Position Overview
We are seeking an experienced and highly qualified Principal Investigator (PI) to establish and lead the Hong Kong Center for the 'protecting.health' Global Initiative, led by Nobel Prize Laureate Prof. Dr. Ferenc Krausz. The selected candidate will be considered for appointment as a Research Professoriate staff in the Faculty of Science, to commence as soon as possible, on a three-year fixed-term basis, with the possibility of renewal, subject to funding availability and satisfactory performance.
Protecting.health aims to revolutionize healthcare by pioneering personalized preventive medicine for prevalent non-communicable diseases (NCDs) including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer, claiming 17 million premature deaths every year. The envisioned protecting.health/hongkong study is a large-scale, longitudinal health monitoring study designed to develop – in cooperation with several other studies of the same kind – the world's first health screening test for the early, pre-symptomatic detection of prevalent NCDs through advanced blood molecular phenotyping and artificial intelligence. The study design builds upon the prototypical protecting.health study under way in Hungary (h4h.hu) and will be established in multiple countries to form a global network of standardized protecting.health studies.
This position offers a unique opportunity to lead a landmark longitudinal study with the support of a dedicated central protecting.health coordinating team. The successful candidate will be responsible for building and directing the national hub for this decade-long longitudinal study. Responsibilities include recruiting a cohort of up to 15,000 local participants, overseeing successful regulatory and ethical conducts, and establishing state-of-the-art infrastructure for clinical assessment, biobanking, and data management that will serve as a cornerstone of medical research in Hong Kong for years to come.
This senior leadership role is pivotal to the global success of the protecting.health initiative and will position Hong Kong at the forefront of a new era in proactive, precision healthcare.
Key Responsibilities
- Strategic Leadership & Infrastructure Development
- Establish and lead the protecting.health Hong Kong Center, overseeing its strategic planning, operational launch, and long-term management
- Direct the setup and governance of the local clinical sites, biorepository and data center
- Regulatory & Ethical Compliance
- Obtain and maintain all necessary approvals from local Institutional Review Board (IRB), ensuring the highest ethical standards for participant protection
- Ensure all study activities and documentation comply with ICH-GCP, local regulations, and institutional requirements for human subject research
- Participant & Team Engagement
- Recruit, train, and mentor a high-performing multi-disciplinary team of clinicians, research staff, data managers, and technicians
- Maintain strong, open communication with participants, study teams, university leadership, hospital administration, government health bodies and other protecting.health partners
- Implement best practices for participant safety, privacy, and data confidentiality, including robust data management
- Develop and implement robust strategies for participant recruitment and long-term engagement for high-retention rates
Qualifications & Qualities
- Possess a degree in medicine or molecular biology, ideally with a Ph.D. degree in a relevant field, with outstanding achievements in research
- Demonstrated experience as a PI or co-investigator in clinical or population health study, with a strong track record of regulatory compliance and ethical conduct
- Certification in Good Clinical Practice (GCP), and deep knowledge and experience of the clinical research landscape in Hong Kong
- Strong leadership, organizational, and communication skills
- Excellent proficiency in written and spoken English
Preferred Qualities
- Ideally, candidates will already have an established clinical team and infrastructure that can support the execution of the study
- Prior success in securing research funding and managing research budgets
The appointment rank will be determined based on the qualifications and experience of the successful candidate, where those with a highly distinguished track record recognized at international level may be considered for the position of Professor (Research).
A highly competitive salary commensurate with qualifications and experience will be offered, in addition to annual leave and medical benefits. At current rates, salaries tax does not exceed 15% of gross income. The appointment will attract a contract-end gratuity and University contribution to a retirement benefits scheme, totalling up to 15% of basic salary. Housing benefits will also be provided as applicable.
The University only accepts online applications for the above post. Applicants should apply online and upload a cover letter with an up-to-date CV, proof of medical licensure and GCP certification, as well as statements of research, practice, and/or knowledge exchange, which applicable, and three reference letters. Review of applications will start as soon as possible and continue until October 31, 2025, or until the post is filled, whichever is earlier.
