This undated photo shows Dennis Lo Yuk-ming, a professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong’s Faculty of Medicine. (FRENTEE JI / CHINA DAILY)

Hong Kong’s leading medical researcher Dennis Lo Yuk-ming on Monday said a “golden era” exists for young people joining the city’s biomedical research as the medical sector enjoys mature technologies and the unprecedented support of the special administrative region and the central governments.

Lo is widely known for his contributions to noninvasive prenatal testing that have benefited millions of pregnant women across the world 

He made the remarks as Swedish scientist Svante Paabo was awarded the 2022 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.

Lo was regarded as a strong competitor for the prize. In September, he won the 2022 Lasker-DeBakey Clinical Medical Research Award, which is among the most prestigious prizes in medicine with a reputation akin to that of the Nobel Prize.

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Lo, chairman of the department of chemical pathology at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, is widely known for his contributions to noninvasive prenatal testing that have benefited millions of pregnant women across the world. 

Speaking to China Daily in a video interview, Lo congratulated Paabo for winning the Nobel Prize, saying he has been impressed by Paabo’s research and hopes the Swedish scientist can make more breakthroughs in the future.

Lo said that his Lasker-DeBakey Clinical Medical Research Award win came at an important juncture as Hong Kong strives to develop itself into a technology and innovation hub.

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Lo said he hopes the award will encourage more young students to pursue science and technology as future career options.