Movie and noodles may seem unlikely sources of inspiration for a world-renowned scientist, but for Professor Dennis Lo Yuk-ming, the new Vice-Chancellor and President of The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), these small things are the catalysts that inspire him to create great inventions, leading to his groundbreaking work in non-invasive prenatal testing. In recent years, he has also applied this technology to early cancer diagnosis, changing the fate of countless individuals. His contributions have earned him numerous accolades, including becoming the first Hong Kong laureate of the Lasker-DeBakey Award.

Chemical Pathology Professor Dennis Lo Yuk-ming, often referred to as the “father” of Non-invasive Prenatal Testing (NIPT), is one of leading researchers at CUHK who contribute extraordinary expertise to Hong Kong’s public healthcare system. Last year, he was awarded America’s top biomedical research prize for his discovery, which has revolutionised prenatal testing for Down syndrome. That clinical breakthrough has also laid foundations for the early detection of multiple types of cancer, creating life-changing impacts on patients around the world.

If they heard, 7 million women worldwide every year would applaud the award of the Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences 2021 to Professor Dennis Lo. In a paradigm shift in medical science, he discovered the presence of fetal DNA in maternal blood and developed non-invasive prenatal testing for Down syndrome and other genetic diseases.