Who knew instant noodles could inspire an extraordinary medical breakthrough? At the “CEO 123 Tell Me More” talk on 13 August, Professor Dennis Lo, Vice-Chancellor and President of The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), shared how the memory of a simple meal sparked an innovative testing method – proving big ideas can come from unexpected places.
Renowned as the “father of non-invasive prenatal testing,” Lo revolutionized prenatal screening by discovering cell-free foetal DNA in maternal blood plasma. His discovery spared millions of women the risks of invasive procedures such as amniocentesis and transformed prenatal screening for conditions like Down Syndrome.
During his talk, Lo recounted his journey to develop the prenatal screening test, which began during his time as a medical student at Oxford. For eight years, he pursued the extraction of foetal cells from maternal blood, only to find the quantity too small for practical use. “Luckily, they didn’t fire me,” he quipped to laughter from the audience. That detour, he said, was invaluable, teaching him resilience and sharpening his scientific instincts.
In 1997, Lo returned to Hong Kong and joined CUHK. Faced with limited funds and a ticking clock, he needed a straightforward method to extract DNA from maternal blood. That same year, inspiration came from an unexpected source: a bowl of instant noodles, which led him to boil plasma for five minutes and test it. His remarkable idea resulted in the discovery of foetal DNA fragments in plasma – a breakthrough that has since benefited over 100 million pregnant women and their families across more than 100 countries.
Lo also offered compelling insights into how universities can shape the future of research and development in Hong Kong. He reflected on the post-SARS era, when public awareness of medical research surged, helping to foster a more vibrant R&D culture across the city.
Speaking on nurturing the city’s next generation of talent, Lo highlighted the delicate balance between scientific advancement and ethical responsibility – particularly as AI transforms the world of research. While he championed AI’s potential in decoding genomes and analyzing DNA, he stressed that its application must be anchored in robust, evolving ethical frameworks.
He also spotlighted CUHK’s Global Physician-Leadership Stream (GPS), a program designed to cultivate future medical leaders by blending rigorous clinical training with education in research, public health and leadership.
To strengthen Hong Kong’s R&D ecosystem, Lo called for deeper collaboration between universities, industries and institutions. Such partnerships, he argued, are key to translating academic discoveries into real-world innovations. He also stressed the importance of cross-border patent recognition in the Mainland, which would empower Hong Kong-based start-ups to scale up in the Greater Bay Area.