Prof Mak received her medical education at The University of Hong Kong. She completed her specialty training in year 2018 in Queen Mary Hospital Hong Kong as a gastroenterologist and hepatologist. She joined the academic faculty in year 2020 and obtained the degree of Doctor of Medicine in the field of chronic liver diseases in year 2021. Prof Mak’s research interests include clinical liver diseases, especially in the field of chronic viral hepatitis. She has published extensively in reputable journals, and is an associate editor for Clinical Molecular Hepatology, Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics and Gut Sciences. She is an Honorary Research Fellow of The Centre for Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Blizard Institute, Queen Mary University of London to conduct research in the field of HBV immunology, for which she was also awarded with the Croucher Fellowship for post-doctoral research.

Prof Mak has received numerous academic awards, highlight being The Emerging Leader Award by The European Association for the Study of Liver, which is a yearly award specifically dedicated to young fellows and will be given to 2-3 young scholars. Prof Mak is the first Chinese woman to receive this award. She was the winner (runner-up) for The Rising Star Award, EMMS International’s Global Women in Healthcare Awards in association with the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh in 2025.

Prof Mak leads the hepatitis C virus micro-elimination efforts in Hong Kong, and pioneered such strategy in persons under custody in correctional facilities. Prof Mak is the principal investigator and co-investigator for numerous projects funded by externally-competitive grants.

1. Dai Z, Wong KT, Chow E, Seto WK, Yuen MF, Li X*, Mak LY*. Mass hepatitis C virus screening among persons in custody in Hong Kong: a modelling cost-effectiveness analysis based on a prospective cohort study. Lancet Reg Health West Pac. 2026 (*co-corresponding)
2. Hui RWH, Wu TKH, Ho KCY, Leung RHM, Chung MSH, Wong DKH, Fung J, Seto WK, Mak LY*, Yuen MF*. Large-scale profile study on hepatitis B surface antigen levels in chronic hepatitis B: implications for drug development targeting functional cure. Gut 2025 (*co-correspondence)
3. Mak LY, Wooddell CI, Lenz O, Schluep T, Hamilton J, Davis HL, Mao X, Seto WK, Biermer M, Yuen MF. Long-term hepatitis B surface antigen response after finite treatment of ARC-520 or JNJ-3989. Gut 2024
4. Mak LY, Liu K, Chirapongsathorn S, Yew KC, Tamaki N, Rajaram RB, Panlilio MT, Lui R, Lee HW, Lai JCT, Kulkarni AV, Premkumar M, Lesmana CRA, Hsu YC, Huang DQ. Liver diseases and hepatocellular carcinoma in the Asia-Pacific region: burden, trends, challenges and future directions. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol 2024
5. Mak LY, Gane E, Schwabe C, Yoon KT, Heo J, Scott R, Lee JH, Lee JI, Kweon YO, Weltman M, Harrison SA, Neuschwander-Tetri B, Cusi K, Loomba R, Given B, Christianson D, Garcia-Medel E, Yi M, Martin JS, Hamilton J, Yuen MF. ARO-HSD, an RNA interference therapeutic for the treatment of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis: a phase 1/ 2 study. J Hepatol 2023
6. Lee CH*, Mak LY*, Tang EHM*, Lui DTW, Mak JHC, Li L, Wu T, Chan WL, Yuen MF, Lam KSL, Wong CKH. SGLT2i reduces risk of developing HCC in patients with co-existing T2D and CHB infection – A territory-wide cohort study in Hong Kong. Hepatology 2023 (*Co-first authors)
7. Mak LY, Hui RWH, Lee CH, Mao X, Cheung KS, Wong DKH, Lui DTW, Fung J, Yuen MF, Seto WK. Glycemic burden and the risk of adverse hepatic outcomes in chronic hepatitis B patients with type 2 diabetes. Hepatology 2023
8. Wong CKH*, Mak LY*, Au ICH, Lai FTT, Li X, Wan EYF, Chui CSL, Chan EWY, Cheng WY, Cheng FWT, Yuen MF, Wong ICK. No increase in risk of acute liver injury following the mRNA (BNT162b2) and inactivated (CoronaVac) COVID-19 vaccines: A self-controlled case series study. J Hepatology 2022 (*Co-first authors)
9. Mak LY, Cloherty G, Wong DKH, Gersch J, Seto WK, Fung J, Yuen MF. HBV RNA profiles in chronic hepatitis B patients under different disease phases and anti-viral therapy. Hepatology 2021
10. Mak LY, Hui RWH, Fung J, Liu F, Wong WKH, Cheung KS, Yuen MF, Seto WK. Diverse effects of hepatic steatosis on fibrosis progression and functional cure in virologically quiescent chronic hepatitis B. J Hepatol 2020

• General Research Fund: The role of HBV integration in young-onset hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with chronic hepatitis B infection
• Health and Medical Research Fund: Regression of liver fibrosis after HBsAg loss: a prospective matched case-control evaluation using transient elastography and serum Enhanced Liver Fibrosis (ELF) test
• Health and Medical Research Fund: Effectiveness of a smartphone app in promoting weight loss in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: a pilot multi-centre randomized controlled trial
• Health and Medical Research Fund: Development of a hepatitis C infection care model for prisoners: a pilot program for micro-elimination of hepatitis C infection in Hong Kong
• Health and Medical Research Fund: Clinical utility of GALAD-assisted ultrasonography in detection of tumor recurrence after curative hepatic resection or liver transplantation for liver cancer
• Innovation and Technology Fund – Partnership Research Programme (PRP): Frequency-difference electrical impedance tomography (fdEIT) detection and characterization of fatty liver disease
• Asian Pacific Association of Gastroenterology Research Program Award: Characterizing Metagenomic Profile and Long-term Outcomes of Non-Obese MASLD in Asia-Pacific Region: The NOMA Consortium
• The Hong Kong Society of Gastroenterology Research Grant: Characterizing the effects of cigarette smoking on HBsAg seroclearance and associated immune pathways
• The Li Shu Pui Medical Foundation Research Grant: Detection of hepatic graft steatosis and fibrosis after transplantation using MRI-PDFF and MRE techniques
• Gilead Sciences research grant for investigator-initiated research for CHIME: Screening, enhancement of access to care and prioritization of treatment for chronic hepatitis C infection in high-risk populations in Hong Kong (co-PI with Prof. MF Yuen)
• State Key Laboratory of Liver Research (The University of Hong Kong) Young Researcher Support Scheme: Stopping antiviral treatment and subsequent flare in chronic hepatitis B infection: immunological and virological profiling
• The Aileen Lynn Bequest Fund, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow: Characterization of HBV-specific adaptive immune response in HBV-exposed subjects with hematological malignancies treated with B-cell depleting agents, hematopoietic stem cell transplant, or chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy

• 2026: ScholarGPS: Highly ranked scholar in ‘Hepatitis’ in prior five years (#19 out of 280,190 scholars) Hepatitis: Top 0.46%
• 2026: Travel Award, The Liver Week 2026, Korean Association for Study of Liver Disease
• 2026: Leader, Outstanding Team Award for “Integrated Clinic with Nurse Triage Protocol for Steatotic Liver Disease”, Queen Mary Hospital/ Tsang Yuk Hospital 2026
• 2025: Faculty Clinical Service Excellence Award, HKUMed
• 2025: Young Investigator Award, The Hong Kong College of Physicians
• 2025: Distinguished Research Paper Award for Young Investigator 2025, The Hong Kong College of Physicians
• 2025 & 2022: Faculty Outstanding Research Output Award, The LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong
• 2025: Winner (runner-up), The Rising Star Award, EMMS International’s inaugural Global Women in Healthcare Awards in association with the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
• 2024: Asian Pacific Association of Gastroenterology Research Program Award
• 2024: Ten Outstanding Young Persons Award, Hong Kong SAR, Junior Chamber International
• 2024: Rising Star Award, International Conference on Obesity & Metabolism in conjunction with Asia-Oceania Conference on Obesity (SICOM & AOCO) 2024
• 2023: The European Association for Study of the Liver (EASL) Emerging Leader Award
• 2023: Top 10 Original Research Articles in Portal Hypertension and Cirrhosis from China, Chinese Portal Hypertension Alliance (CHESS)
• 2023: Loyalty Award (10 years of service), Queen Mary Hospital/ The University of Hong Kong
• 2023 & 2020: Distinguished Research Paper Award for Young Investigator, The Hong Kong College of Physicians
• 2023 & 2022: Award for Excellence, Department of Medicine, School of Clinical Medicine, The LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong
• 2023: Best Oral Presentation Award, The 32nd Conference of Asian Pacific Association for the Study of the Liver (APASL) 2023
• 2023: 2022 Associate Faculty Member Travel Grant for Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Faculty Opinions
• 2022: The Young Investigator Bursary, The European Association for Study of the Liver
• 2021: Lo Ying Shek Chi Wai Foundation Award for Young Investigator 2020-2021
• 2021 & 2019: Faculty Outstanding Research Output Award, The LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong
• 2021: The Young Investigator Bursary, The European Association for Study of the Liver
• 2021: Young Investigator's Award, The 30th Conference of the Asian Pacific Association for the Study of the Liver
• 2021, 2020, 2019, 2017: Best Abstract in Clinical Medicine, Medical Research Conference, Department of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong
• 2019: Travel Award, The 7th Annual Meeting of Asian Organisation for Crohn’s & Colitis
• 2018: Young Investigators Award, Asia Pacific Association of Gastroenterology 3rd Clinical Forum on Inflammatory Bowel Disease

• Member, Expert Group on Drug Registration, Pharmacy and Poisons Committee (PRC), Hong Kong SAR (2024 – present)
• Member, Clinical Working Group of Steering Committee on Prevention and Control of Viral Hepatitis, Department of Health, HKSAR
• Principal Investigator, State Key Laboratory of Liver Research, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR (2024 – present)
• Vice President, The Hong Kong Association for Study of Liver Disease, Hong Kong SAR (2026 – present)
• Honorary Advisor, Christian New Life Association, Hong Kong SAR (2024 – present)
• Council Member, The Hong Kong Liver Foundation, Hong Kong SAR (2023 – present)
• Council Member, The Hong Kong Obesity Society, Hong Kong SAR (2024 – present)
• Associate Editor, Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics (2026 – present)
• Associate Editor, Gut Sciences (2025 – present)
• Associate Editor, Clinical Molecular Hepatology (2024 – present)
• Editorial Board, Journal of Hepatology (2024 – present)
• Editorial Board, Hepatology Communications (Basic Science) (2023 – present)
• Group Lead, Hepatology Focus Group, Emerging Leaders’ Committee, Asian Pacific Association of Gastroenterology (APAGE) (2026 – present)
• Co-Chair, HCC working group, HBV Forum, The Forum for Collaborative Research, UC Berkeley School of Public Health, USA (2025 – present)