Biochemistry came late to Hong Kong, in the sense of an independent university subject, and has now grown to maturity with flourishing departments in several universities.

Biochemistry became an independent university subject in Hong Kong only from about 1965 and in the early years grew rather slowly, but today bears comparison with anywhere in the world. The HK Biochemical Association, now renamed the Hong Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, was founded in 1977 and held its first conference in 1978; all this ten years before any organisation for research funding existed in Hong Kong. The transformation is near-incredible.