Prof. Nancy Ip, President and The Morningside Professor of Life Science at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), has been awarded the 2026 UNESCO-Equatorial Guinea International Prize for Research in the Life Sciences. The award recognizes her pioneering contributions to neuroscience and Alzheimer's disease research. The ceremony took place on November 6 at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, France.
UNESCO cited Prof. Ip as an internationally renowned neuroscientist whose research has significantly advanced the understanding of brain function and neurodegenerative diseases. The organization highlighted her team's discoveries of novel biomarkers and genetic risk factors for Alzheimer's disease, the development of an innovative blood-based diagnostic technology for earlier detection and monitoring, and pioneering advances in gene therapy research that have opened new avenues for prevention and treatment.
Receiving the award in Paris, Prof. Ip expressed gratitude to her research team, collaborators, and colleagues, and thanked HKUST for its steadfast support. "I am deeply honored to receive the UNESCO-Equatorial Guinea International Prize for Research in the Life Sciences," she said. "This recognition belongs not only to me, but also to the many talented and dedicated team members, collaborators and colleagues who have contributed to these achievements." She added that Alzheimer's disease is "not just a scientific and medical challenge. It is also a deeply human one, profoundly affecting the lives of those living with the disease and their families."
Prof. Ip emphasized the importance of global scientific collaboration and nurturing future researchers. "Science is a collective endeavor," she said. "Every breakthrough is built on collaboration across disciplines, institutions and borders."
Prof. Ip has devoted more than three decades to neurodegenerative disease research, publishing over 350 scholarly papers and holding 144 patents. Her work has deepened understanding of intercellular communication in the nervous system, synaptic signaling, and molecular mechanisms underlying neurodegenerative diseases. Recognizing that Alzheimer's research has historically relied heavily on Western populations, she led her team in establishing a large-scale Chinese Alzheimer's disease biobank. By integrating clinical, neuroimaging, and multi-omics data from Chinese populations, the team identified multiple genetic risk factors prevalent among Chinese individuals, providing insights for precision diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.
In recent years, Prof. Ip and her team co-developed a highly accurate, minimally invasive blood-based diagnostic test that can aid early detection of Alzheimer's disease and help identify individuals with mild cognitive impairment. The technology has been adopted by multiple healthcare institutions in Hong Kong and expanded into community settings. The team is also exploring novel gene therapy approaches for familial Alzheimer's disease through gene-editing technologies.
Prof. Ip is President of HKUST (https://hkust.edu.hk/) and Director of the State Key Laboratory of Nervous System Disorders and the Hong Kong Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases. She is an elected member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the US National Academy of Sciences, and other prestigious bodies. Her honors include the L'Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Award and the State Natural Science Award of China.
The UNESCO-Equatorial Guinea International Prize for Research in the Life Sciences recognizes outstanding scientific achievements that advance human health and improve quality of life. This year's prize is shared by three laureates, who jointly receive US$300,000 and an Integración Tribal statuette. The announcement, issued via Media OutReach Newswire, underscores the growing recognition of Asian-led research in neurodegenerative diseases and the potential for new diagnostic and therapeutic tools to address a global health challenge.
