Innohk

Centre for Oncology and Immunology Limited

šŸŒ Official Website šŸ¢ HKSTP Source
68 Potential

Decision Maker

Ms. Kerry Li
info@coinno.hk
+852 39103971
N/A
Raw Description
Digestive malignancies, including gastric, colorectal, liver and esophageal cancers as well as leukemias and lymphomas, are major health burdens in Asian countries. Today, gastrointestinal and liver cancers are becoming more common across Asia due to population aging, growth, and a rise in risk factors ranging from oncogenic pathogen infections to increased smoking and obesity. | Under the auspices of the InnoHK initiative, the Centre for Oncology and Immunology aims to harness the power of biotechnology to develop innovative therapies to combat these hard-to-treat malignancies and bring hope to millions of cancer patients around the world. | The Centre for Oncology and Immunology is co-led by Professor Tak MAK and Professor Suet-yi LEUNG of the Department of Pathology at HKUMed in discovering novel therapies in cancer treatment. The Centreā€™s research team comprises globally renowned researchers who bring with them a wealth of complementary expertise and experience in oncology research, technology adoption, and commercialization. Individually, their research programs have led to major breakthroughs, including the devising of immunotherapy and checkpoint inhibition strategies that have been adopted as anti-cancer treatments, the establishment of next-generation organoid-based cell models for precision oncology, and the development of a diagnostic test for Lynch Syndrome (hereditary colon cancer). | The Centre will employ novel functional screens as well as genomic and proteomic techniques to identify novel ā€œdruggableā€ cancer targets. Leveraging the translational and clinical trial expertise of its lead scientists, the Centre will establish a number of advanced technical platforms to facilitate its overall goal of bringing candidate drugs and novel immunotherapy approaches into clinics. | Success in this venture will address pressing unmet medical needs and establish Hong Kong as a leading hub of innovative anti-cancer and immuno-oncology drug development.

Strategic Analysis

Executive Brief

The Centre for Oncology and Immunology (COI) is a premier translational research hub under the HKU Health@InnoHK initiative. Co-led by world-renowned scientists Prof. Tak Mak and Prof. Suet-yi Leung, the center focuses on multi-omics drug target discovery, immunotherapy development, and organoid-based precision medicine. Their work involves high-throughput screening, genomic analysis, and the development of next-generation diagnostic platforms for gastrointestinal and hematological cancers.

Strategic Fit & Lead Score

Lead Score: 68/100

  • 60-79: Adjacent Tech (Strong Potential)

Why this Score? While COI is primarily a biomedical research entity, their technical bottlenecks lie in sensing resolution, biomarker detection limits, and biocompatible interfaces. 6C's Boron Doped Diamond (BDD) and Quantum-grade Single Crystal Diamond (SCD) provide the next-generation hardware for their "functional screens" and "diagnostic tests." As they move toward commercializing diagnostic kits and advanced cell models, diamond-based sensors offer a leap in sensitivity and durability over traditional silicon or gold-based electrodes.

6C Solutions Proposal

Application Area 6C Solution Technical Value Prop
Biomarker Detection BDD Electrodes Boron Doped Diamond has the widest electrochemical window of any material. It allows for the detection of complex cancer metabolites and neurotransmitters without electrode fouling, enabling ultra-low limits of detection (LOD) in serum samples.
Precision Oncology SCD Quantum Sensors Using Single Crystal Diamond with Nitrogen-Vacancy (NV) centers allows for Nanoscale MRI. COI can map magnetic/thermal signatures inside living organoids or single cells to monitor drug response in real-time at the sub-cellular level.
Microfluidics & Organoids Direct Diamond Coating 6C can coat microfluidic channels or organoid scaffolds with PCD. Diamond is 100% biocompatible, chemically inert, and prevents protein adsorption (non-fouling), ensuring that "druggable" target screens are not contaminated by substrate interaction.
High-Throughput Proteomics BDD-Modified Sensors For COI's proteomic techniques, BDD surfaces provide a stable platform for covalent protein attachment. Unlike gold, diamond surfaces do not oxidize, allowing for repeatable, high-stability diagnostic assays.
Facility Expansion Custom MPCVD Reactor As COI scales its "advanced technical platforms," 6C can install an in-house MPCVD system. This allows their engineering team to grow custom diamond substrates for their proprietary diagnostic chips, keeping IP internal.

Engagement Hooks

  • Technical Question: "In your next-generation organoid models, how are you currently addressing the limitations of signal-to-noise ratios in electrochemical sensing of volatile cancer metabolites? Would a wider potential window and reduced background current significantly lower your detection thresholds?"
  • Value Statement: 6C can upgrade COIā€™s diagnostic platforms from standard silicon to CVD Diamond, enabling "limit-of-detection" breakthroughs in cancer screening that are currently impossible with conventional noble-metal electrodes.