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Pierce Chow Kah Hoe

Professor

Vice Chair, Research, Surgery Academic Clinical Programme

Email

Bio Research Publications

Education Qualifications: MBBS, MMed (Surg), FRCS (Edin), FAMS (Gen Surg), PhD 

 

Pierce Chow is Professor and Program Director at the Duke-NUS Medical School and Senior Consultant Surgeon at the National Cancer Centre Singapore and the Singapore General Hospital. He is concurrently a National Medical Research Council (NMRC) funded Senior Clinician-Scientist and founding President of the College of Clinician Scientists, Academy of Medicine Singapore. 

In addition to managing a busy HPB surgical oncology service, Professor Chow has researched extensively on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). He is the Protocol Chair of the Asia-Pacific Hepatocellular Carcinoma (AHCC) Trials Group and leads multi-national investigator-initiated clinical studies. Professor Chow has led the multi-disciplinary NMRC TCR National Flagship Program in Liver Cancer (the PLANet study) which has been successfully renewed under the NMRC Open Fund-Large Collaborative Grant in 2022. In addition, he leads the A*STAR funded IAF-ICP nation-wide cohort study to develop diagnostics for early detection of HCC (the ELEGANCE study) and the multi-national Phase II randomised clinical trial (the STRATUM study). For his dedicated research on liver cancer, Professor Chow was conferred the NMRC National Outstanding Clinician Scientist Award in 2012 and Duke-NUS Master Academic Clinician Award in 2023.

Professor Chow is also a faculty member at the Genome Institute of Singapore and the SingHealth Duke-NUS Global Health Institute and Research Director at the Institute of Cell and Molecular Biology Singapore.

Professional Appointments and Committee Memberships:                         

  • President, College of Clinician Scientists Singapore 
  • Council, Asia-Pacific Primary Liver Cancer Expert Association 
  • Council, Academy of Medicine Singapore  
  • Protocol Chair, Asia-Pacific Hepatocellular Carcinoma Trials Group 
  • Member, Research Training Review Panel, Specialists Accreditation Board, Ministry of Health 
  • Member, Research Committee, Specialists Accreditation Board, Ministry of Health
  • Member, Complaints Panel, Singapore Medical Council 
  • Member, American Society of Clinical Oncology 
  • Member, International Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association Scientific Committee 
  • Member, Asia-Pacific Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association

 

Awards:

  • Master Academic Clinician Award, Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School, 2023
  • Long Serving Clinical Faculty, Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School, 2022
  • Singapore Health Quality Service Awards, Silver Award, 2020
  • Senior Investigator Clinician Scientist Award, National Medical Research Council, 2018
  • Honorary Fellow, Academy of Medicine Malaysia, 2017
  • Honorary Fellow, Hepatology Society of the Philippines, 2016
  • National Day Awards, Pingkat Bakti Setia, Government of Singapore, 2016
  • NMRC Translational and Clinical Research Flagship Program Award, 2016
  • SingHealth Duke-NUS Research Team Award, 2nd Prize, 2015
  • Outstanding Faculty for Engagement Award (Normal Body), Duke-NUS, 2013
  • Outstanding Faculty for Engagement Award (Surgery), Duke-NUS, 2012
  • Outstanding Faculty for Advocacy Award (Normal Body), Duke-NUS, 2012
  • National Outstanding Clinician Scientist Award, National Medical Research Council, 2012
  • Pioneer Award, Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School, 2011
  • Singapore Health Quality Service Award, Silver, 2011
  • Outstanding Educator Award, Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School, 2010
  • Senior Investigator Clinician Scientist Award, National Medical Research Council, 2010
  • Service With A Heart Award, Singapore General Hospital, 2010
  • Outstanding Educator Award, Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School, 2009
  • Excellent Publication Award, SingHealth (Singapore General Hospital), 2006
  • Excellent Service Award (Gold), Healthcare. Spring Singapore, 2004
  • SARS Courage Medal, Government of Singapore, 2003
  • Sir James Fraser Fellow, Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, 2002
  • HMDP Clinical Fellowship in HPB Surgery and Liver Transplantation, 1999
  • NMRC - Singapore Totalisator Board Medical Research Fellowship, 1997
  • Seah Cheng Siang Prize GE Society of Singapore, Best original research, 1997
  • NMRC - Kwek Hong Png Medical Research Fellowship, 1995
  • Young Surgeon's Award Academy of Medicine, Singapore. Best original research, 1995
  • Chapter of Surgeon's Gold Medal Conjoint M.Med (Surgery)/FRCS (Edin) Exam, 1994

Leadership positions / roles in Education: 

  • Genentech (Chair), Steering Committee for IMbrave050 
  • Singapore-Samsung Medical Centre (SG-SMC) Joint Lab (Chair), Steering Committee
  • Ipsen Pharma (Chair), Scientific Advisory Board for Hepatocellular Carcinoma (2015)
  • OncoSil Medical (Chair), Scientific Advisory Board for Hepatocellular Carcinoma (2015)
  • Sirtex Medical (Chair), Scientific Advisory Board for Hepatocellular Carcinoma (2009)
  • Glaxo-Smith-Kline (Chair), MAGE Scientific Advisory Board for Hepatocellular Carcinoma (2010)
  • Singapore Clinical Research Institute, Scientific Advisory Board (2009 – 2011)
  • Merck Sharp & Dhome, Corp, siRNA Advisory Board for Hepatocellular Carcinoma (2010)
  • Bayer-Schering (Chair, Asian Board), Scientific Advisory Board for Hepatocellular Carcinoma (2007-2009)
  • Novartis, Scientific Advisory Board for Neuroendocrine Tumors (2008 -2009)

Research Interest:

  • Multi-omics (genomics, epigenomics, immunomics, metabolomics, spatial transcriptomics) as applied to Precision Medicine in Hepatocellular Carcinoma
  • Clinical Trials and Translational Research in hepatocellular carcinoma, pancreatic carcinoma, gastro-intestinal stromal tumour and surgical oncology
  • Meta-analysis, systemic review and health services outcomes research in Hepatocellular Carcinoma
  • Brachytherapy and Selective Internal Radiation Therapy
  • Clinical and Pre-clinical molecular and functional imaging. Non-human primate models. Patient tumour-explant xenografts and orthotopic models in experimental oncology.

 

Selected Publications (last 5 years):

 

Qin S, Chen M, Cheng A-L, Kaseb AO, Kudo M, Lee HC, Yopp AC, Zhou J, Wang L, Wen X, Heo J, Tak WY, Nakamura S, Numata K, Uguen T, Hsiehchen D, Cha E, Hack SP, Lian Q, Ma N, Spahn JH, Wang Y, Wu C, Chow PKH (2023). Atezolizumab plus bevacizumab versus active surveillance in patients with resected or ablated high-risk hepatocellular carcinoma (IMbrave050): a randomised, open-label, multicentre, phase 3 trial. The Lancet. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(23)01796-8 

Sim YK, Chong MC, Gandhi M, Pokharkar YM, Zhu Y, Shi L, Li L, Chen C-H, Kudo M, Lee JH, Strasser SI, Chanwat R, Chow PKH (2023). Real-World Data on the Diagnosis, Treatment, and Management of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in the Asia-Pacific: The INSIGHT Study. Liver Cancer. DOI: 10.1159/000534513 

Thng DKH, Hooi L, Toh CCM, Lim JJ, Rajagopalan D, Syariff IQC, Tan ZM, Rashid MBMA, Zhou L, Kow AWC, Bonney GK, Goh BKP, Kam JH, Jha S, Dan YY, Chow PKH, Toh TB, Chow EK (2023). Histone-lysine N-methyltransferase EHMT2 (G9a) inhibition mitigates tumorigenicity in Myc-driven liver cancer. Mol Oncol, https://doi.org/10.1002/1878-0261.13417 

Jeon AJ, Teo YY, Sekar K, Chong SL, Wu L, Chew SC, Chen J, Kendarsari RI, Lai H, Ling WH, Kaya NA, Lim JQ, Ramasamy A, Oguz G, …, Goh BKP, Tucker-Kellogg G, Foo RSY, Chow PKH. (2023) Multi-region sampling with paired sample sequencing analyses reveals sub-groups of patients with novel patient-specific dysregulation in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. BMC Cancer, 23(1):118. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12885-022-10444-3   

Thng DKH, Toh TB, Pigini P, Hooi L, Dan YY, Chow PK, Bonney GK, Rashid MBMA, Guccione E, Wee DKB, Chow EK. (2022) Splice-switch oligonucleotide-based combinatorial platform prioritizes synthetic lethal targets CHK1 and BRD4 against MYC-driven hepatocellular carcinoma. Bioeng Transl Med, 8(1):e10363. https://doi.org/10.1002/btm2.10363 

Lee YH, Chuah S, Nguyen PHD, Lim CJ, Lai HLH, Wasser M, …, Chow PKH, Albani S, Liu H, Chew V (2022) IFNγ-IL-17+ CD8 T cells contribute to immunosuppression and tumor progression in human hepatocellular carcinoma, Cancer Lett, 552:215977. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.canlet.2022.215977 

Chan JJ, Zhang B, Chew XH, Salhi A, Kwok ZH, Lim CY, …, Chen L, Gao X, Chow PKH, Yang H, Tay Y. (2022) Pan-cancer pervasive upregulation of 3' UTR splicing drives tumourigenesis. Nat. Cell Biol., https://doi.org/10.1038/s41556-022-00913-z

Nguyen PHD, Wasser M, Tan CT, Lim CJ, Lai HLH, Seow JJW, DasGupta R, Phua CZJ, Ma S, … Zhai WW, Albani S, Chow PKH, Chew V. (2022) Trajectory of immune evasion and cancer progression in hepatocellular carcinoma. Nat Commun., 13(1):1441. https://doi.org/ 0.1038/s41467-022-29122-w

Zhai WW, Lai H, Kaya NA, Chen J, Yang HC, Lu BX, …, Tam WL, Toh HC, Foo RSY, Chow PKH. (2021) Dynamic phenotypic heterogeneity and the evolution of multiple RNA subtypes in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: the PLANET study, Nat. Sci. Rev. https://doi.org/10.1093/nsr/nwab192

Chew XH, Sultana R, Mathew EN, Ng DCE, Lo RHG, Toh HC, Tai D, Choo SP, Goh BKP, Yan SX, Loke KSH, Thang SP, Gogna A, Venkatanarasimha NK, Tong AKT, Moe FNN, Chua JSS, Ang RWT, Ong AD, Ng AWY, Hoang MTQ, Too CW, Thng CH, Chan WY, Kee W, Chan JHM, Irani F, Leong S, Lim KH, Wang MLC, Chow PKH. (2021) Real-World Data on Clinical Outcomes of Patients with Liver Cancer: A Prospective Validation of the National Cancer Centre Singapore Consensus Guidelines for the Management of Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Liver Cancer. https://doi.org/10.1159/000514400

Nguyen PHD, Ma S, Phua CZJ, Kaya NA, Lai HLH, Lim CJ, Lim JQ, Wasser M, Lai L, Tam WL, Lim TKH, Wan WK, Loh T, Leow WQ, Pang YH, Chan CY, Lee SY, Cheow PC, Toh HC, Ginhoux F, Iyer S, Kow AWC, Young Dan Y, Chung A, Goh BKP, Albani S, Chow PKH, Zhai W, Chew V. (2021) Intratumoural immune heterogeneity as a hallmark of tumour evolution and progression in hepatocellular carcinoma. Nat Commun., 12(1):227. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-20171-7. PMID: 33431814.

Gandhi M, Ling WH, Chen CH, Lee JH, Kudo M, Chanwat R, Strasser SI, Xu Z, Lai SH, Chow PKH. (2021) Impact of COVID-19 on Hepatocellular Carcinoma Management: A Multicountry and Region Study. J Hepatocell Carcinoma, 8:1159-67. https://doi.org/10.2147/JHC.S329018

Sharma A, Seow JJW, Dutertre CA, Pai R, Blériot C, Mishra A, Wong RMM, Singh GSN, Sudhagar S, Khalilnezhad S, Erdal S, Teo HM, Khalilnezhad A, Chakarov S, Lim TKH, Fui ACY, Chieh AKW, Chung CP, Bonney GK, Goh BK, Chan JKY, Chow PKH, Ginhoux F, DasGupta R. (2020) Onco-fetal Reprogramming of Endothelial Cells Drives Immunosuppressive Macrophages in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Cell, 183(2):377-394.e21. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2020.08.040. PMID: 32976798

Chow PKH, Mihir Gandhi, Say-Beng Tan, et al. (2018) SIRveNIB: Selective Internal Radiation Therapy Versus Sorafenib in Asia-Pacific Patients With Hepatocellular Carcinoma. J. Clin. Oncol., JCO2017760892. https://doi.org/10.1200/JCO.2017.76.0892.

Chew, V., Lee, Y.H., Pan, L., Nasir, N.J.M., Lim, C.J., Chua, C., Lai, L., Hazirah, S.N., Lim, T.K.H., Goh, B.K.P., Chung, A., Lo, R.H.G., Ng, D., Filarca, R.L.F, Albani, S., and Chow, P.K.H. (2018). Immune Activation Underlies a Sustained Clinical Response to Yttrium-90 Radioembolisation in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Gut. pii: gutjnl-2017-315485. https://doi.org/10.1136/gutjnl-2017-315485.

Zhai W, Lim TK, Zhang T, Phang ST, Tiang Z, Guan P, Ng MH, Lim JQ, Yao F, Li Z, Ng PY, Yan J, Goh BK, Chung AY, Choo SP, Khor CC, Soon WW, Sung KW, Foo RS, Chow PK (2017) The spatial organization of intra-tumour heterogeneity and evolutionary trajectories of metastases in hepatocellular carcinoma. Nat. Commun. 8:4565. https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms14565