HKUST and Wuhan Union Hospital Jointly Establish "Collaborative Center for Medical and Engineering Innovation"

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) and Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology (Wuhan Union Hospital) have jointly established the "Collaborative Center for Medical and Engineering Innovation" (the Center), officially unveiled today at HKUST’s campus. The collaboration marks a significant milestone in medical-engineering collaboration between the two institutions, focusing on core areas such as ultrasound, pathology, and radiology. By deeply integrating artificial intelligence (AI) with medical imaging, the center aims to drive medical technology innovation and advance global healthcare progress.

The unveiling ceremony was attended by delegates from Wuhan Union Hospital, including Prof. ZHANG Yu, Chair of the Hospital Committee, and Prof. WANG Hongbo, Vice Chair of the Hospital Committee, from Wuhan Union Hospital, as well as HKUST representatives, including Prof. Tim CHENG, HKUST Vice-President for Research and Development, and Prof. Albert CHUNG Chi-Shing , Associate Dean of Engineering (Research and Graduate Studies). The delegation also visited HKUST’s Von Neumann Institute, engaged in academic exchange with HKUST faculty members, discussed the Center's development plans, and held in-depth talks on innovation project funding and joint models for medical students and postgraduate researchers.

Under the agreement, the Center will prioritize medical-engineering integration with a focus on AI-powered medical technology R&D. Collaboration will deepen through academic exchanges, teacher training, joint research projects, and commercialization of research outcomes. Leveraging complementary strengths and shared resources, the two parties will accelerate the development of multimodal medical AI models in radiology, ultrasound, and pathology, driving innovations in intelligent diagnostic systems, precision medicine, and smart medical devices.

HKUST Vice-President for Research and Development Prof. Tim CHENG remarked: "The meteoric rise of AI is a vital force in medical innovation. The deep integration of medicine with engineering, data science and other cutting-edge disciplines opens up new frontiers in disease prevention, diagnosis, monitoring, care, and treatment. HKUST's leadership in data fusion, innovative algorithms, and supercomputing infrastructure, combined with Wuhan Union Hospital's rich clinical resources, will accelerate breakthroughs in AI-driven medical technologies. This partnership not only highlights the immense potential of cross-disciplinary and cross-regional synergy but will translate cutting-edge applications - such as intelligent diagnostics and precision medicine- into tangible outcomes, contributing creative solutions for the benefit of global healthcare." 

Chair of Wuhan Union Hospital Committee Prof. ZHANG Yu said, “Amid accelerating technological and industrial revolution, the convergence of medicine and engineering has become one of the most dynamic and promising fields of innovation. Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, as a national team in healthcare, ranks at the forefront in medical metrics, with extensive patient diversity, comprehensive disease coverage, and robust clinical disciplines. The collaboration is a strategic partnership that combines strengths and resources, as well as practical initiative to advance medical innovation. We hope both parties will harness their core advantages, unlock collaborative potential, and empower medical progress through AI, to further contribute to the Healthy China Initiative.”

Close Ties between HKUST and Wuhan Union Hospital

Wuhan Union Hospital is a top-tier medical institution in China, possessing vast clinical services and diverse real-world application scenarios. It serves 6.9 million outpatients, 420,000 inpatients, and 156,000 surgical procedures annually, providing critical clinical support for advancing multimodal medical AI models.

The collaboration between HKUST and Wuhan Union Hospital began in 2023 when Prof. Zhang Yu first led a delegation to visit HKUST. By 2024, the two institutions formally signed a cooperation agreement and established the initial physical presence of the Collaborative Center for Medical and Engineering Innovation at Wuhan Union Hospital in November of the same year. 

The two parties have sustained collaboration in AI and medical imaging research subsequently, and achieved breakthroughs in constructing multicenter ultrasound datasets and developing foundational models. This includes successfully creating the world's largest-scale ultrasound model, integrating ultrasound data from nearly one million patients. Its diagnostic accuracy for thyroid nodules rivals that of experienced physicians.

Prof. CHEN Hao, Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, and Prof. ZHENG Chuansheng, Chief of the Radiology Department in Wuhan Union Hospital, serve as the Center’s Co-Director. Prof. Terence WONG Tsz-Wai, Associate Professor in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering and Prof. XIE Mingxing, the Ultrasonography Department in Wuhan Union Hospital, serve as the Co-Associate Director. 

In recent years, the research teams led by Prof. Chen and Prof. Wong have achieved two groundbreaking advancements including the development of four large AI medical models and pioneering a new cellular imaging technology capable of accurately detecting residual cancer cells in patients. These innovations advance medical technology development, translate research outcomes into clinical applications that directly benefit both physicians and patients.