Dennis Lo bets on blood to bare all, with tests that saved 10 million mums from the needle
Professor Dennis Lo Yuk-ming's pioneering work in 1995, which discovered fetal DNA in maternal plasma, has revolutionized prenatal testing, sparing millions of expecting mothers from invasive amniocentesis. His groundbreaking discovery led to the development of the T21 blood test for Down syndrome and other genetic diseases, now available in 90 countries. Lo envisions future blood tests capable of revealing much more about a person's health, including neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer's and age-related diseases.
Inspired by observing instant noodles, Lo's initial discovery involved finding DNA fragments in the blood plasma of pregnant women. The T21 test, priced between HK$4,500 and HK$8,000 in Hong Kong, has been widely adopted since 2011. Lo's ongoing research focuses on utilizing circular nucleic acids for diagnosing neurodegenerative diseases and exploring epigenetics as a "clock of the DNA" to understand aging. This work underscores his continued progress in pathology, as highlighted just before he assumed the presidency of the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK).
via SCMP Full Text Feed
Professor Dennis Lo Yuk-ming's pioneering work in 1995, which discovered fetal DNA in maternal plasma, has revolutionized prenatal testing, sparing millions of expecting mothers from invasive amniocentesis. His groundbreaking discovery led to the development of the T21 blood test for Down syndrome and other genetic diseases, now available in 90 countries. Lo envisions future blood tests capable of revealing much more about a person's health, including neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer's and age-related diseases.
Inspired by observing instant noodles, Lo's initial discovery involved finding DNA fragments in the blood plasma of pregnant women. The T21 test, priced between HK$4,500 and HK$8,000 in Hong Kong, has been widely adopted since 2011. Lo's ongoing research focuses on utilizing circular nucleic acids for diagnosing neurodegenerative diseases and exploring epigenetics as a "clock of the DNA" to understand aging. This work underscores his continued progress in pathology, as highlighted just before he assumed the presidency of the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK).
via SCMP Full Text Feed
