Hong Kong Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases 香港神經退行性疾病中心

13/05/2026

We're delighted to be part of the Asia Summit on Global Health 2026 (ASGH 2026), where we showcased our latest advancements in developing diagnostics and therapeutics for neurodegenerative diseases, particularly Alzheimer's disease.

At the Summit, our team highlighted our innovations across early detection, precision disease management, and novel therapeutic development. We also shared our translational progress: our blood testing technologies for early detection and personalized management of Alzheimer's disease have been translated into practical applications for clinical services and community programs, promoting brain health and healthy aging.

Co-organized by the HKSAR Government and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, ASGH brings together policymakers, research and medical experts, industry leaders, start-ups, and investors worldwide, fostering the exchange of healthcare innovations and global collaboration. Together, we're advancing impactful healthcare innovations and supporting Hong Kong's growth as a health and medical innovation hub.

10/04/2026

【科大開展「華人健康長壽研究」｜招募500位90歲或以上長者參與】

科大現正開展「華人健康長壽研究」。這項前瞻性的研究以本地華人長者為對象，旨在深入剖析「健康長壽」的原因，為未來制定更精準、個人化的健康管理策略提供科學基礎，並促進社會整體健康老齡化的發展。

香港連續十年蟬聯全球最長壽地區，90歲或以上的長者人數持續上升。這群長壽的長者為研究本地華人人口中健康長壽的特徵及生物多樣性，提供了極為寶貴的研究資源。

研究由科大校長葉玉如教授領導，並獲鵬程慈善基金慷慨支持。現正招募500位長者：
1️⃣ 90歲或以上
2️⃣ 華人
3️⃣ 能清楚表達知情及同意參與研究

✅ 該研究將免費為參加者安排一次檢查，包括血液檢測、基本醫生臨床檢查，研究團隊亦會透過問卷收集其身體狀況及生活方式等資料，以進行綜合分析。

誠邀合資格的長者踴躍參與，共同為香港的健康老齡化出一分力！

如有興趣參加或了解更多詳情，歡迎聯絡科大華人健康長壽研究團隊。

📞 電話：𝟮𝟯𝟱𝟲 𝟯𝟭𝟱𝟱
💬 WhatsApp：𝟲𝟳𝟬𝟳 𝟲𝟴𝟯𝟬
🔗 了解更多：https://bit.ly/3QvKEWP

#科大華人健康長壽研究 #健康長壽 #健康老齡化 #研究招募 #長者健康

16/02/2026

值此新春，HKCeND團隊祝大家身體健康、龍馬精神、馬到成功！

讓我們策馬前行，銳意創新，共創更美好的未來。🐎✨

As we welcome the Year of the Horse, HKCeND wishes you a year of good health, vitality, and continued success.

Inspired by the Horse‘s strength and forward momentum, we continue to advance innovation and create meaningful impact for society.

24/12/2025

🎄 Happy holidays from the team at HKCeND! We wish you a Christmas filled with warmth and joy.

✨ This year, we are grateful for the remarkable breakthroughs we've achieved together. Your support has truly been invaluable.

🌟 Looking ahead, let's embrace the New Year with passion and inspiration as we continue our innovative journey toward a healthier tomorrow.

06/10/2025

🎑 ✨ Happy Mid-Autumn Festival from the HKCeND team! 🥮 This season symbolizes unity, abundance, and hope. Let’s come together with our loved ones to celebrate memorable moments and shine a light on our journey of innovation toward a brighter future.

03/10/2025

葉玉如教授領導的InnoHK香港神經退行性疾病中心和香港科技大學神經系統疾病全國重點實驗室的研究團隊表明，一種名為TREM2 H157Y的遺傳變異會顯著增加中國人群罹患阿爾茲海默症的風險。研究揭示，攜帶該遺傳變異的患者早期病情惡化更快、認知功能下降更明顯，且神經退行性病變更為嚴重。

在中國內地，現時約有1,000萬阿爾茲海默症患者，佔全球病例的20%以上。目前全球大多數基因研究主要集中在歐洲人群，因而迫切需要建立全面的生物資料庫，並針對不同族群進行此類研究。

葉教授表示：「這項研究是首次在中國人群針對TREM2風險因子進行的臨床表現及分子機制的研究。」她強調，瞭解遺傳變異如何影響疾病進程及其潛在的病理機制，有助日後制定個人化的疾病管理方案，並可為開發針對性的阿爾茲海默症治療方案提供科學基礎。

了解更多：http://bit.ly/3Wjr0No

發表在Alzheimer’s & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association的論文：https://alz-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/alz.70586

A research team at InnoHK HKCeND and SKLNSD of HKUST, led by Prof. Nancy Ip, has demonstrated that the TREM2 H157Y genetic variant significantly increases the risk of Alzheimer’s disease in individuals of ethnic Chinese descent. The study reveals that patients with this variant experience faster early disease progression, worsened cognitive functions, and more severe neurodegeneration.

Alzheimer’s disease currently affects approximately 10 million patients in Chinese Mainland, accounting for more than 20% of global cases. Most of the current genetic studies globally focus on European populations, highlighting the urgent need for comprehensive databases and such studies on diverse populations.

Prof. Ip remarked, “This is the first study in the field to investigate both the clinical manifestations and molecular mechanisms of a TREM2 risk variant in the Chinese population.” She emphasized that understanding how genetic variants influence clinical progression and the underlying disease mechanisms provides a scientific foundation for developing personalized patient management strategies and targeted therapeutics for Alzheimer’s disease.

Discover more: http://bit.ly/46Mdoiz

20/08/2025

We were delighted to host the finalists of the Hong Kong Brain Bee Competition 2025 on 19 Aug 2025, marking our fourth consecutive year co-hosting with The Hong Kong Brain Foundation.

During the lab visit, our researchers showcased cutting-edge research platforms and impactful projects, sparking curiosity about the brain and neurodegenerative diseases. It was inspiring to see these bright young minds actively engaging with our researchers and sharing their passion for neuroscience.

30/05/2025

We are excited to showcase our transformative advancements in the development of diagnostics and therapeutics for neurodegenerative diseases, particularly Alzheimer’s disease, at the Asia Summit on Global Health (ASGH) 2025.

Members of our core team from University College London (UCL), a key research collaborator, joined us in this vibrant exchange of knowledge and insights. Notably, Prof. John Hardy shared his valuable perspectives on the future of neurodegenerative disease research and treatment during the “Dialogue with Global Pioneer in Health” session.

Co-organized by the HKSAR Government and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), ASGH serves as a premier platform for exchanging insights and exploring collaborative opportunities with policymakers, healthcare experts, academia, research institutions, industry leaders, and investors from around the globe. Together, we are dedicated to driving impactful med-tech innovations and contributing to a robust healthcare ecosystem.

25/04/2025

我們很高興在香港科學館的專題展覽「創．造未來—香港工業新時代」中展示我們突破性的研發成果—早期檢測阿爾茲海默症的血液測試。

隨著人口老齡化加劇，阿爾茲海默症給患者、照顧者和醫療系統帶來重大挑戰。為了應對這些挑戰，我們中心及香港科技大學的團隊開發了創新的多重蛋白血液測試，可在臨床症狀出現之前就檢測出這種嚴重的疾病。這項簡單而可靠的解決方案不但能早期識別阿爾茲海默症和輕度認知障礙患者，還能提供全面的病情評估，有助改善患者的生活質素和降低長期醫療成本。

由即日起至2025年7月2日期間，你可到香港科學館參觀我們的展示，了解我們如何將科研成果轉化為實際應用，以邁向健康未來。該展覽展示了五十多組展品，突顯香港在不同領域不斷革新！

有關展覽詳情，請瀏覽香港科學館的網頁：https://bit.ly/4jrhmm7

We are delighted to showcase our groundbreaking R&D achievement, the “Blood Test for Early Detection of Alzheimer’s Disease”, at the Hong Kong Science Museum’s special exhibition, “Innovative Pathway: Hong Kong’s New Era of Industry”.

As the aging population grows, Alzheimer’s disease poses significant challenges for patients, caregivers, and the healthcare system. Our innovative multi-protein blood test, developed by the team at HKCeND and HKUST, can detect this devastating disease at an early stage—before clinical symptoms occur. This simple and robust solution enables early detection and comprehensive assessment of Alzheimer’s disease and mild cognitive impairment, improving the quality of life for those affected and reducing long-term healthcare costs.

Visit our showcase from 11 April to 2 July 2025, to discover how we are transforming research into practical applications for a healthier future. Explore over 50 exhibits showcasing Hong Kong’s transformative advancements across various fields!

For more details about the exhibition, please visit https://bit.ly/3EEk2gP

17/02/2025

Our Center Director, Prof. Nancy Ip, was recently featured in Croucher News for our team's groundbreaking discovery of key genetic variants, particularly Hap_A of the SORL1 gene, linked to protection against Alzheimer's disease (AD). The significant findings open new avenues for further AD research and enhance our understanding of disease mechanisms and the discovery of therapeutic targets.

The article highlights the importance of global collaboration and leveraging genetic diversity across diverse populations, including East Asian and European groups.

Discover more about this groundbreaking work and its impact by reading the full article in Croucher News: bit.ly/4hS6Xic

Genetic variant linked to protection against Alzheimer’s in East Asian populations

06/02/2025

[Groundbreaking Research Discovery in Alzheimer's Disease] Scientists from and have identified key protective genetic factors against Alzheimer's disease (AD) in both East Asian and European populations. Notably, the Hap A variant of the SORL1 gene showed a strong protective effect against AD in East Asians, while it is relatively rare in Europeans. This variant was proven to be associated with better cognitive performance and is linked to increased expression of the SORL1 protein, which plays a crucial role in regulating the production and clearance of amyloid-beta, a toxic protein that contributes to the pathology of AD.

This research highlights the importance of genetic studies across diverse populations in unraveling the effects of genetic factors on AD. It enhances our understanding of the role of SORL1 in AD mechanisms and uncovers its potential for therapeutic development, aiding in the fight against a disease that affects over 50 million people worldwide.

Discover more: bit.ly/3WQ7HMy

【阿爾茲海默症的突破性研究發現】香港神經退行性疾病中心和香港科技大學的科學家在東亞和歐洲人群中識別出了對阿爾茲海默症具有保護作用的關鍵遺傳因素。值得注意的是，SORL1基因的變異位點「Hap A」在東亞人群中對阿爾茲海默症發揮強效保護作用，而該基因變異在歐洲人群中則相對罕見。研究顯示，這一基因變異與較佳的認知表現相關，並與SORL1蛋白的表達增加有關。SORL1蛋白在調節大腦中澱粉樣蛋白Aβ（一種導致阿爾茲海默症病理的有毒蛋白質）的生成和清除方面起著關鍵作用。

這項研究展示了跨種族基因研究對於揭示遺傳因素對阿爾茲海默症的影響至關重要。這不僅讓我們進一步明白了SORL1在阿爾茲海默症發病機制中的作用，還展現了其在新藥開發中的潛力，有助對抗這一影響全球超過 5,000 萬人口的疾病。

了解更多： bit.ly/3EqMTop

An international research team led by the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) has identified key genetic factors that confer protective effects against Alzheimer’s disease (AD) through a comprehensive genetic analysis of East Asian populations, including Chinese and Japanese, as...