Prof. MA Cong, Member of the Research Centre for Chinese Medicine Innovation (RCMI) and Associate Professor of the Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology of PolyU, recently served as a panellist at a thematic session of the 6th Asia Healthcare Summit, held during the 5th International Healthcare Week, where he shared insights into transforming healthcare through digital health & AI innovations.
Prof. Ma noted that Hong Kong possesses several unique advantages for the development of “AI + healthcare”, including strong scientific research capabilities, government policy support, a well-established healthcare system and robust intellectual property protection. He added that the establishment of the Hong Kong Centre for Medical Products Regulation will help facilitate the approval of new local drugs and accelerate the translation and commercialisation of research outcomes.
He explained that the development of medical artificial intelligence in Hong Kong has progressed through three stages. As early as 2021, AI had already been applied to lung imaging diagnosis, before extending to stroke and ophthalmic disease screening. At present, development has advanced towards genetic risk assessment and early disease prediction, driving a shift in healthcare from a treatment-led model to a prevention-first approach. He pointed out that AI can not only optimise medical workflows and improve the efficiency and accuracy of image interpretation, but also support personalised health management and public health decision-making, bringing even greater potential to the development of smart healthcare.
In addition, Prof. Ma’s research team has combined generative AI with structural biology to speed up antibiotic development. They have already identified active candidate molecules targeting five types of difficult-to-treat infections, with two candidate drugs having entered the preclinical safety evaluation stage. This highlights Hong Kong’s efforts in accelerating the development of a comprehensive healthcare innovation and technology ecosystem.
Online coverage:
Wen Wei Po - https://polyu.me/42r4lC8
Hong Kong China News Agency - https://polyu.me/4uFLbV5
| Research Units | Research Centre for Chinese Medicine Innovation |
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