Webinar Tackles Hong Kong's Ageing Population Challenge
The online webinar hosted by Quantum Life, a spin-out of the HKU-affiliated InnoHK Centre by Hong Kong Quantum AI Lab (HKQAI), in collaboration with the UK's National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) HealthTech Research Centre in Brain Health, brought together experts to address the pressing issue of brain health in Hong Kong on 5th September 2025. With one in 10 residents aged 65 and older living with dementia—rising to nearly one in 3 for those aged 85 and above—this initiative is timely and crucial.
The webinar highlighted a unique partnership between Hong Kong's academic-industry consortium and UK research resources, specifically King’s College London’s NIHR HealthTech Research Centre in Brain Health. The core objective was to announce a joint initiative aimed at developing early intervention protocols for dementia, focusing on the critical period between symptom onset and full disease progression.
Said Dr. Christine Huang, Technology Transfer Director of HKQAI as well as founder and CEO of Quantum Life, “During my previous role as a neurologist, I became truly convinced: what if we could intervene much earlier—before the next stroke or case of dementia occurs? Why not open the window for rescue sooner? This marked the start of my deep understanding of preventive strategies and proactive interventions."
"In my view, if we can gather even more high-quality longitudinal data in the future, it will be a massive benefit for society and for fostering a future of healthy lifespan and longevity. I truly believe in this, and I’m excited about the prospect of our collaboration with UK NIHR on a global scale to make it happen—starting with AI modelling and clinical validation to achieve the closed loop of ‘diagnosis to intervention," added Dr. Huang.
Prof. Dag Aarsland, a world-renowned expert in the neuroscience field (with an h-index of 156), Director of the NIHR HealthTech Research Centre in Brain Health, and Head of the Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing, Department of Psychological Medicine at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London (KCL), elaborated on the value of the cooperation from a clinical translation perspective.
This cooperation with Quantum Life will help us integrate brain health data from the East Asian region, develop more precise intervention plans for different populations, and fill the gap in cross-regional brain health research."
Attendees learned about the innovative approaches being adopted, combining Quantum Life's expertise in AI-enabled multi-omics platforms and data analysis for aging, which is the root cause of the disease, together with the academic rigour and clinical validation that intends to tailor early intervention tools that cater to the healthcare systems and community needs of Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area (GBA).
Prof. Richard Siow, Director of the Ageing Research at King's (ARK) at King's College London, also pointed out from the perspective of interdisciplinary collaboration that "We need to further integrate the efforts of academic institutions, clinical hospitals, enterprises, policymakers, and other stakeholders to build a global ecosystem encompassing 'data sharing - technology research and development - clinical validation - policy adaptation'."
The implications of this partnership extend beyond local borders. By leveraging local knowledge and UK research excellence, the initiative aims to address the growing burden of dementia not only in Hong Kong but also in Mainland China, which accounts for a third of global dementia cases. The ultimate goal is to develop scalable solutions that can be implemented worldwide.
As Hong Kong grapples with its ageing population, this collaborative effort represents a significant step towards improving brain health and fostering healthier longevity for its residents.