Upholding our health right from the womb

Even as a young medical student, Prof. Dennis Lo has been fascinated by the human DNA, believing it to be a treasure trove of information about our health. 

Little did he know just how many stories our DNA can tell. Even when we are still in our mothers’ womb.

Traditionally, the only way to find out if an unborn baby suffers from chromosomal and genetic disorders is through an invasive amniocentesis – a procedure that carries a small risk of miscarriage. But Prof. Lo wondered: could the same thing be achieved by a much safer blood test?

He spent years studying whether any fetal DNA – and information they carry about the baby’s health – can be found in the mother’s blood. The breakthrough came to him one night while cooking instant noodles in his dorm. Looking at the boiling water, he came up with the idea of boiling maternal blood plasma samples for testing, a method that uncovered strong fetal DNA signals.

From there, Prof. Lo’s non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) technique was born. 

“Keeping Up is about being curious and open-minded, observing the details of daily life and drawing insights on what we can do to create a breakthrough.”

Now with a simple blood sample, we can detect prenatal Down’s Syndrome and other chromosomal and genetic disorders with up to 99% accuracy, bringing peace of mind to millions of expectant mothers each year. 

And that’s just the beginning. Prof. Lo and his team have harnessed the potential of studying circulating DNA as markers, resulting in a groundbreaking multi-cancer early detection test. Their recent development of a cost-effective accessible technology further enhances its potential to improve treatment success rates in early cancer detection.

Bringing these transformative diagnostic tools to the market, Prof.Lo is enhancing lives even before they begin, bringing hope and healing to those who need it most. 


Heartened by this promise of a healthier future for everyone? Join us to “Keep Up for I&T Tomorrow ” and find out how research, innovation and technology work together to boost the power of medicine – and save lives.