Chen Zhu

Chen Zhu (Chinese: 陈竺; pinyin: Chén Zhú; born August 17, 1953) is a Chinese hematologist, molecular biologist, and politician. He is chairman of the Chinese Peasants' and Workers' Democratic Party, a vice-chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress,[1] and President of the Red Cross Society of China.[2] He formerly served as China's Minister of Health. Chen also holds a professorship at the School of Medicine of Shanghai Jiao Tong University.

Chen Zhu (2011)

Biography

Chen was born in Shanghai in August 1953 and his ancestral hometown is Zhenjiang, Jiangsu Province.

Chen began his medical career by spending five years in rural China as a barefoot doctor.[3] Chen then obtained his master's degree from the Shanghai Second Medical Sciences University (now the medical school of Shanghai Jiao Tong University) in September, 1981.[1] He obtained his Ph.D. from the Paris Diderot University (Paris 7) in Paris, France. Chen completed his medical residency and postdoctoral research at the same university and its teaching hospital.[1]

Chen is former President of the Shanghai Institute of Hematology and former Director-general of the China Human Genome Center (South) in Shanghai.

Honors and awards

Chen is an Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, foreign associate of the United States National Academy of Sciences, foreign member of the US Institute of Medicine, foreign member of the French Academy of Sciences, and a member of The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS). Chen is also a Member of the European Academy of Arts, Sciences and Humanities. He was elected an Honorary Fellows of the UK Academy of Medical Sciences in 2008.

Chen was awarded the State Scientific and Technological Award by the Chinese government and the "Prix de l'Qise" by "La Ligue Nationale contre le Cancer" of France (he is the first non-French winner).

In 2002, Chen received the Légion d'honneur from French Government. In 2005, Chen was given an honorary doctor of science by the University of Hong Kong.

In 2010, Chen was awarded an honorary degree (Doctor of the University) by the University of York, UK, at a ceremony in Beijing.

In 2012, Chen was awarded the 7th Annual Szent-Györgyi Prize for Progress in Cancer Research by the National Foundation for Cancer Research.[4] He was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society in 2013.[5]

In 2018, Chen was awarded the Sjöberg Prize by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences “for the clarification of molecular mechanisms and the development of a revolutionary treatment for acute promyelocytic leukaemia”. He shared the prize and the prize amount of one million US dollars with cancer researchers Anne Dejean and Hugues de Thé.[6]

U.S. sanctions

On Dec 8, 2020, Chen Zhu, together with all 13 other vicechairpersons of the National People's Congress of China was designated by US Department of State as connected with the National Security Law (NSL), pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13936, “The President’s Executive Order on Hong Kong Normalization.”, and added to OFAC's SDN List.[7][8]

Family

Chen Zhu's father Chen Jialun (陈家伦) and mother Xu Manyin (许曼音) are both prominent doctors and medical professors in Shanghai. He is the eldest of three children. His youngest brother, Chen Zhen (1955–2000), was a globally recognized artist based in France. He also has a sister named Chen Jian (陈简).[9] Chen Zhu's wife Chen Saijuan is also a well-known hematologist and an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering.[9] The couple have a son. Both Chen and his wife studied under Professor Wang Zhenyi.

References

1. "China Vitae : Biography of Chen Zhu". China Vitae. Retrieved April 26, 2014.
2. "中国红十字会第十次全国会员代表大会闭幕". Red Cross Society of China. May 6, 2015. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved May 7, 2015.
3. Watts, Jonathan (2008-10-25). "Chen Zhu: from barefoot doctor to China's Minister of Health". The Lancet. 372 (9648): 1455. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(08)61561-5. ISSN 0140-6736. PMC 7159084. PMID 18930519.
4. "National Foundation for Cancer Research: Research for a Cure". NFCR. Retrieved 2019-06-11.
5. "Chinese scientist Chen Zhu elected to Royal Society". CCTV. 5 May 2013. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 16 May 2015.
6. "2018's Sjöberg Prize awarded for unique treatment that cures a once fatal cancer". The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. 5 February 2018. Retrieved 8 November 2019.
7. "Designations of National People's Congress Officials Undermining the Autonomy of Hong Kong". United States Department of State. Retrieved 2021-01-17.
8. "Hong Kong-related Designations | U.S. Department of the Treasury". home.treasury.gov. Retrieved 2021-01-17.
9. "百条控糖顺口溜, 她的骄傲 (天下名医63)". People's Daily (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2015-09-01.