HKUST launches programme offering Alzheimer’s blood-based test for elderly

A university in Hong Kong has launched an Alzheimer’s disease screening programme using a locally developed blood-based testing technology – the first of its kind globally – which will benefit 6,000 underprivileged elderly people over five years.Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia, affecting one in 10 Hongkongers aged 60 or above, with prevalence increasing with age, according to a Department of Health report in 2025.Announcing the “NeuroCare Community Project” on Monday, Nancy Ip Yuk-yu, president of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), said the blood-based multi-protein test, which her team developed in recent years, was moving beyond clinical settings and into the community through this programme.“By integrating Alzheimer’s blood biomarkers across multiple biological pathways, this innovative, less invasive technology could enable early detection and provide families with vital time for care planning and treatment, transforming the trajectory of brain health,” she said.Biomarkers are biological indicators used to measure the presence, progression or risk of diseases.“The programme will focus on serving the underprivileged elderly with our technology, and strengthening the capacity of their caregivers by raising their awareness of Alzheimer’s disease, subsequently alleviating their stress,” she added.