As Wendy Chung, M.D., Ph.D., prepares to leave Columbia University and embark on her new role as Chief of Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School, Boston Children’s Hospital, (link is external and opens in a new window) we want to take a moment to express our deep appreciation for all she has done for the Irving Institute. Her contributions to the university and to healthcare are immeasurable, and we are sure her impact will only continue to grow.
Dr. Chung currently serves as Kennedy Family Professor of Pediatrics (in Medicine), Chief of Clinical Genetics Division in the Department of Pediatrics, the Medical Director of Columbia’s Genetic Counseling Graduate Program, Associate Director for Education, Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, and Co-Director of the Precision Medicine Resource within the Irving Institute for Clinical and Translational Research.
Her research at Columbia has advanced the understanding of genetic disorders and led to the development of new treatments for some of these conditions. Over the past 20 years, Dr. Chung’s work in the clinic and the laboratory has transformed healthcare for patients with rare diseases and led to the discovery of more than 50 novel genetically-defined diseases. She has focused on understanding the genetic basis of human disease, including congenital heart disease, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, pulmonary hypertension, and autism. Notably, her leadership in the study of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) has been instrumental in identifying specific genes and genetic pathways that contribute to the development of the understanding of ASD. She is developing treatments for rare neurogenetic conditions using tailor made antisense oligonucleotides. She has also transformed pediatric care with successful pilot studies of newborn screening for spinal muscular atrophy, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, and now GUARDIAN (Genomic Uniform screening Against Rare Disorders In All Newborns)…
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