Uncovering Rare Diseases

Rare diseases collectively affect approximately 1 in 67 individuals in Hong Kong. Local patients who suffer from them, and their carers, suffer greatly in terms of quality of life, not to mention the burden on the local economy to treat them.

Thanks to a research team at HKUMed, led by Dr. Brian Hon Yin Chung, supported by funding from SRDC, significant breakthroughts in understanding rare diseases have been made through the application of multi-omics analysis, an approach to understand biological systems by comprehensive assessment of datasets such as RNA, protein or epigenetic modifications by high-throughput technologies. This multi-omics approach not only aims to deepen our understanding of these conditions to make new diagnoses, but also paves the way for innovative treatment strategies tailored to specific genetic profiles.

Dr. Brian Chung expressed optimism about the future of this research: By leveraging multi-omics technology, we can uncover hidden genetic factors contributing to rare diseases and improve clinical outcomes for patients in Hong Kong and beyond.”