She had served as the Vice-President of Research and Development, the Morningside Professor of Life Science, and Director of the State Key Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience at the HKUST.

[4] She received her bachelor degree in Chemistry and Biology from Simmons College in 1977,[2] and she earned a doctorate in pharmacology from Harvard University Medical School in 1983.

[2] After graduation, she spent the early part of her scientific career in the USA, and was Senior Staff Scientist at Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, New York.

She is currently the Vice-President for Research and Development, the Morningside Professor of Life Science, and Director of the State Key Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience at the University.

Ip has made seminal discoveries in the biology of neurotrophic factors, specifically proteins that support the growth, survival, and differentiation of both developing and mature neurons.