Convening Experts to Promote Hong Kong and Advance Medical Innovation

HONG KONG SAR - Media OutReach Newswire - 25 June 2025 - Genomic medicine is one of the most promising fields in today's healthcare landscape, enabling precise diagnoses, personalised treatment plans, and breakthroughs in drug development that bring new hope to patients around the world.

The Hong Kong Genome Institute (HKGI) will join forces with world-renowned authorities to host the International Genomic Medicine Symposium (Symposium) on 17 November 2025 (Monday). This landmark event will highlight Hong Kong's unique strengths in fostering exchange and cooperation with experts worldwide in medical research and innovation, and accelerate the application of genomic medicine to pave the way for a healthier future for all.

The Symposium marks HKGI's first collaboration with Rare Diseases International (RDI) and The Lancet Commission on Rare Diseases (LCRD), which is jointly led by RDI and The Lancet, the world's most influential medical journal. The event will welcome local and international genomics leaders from over 20 countries and regions, including clinicians, scientists, and researchers from Mainland China, Europe, North and South America, and Australia.

Distinguished speakers at the Symposium will focus on key global topics such as clinical genetics, rare diseases, genomic medicine, AI, data sharing, as well as ethical and legal matters involved, facilitating in-depth discussions on the latest groundbreaking research and clinical insights. Specifically, thematic sessions will be dedicated to experience sharing by experts from Mainland China and Hong Kong. By showcasing case studies from the Hong Kong Genome Project, these exchanges will help demonstrate practical applications of personalised medicine in managing common disorders such as cardiomyopathy and kidney disease. Developments in rare diseases in Mainland China and drug development opportunities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area will also be covered, opening doors of opportunity for regional collaboration and innovation.

Dr Lo Su-vui, Chief Executive Officer of HKGI said, "With the strong support from the Health Bureau of the Hong Kong SAR Government, HKGI has been working closely with the Department of Health, Hospital Authority, medical schools of local universities and various stakeholders to accelerate the development of genomic medicine in Hong Kong. In just a few years, the Institute has achieved significant milestones in medical research, clinical applications, and international collaborations. We have successfully recruited over 47,000 participants for the Hong Kong Genome Project, continuously expanding our genome database featuring the Southern Chinese population. We have also accumulated clinical application cases and established synergistic collaborative research platforms. These achievements highlight Hong Kong's strong capabilities and advantages in genomic medicine, laying a solid foundation for further collaboration with internationally recognised authorities."

Dr Lo continued, "We are greatly honoured to partner with RDI and LCRD to organise this prestigious global event. Genomic medicine is the future of medicine with wide-ranging applications, spanning from common to rare diseases, from clinical diagnosis and personalised treatment to disease prevention and health management. This Symposium will undoubtedly serve as a critical platform for healthcare experts, academics, and researchers from around the world to exchange knowledge, fostering collaboration, and driving medical innovation, ultimately bringing immense benefits to patients in Hong Kong, Asia and beyond."

The one-day Symposium is expected to attract nearly 300 industry professionals. Following the Symposium, the LCRD will hold its annual meeting in Hong Kong on 18-19 November to further discuss insights and deepen cross-regional collaboration. This will be the first time for the LCRD to host its annual meeting in Asia, highlighting Hong Kong's distinctive position in leading international medical innovation.

For information about the Symposium programme and speakers, please refer to the appendix. For enquiries about the Symposium, please contact HKGI (symposium@genomics.org.hk) or RDI-LCRD (lcrd@rarediseasesint.org).

17 November 2025, Hong Kong

Charles K. Kao Auditorium, Hong Kong Science Park

Time	Programme	Speaker
09:00	Keynote	Prof Lo Chung-mau, BBS, JP Secretary for Health Hong Kong SAR Government, Hong Kong, China
09:15	Opening Ceremony
Panel 1	Session Chairperson:	Dr Ronald Lam, JP Director of Health Hong Kong SAR Government, Hong Kong, China
09:30	Developing Rare Disease Models in China: Service, Teaching and Research	Prof Zhang Shuyang President Peking Union Medical College Hospital, China
10:00	Unraveling Molecular Pathogeneses to Enhance Patient Care and Family Well-being	Prof Kym Boycott Co-Chair Lancet Commission on Rare Diseases Professor of Pediatrics University of Ottawa, Canada
10:30	Panel Discussion
Panel 2	Session Chairperson:	Dr Libby Lee, JP Under Secretary for Health Hong Kong SAR Government, Hong Kong, China
11:15	Insights into Rare Diseases: Focus on Inborn Errors of Metabolism	Prof Roberto Giugliani Co-Chair Lancet Commission on Rare Diseases Professor of Genetics Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
11:45	Hong Kong Genome Project Case Sharing (1) – Unlocking the Genomics of Cardiomyopathy: A New Era in Heart Health	Dr Derek Lee Hong Kong College of Physicians – Hong Kong Genome Institute Scholar Hong Kong, China
12:00	Hong Kong Genome Project Case Sharing (2) – Precision Medicine in Nephrology	Dr Becky Ma Hong Kong Academy of Medicine – Hong Kong Genome Institute Scholar Hong Kong, China
12:15	Panel Discussion
12:30	Lunch
Panel 3	Session Chairperson:	Prof Philip Chiu Dean of Medicine The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
14:00	Revolutionising Plasma DNA Analysis in Transforming Non-invasive Testing and Cancer Detection	Prof Dennis Lo, SBS, JP Vice-Chancellor and President The Chinese University of Hong Kong Board Member Hong Kong Genome Institute Hong Kong, China
14:30	Publishing at The Lancet	Dr Chloe Wilson Senior Medical Editor The Lancet
15:00	Panel Discussion
Panel 4	Session Chairperson:	Prof Lau Chak-sing, BBS, JP Vice-President & Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Health) Dean of Medicine The University of Hong Kong Board Member Hong Kong Genome Institute Hong Kong, China
15:35	AI in Action: The Journey from Clinical Record to Personalised Treatment	Prof Gareth Baynam Medical Director Rare Care Centre Perth Children's Hospital, Australia
16:05	Harnessing the Power of Electronic Healthcare Records in Scientific Research and Innovation in Genomic Medicine	Prof Yong Chen Professor of Biostatistics University of Pennsylvania, USA
16:35	Panel Discussion
Panel 5	Session Chairperson:	To be confirmed
16:50	The Health Rights of Children and Genomic Newborn Screening	Prof Bartha Knoppers Director Centre of Genomics and Policy McGill University, Canada
17:20	Hong Kong Genome Project: Advancing the Genomics Frontier	Dr Brian Chung Chief Medical and Scientific Officer Hong Kong Genome Institute, Hong Kong, China
17:40	Genomics as a Catalyst for Drug Development in the Greater Bay Area	Prof Aya El Helali Clinical Assistant Professor Department of Clinical Oncology, School of Clinical Medicine, The Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine of the University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
18:00	Panel Discussion
18:15	End of Symposium

Hashtag: #HongKongGenomeInstitute

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About Hong Kong Genome Institute

The Hong Kong Genome Institute (HKGI), established and wholly owned by the Hong Kong SAR Government, commenced full operations in 2021. With the vision "to avail genomic medicine to all for better health and well-being" and supported by the Health Bureau, HKGI works in close collaboration with the Department of Health, Hospital Authority, medical schools of local universities and other stakeholders to accelerate the development of genomic medicine in Hong Kong along four strategic foci: integrate genomics into medicine, advance research, nurture talents and enhance public genomic literacy.

As the first step towards achieving its vision, HKGI launched the Hong Kong Genome Project (HKGP) in 2021 focusing on diseases and research cohorts that would benefit from whole genome sequencing. They include undiagnosed diseases, hereditary cancers and cases related to genomics and precision health. Being the city's first large-scale genome sequencing project, HKGP serves as a catalyst to benefit patients and their families with more precise diagnosis and personalised treatment. It also aims to establish genome database of the local population, testing infrastructure and talent pool to address the healthcare needs of Hong Kong in the long run.

For more information, please visit https://hkgp.org/en.

About Rare Diseases International
Rare Diseases International (RDI) is the global alliance of people living with a rare disease of all nationalities across all rare diseases. RDI's mission is to be a strong common voice on behalf of rare disease patients around the world, to advocate for rare diseases as an international public health priority and to represent its members and enhance their capacities. RDI has more than 120 member organizations from 50 countries, which in turn represent rare disease patient groups in more than 150 countries worldwide.

For more information, please visit https://www.rarediseasesinternational.org.

About Lancet Commission on Rare Diseases
The RDI-Lancet Commission on Rare Diseases (RDI-LCRD) is a new initiative dedicated to improving the lives of Persons Living with a Rare Disease (PLWRD) globally by generating evidence-informed recommendations that can be implemented in all countries. The RDI-LCRD, chaired by Dr Roberto Giugliani (Brazil) and Dr Kym Boycott (Canada) brings together 27 Commissioners from 6 continents with a broad range of expertise, perspectives and experience. The overarching goal of the RDI-LCRD is to use robust data to ignite global action that will amplify the voices of PLWRD and ensure that they are seen, heard, and cared for, no matter where they live.

For more information, please visit http://www.rarediseasescommission.org.

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