People

Prof. Ada Fung is a clinical gerontologist specialising in the early detection of cognitive decline and dementia risk reduction. She is an Associate Professor at the Academy of Wellness and Human Development and founding Director of the Life Course Development Research Institute (LCDRI) at Hong Kong Baptist University. Under her directorship, LCDRI was established in 2024 as the first research institute in Hong Kong dedicated to life-course development, and in 2025 was invited to join the World Health Organization Life Course Network, contributing to global efforts connecting healthy development with healthy ageing across the lifespan. She is also affiliated with the Smart Society Lab at HKBU.

Prof. Fung received her Ph.D. in Medical Sciences and completed postdoctoral training in the Department of Psychiatry at the Chinese University of Hong Kong in 2017. She joined the Hong Kong Polytechnic University as an Assistant Professor in 2018, where she was appointed as the inaugural Thetos Foundation Endowed Young Scholar in Social Services in the Department of Applied Social Sciences, a post she held until 2022 before joining HKBU.

Her work bridges gerontology, digital health innovation, and community-based intervention, with a sustained focus on developing practical tools that translate research evidence into real-world care. She led the development and validation of the Hong Kong-Vigilance and Memory Test (HK-VMT), a digital screening platform that detects early subtle cognitive changes, and the Cognitive Ageing Risk Score (CARS). Both have been implemented across District Elderly Community Centres in Hong Kong, benefiting over 2,000 older adults since late 2021 and enabling personalized lifestyle modification from mid- through later life. Her current research examines the psychosocial determinants of cognitive ageing, particularly how loneliness, anxiety, and depression shape dementia risk among community dwelling older adults.

Prof. Fung has demonstrated a strong competitive funding record, securing both the Health and Medical Research Fund (HMRF) and the General Research Fund (GRF) in 2023. She was named a Notable Female Scholar at HKBU in 2024 and received the HKBU Knowledge Transfer Award in 2025 for the impactful community application of the HK-VMT in advancing early cognitive screening. She has published extensively on cognitive ageing, dementia risk, late-life depression, and digital health interventions for older populations.

Beyond her research, Prof. Fung has been a long-time advocate for dementia care in Hong Kong through her leadership in the Chinese Dementia Research Association (CDRA), where she currently serves as Vice President, having previously held the positions of Honorary Secretary and Honorary Treasurer. She is also a specialist of the Hong Kong Council for Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications and an Associate Editor for the specialty section in Mood Disorders of Frontiers in Psychiatry.

• Early detection and intervention of cognitive decline and neurocognitive disorders
• Dementia risk reduction and brain health promotion
• Smart technology and digital tools for cognitive screening
• Life-course determinants of healthy ageing
• Mental health and psychosocial factors in later life

Book Chapters

• Fung, A.W.T., Lee, A.T.C. & Lam, L.C.W. (2025). Trajectories of mental disorders from early to late adulthood. In N.-H.T. Trinh, I. Ahmed & D. Bhugra (Eds.), Mental Health in Older People Across Cultures. Oxford University Press.

Encyclopedia Entry

• Fung, A.W.T., Cheng, S.T. & Lai, F.H.Y. (2019). Respite care. In D. Gu & M. Dupre (Eds.), Encyclopedia of Gerontology and Population Aging. Springer, Cham.

Selected Peer Reviewed Articles

• Huo, Z., Yip, B.H., Lee, A., Cheng, S.T., Chan, W.C., Fung, A.W., Ma, S.L., Cheng, C.P., Lai, F.H., Wong, S.Y. & Lam, L. (2025). Healthcare utilisation and economic cost of neurocognitive disorders in Hong Kong community-dwelling older adults: Findings from a population-based prevalence study. Alzheimer's & Dementia, 21, e102859.
• Huo, Z., Yip, B.H., Lee, A., Cheng, S.T., Chan, W.C., Fung, A.W., Ma, S.L., Cheng, C.P., Lai, F.H., Wong, S.Y. & Lam, L. (2025). Positive experience of caregiving moderates suicidal ideation in family caregivers of community-dwelling older adults with neurocognitive disorders. Alzheimer's & Dementia, 21, e102978.
• Fung, A.W.T. & Ma, S.L. (2025). Efficacy of the Hong Kong-Vigilance and Memory Test Platform on early detection of cognitive deficits and promotion of healthy behaviors in older adults. Geriatrics & Gerontology International, 25(11), 1598–1602.
• Huo Z, Yip BH, Lee AT, Cheng ST, Chan WC, Fung AW, Ma SL, Cheng CP, Lai FH, Wong SY, Lam LC. (2025). Moderating role of positive aspects of caregiving in the relationship between caring burden and suicidal ideation in family caregivers of community-dwelling older adults with neurocognitive disorders. BMC Geriatrics, 25, 524.
• Fung, A., Lee, A., Ma, S. et al. (2024). Development and validation of cognitive ageing risk score (CARS) for early detection of subtle cognitive deficits in older people. BMC Geriatrics, 24, 277.
• Lam, L.C.W., Lee, A.T., Chan, W.C., Wong, S.Y., Ma, S.L., Lin, C.C., Fung, A.W., Yip, B.H., Cheng, C.P.W., Lai, F.H. & Cheng, S.T. (2023). Non-physical leisure activity patterns and cognitive function in 4,121 Hong Kong older adults with no major neurocognitive disorders. Alzheimer's & Dementia, 19, e074538.
• Lai CYY, Chen LH, Lai FHY, Fung AWT, Ng SSM.  (2023). The association between satisfaction with life and anxiety symptoms among Chinese elderly: A moderated mediation analysis. BMC Geriatrics, 23, 855.
• Lu, H., Li, J., Fung, A.W.T. & Lam, L.C.W. (2023). Diversity in verbal fluency performance and its associations with MRI-informed brain age matrices in normal ageing and neurocognitive disorders. CNS Neuroscience & Therapeutics, 29, 1865–1880.
• Lai, V.K.Y., Fung, A.W.T., Lam, L.C.W. & Lee, A.T.C. (2022). Is sleep quality a potential predictor of neurocognitive disorders? A 6-year follow-up study in Chinese older adults. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 1–8.
• Qin, P., He, J., Yang, X., Chen, S., Chen, X., Jiang, H., Fung, A.W.T., Wang, Z. & Lau, J.T.F. (2022). The role of depressive symptoms and physical activity levels in mediating the association between HIV status and neurocognitive functions among individuals aged at least 50 years in China: Cross-sectional study. JMIR Public Health and Surveillance, 8(8), e32968.
• Lai, F.H.Y., Tong, A.Y.C., Fung, A.W.T., Yu, K.K.Y., Wong, S.S.L., Lai, C.Y.Y. & Man, D.W.K. (2022). Information communication technology as instrumental activities of daily living for aging-in-place in Chinese older adults with and without cognitive impairment: The validation study of Advanced Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Scale. Frontiers in Neurology, 13, 746640.
• Lee, A.T.C., Fung, A.W.T., Richards, M. et al. (2022). Late-life longitudinal blood pressure trajectories as predictor of dementia. Scientific Reports, 12, 1630.
• Fung, A.W.T., Lam, L.C.W., Chan, S.S.M. et al. (2021). Knowledge of mental health symptoms and help seeking attitude in a population-based sample in Hong Kong. International Journal of Mental Health Systems, 15, 39.
• Lam, L.C.W., Lee, A.T.C., Cheng, S.T., Yip, B.H.K., Chan, W.C., Fung, A.W.T., Ma, S.L., Cheng, C.P.W., Kong, R., Chiu, H.T.S., Lai, F.H.Y. & Wong, S.Y.S. (2021). Mindfulness awareness is associated with a lower risk of anxiety and depressive symptoms in older adults with neurocognitive disorders. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 12, 721583.
• Lee, A., Fung, A., Richards, M., Chan, W.C., Chiu, H., Lee, R. & Lam, L. (2021). Risk of incident dementia varies with different onset and courses of depression. Journal of Affective Disorders, 282, 915–920.
• Makkar, S.R., Lipnicki, D.M., Crawford, J.D., ... Fung, A. ... Sachdev, P.S.; for COSMIC (2020). Education and the moderating roles of age, sex, ethnicity and apolipoprotein epsilon 4 on the risk of cognitive impairment. Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics, 91, 104112.
• Fung, A.W. (2020). Effect of physical exercise and medication on enhancing cognitive function in older adults with vascular risk. Geriatrics & Gerontology International, 20(11), 1067–1071.
• Makkar, S.R., Lipnicki, D.M., Crawford, J.D., ... Fung, A. ... Sachdev, P.S.; for COSMIC (2020). APOE ε4 and the influence of sex, age, vascular risk factors, and ethnicity on cognitive decline. The Journals of Gerontology: Series A, 75(10), 1863–1873.
• Qin, P., He, J., Wang, Z., Chen, X., Li, J., Fung, A.W.T. … Lau, J.T.F. (2020). Efavirenz use and neurocognitive performance among older people living with HIV who were on antiretroviral therapy. AIDS Care, 32(1), 12–20.
• Fung, A.W.T. & Lam, L.C.W. (2020). Validation of a computerized Hong Kong-Vigilance and Memory Test (HK-VMT) to detect early cognitive impairment in healthy older adults. Aging & Mental Health, 24(1), 186–192.
• Lipnicki, D.M., Makkar, S.R., Crawford, J.D., ... Fung, A. ... Sachdev, P.S.; for COSMIC (2019). Determinants of cognitive performance and decline in 20 diverse ethno-regional groups: A COSMIC collaboration cohort study. PLoS Medicine, 16(7), e1002853.
• Fung, A.W.T., Lee, A.T.C., Cheng, S.T. & Lam, L.C.W. (2019). Loneliness interacts with family relationship in relation to cognitive function in Chinese older adults. International Psychogeriatrics, 31(4), 467–475.
• Lu, H., Ni, X., Fung, A.W.T. & Lam, L.C.W. (2018). Mapping the proxies of memory and learning function in senior adults with high-performing, normal aging and neurocognitive disorders. Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, 64(3), 815–826.
• Fung, A.W.T., Lee, J.S.W., Lee, A.T.C. & Lam, L.C.W. (2018). Anxiety symptoms predicted decline in episodic memory in cognitively healthy older adults: A 3-year prospective study. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 33(5), 748–754.
• Lu, H., Chan, S.S.M., Fung, A.W.T. & Lam, L.C.W. (2017). Beyond a differential diagnosis: Cognitive and morphometric decoding of information processing speed in senior adults with DSM-5 mild neurocognitive disorders. Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, 58(3), 927–937.
• Fung, A.W.T. & Lam, L.C.W. (2017). A cross-sectional study on clinical correlates of anxiety disorders in 613 community-living older adults in Hong Kong. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 32(7), 742–749.
• Ma, D.Y., Wong, C.H.Y., Leung, G.T.Y., Fung, A.W.T., Chan, W.C. & Lam, L.C.W. (2017). Physical exercise helped to maintain and restore functioning in Chinese older adults with mild cognitive impairment: A 5-year prospective study of the Hong Kong Memory and Ageing Prospective Study (HK-MAPS). Journal of the American Medical Directors Association, 18(4), 306–311.
• Lipnicki, D.M., Crawford, J.D., Dutta, R., ... Fung, A.W. ... Sachdev, P.S.; for COSMIC (2017). Age-related cognitive decline and associations with sex, education and apolipoprotein E genotype across ethnocultural groups and geographic regions: A collaborative cohort study. PLoS Medicine, 14(3), e1002261.
• Fung, A.W., Chan, W.C., Wong, C.S., Chen, E.Y., Ng, R.M., Lee, E.H. et al. Prevalence of anxiety disorders in community-dwelling older adults in Hong Kong. International Psychogeriatrics.
• Sachdev, P.S., Lipnicki, D.M., Kochan, N.A., ... Fung, A.W. ... for COSMIC (2015). The prevalence of mild cognitive impairment in diverse geographical and ethnocultural regions: The COSMIC collaboration. PLoS ONE, 10(11), e0142388.

1. Loneliness in Chinese older adults: Association with inflammation and cognitive decline. A 2-year longitudinal study. (Funding body: GRF, Capacity: PI. Ref. No.: 15601522. Funding: $1,319,530. Study Period: 01/01/2024 – 31/12/2026)
2. Effect of a six-week integrated attention training program on the cognitive functions of older adults with co-occurring anxiety symptoms and subjective cognitive complaints. (Funding body HMRF, Capacity: PI. Ref. No.: 10211426. Funding: $ 1,338,655. Study Period: 01/07/2023 – 30/6/2025)
3. Online longitudinal study investigating the long-term impact of lifestyle factors on cognition in 50s (Online 50s). (Funding body: HKBU Research Development Fund: Research Network on Healthy Ageing, Capacity: PI. Ref. No.: RNHA202305. Funding: $ 180,000. Study Period: 01/01/2024 – 31/12/2028)
4. The acquisition of online health information by Hong Kong older adults and their physical and mental wellbeing. (Funding body: HKBU Research Development Fund: Research Network on Healthy Ageing, Capacity: Co-I. Ref. No.: RNHA202305. Funding: $ 150,000. Study Period: 01/09/2023 – 30/11/2024)
5. Creating an enabling environment to facilitate healthy lifestyle in older age. (Funding body: HKBU Research Development Fund: Research Network on Healthy Ageing, Capacity: Co-I. Ref. No.: RNHA202303. Funding: $ 180,000. Study Period: 01/12/2023 – 30/11/2024)
6. Innovative Active Ageing Research Centre. (Funding body: PolyU Funding for Research Centres (non-PAIR), Capacity: Co-I. Ref. No.: P0042707. Funding: $7,500,000. Study period: 21/06/2022 – 20/06/2025) 
7. RISA Healthy Aging Blockchain Ecosystem with Person-centred Care Approach for People with Cognitive Impairment: A pilot pragmatic-controlled trial. (Funding body: PolyU Research Institute of Smart Ageing (RISA), Capacity: Co-I. Ref. No.: P0043000. Funding: $1,000,000. Study period: 01/09/2022 – 30/08/2024)
8. Using Community Based Participatory Action Research to Address Elder Abuse. (Funded by PolyU One-line Budget, Capacity: Co-I. Ref. No: P0041177. Funding: $ 2,000,000. Study Period: 30/06/2022 – 29/06/2025)
9. Model and Capacity Building for Intergenerational Digital Literacy Training for Older Adults in Hong Kong. (Funding body: Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship Development Fund, Capacity: Co-I. Ref. No.: P0038665. Funding: $ 2,994,339. Study Period: 1/10/21 – 31/03/2024)
10. Innovative Active Ageing Research Centre. PolyU (UGC). ((Funding body: Funding for Research Centres (non-PAIR), Capacity: Co-I. Ref. No.: P0042707, Funding: $ 7,500,000. Study Period: 21/06/2022 – 20/06/2025)

• HSWB 1005 Introduction to Innovation in Health and Social Wellbeing
• PERM 4116 Health Promotion
• PERM 4898 Honors Project
• SLM 7080 Health Promotion

• 2025 Hong Kong Baptist University Knowledge Transfer Award
• 2024 Notable Female Scholar, Hong Kong Baptist University
• 2022 Thetos Foundation Endowed Young Scholar in Social Services

• Chinese Dementia Research Association Ltd.
• Gerontological Society of America
• Hong Kong Society of Behavioral Health
• Asian Academy of Family Therapy

• Vice President, Chinese Dementia Research Association
• Specialist, Hong Kong Council for Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications
• Associate Editor, Frontiers in Psychiatry (Specialty section in Mood Disorders)
• Journal Reviewers
  

  • Aging and mental health

  • Applied Research in Quality of Life

  • Archive of Gerontology and Geriatrics

  • BMC Geriatrics

  • Disability and Rehabilitation

  • Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine

  • Frontiers in Psychiatry

  • International Journal of Environment Research and Public Health

  • Life

  • Psychogeriatrics

  • Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences

  • The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry