy will benefit society and the world substantially. The InnoHK Centres involve seven local universities and research institutions as well as over 30 collaborators from 11 economies, pooling around 2,000 local and global researchers. The brave new world of biomedicine Envisioning a healthier future 3