Karolinska Institute to set up first overseas research centre in Hong Kong

Karolinska Institute is a world renowned medical university in Sweden and it is responsible for awarding the Nobel Prize in the fields of both medicine and physiology. Recently the university is looking towards establishing its first overseas research centre in Hong Kong. The president of the university, Professor Anders Hamsten, explained that Hong Kong has a strong reputation for its medical excellence and would like to attract more international scientists to help with their current research. This project would not have been materialized without the aid of Hong Kong businessman Lau Ming-wai, who generously donated HK$40 million towards the cause.

The university is one of the leading institutes that specailises in stem-cell research and regenerative medicine. Professor Hamsten plans to use the new centre to conduct stem-cell research in order to tackle three major diseases, namely, heart failure, liver diseases and neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s disease. The new centre is expected to start its research programmes within the next half a year and it aims to recruit 30 scientists in its first year of operation.