HKUMed School of Biomedical Sciences and Merck Pharmaceutical (Hong Kong) sign MoU to advance biomedical education and talent development

HKUMed School of Biomedical Sciences selects Merck as the first pharmaceutical partner for its new Master of Biomedical Innovation Programme

The School of Biomedical Sciences (SBMS), LKS Faculty of Medicine, the University of Hong Kong (HKUMed) and Merck Pharmaceutical (Hong Kong) today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to foster collaboration in biomedical innovation, education, and talent cultivation.

This partnership represents an important step in strengthening collaboration between academia and industry, providing students with cutting-edge practical exposure and positioning them at the forefront of biomedical innovation in Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area. As one of the key industry partners supporting the School’s newly developed Master of Biomedical Innovation Programme, Merck will play a vital role in nurturing the next generation of scientific leaders.

Key areas of cooperation include:

Educational Activities: Joint development of such as guest lectures, workshops, seminars, company visits to Merck facilities, capstone and industry-based projects for HKU SBMS undergraduate and postgraduate students, as well as Merck representatives' participation in HKUMed's Master of Biomedical Innovation Programme.

Internship Programme: Establishment of structured internship opportunities for HKUMed SBMS students at Merck, providing hands-on industry experience and enabling meaningful contributions to real-world projects and initiatives.

A Distinguished Occasion

The MoU signing ceremony was attended by Mr Alexandre De Muralt, Senior Vice President, Merck Healthcare APAC, and Professor Cora Lai Sau-wan, Associate Director (Teaching and Learning), School of Biomedical Sciences, HKUMed. Their presence underscores the importance of this collaboration in fostering a robust ecosystem for the life sciences and technology.

Held at Merck’s new office in AIA Kowloon Tower, the event brought together senior representatives from both organisations. Speaking at the ceremony, Tony Cheng, Managing Director, Merck Hong Kong & Macau, said: ‘This pioneering partnership reflects our shared commitment to innovation and excellence in biomedical sciences. We are honoured to be the first pharmaceutical partner and look forward to co-creating meaningful learning experiences that prepare students for the future of healthcare and life sciences.’

Professor Joshua Ho Wing-kei, Assistant Dean (Innovation & Technology Transfer), HKUMed, added: ‘Merck brings deep industry expertise and real-world insights that will greatly enrich our curriculum. This synergy is essential for empowering our students to drive future biomedical breakthroughs.’

This collaboration represents a significant step forward for both institutions. By combining Merck’s global scientific leadership with HKUMed’s academic excellence, this MoU signing directly contributes to the shared vision of developing Hong Kong into an international health and medical innovation hub.

About the School of Biomedical Sciences, HKUMed

Founded in 2015, the School of Biomedical Sciences builds on a more than a century-long legacy in advancing modern medicine at the oldest academic institution in Hong Kong. As the largest pre-clinical School at HKUMed, we draw on the Faculty’s heritage to advance fundamental understanding of life and translate discoveries to improve human health.

The roots of School of Biomedical Sciences trace back to 1887, when the Hong Kong College of Medicine for Chinese—the predecessor of today’s Faculty of Medicine—was established. Medicine became a founding faculty when the University of Hong Kong was created in 1911. The School of Biomedical Sciences was formed on July 1 2015, through a merger of the three pre-clinical Departments of Anatomy, Physiology, and Biochemistry each of which played a key role in the development of modern medicine in Hong Kong. The School is based on the Sassoon Road Campus of Pokfulam, on the south side of Hong Kong Island. In 2012, HKU launched Hong Kong’s first Bachelor of Biomedical Sciences programme, promoting interdisciplinary training and integrating basic biomedical sciences into the medical curriculum. Building on our heritage in anatomy, biochemistry and physiology, SBMS now focuses on interdisciplinary research spanning the molecular, cellular and systems levels, powered by enabling technologies in data science, synthetic biology and artificial intelligence.

About Merck

Merck, a leading science and technology company, operates across life science, healthcare and electronics. More than 62,000 employees work to make a positive difference to millions of people’s lives every day by creating more joyful and sustainable ways to live. From providing products and services that accelerate drug development and manufacturing as well as discovering unique ways to treat the most challenging diseases to enabling the intelligence of devices – the company is everywhere. In 2024, Merck generated sales of € 21.2 billion in 65 countries.

Scientific exploration and responsible entrepreneurship have been key to Merck’s technological and scientific advances. This is how Merck has thrived since its founding in 1668. The founding family remains the majority owner of the publicly listed company. Merck holds the global rights to the Merck name and brand. The only exceptions are the United States and Canada, where the business sectors of Merck operate as MilliporeSigma in life science, EMD Serono in healthcare, and EMD Electronics in electronics.

Media enquiries:

HKUMed

Email: medmedia@hku.hk

Merck Pharmaceutical (Hong Kong)

Phone: +852 2170 7743

Email: merckhk-communication@merckgroup.com