Charis Eng was born in Singapore and grew up in Bristol, UK. At only 16 years old, Eng attended University of Chicago in the United States, where she went on to receive her doctorate in 1986. Following the receipt of her PhD, Charis Eng completed her residency and then her fellowship(s) in four well-renowned hospitals from 1991 to 1995, where she gained incomparable knowledge and experience that shaped her into the great intellectual she is today. Starting her residency in Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Havard Medical School, Eng specialized in internal medicine before going on to maintain a fellowship with Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Medical Oncology in 1992. Throughout her initial fellowship opportunity, Eng discovered a passion for oncology as a whole and then continued to further specialize in this field in 1995 when she became a fellow at the University of Cambridge’s School of Clinical Medicine in the United Kingdom, where her declared specialty was Clinical Cancer Genetics. In that same year, Eng also participated in a fellowship through the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Harvard Medical School in Boston, Massachusetts.
Following her training and education, Dr. Eng joined The Ohio State University in 1999 as the Associate Professor of Medicine in addition to the prestigious title, “Director” with the university’s Clinical Cancer Genetics Program. Though a new face associated with cutting-edge cancer research at Ohio State, Charis Eng went straight to work in her field; because of her unparalleled experience and fervent passion for oncology, cancer genetics, and the research that surrounds this disease, Eng was bestowed the Davis Professorship and delegated the Co-director for the Division of Human Genetics within the Department of Internal Medicine in 2002–just two years after beginning her work with the OSU. Finally, in 2002 Eng was promoted to the head of the Department of Internal Medicine, by having her title changed to Professor and Division Director [of the department].
In 2005, Dr. Eng completed her journey with The Ohio State University by accepting a position with Cleveland Clinic. With this establishment, Eng is responsible for founding the Genomic Medicine Institute. Presently, Charis Eng is still active with Cleveland Clinic and her Genomic Medicine Institute, as it is noted that Dr. Eng is the head and leader of the association on Cleveland Clinic’s Doctor Directory here. The Genomic Medicine Research is… ” a single platform for research, academic clinical activities and education in genomics medicine as it enables healthcare.” (Staff Display. Charis Eng, MD, PhD. Cleveland Clinic)
In addition to the numerous awards and titles Dr. Eng has received throughout her professional career, Charis is also known for being significantly active within the journalism aspect of her profession. For example, Dr. Eng has published or taken credit in composing at least 400 original papers! Her works have been printed in distinguished scientific journals such as the “New England Journal of Medicine, JAMA, Lancet, Nature Genetics, Nature, Cell and Molecular Cell” to name a few. (Staff Display. Charis Eng, MD, PhD. Cleveland Clinic)
Focusing now on a couple of fairly prevalent awards, Dr. Eng has received acquisition of the Doris Duke Distinguished Clinical Scientist Award; Charis has also been granted the “…2006 Ernst Oppenheimer Award of The Endocrine Society, the 2006 American Cancer Society John Peter Minton, MD, PhD Hero of Hope Research Medal of Honor, and the 2014 James Ewing Lecturer of the Society of Surgical Oncology” awards in recognition of her hard work, dedication, and overall achievement within the field of cancer genetics. (Staff Display. Charis Eng, MD, PhD. Cleveland Clinic) It is also worth noting that Dr. Eng has been named the Editor for several scientific journals, with the American Journal of Human Genetics and the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism being two of these acclaimed annals.
Finishing up this introduction to Dr Charis Eng’s biography and quick look into only a handful of her achievements, awards, titles, and overall advancements in the field of oncology as a whole, it is understood that Eng has a passion for her field and specialization. Eng has spent decades reading, practicing, and perfecting her research through clinical experience as well as laboratory research. Additionally, Dr. Eng is viewed as a respectable, credible, and prestigious face in cancer investigation. Dr. Charis Eng is an inspiration to medical students and doctors around the world; it is for all of these reasons and more that Eng has been awarded The Scarlet Plaque of Honor from Drs. Cogan and Breitenberger’s Biology 4798 Course in Spring 2016 at The Ohio State University.
Thank you, Dr. Eng.