Professor Bernard Cheung was educated at Sevenoaks School and the University of Cambridge, England. He was a British Heart Foundation Junior Research Fellow at Cambridge before taking up lectureships at the University of Sheffield and the University of Hong Kong. In 2007-2009, he held the chair in Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics at the University of Birmingham, England. Professor Bernard Cheung is the Sun Chieh Yeh Heart Foundation Professor in Cardiovascular Therapeutics and heads the Division of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics in the Department of Medicine, School of Clinical Medicine of the University of Hong Kong. He is also the Director of the Institute of Cardiovascular Science and Medicine, as well as the Medical Director of the Phase 1 Clinical Trials Centre.

Professor Bernard Cheung's main research interest is in cardiovascular diseases and risk factors, such as hypertension and the metabolic syndrome. He is a principal investigator of the Hong Kong Cardiovascular Risk Factor Prevalence Study. He has published over 200 papers and 11 book chapters, and is the Chief Editor of Open Diabetes and the World Journal of Hypertension. He is a member or fellow of many distinguished societies. He is a Governor of the International Society of Cardiovascular Pharmacotherapy and the President of the Hong Kong Pharmacology Society.

1. Clinical pharmacology
2. Hypertension
3. Cardiovascular risk factors
4. Vasoactive peptides

KEY PUBLICATIONS (* Corresponding author)

1. Ong KL, Tso AW, Xu A, Law LS, Li M, Wat NM, Rye KA, Lam TH, Cheung BM*, Lam KS*. Evaluation of the combined use of adiponectin and C-reactive protein levels as biomarkers for predicting the deterioration in glycaemia after a median of 5.4 years. Diabetologia. 2011 Oct;54(10):2552-60.[Impact factor: 6.81. No. of citations: 11]
2. The pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes involves inflammation in overweight persons. In this study, we showed for the first time that the serum levels of adiponectin, which is decreased in obesity, as well as C-reactive protein, a marker of systemic inflammation, predict the future development of diabetes in a cohort of Chinese from the general population in Hong Kong.
3. Cheung BM*, Ong KL, Cherny SS, Sham PC, Tso AW, Lam KS. Diabetes prevalence and therapeutic target achievement in the United States, 1999 to 2006. Am J Med. 2009 May;122(5):443-53.[Impact factor: 4.91. No. of citations: 167.]
4. We reported a significant increase in the prevalence of diabetes in the U.S. from 6.5% to 7.8% during the period 1999-2006. Fortunately, the rate of control of blood glucose and LDL-cholesterol increased significantly. Our study showed a devastating consequence of the obesity epidemic and highlighted the importance of the strategy of controlling blood glucose, pressure and LDL-cholesterol simultaneously.
5. Ong KL, Tso AW, Lam KS, Cheung BM*. Gender difference in blood pressure control and cardiovascular risk factors in Americans with diagnosed hypertension. Hypertension. 2008 Apr;51(4):1142-8 [Impact factor: 7.37. No. of citations: 61]
6. We reported a significant increase in the prevalence of diabetes in the U.S. from 6.5% to 7.8% during the period 1999-2006. Fortunately, the rate of control of blood glucose and LDL-cholesterol increased significantly. Our study showed a devastating consequence of the obesity epidemic and highlighted the importance of the strategy of controlling blood glucose, pressure and LDL-cholesterol simultaneously.
7. Ong, K.L., Cheung, B.M.Y*., Man, Y.B., Lau, C.P., Lam, K.S.L. Prevalence, awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension among United States adults 1999-2004. Hypertension 2007; 49 (1): 69-75[Impact factor: 7.19. No. of citations: 715]
8. This study of blood pressure data of 14 653 individuals showed that, while the prevalence of hypertension had not changed during the period 1999-2004, there was a significant increase in the proportion of people with hypertension who had good blood pressure control (from 29.2% to 36.8%). This increase was seen in both sexes and in all ethnic groups. Among people aged 60 or older, the awareness, treatment, and control rates of hypertension had all increased. Our study was widely quoted after an international press release, and provides the impetus for more effort to increase the awareness and treatment of hypertension.

Selected Other publications

1. Cheung BMY, Lam KSL. Is intensive LDL-cholesterol lowering beneficial and safe? Lancet 2010 Nov; 376(9753):1622-4. [Impact factor: 33.633]
2. Ong KL, Tso AWK, Lam KSL, Cherny SS, Sham PC, Cheung BMY. Using glycosylated hemoglobin to define the metabolic syndrome in United States adults. Diabetes Care 2010; 33(8):1856-8. [Impact factor: 7.141]
3. Cheung BMY, Ong KL, Wong LYF. Elevated Serum Alkaline Phosphatase and Peripheral Arterial Disease in the United States National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999-2004. Int J Cardiol 2009; 135(2):156-61. [Impact factor: 3.469].
4. Cheung BM, Wat NM, Tso AW, Tam S, Thomas GN, Leung GM, Tse HF, Woo J, Janus ED, Lau CP, Lam TH, Lam KS. Association between raised blood pressure and dysglycemia in Hong Kong Chinese. Diabetes Care 2008; 31(9):1889-91. [Impact factor: 7.349]
5. Cheung BM. Statins for people with diabetes. Lancet. 2008 Jan 12; 371(9607):94-5. [Impact factor: 28.409]
6. Cheung BMY, Wat NMW, Man YB, Tam S, Thomas GN, Leung GM, Cheng CH, Woo J, Janus ED, Lau CP, Lam TH, Lam KSL. Development of diabetes in Chinese with the metabolic syndrome - a six year prospective study. Diabetes Care 2007; 30(6):1430-6. [Impact factor: 7.851]
7. Chow WS, Cheung BM, Tso AW, Xu A, Wat NM, Fong CH, Ong LH, Tam S, Tan KC, Janus ED, Lam TH, Lam KS. Hypoadiponectinemia as a predictor for the development of hypertension: a 5-year prospective study. Hypertension. 2007; 49(6): 1455-61. [Impact factor: 7.194]
8. Cheung BMY, Kumana CR. Natriuretic peptides: their relevance in cardiovascular diseases. JAMA 1998; 280: 1983-4. [Impact factor: 9.522]

1. Clinical Professor, Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Medicine, School of Clinical Medicine
2. Honorary Consultant, Queen Mary Hospital
3. Medical Director, Phase I Clinical Trials Unit
4. Director, Institute of Cardiovascular Science and Medicine
5. President, Hong Kong Pharmacology Society
6. Governor, International Society of Cardiovascular Pharmacotherapy

• Editor-in-Chief, The Open Diabetes Journal
• Editor-in-Chief, World Journal of Hypertension
• Editor, American Journal of Hypertension
• Editor, Scientific Reports
• Editor, Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine Cardiovascular Disease