From medical research to collecting antiques, CUHK professor believes in preserving life’s

For Dr Francis Chan Ka-leung, those include professor, researcher, entrepreneur and collector. Although this range of roles satisfies the side of Chan that craves variety, his work as a clinician-scientist in gastroenterology requires strict adherence to objective data.

So to exercise his intuition, he has taken up antiques collecting as a hobby. These two sides of Chan may seem unconnected, or even contradictory, but both are rooted in the same philosophy: looking beyond appearances to understand what lies beneath.

What Happened

Just as a collector studies an antique’s inner qualities, Chan believes good health begins with understanding risks before symptoms appear. One of the defining themes of Chan’s medical career has been prevention.

• Check out the video to hear Dr Francis Chan explain how acting early, staying informed and making preventive care part of your long-term planning can help you live well for years to come.

• For Chan, the goal is not simply to live longer, but to live life to its fullest.

• Instead, Chan believes preventive care technologies, combined with regular check-ups and medical advice, can help people better understand and manage their health.

Key Details

He is co-founder of GenieBiome, a Hong Kong biotech company spun off from CUHK that focuses on studying the gut microbiome, diagnostics and therapeutics. Long before colorectal cancer became a mainstream public health concern, Chan and his team were already studying how.

• He is quick to point out that exercise and diet are not cure-alls, and they cannot totally prevent diseases.

• However, Chan is not the proverbial doctor who will keep telling patients to eat their greens.

• The irony is that the more advanced medicine becomes, the longer people will live – but longevity does not always equate to good health.

Why It Matters

Chan’s views relate to a broader discussion about modern healthcare: too often, the system only comes into play once people fall ill.

• This is especially important in the context of an ageing society, which is now a common issue across the developing world.

• He believes that at a macro level, real care should be about helping people stay well so that they can live life to the fullest and make meaningful contributions to society.

What Reports Say

Coverage of the story so far points to:

• Continued reporting by South China Morning Post as more details emerge