Hong Kong Life Sciences Society (hereinafter referred to as “the Society” or “HKLSS”) has concluded its Summer Internship Program 2023 (the Program) with success on 30 August. A total of 16 companies from the biotechnology industry in Hong Kong and Shanghai participated in this year’s Program, providing a six-week full-time work experience to 32 interns in both locations. During the Program, HKLSS organized over 40 hours of enlightening activities in Hong Kong and Shanghai, including visits, seminars and workshops, giving students a comprehensive understanding of trends within the field, with an aim of offering opportunities for young talents to put their knowledge into practice. Interns Learn about Research Technology under the Guidance of Professor Dennis Lo The highlight of this year’s Program was a visit led by Professor Dennis Lo, SBS, JP, Vice-Chairperson of HKLSS and President of Hong Kong Academy of Sciences, to the Centre for Novostics founded by Professor Lo himself. The Centre plays a pivotal role in the international scientific research community. It aims to develop cell-free nucleic acid-based diagnostics in blood and other body fluids, particularly around prenatal diagnosis and cancer diagnostics, with cutting-edge molecular diagnostic techniques. These research areas will accelerate the application of liquid biopsy and promote Hong Kong as a leading molecular diagnostic center in the world. During the visit, Professor Lo introduced the technologies developed for single-gene disorders and other pregnancy-related conditions, and demonstrated the research equipment. For students, it was an invaluable opportunity for them to observe up close innovative technologies in science. In addition to enhancing their professional knowledge, it also stimulated their enthusiasm for scientific research, making it a fruitful learning experience. After the visit, Professor Lo had lunch with the interns and shared with them some anecdotes and insights on his journey of scientific research. Professor Lo guides students during the visit to his Centre for Novostics Enthusiastic Response from Renowned Enterprises in Hong Kong and Shanghai Known for its mission of nurturing young talents, the Program has received overwhelming response since its inauguration in 2019. This year, HKLSS selected 32 students from various institutions in Hong Kong and overseas from over 300 applicants. These students were received internships from leading medical, pharmaceutical, venture capital and biotechnology companies in Hong Kong and Shanghai and were provided with opportunities to experience first-hand the innovative development of the fields. The Program was also well supported by related industries. Participating companies include multinational corporations such as Arctic Vision, AstraZeneca, Delos Capital, Nan Fung Life Sciences, Simcere Pharmaceutical, Zhaoke Ophthalmology and others. To encourage applications for the Program, HKLSS collaborated with local and overseas institutions such as City University of Hong Kong, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, The University of Hong Kong, Imperial College London, University College London, University of Oxford and The University of British Columbia to promote the Program on campus. HKLSS also assisted those in need to apply for funds provided by the HKSAR Government under the STEM Internship Scheme, supporting more young people who are interested in developing their career in related fields to participate in the Program, which is in line with HKLSS’s mission of bringing together life sciences talents. Exciting opening events with industry leaders Officially launched on 27 June, the Program commenced with an opening ceremony held in Hong Kong, which was graced by the presence of various distinguished guests: Ms Lillian Cheong, JP, Under Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry of the HKSAR Government gave an opening speech while Mr Vincent Cheung, Founder and Chairman of HKLSS extended a warm welcome to all participants. Professor Lap Chee Tsui, GBM, GBS, JP, Member of the Advisory Board of HKLSS and Founding President of The Hong Kong Academy of Sciences also gave a keynote speech. Professor Helen Meng, Director of Centre for Perceptual and Interactive Intelligence of The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Mr Alan Cheung, Senior Director of Trust and Artificial Intelligence Technologies of ASTRI , and Ms Cintia Nunes, General Manager and Head of Asia of The Mills Fabrica, participated in the discussions. On 30 June, the Program set off to Shanghai for a welcome dinner, during which Dr Jay Mei, Member of the Advisory Board of HKLSS and Founder, Chairman and CEO of Antengene, and Dr Eddy Wu, Founder and CEO of Arctic Vision, were invited to deliver speeches. Diversified Activities to Broaden Students’ Horizons The Program was packed with diverse activities. Apart from the placement, interns also participated in a number of guided visits to companies in Hong Kong and Shanghai, including the Shanghai headquarters of the internationally renowned pharmaceutical companies Roche and AstraZeneca, as well as MobiDrop, providing the interns with a comprehensive survey of the development opportunities in the industries. In addition, HKLSS organized seminars on various topics and invited industry elites to share and exchange ideas with the interns to broaden their horizons. The speakers included Ms Gladdy He, Member of the Advisory Board of HKLSS  and Founder and CEO of Become Consulting, and Mr Michael Chu, Associate Director - Life Sciences, Business and HR Support of Links International. They gave an overview of the industry in mainland China and Hong Kong, as well as the career prospects for graduates. Mr Vincent Cheung, Founder and Chairman of HKLSS, with the interns Acquiring knowledge and seizing industry opportunities Mr Vincent Cheung, Founder and Chairman of HKLSS, said, "We hope that our interns will be exposed to different facets of the industry and that they can explore career options beyond academia.” The life sciences industry is full of opportunities. Graduates can work not only in research but also in other professions such as business development, investment, policy research, testing or marketing. The Program has deepened students’ understanding of the industry and helped them establish a network within it. HKLSS is approaching its fifth anniversary. As always, the Society endeavours to nurture talents in life sciences and will strive to expand the Program to more regions. In doing so, the Society aims to build a dynamic life sciences ecosystem and address the lack of locally funded internships.

Hong Kong Life Sciences Society (HKLSS or The Society) established Hong Kong Life Sciences Scholarship Awards earlier, which are set to encourage outstanding undergraduate students to pursue a life sciences or biomedical science program in a UGC-funded institution. Thirteen awardees, chosen by the professional selection panel, are from The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Baptist University, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, and The University of Hong Kong. The Presentation Ceremony was held on 26 November 2022. Hon Mr Duncan Chiu, The Legislative Council Member (Technology and Innovation), attended the Ceremony as the Guest of Honour to commend all the awardees. He stated in his speech, “The development of science and technology is highly valued both locally and in Mainland China right now, the Hong Kong government even aims to become an international centre for science and technology. We are therefore most in need of such talents. We are grateful to HKLSS for setting up the Scholarship Awards timely to nurture talents for the future science and technology industries.” After presenting the awards to the students, Mr Vincent Cheung, Founder and Chairman of HKLSS and CEO of Nan Fung Group shared that the focus of HKLSS in the coming years will be on facilitating the development of biotechnology. The Society will strive to develop young talents to help them integrate into the life sciences sector. Representatives from different institutions also attended the Ceremony to recognize the outstanding academic achievements of the awarded students. They included Prof Ian Holliday, Vice-President and Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Teaching and Learning)  of The University of Hong Kong; Prof Daniel Lee, Associate Vice-President and Chief Innovation and Entrepreneurship Officer of The Chinese University of Hong Kong; Dr Ann Lau, Assistant Dean (Education), Faculty of Medicine and Associate Director (Undergraduate Education) , School of Biomedical Sciences of The Chinese University of Hong Kong;    Prof Kai Liu, Cheng Associate Professor of Science of The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology; and Dr Rosa Tang, Deputy Director of Student Affairs and Head of Career Centre of Hong Kong Baptist University. HKLSS set aside HKD$1 million in the first year of the scholarship awards. Each awardee will receive a scholarship of HKD50,000 in the current academic year with other complimentary entitlements, including the access to the Society’s Mentorship Scheme, and priority in enrolling onto the Society’s Summer Internship Program. All awardees expressed that they have benefited immensely from Hong Kong Life Sciences Scholarship Awards, not only in academic terms, but also in terms of learning more about the life sciences industry. Charlton Sullivan, one of the award recipients commented, “The Scholarship Awards are designed to equip life sciences students with knowledge and experience in the biotech sector. The Mentorship Program and Internship Scheme will provide us with an understanding of how biotech companies operate so I will be well prepared for my future career.” Another awardee, Charmaine Tsang expressed gratitude to HKLSS for the valuable learning opportunities that nurtured students to become life sciences professionals. She said, “Although my university offers plenty of educational resources, there are limited occasions to obtain real-world experience. The Scholarship Awards fill the gap by providing opportunities for students to apply their learning, so they can gain insights into areas of their future study and career development, including R&D, entrepreneurship and the healthcare sector.”

Hong Kong Life Sciences Society (HKLSS) announces its collaboration with local craft beer brand Mak’s Brewery to launch the limited edition of Honey+Goji Pale Ale, and Honey+Goji Carbonated Hops Tea. They will make their first appearance at ‘Halloween Festival: The Lingering Fine Wine’, a festival-themed event presented by Nan Fung Group between 28 and 30 October 2022. HKLSS hopes to connect life sciences with everyday life through the launch of these local brews. Launching Science Brewed Craft Beer to Connect Daily Life  With craft beers going viral among the new generation, the chemical reactions that occur in the brewing process and the application of brewing principles are closely related to our daily lives, which echoes HKLSS’ philosophy of fostering the connection between life science and everyday experiences.  'The Scientist's Brew' Beverages About ‘The Scientist’s Brew’ Two new beverages will be introduced at the event: Honey+Goji Pale Ale and Honey+Goji Carbonated Hops Tea.  Honey+Goji Pale Ale is made with a natural form of sugar - fermented honey, alongside other ingredients like water, malt, hops, yeast, honey and goji berries, containing several minerals and vitamins, including iron, calcium, potassium, magnesium, and vitamin B and C. This honey-made pale ale also has higher nutrient value and lower glycemic index than refined sugar. With benefits to the liver and eyes, Goji berries are added at the early stage of the brewing process to preserve bioactive substances and maximize the antioxidant effect. During the production, changes in water temperature will react differently with pH value, creating a variety of pale ale flavors.  Honey+Goji Carbonated Hops Tea is brewed with the process of tea making, featuring ingredients of water, tea leaves, hops, honey, goji berries and malic acid. From this non-alcoholic beverage, CO2 is released and forms beer-like bubbles, resembling the aroma and flavor of craft beer; honey is cooked to remove enzymes, and hops act as natural preservatives that help extend the shelf-life of the product and provide calming properties. Visit Tasting Booth and Join Workshops for A Joyful Experience HKLSS will run a tasting booth at the event, where the interns from HKLSS will share related brewing facts. To add more fun, participants can play a mini-game of identifying the taste of Pale Ale and Carbonated Hops Tea from different essential oils, and guessing the ingredients of the beverages.  To provide the public with a better understanding of the biochemical reactions that took place in the brewing process, HKLSS invited a brewer from Mak’s Brewery to hold the ‘Principles of Brewing and Tasting’ workshop on Saturday afternoon. Participants will explore the process of beer making and techniques of craft beer tasting with registered participants.  Moreover, the public is welcome to attend the ‘Beer Candle DIY’ workshop for a delightful handcrafting experience. Under guidance from a professional instructor, registered participants can craft, scent, and color their one-of-a-kind ‘Beer Mug Candle’ by learning about the principles and attributes of handcrafted candles.  This public event is organized by the students from HKLSS Summer Internship Programs 2021 and 2022. They are university students pursuing biotechnology and nutrition-related studies who have spent 18 months designing, researching, sourcing, and negotiating for the event after being selected by HKLSS and completing a six-week full-time internship program.  For more details about ‘Halloween Festival: The Lingering Fine Wine’, please refer to this link and follow @hklifesciencessociety @intimeofhk @nanfungplace #HKLSS #TheScientistsBrew #LifeSciencesInEverydayLife #InTimeOf #InTimeOfFood #NanFungGroup #Resilientcity #InTimeOfHalloween #Halloween #localcraftbeernwine #popupmarket. 

Hong Kong Life Sciences Society (HKLSS) has put immense efforts in nurturing life sciences talent, which is crucial to fulfilling Hong Kong’s biotech ambition. Riding on its previous success by bridging the gap between academic study and career development, the Scheme received hundreds of applications last year. Applications for HKLSS Mentorship Scheme 2023 will soon open on 10 October. Offering Career Development Insights by Individual Mentoring and Coaching To enhance learning beyond the classroom and nurture career success, the Mentorship Scheme has fostered connections between industry practitioners and life sciences students. Lasting for one full year, the Scheme is a structured, one-on-one partnership between a mentor and a mentee, enabling both parties to have a close and engaging relationship. Moreover, the Scheme facilitates mentees to make relevant connections, develop workplace knowledge and soft skills, and gain insights about biotech developments in preparation for a thriving life science career in Hong Kong and mainland China. Empowering Mentorship Experience with Extensive Support from Industry Experts The scheme is introduced for undergraduate and postgraduate life sciences students. Graduates with a non-life sciences background will be considered on a case-by-case basis. All mentors are industry experts, young entrepreneurs and senior executives from a wide range of professions in the life sciences industry in Hong Kong and mainland China, including but not limited to consulting, data analysis, healthcare, investment and finance, law and compliance, NGO, research and development, and start-up. Moving into its fourth year, HKLSS Mentorship Scheme has successfully established a network of over 100 mentee alumni and over 50 mentors. Our industry experts from leading companies include Mr Antony Leung, Group Chairman of Nan Fung Group, Ms Irene Chu, Partner, Head of New Economy and Life Sciences of KPMG China, Mr Tony Yung, Chief Executive Officer of Take2 Health Ltd, Dr Lydia Leung, CEO of Belun Technology, Prof Tom Cheung, Associate Professor of Division of Life Science at HKUST, etc. Student-Industry Partnership Sparks Mutual Benefits Mr Vincent Cheung, Founder and Chairman of HKLSS, said, “HKLSS is dedicated to supporting life sciences talent in identifying academic and career opportunities. Through the student-industry partnership initiated by the Mentorship Scheme, mentors will be able to give mentees invaluable advice and insights to their personal growth and professional development while getting fresh perspectives and inspirations from the mentees. The spark is invaluable in driving the life sciences industry forward.” Noreen Chui, a year 2 student studying MBBS at HKU and Tammy Pham, a year 3 student studying Applied Biology with Biotechnology at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, are the mentees of Dr Wolf Cheung, Senior Scientist of Bio-Cancer Treatment International this year. Noreen said, “HKLSS Mentorship Scheme gave me a unique opportunity to get to know scientists working in the industry. It was eye-opening for me to learn how a local company invented a biological drug in Hong Kong and is now proceeding to stage III clinical trial internationally for cancer treatment. Through my mentor, I managed to have a glimpse into this company, learn about how they became a successful company and the challenges they have faced in the last decade.” Tammy said, “I’m so grateful to be a part of the Scheme for two consecutive years. Joining this program is such a meaningful experience to get more insights into the outcomes of the pre-clinical research at the industry level. Our mentor offered a company visit where I learned a lot about the operation pipeline and the systematic organisation of any clinical trials before launching a drug into a market.” Applications for HKLSS Mentorship Scheme 2023 will soon open on 10 October. Interested individuals are welcome to submit their application online.  For more details about the Mentorship Scheme, please refer to this link.

Hong Kong Life Sciences Society (HKLSS or the Society) is happy to announce the establishment of Hong Kong Life Sciences Scholarship Awards, which are set to encourage outstanding undergraduate students to pursue a life sciences or biomedical science program in a UGC-funded institution. HKLSS is offering HKD$1 million in the first year of the scholarship awards. Hong Kong Life Sciences Scholarship Awards are open to Bachelor of Science (BSc) students from the six local universities: The University of Hong Kong, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, City University of Hong Kong and Hong Kong Baptist University, who are completing their first year of study in 2021-2022 academic year, with a CGPA of 3.5 and above; and having selected a life sciences or biomedical science major in their second-year study. Each of the awardees will receive a scholarship of HKD50,000 in the second- or third-year undergraduate study with other complimentary entitlements, including the access to the Society’s Mentorship Scheme for equipping with workplace knowledge and soft skills, and priority in enrolling onto the Society’s Summer Internship Program. Since its establishment in 2018, the Society has put in a lot of efforts to attract, nurture and retain talent in Hong Kong’s life sciences sector. The Hong Kong Life Sciences Scholarship Awards are uniquely comprehensive that they provide more than just financial support to awardees, but also the benefits of our mentorship and summer internship, addressing students’ expressed concern over life sciences career prospects. Mr Vincent Cheung, Founder and Chairman of Hong Kong Life Sciences Society said, “With a surge of global attention to biomedical innovations, nurturing life sciences talent is critical to cope with the rapid industry growth. The Society is happy to unveil Hong Kong Life Sciences Scholarship Awards to encourage outstanding students in advancing life sciences or biomedical science studies, by offering financial support, alongside work and networking opportunities. We hope that the scheme can benefit life sciences talent aspiring to contribute to the society, in fields of life sciences and biomedical science. This would help achieve our long-term objective to build a pipeline of life sciences talent in Hong Kong, and in turn catalyzing a vibrant life sciences ecosystem.” Nominations can be submitted by relevant Faculty Deans or by self-nomination. All nominees will need to submit a CV and 300-word statement outlining their academic and career aspirations. The nomination deadline of the Scholarship Awards is 29 July 2022. Shortlisted candidates will be asked to attend an interview in August / September, and the results will be notified in October 2022. For more details about Hong Kong Life Sciences Scholarship Awards, please refer to this link. Prof Ken Wong, Executive Director of Hong Kong Life Sciences Society said, “According to the Hong Kong Annual Digest of Statistics, there were around 2,300 graduates from life sciences and biomedical science programs in local universities in 2020; while the number of biology and medicine research output by local universities is subsequently decreasing. In fact, the rapid development of biotechnology in Hong Kong has provided ample opportunities; through the establishment of the Scholarship Awards, the Society hopes to attract more students to enroll into life sciences-related programs, and to devote to the industry to cater for the booming market development.” Summer Internship Program 2022 Received Record-high Applications HKLSS is also committed to advancing opportunities for the study and practice of life sciences, and thus offering a 6-week Life Sciences Summer Internship Program through collaborations with renowned biotechnology companies in Hong Kong and mainland China. The program offers a unique life sciences/ biotech internship opportunity to university students and recent graduates to explore cutting-edge research, technology and the future of life sciences, enabling them to get out of the laboratory and acquire knowledge from various types of companies within the biotech sector. Over four years since its debut, the program has been highly regarded and supported by university students and the business community. This year, the program received record-high 300 applications, with remarkable participation of top-tier undergraduate and postgraduate from more than 30 institutions in Hong Kong, United Kingdom and United States. Aligning the candidates’ academic profile with the needs of the participating companies, HKLSS plays an important role to offer the best internship match between employers and interns. After rounds of interviews and evaluation, 35 interns were selected for 20 renowned life sciences companies and local start-ups, including Nan Fung Life Sciences, Novus Life Sciences, Take2 Health, Belun Technology and Opharmic Technology (HK). Through this six-week internship program starting from July, interns will work with experienced researchers and practitioners, participate in weekend activities and network with C-level executives to acquire practical knowledge, soft skills and latest industry trends. The opening ceremony of the Summer Internship Program 2022 took place on 28 June at The Mills Fabrica. A panel discussion was held to spark ideas on how the GBA creates opportunities for Hong Kong young talent pursuing a life sciences career. Interns had also taken the opportunity to join the guided tour at The Mills to learn about the integration between innovative technology, business development and the local community. Opening Ceremony of the Summer Internship Program 2022 For more details about the Summer Internship Program, please refer to this link.