Professor Allen Chan Kwan-chee, Chairman of the Department of Chemical Pathology, has been appointed Associate Vice-President (Knowledge Transfer) on a concurrent basis for a three-year term, effective 1 April 2025.

In his new capacity, Professor Chan will support Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research) Professor Sham Mai-har in overseeing CUHK’s participation in the Research, Academic, and Industry Sectors One-plus (RAISe+) Scheme, along with other innovation and knowledge transfer initiatives. He will be responsible for developing strategies and policies for intellectual property management within the University and its partner organisations, as well as formulating policies for commercialisation and knowledge transfer. Professor Chan will also play a pivotal role in promoting and supporting the innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem within the CUHK community.

Professor Chan said: “I am honoured to serve as Associate Vice-President (Knowledge Transfer) and look forward to advancing the University’s mission in innovation, translational research, and industry collaboration. I am excited to collaborate with my colleagues, the CUHK community and our partners to enhance the impact of our research and translate our academic strengths into meaningful opportunities for CUHK and the wider community.”

Professor Chan completed his undergraduate medical training at the University of Hong Kong and obtained his PhD at the CUHK Department of Chemical Pathology, under the mentorship of Professor Dennis Lo Yuk-ming. His main research interest focuses on the development of innovative diagnostic approaches based on circulating DNA analysis. The applications of his inventions cover non-invasive prenatal testing, cancer diagnostics, organ transplant and autoimmune diseases monitoring. 

Professor Chan has developed an extensive intellectual property portfolio and has a deep understanding of the regulatory and financial frameworks essential for successful knowledge transfer. He is a co-inventor of over 120 inventions in the fields of non-invasive prenatal testing and cancer detection, with an impressive portfolio of over 1,500 patents granted globally. Among his most notable achievements is the development of the non-invasive prenatal test for Down syndrome, which has been adopted in over 100 countries and benefits more than 100 million pregnant women worldwide. Professor Chan was named the “Top 20 Translational Researchers of 2020” by renowned scientific journal Nature Biotechnology.

Beyond academia, Professor Chan is a seasoned entrepreneur. He co-founded several biotechnology companies with Professors Dennis Lo and Rossa Chiu, including Cirina, which merged with GRAIL and was subsequently acquired by Illumina for over USD 8 billion. Professor Chan’s work continues to bridge the gap between scientific innovation and real-world applications, making a profound impact on global healthcare.

In addition to research, Professor Chan is also passionate about teaching and received a total of four Teacher of the Year awards from the Faculty of Medicine.