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The foundation stone laying ceremony was held on 1st September 2010 at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) for the Lo Kwee-Seong Integrated Biomedical Sciences Building. The building was named after the late Dr. K. S. Lo, Founder of the Vitasoy Group and the K. S. Lo Foundation (the Foundation), in recognition of a magnanimous donation of HK$150 million by the Foundation to support the University’s development, including in particular its research in biomedical sciences. Officiating at the ceremony were Dr. the Honourable York Chow, Secretary for Food and Health, HKSAR Government; Dr. Peter Lo, Chairman of the Foundation; Mr. Winston Lo, Executive Chairman, Vitasoy International Holdings Ltd.; Professor Joseph Sung, Vice-Chancellor, CUHK; and Professor Arthur Li, Emeritus Professor of Surgery, CUHK. About a hundred distinguished guests and members of the University attended the ceremony.

At the ceremony, Professor Joseph Sung expressed his deep gratitude to the Foundation and its Trustees for their exceptional gift and staunch support to the University. Professor Sung addressed the ceremony, ‘In line with the University’s Campus Master Plan in cultivating clustered and zoned development for disciplinary teaching and research activities, we aim at developing Area 39 in phases into a substantial research hub with state-of-the-art research facilities and postgraduate hostels.’ Dr. York Chow complimented CUHK on its commitment to providing the highest quality of teaching and research in the areas of medicine, health and bioscience in Hong Kong and the Asia Pacific Region. He remarked that the new Lo Kwee-Seong Integrated Biomedical Sciences Building will capitalize on CUHK’s edge in biosciences, thereby enhancing Hong Kong’s regional competitiveness in the respect.

Dr. Peter Lo is happy to pledge the single largest donation of HK$150 million, which ever made by the Foundation since its establishment in 1991, to support the development of the University and in particular its research in integrated biomedical sciences. One third of the donation will be assigned to establish an endowment fund named the Lo Kwee-Seong Biomedical Research Fund, with annual payouts to be earmarked for supporting biomedical research in agriculture, including research on soybean and other staple foods. Mr. Winston Lo added, ‘My father, Dr. K.S. Lo, would be very proud to know that the Vitasoy Group he began then still puts public health at the forefront of its business. His personal legacy continues and this donation from his foundation is an important step forward that amplifies his early efforts to prevent diseases caused by nutritional deficiency.’

The late Dr. K.S. Lo was the Founder of the Vitasoy Group and the Foundation. Dr. K. S. Lo, his family and the Foundation have been unwavering benefactors of CUHK since 1970s. CUHK Art Museum has received many valuable antique ceramics and teaware pieces from Dr. K. S. Lo and the Foundation, and conducted research on tea utensils with generous donations from the Foundation over the years. In addition, the Foundation supported the establishment of the Lo Kwee-Seong Research Laboratory of Infectious Diseases and supported medical research on epilepsy surgery. The K.S. Lo Foundation Scholarship Scheme also gave support to CUHK business students.

The Lo Kwee-Seong Integrated Biomedical Sciences Building is nine-storey high with a total construction floor area of 18,264 sq. metres, accommodating research laboratories, seminar and meeting rooms, breakout areas or shared research areas, a demonstration laboratory and administrative offices. Equipped with state-of-the-art biomedical equipment, it is hoped that the new infrastructure and the cohesive physical environment of the new building will help facilitate interdisciplinary research all under one roof, and nurture a team of dedicated researchers and students who would become global leaders in their areas of expertise.