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Professor Francis K.L. Chan, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Choh-Ming Li Professor of Medicine and Therapeutics at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) has recently received the “International Leadership Award 2018” presented by the American College of Gastroenterology (ACG).  Professor Chan is the first Chinese scholar to receive this Award which was given for his outstanding and substantial contributions to the international gastroenterology community. 

Professor Chan as the First Chinese Scholar Receiving the Award

As an internationally renowned clinician-scientist in gastrointestinal bleeding, helicobacter pylori and cancer prevention, Professor Chan has published over 500 full scientific articles in high impact international journals. He is among the first in academic history to publish 8 first-authored original research articles in two prestigious medical journals, namely the New England Journal of Medicine and The Lancet.

Professor Chan’s work has put Hong Kong on the world map of outstanding clinical researchers. His research findings have been incorporated into clinical practice guidelines in the U.S., Europe and the Asia Pacific region. He is the very first scholar in China who has been selected by The Lancet to exemplify his academic profile.

Because of his outstanding and substantial contributions to the international community, Professor Chan has had bestowed on him this year’s American College of Gastroenterology International Leadership Award. Nominations are made by members of ACG all over the world. The ACG’s Board of Trustees independently selects one awardee who is considered to be of the highest quality. Past recipients of the Award include experts from renowned academic institutions worldwide.

Professor Chan expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the American College of Gastroenterology. He said, “I am deeply honoured to be selected for this prestigious award. This recognition from the College encourages me and my team to do research that will add value to the international community.”

Professor Chan’s Contributions to Gastroenterology are Far-reaching Locally and Globally

Professor Chan’s contributions to medical research have been recognised worldwide with many national and international awards. To name a few honours, they are the Croucher Senior Medical Research Fellowship 2007-08; Andy Martynoga Memorial Lecturer (England) in 2008; JGHF Marshall and Warren Lecturer (Asian Pacific Association of Gastroenterology) in 2011; and the Outstanding Scientific Research Output Award (Ministry of Education, PRC, 2011). In recognition of his outstanding academic achievement, he received the degree of Doctor of Science from CUHK in 2011.

Recent honours include the 19th Vikit Viranuvatti’s Lecturer (Thailand) in 2016, the State Natural Science Award (PRC) in 2016, the 27th Seah Cheng Siang Memorial Lecturer (Singapore) in 2017, and an Honorary Fellowship of the Royal College of Physicians of Thailand in 2018. He has held visiting professorship with many national and international institutions in China, Korea, Japan, Germany, Spain, and the United States.

About the American College of Gastroenterology

Founded in 1932, more than 14,000 gastrointestinal experts from 86 countries are members of the American College of Gastroenterology (ACG). Its advocacy in public policy arenas and its development of clinical guidelines have made tremendous strides, with many prime accomplishments, towards improving the future of clinical gastroenterology and the quality of care available to patients with gastrointestinal conditions and diseases.