School

History

Founded in 2015, the School of Biomedical Sciences has a century-long legacy in advancing modern medicine in Hong Kong. Originating from Anatomy, Physiology, and Biochemistry departments, it has evolved into a leading institution supporting scientific excellence today.中文

The School of Biomedical Sciences at the University of Hong Kong has a rich legacy dating back to 1912, originating from the Departments of Anatomy, Physiology, and Biochemistry that played a key role in the development of modern medicine in Hong Kong. Its history includes relocating to prominent campuses and establishing biochemistry as a vital discipline.

In 2012, HKU launched Hong Kong’s first Bachelor of Biomedical Sciences program, promoting interdisciplinary collaboration and integrating basic sciences into the medical curriculum. This initiative reflects a strategic shift towards fostering research excellence and enhancing teaching. On July 1, 2015, the Faculty of Medicine merged its pre-clinical departments into the School of Biomedical Sciences, adopting a matrix organizational structure. The School emphasizes research themes to advance interdisciplinary synergy and research excellence, while its education divisions focus on delivering core biomedical knowledge. This comprehensive approach aims to develop future biomedical professionals equipped to contribute to healthcare advancements locally and globally, ensuring the School remains at the forefront of biomedical education and research.

Milestones

2018

2019

Apr, 2018

Professor Danny Chan​

Prof. Danny Chan​ appointed as Interim Director​ (2018 – Mar 2024). Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit, sed diam nonummy nibh euismod tincidunt ut laoreet dolore magna aliquam erat volutpat. Ut wisi enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exerci tation ullamcorper suscipit lobortis nisl ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis autem vel eum iriure dolor in hendrerit.

Apr, 2018

Professor Stephanie MA

Prof. Ma obtained her B.Sc. (Cell Biology and Genetics) and M.Sc. (Experimental Medicine) degrees from the University of British Columbia (Canada), and graduated from The University of Hong Kong (HKU) with a Ph.D. of outstanding ranking that was awarded the Li Ka Shing Prize for the Best PhD Thesis of that year. 

Apr, 2019

Professor Danny Chan​

Prof. Danny Chan​ appointed as Interim Director​ (2018 – Mar 2024). Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit, sed diam nonummy nibh euismod tincidunt ut laoreet dolore magna aliquam erat volutpat. Ut wisi enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exerci tation ullamcorper suscipit lobortis nisl ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis autem vel eum iriure dolor in hendrerit.

Mission

  • Pursue global excellence in biomedical sciences research and scholarship in Hong Kong and worldwide

  • Engage in superlative teaching and learning of the biomedical sciences in order to nurture scientists and healthcare professionals

  • Inculcate an innovative, entrepreneurial culture amongst students and faculty for diversified development of graduates

  • Facilitate knowledge exchange with industry and society at large by reaching out to public with biomedical sciences related knowledge in a layman manner.

Director’s Message

Together, through collaboration and innovation, we will translate research into meaningful benefits for society, strengthen our global impact, and foster the next generation of scientific leaders.

Michael Häusser

Director of School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Hong Kong

Michael Häusser

Director of School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Hong Kong

Aim

The School of Biomedical Sciences may be one of the newest Schools in both the Faculty of Medicine and The University of Hong Kong but it has more than a century of pioneering history in the development of modern medicine in Hong Kong and the scientific excellence that supports it. The history stretches back to 1912, when the Schools of Anatomy and Physiology were incorporated as Departments in the Faculty of Medicine. In that year, the Faculty succeeded the Hong Kong College of Medicine and became the designated premier founding faculty of The University of Hong Kong. The two Schools moved into the Anatomy and Physiology Building of the University, located on Pokfulam Road, in 1917. In acknowledgment of the emerging importance of biochemistry in medical sciences, the University Council in 1960 passed a resolution to establish the Department of Biochemistry, with inaugural staff drawn from the Department of Physiology. The three Departments moved to the Li Shu Fan Building (5 Sassoon Road) in 1963 and then to the Faculty of Medicine Building (21 Sassoon Road) in 2002.