This mobile phone photo taken on Nov. 6, 2026 shows Professor Nancy Yuk-yu Ip (L), president of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), receiving the UNESCO-Equatorial Guinea International Prize for Research in the Life Sciences at UNESCO headquarters in Paris, France. According to UNESCO, Ip has made significant advances in understanding brain function and Alzheimer's disease. Her research has led to the discovery of new biomarkers, the identification of genetic risk factors, and the development of blood tests that enable earlier diagnosis and better monitoring of Alzheimer's disease. She has also conducted pioneering research in gene therapy for neurodegenerative diseases. (Xinhua/Luo Yu)
PARIS, Nov. 6 (Xinhua) -- Professor Nancy Yuk-yu Ip, president of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), received the UNESCO-Equatorial Guinea International Prize for Research in the Life Sciences on Friday at UNESCO headquarters in Paris.
According to UNESCO, Ip has made significant advances in understanding brain function and Alzheimer's disease. Her research has led to the discovery of new biomarkers, the identification of genetic risk factors, and the development of blood tests that enable earlier diagnosis and better monitoring of Alzheimer's disease. She has also conducted pioneering research in gene therapy for neurodegenerative diseases.
"Many scientific breakthroughs are the result of cooperation, particularly interdisciplinary cooperation. I believe we should further strengthen cooperation across disciplines, universities and national borders. This will play an important role in developing medicines for diseases such as Alzheimer's. We are currently working towards this goal," Ip, who is also a member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, told Xinhua.
The other two laureates are Professor Carlos Martin Montanes of the University of Zaragoza in Spain and Professor Adnane Remmal of Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University in Fez, Morocco. They were honored for their major contributions to the development of a live attenuated vaccine against tuberculosis and the fight against antimicrobial resistance, respectively.
Established in 2008 by UNESCO and funded by the Republic of Equatorial Guinea, the UNESCO-Equatorial Guinea International Prize for Research in the Life Sciences aims to recognize individuals and institutions that have made outstanding contributions to improving the quality of human life through research in the life sciences, while promoting progress in the field and the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). ■
This mobile phone photo taken on Nov. 6, 2026 shows Professor Nancy Yuk-yu Ip (R), president of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), speaking at the award ceremony for the UNESCO-Equatorial Guinea International Prize for Research in the Life Sciences at UNESCO headquarters in Paris, France.
According to UNESCO, Ip has made significant advances in understanding brain function and Alzheimer's disease. Her research has led to the discovery of new biomarkers, the identification of genetic risk factors, and the development of blood tests that enable earlier diagnosis and better monitoring of Alzheimer's disease. She has also conducted pioneering research in gene therapy for neurodegenerative diseases. (Xinhua/Luo Yu)
