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The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) and its affiliated InnoHK Centre for Novostics (Novostics) have recently announced a landmark licensing agreement with Pacific Biosciences (PacBio), a global leader in genomic sequencing, for their groundbreaking epigenetic detection technology, the Holistic Kinetic Model 2 (HK2). Developed by Professor Dennis Lo Yuk-ming, CUHK Vice-Chancellor and President, as well as Scientific Director of Centre for Novostics, and his team, HK2 will be integrated into PacBio’s HiFi sequencing systems, empowering researchers worldwide to decode DNA methylation with unprecedented precision – without damaging DNA.

Unlocking the epigenome’s secrets with AI innovation

DNA methylation, a process that regulates gene activity by adding chemical tags to DNA, plays a pivotal role in health and disease. Aberrant methylation patterns are linked to cancer, neurodegenerative disorders, and other conditions, making their detection critical to advancing diagnostics and therapies. Traditional DNA methylation detection technology relies on chemical treatments (bisulfite conversion) that significantly degrade DNA, compromising detection accuracy. HK2 overcomes this by leveraging AI and deep learning algorithms – originally designed for image recognition—to analyse subtle and disordered structural signal changes in DNA sequencing. This non-destructive approach achieves a 99% correlation with conventional bisulphite sequencing while preserving DNA integrity, enabling accurate detection of methylation marks includes 5-methylcytosine (5mC) and 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC).

A leap forward for research and clinical applications

HK2’s integration into PacBio’s Revio and Vega sequencing platforms via seamless software updates will equip researchers with tools to explore novel epigenetic signals, such as hemimethylation, and study tissue-specific methylation patterns in diseases like Alzheimer’s and cancer. Institutions such as Children’s Mercy Kansas City and GeneDx are already utilising PacBio’s HiFi sequencing to investigate epigenomic applications in neonatal care and rare disease diagnosis. With HK2, researchers can accelerate discoveries in precision medicine without additional costs or workflow disruptions.

Professor Lo said: “This collaboration underscores CUHK’s mission to transform cutting-edge research into global impact. By combining HK2 with PacBio’s HiFi sequencing, we are providing the scientific community with a powerful lens to unravel the epigenome’s role in health and disease at unmatched resolution. This partnership exemplifies how innovation bridges the gap between laboratory breakthroughs and real-world patient benefits.”

Global deployment for widespread impact

PacBio’s adoption of HK2 reinforces CUHK’s leadership in life sciences and positions the technology at the forefront of next-generation sequencing. The global rollout ensures researchers and clinicians can access high-resolution methylation data to refine diagnostics, uncover disease mechanisms, and pioneer targeted therapies.