NUS Medicine launches CN Lee Professorship in Medical Sciences

Singapore, 5 April 2024 — The Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore (NUS Medicine) today announced the establishment of a professorship in honour of renowned heart surgeon Professor Lee Chuen Neng, who is internationally and nationally acclaimed for his medical teaching and mentorship. He is also celebrated for his dedication to exploring new frontiers of medical discoveries.

The Abu Rauff Professor in Surgery in the Department of Surgery at NUS Medicine, Prof Lee is also Emeritus Consultant from the Department of Cardiac, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, National University Heart Centre, Singapore (NUHCS). A leader and surgeon who founded the four subspecialty divisions of adult cardiac, vascular, thoracic, and congenital heart surgery at NUS Medicine, the National University Hospital (NUH) and the National University Health System (NUHS) in 1985, Prof Lee established a foundation that paved the way for generations of surgeons in the field.

Prof Lee said, “In medicine, innovation is a duty we owe to our patients—both in the present and future. We achieve true and lasting impact when we pioneer new methods and drive their widespread adoption. By sharing our knowledge and embracing new approaches, we multiply the impact of our expertise—enabling us to save far more lives than we ever thought possible.”

In his decade at the helm as Chair of Surgery at NUHS and Head of the Department of Surgery at NUS Medicine from 2005 to 2015, Prof Lee established the Advanced Surgery Training Centre, and developed 14 specialty surgery divisions ranging from transplant surgery to neurosurgery, gastrointestinal surgery, and reconstructive surgery in NUH. He spearheaded a training and certification programme for Cardiothoracic Surgery in Singapore jointly with the Hong Kong College of Surgeons and the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh.

For his tremendous contributions to education, Prof Lee received the International Medal of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh in 2012 as well as the National Clinician Mentor Award in 2015 from the Ministry of Health, Singapore. Prof Lee is also Courtesy Professor in Engineering, Department of Biomedical Engineering, NUS College of Design and Engineering (CDE), and Clinical Director, Institute for Health Innovation & Technology (iHealthtech). His thirst for innovation led him to start the NUS iHealthtech and the Engineering in Medicine platform at NUS CDE, which saw the birth of numerous bio-engineering programmes, start-ups and spin-offs. He also established a NUS Medicine programme which focuses on nano-diagnostics and nano-therapeutics—especially for common diseases with poor diagnostic tools and therapy such as liver disease and Alzheimer’s.

Professor Chong Yap Seng, Lien Ying Chow Professor in Medicine, Dean of NUS Medicine, said, “Prof Lee Chuen Neng—or more fondly known as CN—epitomises the essence of surgical excellence and is highly sought after by global health institutions. Beyond his mastery of surgery, CN’s pioneering research has profoundly impacted patient welfare beyond his direct care. We hope that the recipient of this Professorship will be inspired to also strive for the best and break new frontiers in medical sciences.”     
 

The latest in a series launched to recognise outstanding Singaporeans, the Professorship will be vested at NUS Medicine and will catalyse the formation of partnerships with experts from various disciplines to address cancer and other healthcare challenges of the day, and spur important discourse to improve the practice of healthcare to serve the population in Singapore and beyond.