Professor Godfrey Chi-Fung Chan (陳志峰)

DMD (U. East, Phil), MD (U. East, Phil), LMCHK, MSc (U. Birmingham, UK), Dip Palliative Med (U Wales, UK), MRCP (UK), FHKAM, FHKCPaed, FRCP (Edin), FRCPCH (UK), FAAP (USA)

 

Clinical Professor
Tsao Yen-Chow Endowed Professor in Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine
Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine
School of Clinical Medicine, The University of Hong Kong

Chief of Service
Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine,
Hong Kong Children's Hospital /
HKU-Shenzhen Hospital / Gleneagles Hospital

Director
Molecular Laboratory for Traditional Chinese Medicine

Service Head (Paediatric Oncology)
Hong Kong Children's Hospital

Specialty

Paediatric Haematology/ Oncology/ Haematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation

Awards

  • Children Cancer Foundation Scholarship (93-94)
  • Management Society for Healthcare Professionals Scholarship (MSc. 96-99)
  • Outstanding Staff & Team award, Queen Mary Hospital (1999, 2002 & 2003)
  • Global Research Fellowship Award, Advanced in Neuroblastoma Research, Los Angeles, USA (2006)
  • Endeavour Executive Award, Australian Government, Australia (2008)
  • SIOP (International Society of Pediatric Oncology) Award, (2009)
  • King’s (UK) / HKU Fellowship (2009-2010)
  • ASPR (Asian Society of Pediatric Research) Best Research Award, Pediatric Academic Society (PAS) Annual Meeting, Denver, USA (2011)
  • Outstanding Asian Paediatrician Award, Asian Pacific Paediatric Association (APPA) 2018  

Research ID

Research

H-index: 52

Total citations: 10285

RG score: 48.14

Our group have been studying the biology of human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), dendritic cells (DCs) and neuroblastoma cells (NB), in particularly how they interact with each other. MSCs are the most potent immunosuppressive cells whereas DCs are the most potent antigen presenting cells in our body. While MSCs have been applied clinically as immunosuppressor for GvHD in transplantation setting, we found that MSCs have unique chemo-sensitivity pattern and they contribute significantly to cancer growth and metastasis. MSCs also alter the cancer microenvironment and provide various chemo-resistant and immuno-tolerant supports to cancer cells. Utilizing MSCs sensitive chemotherapeutic drugs such as anti-microtubule agents can minimize the protective role of MSCs to cancer. We also identified several purified compounds such as beta-glucan from ganoderma which can enhance DCs maturation and function. This may facilitate the adaptive immune response against cancer especially as adjuvant to monoclonal antibody immunotherapy. In clinical setting, my focus is on finding new treatment modalities for neurogenic tumors such as neuroblastoma and brain tumors. We are among the first groups to start using anti-GD2 in metastatic neuroblastoma since 1999. 

Selected Publications (Please refer to Next Page)

304 published articles in indexed journals; 127 published abstracts; 10 book chapters; one book

Research Grants & Patents

  • Principal investigator of 35 external reviewed projects (including RGC, TBR, HMRF, total US$ >3 millions)
  • Co-investigator of 36 external reviewed projects (including RGC, NIH, ITG, total US$ >3 millions)
  • Holder of 3 international research patents on stem cell delivery devices (collagen microsphere with MSCs)

Teaching

  • 18 MMedSc students (16 graduated), 10 MPhil students (all graduated), 23 PhD students (20 graduated)
  • Examiners of >90 post-graduate students

Clinical Service

Childhood blood diseases (i.e. ITP, thalassaemia, haemophilia); childhood cancers (i.e. leukaemia, MDS, neuroblastoma, brain tumors) and haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (i.e. autologous, allogeneic & haploidentical transplant)

Contact

  • Email:
  • Tel: (852) 22554481
  • Fax: (852) 28551523
  • Office: Department of Paediatrics & Adolescent Medicine | Room 117, 1/F, New Clinical Building | 102 Pokfulam Road, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong