Hepatitis B Foundation Launches Community Initiatives with New Associate Director of Public Health

Sept. 17, 2008 - PRLog -- The Hepatitis B Foundation, a world-class nonprofit research organization headquartered in Doylestown, Pa., has appointed Gang Chen, Ph.D., as its new Associate Director for Public Health.

Dr. Chen will help lead the Foundation’s new public health research initiatives in the U.S. and China which include rigorous epidemiological studies and community-based programs to advance the care of those affected by chronic hepatitis B.

“Dr. Chen’s extensive public health experience in hepatitis B will help drive our efforts to address the needs among communities most affected by hepatitis B,” said Joan Block, Hepatitis B Foundation Executive Director. “His personal and professional dedication to the prevention and control of hepatitis B and liver cancer will significantly advance our Foundation’s mission to help all those affected.”

Prior to joining the Foundation, Dr. Chen was a Research Associate and Project Manager for the Department of Epidemiology at the Drexel University School of Public Health in Philadelphia. He also served as a Senior Project Manager for the International Collaborative Research on Liver Cancer at Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia. During the 10-year international project, Dr. Chen helped develop and evaluate all field work protocols for the largest prospective cohort study of hepatitis B and liver cancer in the world.

Dr. Chen earned his M.D., M.S., and Ph.D., in Preventive Medicine and Epidemiology at Shanghai Medical University in China. He has served as a volunteer principal of the Guang Hua Chinese School in Philadelphia, volunteer president of the Fox Chase Cancer Center Chinese Scholars Association in Philadelphia, and volunteer consultant for the Haimen City Center for Disease Control and Prevention in China.

A member of the United States Tennis Association, Dr. Chen participates in tennis and table tennis matches. He is a resident of Warrington, Pa., and enjoys spending time with his wife and two children and volunteering at community events.

# # #

The Hepatitis B Foundation is the only national nonprofit organization solely dedicated to finding a cure and improving the quality of life for those affected with hepatitis B worldwide through research, education and patient advocacy. The Foundation is located in the Pennsylvania Biotechnology Center, which it created to accelerate its research mission. For more information, please visit www.hepb.org or call (215) 489-4900.