Leadership

Professor Nancy Ip, Director of the SKLMN and the Morningside Professor of Life Science at HKUST, is one of the world’s leading neuroscientists.  She received her PhD degree in Pharmacology from Harvard Medical School, after which she held the position of Senior Staff Scientist at Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. in New York.  Since joining HKUST, she has served as the Dean of Science, Director of the Biotechnology Research Institute, Head of the Department of Biochemistry and Vice-President for Research and Development. Prof. Ip is currently President of HKUST.

Prof. Ip’s major research interests are in neural development and function, as well as drug discovery for neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease.  She is well-known for her seminal discoveries in the biology of neurotrophic factors, which are proteins that promote the survival, development, and maintenance of neurons in the nervous system.  She has also made important contributions towards understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying brain development and synaptic plasticity, and their dysregulation in neurological disorders.

As a highly accomplished researcher, Prof. Ip has published over 325 papers and holds more than 70 patents.  She has been elected to the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the US National Academy of Sciences, the World Academy of Sciences and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.  Prof. Ip is also the recipient of numerous awards and honors including the National Natural Science Awards, the L’OREAL-UNESCO for Women in Science Award and the 10 Science Stars of China by Nature.  Prof. Ip has been Editor or Editorial Board member of many prestigious journals, and serves on various councils and committees to promote science and technology.