COI’s 7th Flagship Symposium Strengthens UHN Partnership and Drives Translational Innovation
- May 26
- 3 min read
Updated: Jul 8
The InnoHK Centre for Oncology and Immunology (COI) successfully hosted its 7th Flagship Symposium titled “Clinical Immuno-Oncology, Innovative Therapeutics, and Beyond.” The event convened leading scientists, clinicians, and industry partners from Hong Kong and overseas, marking an important milestone in advancing translational research and global collaboration in cancer immunotherapy. The symposium featured distinguished participation from key international partners, including University Health Network (UHN) and Technical University of Munich (TUM), underscoring the importance of sustained cross-institutional engagement in driving innovation.
Mr. Ivan Lee, Commissioner for Innovation and Technology of the HKSAR Government, congratulated COI on the successful completion of its first five-year cycle and expressed continued support for its mission to translate scientific discoveries into real-world impact. He noted in his opening remarks, “COI has built a strong foundation, and we look forward to seeing this translate into impactful innovations that benefit society.”
A key highlight of this year’s symposium was the strong presence of UHN, COI’s long-standing strategic partner. Senior leadership including Prof. Kevin Smith, President and Chief Executive Officer, Prof. Bradly Wouters, Executive Vice President of Science and Research, and Dr. Keith Stewart, Vice President of Cancer, participated in the event. Their visit to Hong Kong emphasized the deepening collaboration between the two institutions and reflected a shared commitment to accelerating innovation through international partnership.
The symposium also featured active contributions from TUM collaborators, reflecting COI’s growing engagement with a leading European institution. Their participation enriched the scientific programme and broadened the scope of international exchange. By bringing together Principal Investigators from COI and collaborators from UHN and TUM, the symposium provided a valuable platform to strengthen ties, exchange ideas, and align strategic priorities for the years ahead.
In his keynote talk, Prof. Smith outlined UHN’s successful commercialization journey and its evolving approach to driving research towards clinical application and commercialization. His presentation reinforced the value of the Hong Kong–Toronto partnership, demonstrating how close collaboration between COI and UHN can accelerate the pathway from scientific discovery to therapeutic application, and position both institutions at the forefront of global biomedical innovation.
Throughout the symposium, speakers shared cutting-edge research and insights across the immuno‑oncology spectrum, including advancements in immune checkpoint inhibition, next‑generation cell and gene therapies, tumour microenvironment modulation, translational immunotherapy research, and emerging therapeutic strategies reshaping clinical practice. Poster presentations by COI and collaborating researchers from UHN and TUM were also featured during session breaks, fostering dynamic discussion and knowledge exchange within the research community.
COI Co-Director Prof. Suet Yi Leung reflected on the significance of the event and the road ahead in her closing remarks. “Let us carry forward today’s momentum as we continue to push the boundaries of innovation and work towards our shared mission of improving the lives of cancer patients around the world.”
COI remains committed to fostering innovation, strengthening global partnerships, and translating scientific breakthroughs into meaningful clinical advances in its next phase. As Prof. Tak Mak, Co-Director of COI, remarked, “We are all one-winged angels, and we cannot fly without each other.” Meaningful progress in cancer research depends on collective effort and shared expertise across borders. COI extends its sincere appreciation to its sponsors—Beckman Coulter, Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP), Bio-Rad, Alphalabs, Yuxiang, Tin Hang, and Epredia—whose generous support was instrumental in the success of the symposium, as well as to all speakers, collaborators, and participants for their valuable contributions and engagement were instrumental in the success of the symposium.
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