Prof. Fanny Ip is the Chief Scientific Officer of the InnoHK Hong Kong Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases and an Adjunct Associate Professor in the Division of Life Science, affiliated with the State Key Laboratory of Nervous System Disorders at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. Trained as a Medical Technologist (B.Sc.), she earned a Ph.D. in Biology, focusing on neuroscience.
With over 30 years of experience spanning basic research and clinical translation, Prof. Ip specializes in molecular neuroscience, drug discovery, and the clinical development of diagnostics and therapeutics. Her early work advanced understanding of neurotrophic factors in neuromuscular synapse formation. She later applied modern scientific approaches to investigate the therapeutic potential of traditional Chinese medicine for neurodegenerative and other neurological disorders, and established integrated in vitro and in vivo discovery platforms to screen small molecules and medicinal herbal extracts that promote neuronal function and synaptic plasticity.
In recent years, Prof. Ip has led clinical research on blood-based biomarkers for the early detection and diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease, as well as a clinical trial evaluating the repurposed use of an FDA-approved drug. She has published over 70 scientific papers in reputable journals, holds 35 granted patents, and has licensed Alzheimer’s therapeutic technologies that have progressed through a Phase I clinical trial.
Prof. Ip has successfully translated laboratory innovations into products and services that serve the community. She also directs four university spinout startup companies, three of which have secured investment for the next phase of clinical development.