Having received his MBBS from the University of Hong Kong in 1983, Professor Joseph Sung obtained Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Calgary and Doctor of Medicine from the Chinese University of Hong Kong in 1992 and 1997 respectively. He has held fellowships from the Royal College of Physician of Edinburgh, London, Thailand & Glasgow; American College of Gastroenterology; Royal Australian College of Physicians; American Gastroenterological Association; Hong Kong College of Physicians and Academy of Medicine.

Professor Sung has published over 350 full scientific articles in the foremost journals and also has reviewed more than 15 prestigious journals. His contributions to the advancement of medical sciences and academic development have been recognized with awards such as Outstanding Staff and Team Award (Hospital Authority, 1998); Leader of the Year 2001: Innovation and Technology (Sing Tao Daily and Hong Kong iMail); Eminent Scientist of the Year 2003 (the International Research Promotion Council, 2003); Asian Hero (Time Magazine, 2003); Distinguished Award for Scientist and Medical Profession in the Fight Against SARS (RTHK and Ming Pao Hong Kong, 2003); Vice Chancellor's Exemplary Teaching Award (CUHK, 2003); Croucher Senior Medical Research Fellowship (Croucher Foundation, 2004); Silver Bauhinia Star (Government of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, 2004); and Cheung Kong Achievement Award (Ministry of Education of China and Li Ka Shing Foundation, 2006).

• Ng EK, Chong WW, Jin H, Lam EK, Shin VY, Yu J, Poon TC, Ng SS, Sung JJ. Differential expression of microRNAs in plasma of colorectal cancer patients: A potential marker for colorectal cancer screening. Gut 2009 (in press)
• Tsoi KK, Pau CY, Wu WK, Chan FK, Griffiths S, Sung JJ. Cigarette smoking and the risk of colorectal cancer:a meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol Jun 2009;7(6):682-688.e1-5
• Wong VW, Yu J, Cheng AS, Wong GL, Chan HY, Chu ES, Ng EK, Chan FK, Sung JJ, Chan HL. High serum interleukin-6 level predicts future hepatocellular carcinoma development in patients with chronic hepatitus B. Int J Cancer Jun 2009;124(12):2766-2770
• Wang Y, Li J, Cui Y, Li T, Ng KM, Geng H, Li H, Shu XS, Li H, Liu W, Luo B, Zhang Q, Mok TS, Zheng W, Qiu X, Srivastava G, Yu J, Sung JJ, Chan AT, Ma D, Tao Q, Han W. CMTM3, Located at the Critical Tumor Suppressor Locus 16q22.1, is silenced by CpG Methylation in Carcinomas and Inhibits Tumor Cell Growth through Inducing Apoptosis. Cancer Res Jun 2009;69 (12):5194-5201
• Leung WK, Lau JY, Suen BY, Wong GL, Chow DK, Lai LH, To KF, Yim CK, Lee ES, Tsoi KK, Ng SS, Sung JJ. Repeat-Screening Colonoscopy 5 Years After Normal Baseline-Screening Colonoscopy in Average-Risk Chinese: A Prospective Study. Am J Gastroenterol May 2009;104(8):2028-2034
• Lam WY . Chan RC. Sung JJ. Chan PK. Genotype distribution and sequence variation of hepatitis E virus, Hong Kong. Emerging Infectious Diseases May 2009;15(5):792-794
• Wu YC, Wu WK, Li Y, Yu L, Li ZJ, Wong CC, Li HT, Sung JJ, Cho CH. Inhibition of macroautophagy by bafilomycin A1 lowers proliferation and induces apoptosis in colon cancer cells. Biochem Biophys Res Commun May 2009;382(2):451-456
• Sung JJ . Barkun A. Kuipers EJ. Mossner J. Jensen DM. Stuart R. Lau JY. Ahlbom H. Kilhamn J. Lind T. Peptic Ulcer Bleed Study Group. Intravenous esomeprazole for prevention of recurrent peptic ulcer bleeding: a randomized trial. Annals of Internal Medicine Apr 2009;150(7):455-464
• Wu WK, Sung JJ, Wu YC, Li HT, Yu L, Li ZJ, Cho CH. Inhibition of cyclooxygenase-1 lowers proliferation and induces macroautophagy in colon cancer cells. Biochem Biophys Res Commun Apr 2009;382(1):79-84
• Chow DK. Sung JJ. Wu JC. Tsoi KK. Leong RW. Chan FK. Upper gastrointestinal tract phenotype of Crohn's disease is associated with early surgery and further hospitalization. Inflammatory Bowel Diseases Apr 2009; 15(4):551-557
• Chow DK. Leong RW. Tsoi KK. Ng SS. Leung WK. Wu JC. Wong VW. Chan FK. Sung JJ. Long-term Follow-up of Ulcerative Colitis in the Chinese Population. American Journal of Gastroenterology Mar 2009;104(3):647-654
• Chiu PW. Ng EK. Cheung FK. Chan FK. Leung WK. Wu JC. Wong VW. Yung MY. Tsoi K. Lau JY. Sung JJ. Chung SS. Predicting mortality in patients with bleeding peptic ulcers after therapeutic endoscopy. Clinical Gastroenterology & Hepatology Mar 2009; 7(3):311-316
• Wong GL. Wong VW. Choi PC. Chan AW. Chim AM. Yiu KK. Chan HY. Chan FK. Sung JJ. Chan HL. Clinical factors associated with liver stiffness in hepatitis B e antigen-positive chronic hepatitis B patients. Clinical Gastroenterology & Hepatology Feb 2009; 7(2):227-233
• Jiang L, Chen Y, Chan CY, Wang X, Lin L, He ML, Lin MC, Yew DT, Sung JJ, Li JC, Kung HF. Down-regulation of stathmin is required for TGF-beta inducible early gene 1 induced growth inhibition of pancreatic cancer cells. Cancer Lett Feb 2009;274(1):101-108
• Wang LJ, Jin HC, Wang X, Lam EK, Zhang JB, Liu X, Chan FK, Si JM, Sung JJ. Z1C1 is downregulated through promoter hypermethylation in gastric cancer. Biochem Biophys Res Commun Feb 2009;379(4):959-963
• Ying J, Poon FF, Yu J, Geng H, Wong AH, Qiu GH, Goh HK, Rha SY, Tian L, Chan AT, Sung JJ, Tao Q. DLEC1 is a functional 3p22.3 tumour suppressor silenced by promoter CpG methylation in colon and gastric cancers. Br J Cancer Feb 2009;100(4):663-669
• Yu J. Cheng YY. Tao Q. Cheung KF. Lam CN. Geng H. Tian LW. Wong YP. Tong JH. Ying JM. Jin H. To KF. Chan FK. Sung JJ. Methylation of protocadherin 10, a novel tumor suppressor, is associated with poor prognosis in patients with gastric cancer. Gastroenterology Feb 2009. 136(2):640-651
• Wang X, Chen Y, Han QB, Chan CY, Wang H, Liu Z, Cheng CH, Yew DT, Lin MC, He ML , Xu HX, Sung JJ, Kung HF. Proteomic Identification of Molecular targets of Gambogic acid: Role of Stathmin in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Proteomics Jan 2009;9(2):242-253
• Wu WK, Tse TT, Sung JJ, Li ZJ, Yu L, Cho CH. Expression of ErbB receptors and their cognate ligands in gastric and colon cancer cell lines. Anticancer Res Jan 2009;29(1):229-234
• Lee YT. Lai LH. Hui AJ. Wong VWS. Ching JYL. Wong GLH. Wu JCY. Chan HLY. Leung WK. Lau JYW. Sung JJY. Chan FKL. Efficacy of Cap-Assisted Colonoscopy in Comparison With Regular Colonoscopy: A Randomized Controlled Trial. American Journal of Gastroenterology Jan 2009;104(1):41-46
• Li H. Tang NLS. Chan PKS. Wang CY. Hui DSC. Luk C. Kwok R. Huang W. Sung JJY. Kong QP. Zhang YP. Polymorphisms in the C-type lectin genes cluster in chromosome 19 and predisposition to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) infection. Journal of Medical Genetics Nov 2008; 45(11):752-758
• Chan HL. Wong VW. Wong GL. Chim AM. Chan HY. Sung JJ. Early hepatitis B virus DNA suppression can predict virologic response to peginterferon and lamivudine treatment. Clinical Gastroenterology & Hepatology Sep 2008; 6(9):1022-1026
• Lee KY. Geng H. Ng KM. Yu J. van Hasselt A. Cao Y. Zeng YX. Wong AH. Wang X. Ying J. Srivastava G. Lung ML. Wang LD. Kwok TT. Levi BZ. Chan AT. Sung JJ. Tao Q. Epigenetic disruption of interferon-gamma response through silencing the tumor suppressor interferon regulatory factor 8 in nasopharyngeal, esophageal and multiple other carcinomas. Oncogene Sep 2008; 27(39):5267-5276
• Wong GL. Wong VW. Choi PC. Chan AW. Chum RH. Chan HK. Lau KK. Chim AM. Yiu KK. Chan FK. Sung JJ. Chan HL. Assessment of fibrosis by transient elastography compared with liver biopsy and morphometry in chronic liver diseases. Clinical Gastroenterology & Hepatology Sep 2008; 6(9):1027-1035
• Chan Lik Yuen Henry; Tse Mei Ling; Chim Mei Ling Angel; Wong Wai Sun Vincent; Choi Cheung Lung Paul; Yu Jun; Zhang Mingdong and Sung Joseph Jao Yiu. Association of cytokine gene polymorphisms and liver fibrosis in chronic hepatitis B. Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology May 2008; 23(5):783-789
• WY Lam, Julian W Tang, Apple CM Yeung, Lawrence CM Chiu, Joseph JY Sung, Paul KS Chan. Avian Influenza virus A/HK/483/97 (H5N1) NS1 protein induces apoptosis in human airway epithelial cells. Journal of Virology Mar 2008; 82(6):2741-2751
• Mihm U. Chan HLY. Zeuzem S. Chim AML. Hui AY. Wong VWS. Sung JJY. Herrmann E.Virodynamic predictors of response to pegylated interferon and lamivudine combination treatment of hepatitis B e antigen-positive chronic hepatitis B. Antiviral Therapy 2008;13(8)1029-1037
• Qingming Dong, Henry LY Chan, Zheng Liu, Yangchao Chen, Denise PC Chan, Bao Zhang, Hsiang-fu Kung, Joseph JY Sung, Ming-Liang He. A1762T/G1764A Mutations of Hepatitis B virus, Associated with the Increased Risk of Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Reduce Basal Core Promoter Activities. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2008; 374(4):773-776
• N Lee, CK Wong, PKS Chan, SWM Lun, G Lui, B Wong, DSC Hui, CWK Lam, CS Cockram, KW Choi, ACM Yeung, JW Tang, JJY Sung. Hypercytokinermia and Hyperactivation of phosphor-p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase in severe human influenza A virus infection. Clinical Infectious Diseases Sept 15 2007; 45:723-731
• Yangchao Chen, Marie Chia-mi Lin, Hua Wang, Chu-yan Chan, Lei Jiang, Sai Ming Ngai, Jun Yu, Ming-liang He, Pang-chui Shaw, David T. Yew, Joseph J Sung and Hsiang-fu Kung. Proteomic analysis of EZH2 downstream target proteins in hepatocellular carcinoma. Proteomics Sep 2007; 7(17):3097-3104
• Man SY, Lee N, Ip M, Antonio GE, Chau SSL, Mak P Graham, CA Zhang, M Liu G, Chan PKS, Ahuja AT, Hui D, Sung JJY, and Rainer TH. Prospective comparison of three predictive rules for assessing severity of community acquired pneumonia in Hong Kong. Thorax April 2007; 62:348-353
• Ignatius T Yu, Zhan Hong Xie, Kelin K. Tsoi, Yuk Lan Chiu, Siu Wai Lok, Xiao Ping Tang, David S. Hui, Nelson Lee, Yi Min Li, Zhi Tong Huang, Tao Liu, Tze Wai Wong, Nan Shan Zhong, and Joseph J Sung. Why Did Outbreaks of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Occur in Some Hospital Wards but Not in Others? Clinical Infectious Diseases April 2007; 44(8):1017-1025
• Richard KT Kam, Terence CW Poon, Henry LY Chan, Nathalie Wong, Alex Y Hui, Joseph J Sung. High-throughtput quantitative profiling of serum N-glycome by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry and N-Glycomic fingerprint of liver fibrosis. Clinical Chemistry 2007; 53(7):1254-1263
• Julian W Tang Ka Fai To, Anthony WI Lo, Joseph J Sung, HK Ng, Paul KS Chan. Quantitative temporal-spatial distribution of severe acute respiratory syndrome-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV) in post-mortem tissues. Journal of Medical Virology 2007; 79:1245-1253
• Chen Y, Lin MC, Yao H, Wang H, Zhang AQ, Yu J, Hui CK, Lau GK, He ML, Sung J, Kung HF. Lentivirus-mediated RNA interference targeting EZH2 inhibits hepatocellular carcinoma growth via down-regulation of stathmin. Hepatology 2007; 46:200-208
• Chan MC, Sung JJ, Lam RK, Chan PK, Lai RW, Leung WK. Sapovirus detection by quantitative real-time RT-PCR in clinical stool specimens. J Virol Methods Jun 2006; 134(1-2):146-153
• Julian W. Tang, Jo L. K. Cheung, Ida M. T. Chu, Joseph J. Y. Sung, Malik Peiris, and Paul K. S. Chan. The Large 386-nt Deletion in SARS-Associated Coronavirus: Evidence for Quasispecies? The Journal of Infectious Diseses 15 Sep 2006; 194:808-813
• DTM Leung, WWC van Maren, FKL. Chan, WS Chan, AWI Lo, CH Ma, FCH. Tam, KF To, PKS Chan, JJY Sung, and PLLim. Extremely Low Exposure of a Community to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus; False Seropositivity due to Use of Bacterially Derived Antigens. Journal of Virology Sep 2006; 80(18):8920-8928
• Kenneth Tong, He Ming-Liang, Kung Hsiang-fu, Joseph Sung, Lee Shui Shan. The implications of a high allelic frequency of CYP2B 6 G516T in ethnic Chinese persons. Clinical Infectious Diseases 15 August 2006; 43:541-542
• Poccia F, Agrati C, Castilletti C, Bordi L, Gioia C, Horejsh D, Ippolito G, Chan PK, Hui DS, Sung JJ, Capobianchi MR, Malkovsky M. Anti-Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus Immune Responses: The Role Played by V gamma 9V delta 2 T Cells. J Infect Dis 2006; 193:1244-1249
• Lee N, Rainer TH, Ip M, Zee B, Ng MH, Antonio GE, Chan E, Lui G, Cockram CS, Sung JJ, Hui DS. The role of laboratory variables in differentiating SARS-coronavirus from other causes of community-acquired pneumonia in hospitalized patients within the first 72 hours. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis 2006; 25:765-772.
• Ronald TK Pang, Terence CW Poon, KC Allen Chan, Nelson LS Lee, Rossa WK Chiu, Yu Kwan Tong, Ronald MY Wong, Stephen SC Chim, Sai M Ngai, Joseph JY Sung, and YM Dennis Lo. Serum Proteomic Fingerprints of Adult Patients with Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome. Clinical Chemistry 2006; 52(3):421-429
• Chan HLY, Tse A, Zhang M, Wong V, Chim A., Hui A., Sung JJ. Polymorphism of interleukin-1beta in association with sustained virological response to anti-viral treatment in chronic hepatitis B in Chinese. Alimentary Pharmacology and Therapeutics 2006; 23:1703-1711