A tribute to Hai-yan Wang
ISN is sad to announce the passing of Hai-yan Wang. Professor Wang was Director of the Institute of Nephrology at Peking University since its inception in 1990 through to 2014.
She was the former Chair of the ISN East Asia Regional Committee and recently received an ISN Pioneer Award for her efforts in nephrology.
This tribute is contributed by Ming-hui Zhao MD PhD on behalf of the Renal Division, Peking University First Hospital Beijing, China.
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 to 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 in China. From 1980 to 1983, she was a pioneer of visiting scholars sponsored by the 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 at Peking University First Hospital and the President of the 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 being the pioneer in establishing a clinical database and bio-bank of various kidneys diseases in the 1980s, which plays a fundamental role 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 a tremendous amount of 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 served as Council member of ISN (2004-2008), ISN Executive Councilor (2006-2008), Chair of the ISN East Asia subcommittee (2004-2013) and member of the 0by25 advisory group. She was 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.
