This week we want to thank Dr Wendy Chung, MD, PhD, with Columbia University and DHREAMS for Bringing Hope Around the World to our CDH Families. She is a superhero in our CDH community and to many other rare disease communities and organizations. She’s a genetics genius, a pediatric surgeon, has helped to establish countless Standards of Care, is revered in many communities, is one of our Medical Advisory Board Members at CDH International, and has always gone above and beyond to help our CDH kids.
On November 1st, Columbia Children’s Health posted to Facebook that pediatric geneticist, Dr. Wendy Chung, received the New York Academy of Medicine Medal for Distinguished Contributions in Biomedical Science for her global leadership in the diagnosis and treatment of rare diseases. Through her work, she has identified more than 41 new genes for human diseases. Congratulations Dr. Chung!
From the DHREAMS website about Dr. Chung, http://www.cdhgenetics.com/dhreams-team.cfm:
Wendy Chung, MD, PhD is a clinical and molecular geneticist and the Kennedy Family Professor of Pediatrics and Medicine. She received her BA in biochemistry and economics from Cornell University, her MD from Cornell University Medical College, and her PhD from The Rockefeller University in genetics. She completed residencies in pediatrics and medical genetics at Columbia University, a fellowship in Molecular Genetics, and is ABMG certified in clinical and molecular genetics.
Dr. Chung directs NIH funded research programs in human genetics of birth defects including congenital diaphragmatic hernia, esophageal atreisa and congenital heart disease amond other diseases. She was the recipient of the American Academy of Pediatrics Young Investigator Award, the Medical Achievement Award from Bonei Olam, and a career development award from Doris Duke. She has authored over 300 peer reviewed articles and 50 chapters and revies and is renowned for her teaching. She is a memver of the Glenda Garvey Teaching Academy and has won many awards for teaching including the Charles W. Bohmfalk Award for Distinguished Contributions to Teaching, the American Medical Women’s Associated Mentor Award, and the Columbia University Presidential Award for Outstanding Teaching.
Dr. Chung enjoys the challenges of genetics as a rapidly changing field of medicine and strives to facilitate the integration of genetic medicine into all areas of health care in a medically, scientifically, and ethically sound, accessible, and cost effective manner.
If you would like to part of the DHREAMS (Diaphragmatic Hernia Research & Exploration; Advancing Molecular Science) study please visit www.cdhgenetics.com. The DHREAMS study is an international study of the genetic causes of congenital diaphragm hernia (CDH) lead by Dr. Wendy Chung at Columbia University Medical Center.
The DHREAMS team and other researchers have identified over 100 different genetic causes of CDH, but the cause of CDH is still unknown in more than 70% of children with CDH. The DHREAMS study is working to identify the unknown causes and use this information to help improve diagnosis, treatment and prevention of CDH.
To learn more about the DHREAMS study, please contact genetic counselor and study coordinator, Julia Wynn, at jw2500@columbia.edu or 212-305-6987. You can also learn more about the study athttp://www.cdhgenetics.com/
More about Dr. Chung, taken from the Columbia University Medical Center Website:
Education & Training
· Weill Cornell Medical College
· Internship: NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center
· Residency: NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center
· Fellowship: NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center
Honors & Awards
2018 New York Academy Medal for Distinguished Contributions in Biomedical Science
2017 Best Grand Rounds of the Year, Department of Pediatrics Columbia University
2015 American Society for Clinical Investigation
2014 Samberg Scholars in Children’s Health
2014 Science Unbound Foundation’s Best Paper in 2013, PMID 23616257.
2014 Dean’s Distinguished Lecture in the Clinical Sciences
2012-2017 Castle Connolly’s Top Doctors
2012 Member, Virginia Apgar Academy of Educators
2012 Inductee, Dade County Hall of Fame
2011 Distinguished Lecturer of the Year, Class of 2014, Columbia University
2010 Society of Pediatric Research, member
2010 Distinguished Lecturer of the Year, Class of 2013, Columbia University
2009 Presidential Award for Outstanding Teaching, Columbia University
2008 Medical Achievement Award, Bonei Olam
2008 Distinguished Lecturer, Class of 2011
2008 Charles W. Bohmfalk Award for Distinguished Contributions to Teaching in the Clinical Years, Columbia University Medical College
2008 Glenda Garvey Teaching Academy, member
2005 American Medical Women’s Association Mentor Award
2005 Best Translational Research, Columbia University Department of Pediatrics Assistant Professor Research Symposium
2001 Young Investigator Research Grant Award, American Academy of Pediatrics
1998 Dean’s Research Award, Cornell University Medical College
1995 Dean’s Research Award, Cornell University Medical College
1994 Louis Gibofsky Memorial Prize, Cornell University Medical College
1992 American Institute of Nutrition, Outstanding Student Research Award
1990 Phi Beta Kappa; Outstanding College Students of America; Phi Kappa Phi;
Golden Key Honor Society; The National Dean’s List
1988 National Science Foundation summer training grant
1986-1990 Cornell Scholar; Dean’s List
1986 Westinghouse Science Talent Search, first place; National Merit scholar
