01)ニュース＆トピックス
A Tribute to Hai-yan Wang (1937-2014)
We announce with deep sadness the passing of Professor Hai-yan Wang on December 11, 2014 at the age of 77. Behind her internationally renowned name was a woman who had the enthusiasm, outstanding intelligence, and willingness and who became one of the very few who gave the birth, growth and strength of modern nephrology in China.
Professor Hai-yan Wang was born on July 8, 1937 in Qing Dao, Shan-dong Province of China. She graduated from Beijing Medical College in 1959, and then started her career as a nephrologist, mentored by late Professor Shu-xian Wang, the founder of modern nephrology of China. From 1980 to 1983, she was a pioneer of visiting scholars sponsored by Chinese government to the United States, supervised by Professor R. Glassock and Professor W Border at University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA).
Hai-yan was a lifelong tenured Professor of Medicine in Peking University First Hospital and the President of Peking University Institute of Nephrology. She was a well-known leading physician scientist with several seminal contributions to the field of nephrology in China. The first was the recognition of the heterogeneity of various causes of intrinsic acute renal failure and the update of the concept of "primary glomerulonephritis" in China in the 1980s, which should be pluralism rather than a monism. The second was to be the pioneer in establishing clinical database and bio-bank of various kidneys diseases in the 1980s, which plays fundamental roles in future translational studies. The third was the launch of clinical epidemiology in China involving chronic kidney disease and acute kidney injury, etc. The fourth was her great contributions in medical education. She had not only built up one of the most successful renal programs in Peking University First Hospital, but also trained tremendous nephrologists throughout China, which greatly improved nephrology in China. For her outstanding contributions to nephrology education and the development of modern nephrology in China, she was awarded ISN "Roscoe R. Robinson Award" and the first "ISN Pioneers in Nephrology Award" in 2013, respectively.
Professor Hai-Yan Wang was very active in the academic area of national and international nephrology and internal medicine. She had served as Council member of International Society of Nephrology (ISN) (2004-2008), executive councilor of ISN (2006-2008), Chairman of ISN-GO East Asia subcommittee (2004-2013) and member of advisory group of ISN "AKI 0 by 25" project. She had been the Vice President of the Chinese Medical Association (1999-2009), President of Chinese Society of Internal Medicine (2000-2008), and President of Chinese Society of Nephrology (1992-1998).
Hai-yan Wang, a name, a woman, a history. She led, is leading, and will continue to lead the development of nephrology in China, and, to a great extent, nephrology in the world.