The two key annual programs of the Hong Kong Life Sciences Society (“HKLSS” or “the Society”), the Mentorship Scheme and the Summer Internship Program, have been met with enthusiastic responses this year, with a total of 700 applications received by the deadline of 15 January, doubling the number received in previous years. Many of the applicants are from overseas regions, such as the United States, Canada and Australia. To celebrate the Society’s 5th anniversary, HKLSS will be holding the 5th Anniversary Celebration cum Mentorship Scheme Kick-off Ceremony in March, bringing together industry leaders and young students and kick-starting a new journey in which knowledge and experience will be passed down to a new generation, with a view to fulfilling the Society’s mission of cultivating talent in life sciences. Celebrating the 5th Anniversary and Seizing the Opportunities in the Greater Bay Area Approaching the milestone of its 5th anniversary this year, HKLSS will organise a series of activities to connect the industry and promote public engagement, furthering its mission of cultivating talent and boosting the development of Hong Kong’s life sciences industry. In the future, the Society will strengthen co-operation with local institutions and enterprises in the Greater Bay Area, holding more study tours, internships and seminars in both Hong Kong and the mainland, so as to encourage young people to seek opportunities in mainland China while basing themselves in Hong Kong.  Professor Ken Wong, Executive Director of HKLSS, is pleased to see an increase in the number of applications for the two programs. This year, many students from the top 100 universities in the QS World University Rankings have applied for the programs and many overseas students are interested in returning to Hong Kong for internships. The Society hopes to attract more talent from the mainland and overseas in order to build a dynamic life sciences ecosystem in Hong Kong. Assembling Industry Elites to Support Young Students The one-year Mentorship Scheme has always been a highlight among the Society’s events, enjoying immense popularity among the mentees and the industry. Since its inauguration in 2019, the number of the scheme’s mentors and mentees has seen exciting growth year after year. As the program enters its 5th year, nearly 100 professional mentors have been invited to participate in the scheme, including experts in life sciences and biotechnology-related industries, young entrepreneurs and senior management, such as Mr Vincent Cheung, CEO of Nan Fung Group, Prof Daniel Lee, Associate Vice-President (Innovation and Enterprise) of CUHK, Mr Antony Leung, Chairman of Nan Fung Group, Dr Benjamin Li, Founder and Director of Lee’s Pharmaceutical Holdings Ltd., and Mr Andrew Pang, Principal of Ally Bridge Group. As for the mentees, the Society is now conducting a selection process in which about 100 participants will be chosen from a pool of applicants. The Scheme is targeted at undergraduate and postgraduate students aged 18 or above studying life sciences–related disciplines. Interested graduates or students studying other subjects will also be considered on a case-by-case basis. After the selection, students will be matched with mentors according to their backgrounds and preferences in the areas of business development, entrepreneurship, life sciences–related investments, science communication, research and development, and environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG). Each mentor will be assigned one to two mentees and will meet with them regularly to share their valuable experience and insights. Dr Stella Wong, a former mentee of the Mentorship Scheme who will soon become a Young Mentor, said, “I was honoured to be mentored by Dr Benjamin Li, Founder and Director of Lee’s Pharmaceutical Holdings Ltd., who shared with me his journey from a start-up to a large-scale enterprise, as well as his insightful experiences on selecting the right investors for the business, which was extremely rewarding.” Exploring More Locations in the Mainland with Internships and Study Tours The Life Sciences Summer Internship Program was also met with an overwhelming response, with the number of postgraduate applicants being the highest ever. The program provides six weeks of internship opportunities for university students each year, taking them out of campus to work in start-ups, venture capital firms, NGOs, and healthcare and pharmaceutical companies, where they will be exposed to cutting-edge research and technology, and are able to explore the development of the field together with industry practitioners. Having engaged organisations in both Hong Kong and Shanghai last year for the first time, the program will expand further to Shenzhen this year. In addition, the Society will collaborate with biotechnology enterprises in the mainland to organise a one-week summer study tour to Wuxi and Shanghai, providing interns with an in-depth understanding of the life sciences development trends in the Yangtze River Delta and a glimpse of the culture of Hong Kong and mainland enterprises. The program is now in its selection stage and more details will be announced in due course. Ms Lisa Cai, Director of Pivotal Life Sciences, one of the participating companies, has been in close contact with the interns. She noticed that after joining the program, the interns became aware that they had a wide range of career paths to choose from after graduation, and that research and development or professorship was no longer their only option since their internships had enabled them to develop their careers in many different areas. Approaching its 5th anniversary, HKLSS will continue to nurture more talent and promote the development of the life sciences industry in the future. For more information about the 5th Anniversary celebrations, please visit this link.

Hong Kong Life Sciences Society (HKLSS or the Society) held a Presentation Ceremony for the Hong Kong Life Sciences Scholarship Awards (the Scholarship Awards) on 14 October to honor 10 outstanding undergraduate students in life sciences and biomedical science. This year, the Society has introduced Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology to evaluate the applicants’ talents and soft skills in different aspects, with a view to selecting the students who demonstrated extraordinary potential. Mr Vincent Cheung, Founder and Chairman of HKLSS, Mr Antony Leung, HKLSS Vice Chairman, Mr Charles Ng, Guest of Honor, selection panel, institutional representatives and awardees Assisting Professional Assessment with AI and Selecting Talents by Industry Standards The Scholarship Awards consisted of two rounds of interviews, and all applications were meticulously assessed by professional judges. In the first round, AI technology was introduced to help the judges get a better understanding of the applicants’ profiles, evaluating their problem-solving ability, vision and entrepreneurial mindset, communication skills, collaboration and self-learning capacity. To test their spontaneous reactions and performance under stress, students were required to answer questions within a time limit during the interview. Meanwhile, the AI program would analyze their level of confidence and on-the-spot reactions based on their facial expressions. Shortlisted candidates who were invited to the second interview were then assessed by a selection panel formed by experts in the field. Referring to standards and trends within the industry, they evaluated the students’ potential and decided whether they were qualified for the scholarship. The judges were exceptionally pleased with the students’ outstanding performance, which far exceeded their expectations. They believed that students were familiar with different online systems after participating in online classes frequently in the past few years. The application of AI technology automated the interview process and helped the Society in handling a large number of applications, thus improving the overall efficiency. Enthusiastic Response from Applicants and the Diverse Backgrounds of the Awardees This year’s Scholarship Awards received an overwhelming response from over 110 applicants, who are from 6 local tertiary institutions with diverse backgrounds. The 10 awardees are students from City University of Hong Kong, the Chinese University of Hong Kong and the University of Hong Kong who are studying biomedical science, biotechnology, veterinary medicine and pharmacy. By supporting students from different disciplines, HKLSS hopes to inspire breakthrough research, encourage innovative thinking and promote cross-disciplinary collaboration, thereby laying a solid foundation for the future development of the life sciences. Mr Charles Ng, Executive Director of the Office for Attracting Strategic Enterprises, Financial Secretary's Office, is giving a speech The Society invited Mr Charles Ng, Executive Director of the Office for Attracting Strategic Enterprises, Financial Secretary's Office to be the Guest of Honor of the ceremony, while Mr Vincent Cheung, Founder and Chairman of HKLSS, presented the awards. With a view to bringing together organizations from different professional fields and promoting exchanges, the Society also invited representatives from various tertiary institutions and the nominators. Nurturing All-Round Leaders with Enriching Experiences The Scholarship Awards were established in 2022 by HKLSS with a goal of supporting outstanding undergraduate students to pursue life sciences or biomedical studies in local universities. This year, students were required to submit a proposal on the integration of life sciences into the community as they apply for the Scholarship Awards, which is in line with the Society’s mission of promoting the practical and social application of life sciences in the society. In addition to the HK$50,000 scholarship, each awardee will also be entitled to participate in the Society’s 12-month Mentorship Scheme and be given priority to apply for the Summer Internship Program. While the scholarship enables students to focus on their studies, the diverse learning opportunities that come with it can also broaden their horizons, enrich their academic and professional experiences, and support their all-round development so as to nurture them into future leaders in the life sciences and biotech industry. One of this year’s scholarship awardees, Chong Jer Shyuen, a third-year student majoring in biomedical science at the University of Hong Kong, expressed her heartfelt gratitude to the Society for its support, “I am thrilled to participate in the Mentorship Scheme and to have the opportunity to take part in an internship. I hope I will get to know the experts in the field and learn from them to enhance my skills and broaden my network. I will continue to strive for excellence academically, contribute to the community by taking part in the developments of life sciences and biotechnology.”

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.