Joseph J.Y. Sung

Professor Joseph J.Y. Sung is the Vice-Chancellor and President of The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK).  Professor Sung graduated from Queen’s College in Hong Kong in 1978. He received his MBBS degree from the University of Hong Kong in 1983, and was conferred a PhD in biomedical sciences by the University of Calgary in 1992, and an MD by CUHK in 1997.  Besides, Professor Sung holds fellowships and memberships from many professional societies and associations. In 2011, Professor Sung has been elected an Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE).

Professor Sung joined the Prince of Wales Hospital, CUHK’s teaching hospital, in 1985 as a Medical Officer.  He later joined the Department of Medicine of CUHK as Lecturer in 1992, and was promoted to Professor of Medicine and Therapeutics in 1998. He was Chairman of the Department of Medicine and Therapeutics in 1999-2010, Associate Dean (Clinical) of the Faculty of Medicine in 2002-04 and Associate Dean (General Affairs) in 2004-09, and Head of Shaw College in 2008-10.  Professor Sung was appointed Mok Hing Yiu Professor of Medicine in November 2007 in recognition of his significant contributions to the prevention and early diagnosis of gastroenterology cancers.

As a renowned scientist in gastroenterology, Professor Sung’s research interests include intestinal bleeding, Helicobacter Pylori, peptic ulcer, hepatitis B, and colorectal cancer.  He has published over 680 full scientific articles in leading journals, edited or authored more than 15 books, and also refereed for more than 15 prestigious journals.

His contributions to the advancement of medical sciences and academic development have been recognized with awards such as the Distinguished Award for Fighting SARS (RTHK and Ming Pao, Medical Technology Personnel Category, 2003), the Vice-Chancellor’s Exemplary Teaching Award (CUHK, 2003), Silver Bauhinia Star (HKSAR Government, 2004), Cheung Kong Achievement Award (Ministry of Education, The People’s Republic of China (PRC) and Li Ka Shing Foundation, 2006), The Most Outstanding Contribution Award (Clinical Therapeutics) (Food and Health Bureau, HKSAR Government, 2007), and State Scientific and Technological Progress Award (Second-Class Award, National Office for Science and Technology Awards, PRC, 2007).  In 2009, his seminal lectures on peptic ulcer bleeding won Professor Sung the Marshall and Warren Lecture Award, the most prestigious award in gastroenterology in the Asia-Pacific region.  In the same year, he was also awarded the Endoscopy Award of the German Society of Gastroenterology.  In 2011, he also won the Ho Leung Ho Lee Advancement Prize (The Ho Leung Ho Lee Foundation, 2011).