HKUMed launches Centre for Health AI Research and Translation to advance human-centred healthcare through AI

The LKS Faculty of Medicine of the University of Hong Kong (HKUMed) officially launched the Centre for Health AI Research and Translation (CHART) on 29 September at an inauguration ceremony and symposium themed ‘Advancing Human-Centred Healthcare through AI’. The event brought together donors, academic leaders, clinicians, researchers, students, industry partners and stakeholders from the healthcare innovation sector to witness a major milestone in HKUMed’s efforts to create a meaningful healthcare impact through artificial intelligence (AI).

CHART aims to develop, evaluate, translate and implement trustworthy AI solutions that deliver tangible benefits to patients, healthcare professionals, healthcare systems and society. The Centre’s developments will focus on five key areas: (1) fostering interdisciplinary collaboration; (2) accelerating research translation and implementation; (3) advancing responsible and trustworthy AI; (4) building partnerships and innovative ecosystems; and (5) developing the next generation of healthcare AI talent.

Fostering interdisciplinary collaboration for human-centred healthcare innovation via AI
Speaking at the ceremony, Professor Chak-sing Lau, Vice-President and Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Health) and Dean of Medicine, HKU, said, ‘AI is rapidly reshaping healthcare, creating new opportunities and far-reaching impacts in areas ranging from disease prediction and precision diagnosis to personalised treatment and care delivery. The true value of AI, however, lies in technological breakthroughs and our ability to translate innovation into safe and sustainable solutions that bring tangible benefits to patients and society. Through the establishment of CHART, HKUMed aims to strengthen interdisciplinary collaboration and accelerate the translation of impactful AI solutions into real-world applications, advancing human-centred healthcare innovations.’

Professor Lau expressed his heartfelt gratitude to Mrs Carol Murray and The D. H. Chen Foundation for their generous support and for sharing HKUMed’s vision of advancing healthcare AI innovations.

Professor Joshua Ho Wing-kei, HKUMed Assistant Dean (Innovation & Technology Transfer) and Co-Director of CHART, presented the Centre’s vision and mission. ‘CHART was established to address some of the most pressing challenges in healthcare AI and to bridge the gap between proof-of-concept discoveries and their meaningful applications in clinical and community settings,’ he said. ‘Our goal is to advance the translation of promising AI technologies into real-world solutions that can benefit patients, frontline healthcare professionals and society at large.’

Expert dialogues exploring the role of AI in shaping the future of healthcare
The symposium featured a keynote lecture titled ‘Will AI Eventually Replace the Doctor?’, delivered by Professor Wong Tien Yin, Vice Provost of Tsinghua University and Senior Vice-Chancellor of Tsinghua Medicine.

This was followed by a panel discussion and Q&A session titled ‘Bridging Research and the Tech Industry for Healthcare’, moderated by Professor Walter Seto Wai-kay, HKUMed Assistant Dean (Interdisciplinary Collaboration) and Co-Director of CHART. Panel speakers included Professor Wong Tien Yin; Dr Simon Cua Tin-yin, CEO and Executive Director of TIME Interconnect Technology Limited; Dr Alexander Ng Man-tat, President of Tencent Health; and Professor Lo Yuk-lam, President of the HK Bio-Med Innotech Association. The panellists exchanged views on a range of key issues, including strengthening academia–industry collaboration, responsible AI application, clinical validation, data governance, scalability and translating research into practical healthcare solutions.

Connecting expertise to drive AI translation
In her closing remarks, Professor Esther Chan Wai-yin, Associate Dean of Student Affairs of the HKU Centre of Development and Resources for Students and Co-Director of CHART, thanked all participants and supporters for their valuable contributions to the success of the event. She encouraged clinicians, students, researchers, industry partners and community stakeholders to participate in CHART’s future initiatives and work together to foster AI technologies for the benefit of healthcare and society.

The symposium concluded with the ‘HKUMed AI and Technology Showcase and Project Demonstrations’, where participants gained insights into the Faculty’s latest innovations and collaborative projects in AI and technology initiatives.

About CHART
The Centre for Health AI Research and Translation (CHART) is a cross-disciplinary platform at HKUMed dedicated to advancing translational health AI. Bringing together expertise from medicine, data science, engineering, public health, policy, ethics and industry, CHART aims to develop trustworthy, ethical, human-centred AI solutions, while promoting the safe and responsible development of AI technologies. CHART seeks to accelerate discovery, support implementation and improve healthcare outcomes for the benefit of patients and society.

Media enquiries
Please contact LKS Faculty of Medicine of The University of Hong Kong by email (medmedia@hku.hk).