2025.02.16-19 15th IIFME Gold Medal to Our Team

A remarkable achievement has been attained by the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), earning the Gold Medal with the Congratulations of the Jury at the 15th International Invention Fair in the Middle East (IIFME). This prestigious recognition highlights the department’s excellence in medical research and innovation.

The invention is an advanced bioinformatics analytical method to detect absence of heterozygosity (AOH) in nextgeneration sequencing (NGS) data. The method can be applied in molecular genetic diagnostics and genomics research. AOH is an important marker of imprinting diseases caused by uniparental disomy. It can also inform autozygosity through identity by descent, which is more prevalent in certain regions of the Middle East, with implications regarding increased propensity to autosomal recessive disorders. This method uses low-read-depth NGS data to save cost and shortens analytical time. This pipeline empowers NGS-based cytogenomics analysis as an alternative approach to chromosomal microarray analysis. Independent on the NGS platform, it is applicable for reanalysis of existing NGS datasets. It has been adopted by the Hong Kong Hospital Authority as a clinical genetic diagnostic service.

Recognition and Appreciation:
The success of this project is attributed to the dedication and expertise of the research team, including:

  • Professor Choy Kwon Wai
  • Professor Dong Zirui
  • Professor Cao Ye
  • Professor Matthew Chau Hoi-kin
  • Mr. Yang Zhenjun

Their commitment to advancing obstetrics and gynaecology research has led to an innovation that enhances genetic diagnostics and contributes to the improvement of global healthcare.

Warm congratulations to the team for this outstanding accomplishment. Their work continues to push the boundaries of genetic research, paving the way for future advancements in healthcare.

CUHK and Queen Mary University of London led the largest international trial of time-lapse imaging systems for embryo incubation in IVF technology, revealing comparable outcomes to conventional methods.

Full Article

An international trial of time-lapse imaging (TLI) systems for embryo incubation and selection during in vitro fertilisation (IVF), co-led by the Assisted Reproductive Medicine Unit in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK)’ Faculty of Medicine (CU Medicine) and the Women’s Health Research Unit at Queen Mary University of London, has found that a TLI system gives no advantage in clinical outcomes over conventional methods although it offers a seamless process for monitoring embryo development. Researchers believe the findings provide insights that will allow for better allocation of resources and investment in future IVF services. The landmark findings of the largest international trial of its kind have been published in The Lancet.

From left) Professor Liona Poon Chiu-yee, Department Chairperson; Professor David Chan Yiu-leung, Assistant Professor; and Dr Jacqueline ChungPui-wah, Associate Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at CU Medicine.

Continuous debates over the clinical effectiveness of TLI systems

One out of six couples in Hong Kong experience fertility problems. IVF is the most common treatment allowing infertile couples to achieve pregnancy. Gametes from wife and husband are combined in an IVF laboratory to create the embryo, with a resulting good-quality embryo transferred to the mother’s womb, typically on the fifth day. The conventional incubation method requires an embryologist to observe the embryo once per day. Moving the incubator in order to observe the embryo can potentially disturb the latter. In contrast, a TLI system, equipped with an internal camera for continuous observation without disturbance, offers a seamless monitoring process. While TLI has been a common practice in IVF labs for over a decade, its clinical effectiveness remains controversial. TLI systems are often associated with additional costs for patients due to high equipment expenses.