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 clinical liver diseases in year 2021. Prof Mak’s research interests include clinical research of liver diseases, especially in the field of chronic viral hepatitis, fibrosis assessment and steatotic liver disease. She has published more than 160 peer-reviewed articles in reputable journals, with >80 being first-authored/ co-first/ corresponding authored articles, highlights including publications in Journal of Hepatology, Gut, Clinical Molecular Hepatology, and Hepatology. She is an Honorary Research Fellow of The Centre for Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Blizard Institute, Queen Mary University of London since Jan 2022 to conduct research in the field of HBV immunology, and received 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 Finalist for The Rising Star Award, EMMS International’s inaugural Global Women in Healthcare Awards in association with the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh in 2024.

Prof Mak leads the hepatitis C virus micro-elimination efforts in Hong Kong, and pioneered such strategy in persons under custody in correctional facilities. She established the Specialty Out-Patient Clinic for Steatotic Liver Disease in Queen Mary Hospital. Prof Mak is the principal investigator and co-investigator for numerous projects funded by externally-competitive grants.

1. 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
2. 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
3. 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
4. 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)
5. 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
6. Mak LY*, Wong D*, Kuchta A, Hilfiker M, Hamilton A, Chow N, Mao X, Seto WK, Yuen MF. HBV pgRNA and HBcrAg reductions at week 4 predict favourable HBsAg response upon long-term nucleos(t)ide analogue in CHB. Clin Mol Hepatol 2023 (*Co-first authors)
7. 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)
8. Mak LY, Cheung KS, Hui RWH, Wong DKH, Fung J, Seto WK, Yuen MF. Enhanced liver fibrosis score stratifies hepatocellular carcinoma risk in patients with hepatitis B surface antigen seroclearance. Clin Infect Dis 2022
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

• 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 2020: Stopping antiviral treatment and subsequent flare in chronic hepatitis B infection: immunological and virological profiling
• State Key Laboratory of Liver Research (The University of Hong Kong) Young Researcher Support Scheme 2022: Investigation of the Electrical Impedance Tomography (EIT) in exploration of tissue conductivity for focal liver lesions

Academic awards

• 2024: Asian Pacific Association of Gastroenterology Research Program Award
• 2024: Top 5 nominees of USERN 2024 Prize (Medical Sciences), Co-organized by the Universal Scientific Education & Research Network (USERN), Medical University Plovdiv, and the European Union
• 2024: Rising Star Award, International Conference on Obesity & Metabolism in conjunction with Asia-Oceania Conference on Obesity (SICOM & AOCO) 2024
• 2024: Finalist for The Rising Star Award, EMMS International’s inaugural Global Women in Healthcare Awards in association with the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
• 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
• 2022 & 2023: Award for Excellence, Department of Medicine, School of Clinical Medicine, The LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong
• 2022: Faculty Outstanding Research Output Award, 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

Honours

• Ten Outstanding Young Persons Award, Hong Kong SAR, 2024

• Member, Expert Group on Drug Registration, Pharmacy and Poisons Committee (PRC), Hong Kong SAR
• Deputy Director of MBBS Admissions, The School of Clinical Medicine, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR
• Principal Investigator, State Key Laboratory of Liver Research, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR
• Honorary Secretary, The Hong Kong Association for Study of Liver Disease, Hong Kong SAR
• Advisory Group, Christian New Life Association, Hong Kong SAR
• Council Member, The Hong Kong Liver Foundation, Hong Kong SAR
• Council Member, The Hong Kong Obesity Society, Hong Kong SAR
• Associate Editor, Clinical Molecular Hepatology
• Editorial Board, Journal of Hepatology
• Editorial Board, Hepatology Communications (Basic Science)
• Editorial Board, Frontiers in Microbiology; section on Virology
• Member, Emerging Leaders’ (Young GI Fellows) Committee, Asian Pacific Association of Gastroenterology (APAGE)