About Us

A MESSAGE FROM OUR LEAD SCIENTIST PROF. ANSKAR LEUNG

Dear all,

I am Professor Anskar Leung, the founder of ZeBlast Technology Ltd. Our biotechnology company is dedicated to developing drugs for blood cancer through scientific innovation. As a professor in haematology, I have seen first-hand how devastating blood cancer can be. It is the fifth deadliest cancer worldwide, and each case is caused by multiple genetic abnormalities, with hundreds of gene mutation combinations.

Currently, there are less than 10 FDA-approved medications that target specific mutations, highlighting a significant potential for drug development. To identify new drugs rapidly for testing in clinical trials, we need high throughput animal models based on specific mutations. That is where zebrafish comes in.

Zebrafish has emerged as a model organism for blood diseases, with its entire genome sequenced, showing more than 80% similarity to that in humans. Its blood system is also remarkably similar to that in humans. Compared to the mouse model, the zebrafish model is at least 10 times more cost and space effective. At ZeBlast, we have generated zebrafish carrying human blood cancer mutations, and these animals develop the characteristic features of human diseases, including responses to drugs that target the specific mutations.

Traditionally, generation of transgenic zebrafish, particularly those carrying multiple transgenes, takes about 2 years, which significantly delays its application in drug development. At ZeBlast, we take a different approach. Our products focus on blood cancer models and have been characterized to ensure faithful recapitulation of human diseases, making them available off-the-shelf for both industrial and academic customers to begin their drug discovery almost immediately.

Thank you for your attention, and I hope that you will join us in our mission to develop effective treatments for blood cancer.

Sincerely, Professor Anskar Leung

Our Vision

At ZeBlast, we are driven by a singular vision: to revolutionize the field of cancer research by providing innovative solutions that accelerate drug discovery and improve outcomes for patients, leveraging the unique advantages of zebrafish models.

Our Mission

Our mission is to advance blood cancer research by providing validated zebrafish models that carry specific mutation combinations and histopathologic features of human blood cancers. We offer both “off-the-shelf” zebrafish models to expedite drug discovery research and “custom-designed” models that cater to the individual needs of our clients.

FOUNDING TEAM

ZeBlast is operated by a team of clinicians and scientists with a common goal to improve blood cancer treatment.

PROFESSOR ANSKAR Y.H. LEUNG
Founder

BMedSc, PhD (CUHK), MBChB (Hons), FHKCP, FHKAM (MED), MD (HKU), FRCP (Glasgow, London, Edinburgh)

Professor Anskar Leung Yu-hung is Chair Professor and Li Shu Fan Medical Foundation Professor in Haematology. He graduated in 1996 with MBChB (Hons) and PhD from the Chinese University of Hong Kong and joined The University of Hong Kong as Clinical Assistant Professor in 1999. He obtained his specialist qualification in Haematology and Haematological Oncology in 2003 and was promoted to Clinical Associate Professor and Clinical Professor in 2007 and 2012 respectively.

His research focuses on the pathogenesis, development of zebrafish models and clinical management of acute myeloid leukaemia (AML). He has published more than 170 peer review articles and has served as Editorial Board Member of BLOOD, the official journal of the American Society of Hematology, from 2018-2021.

DR. ALVIN MA
Co-Founder

PhD in Medicine (HKU) MPhil in Zoology & BSc in Animal and Plant Biotechnology (HKU)

Dr. Alvin C.H. Ma is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Health Technology and Informatics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU). He received his MPhil and PhD from The University of Hong Kong (HKU) in 2005 and 2009 before further training as Research Fellow in Mayo Clinic, Minnesota, United State. He returned to HKU, Department of Medicine and as a Research Assistant Professor in 2013 and joined PolyU in 2016.

Dr. Ma research interest is focused on hematopoiesis covering basic and translational research areas including gene regulation in normal vertebrate hematopoiesis, molecular basis of human blood diseases. In particular, through advancing genome editing technologies for zebrafish model, he aims to develop zebrafish into a comprehensive in vivo modeling platform for translational medicine, from functional evaluation of disease-related genes to large-scale chemical screening for novel therapeutic agents.

DR. SALLY SUN
Co-Founder

PhD in Medicine, BHS & BSc(Au)

Dr. Sun received her Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Health Science (1st Hon), and Ph.D. in Medicine from the University of Adelaide (Australia). After her Ph.D., she received postdoctoral training at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) and Monash University (Australia), focused on haematopoietic stem cell aging and rejuvenation.

She is now the research assistant professor in the Department of Medicine, School of Clinical Medicine, LKS Faculty of Medicine, HKU, focusing on using zebrafish (1) to model mutation combinations in AML, and (2) to establish xenotransplantation and drug screening platforms.

SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY BOARD (SAB) MEMBERS

To keep abreast of the rapidly evolving technological advances in genome editing, transgenesis and leukemia research, ZeBlast has set up its scientific advisory board (SAB) whose members have given us substantial support and advice. Continuous support and feedback from SAB members will not only sustain our momentum in R&D but also put ZeBlast in the international roadmap of leukemia and zebrafish research.

PROFESSOR ERIC C.W. SO

Professor Eric C.W. So is currently a Professor and Chair in Leukaemia Biology in King’s College London, U.K. He provides advice on cancer and leukaemia biology.

PROFESSOR WENQING ZHANG

Professor Wenqing Zhang is currently a professor in the Key Laboratory of Zebrafish Modeling and Drug Screening for Human Diseases of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes in Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, P.R.C. He provides advice on zebrafish modeling and personalized medicine.