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Chen Zhu
陈竺
US China Bilateral at World Health Assembly 4.jpg
Chen Zhu (2011)
Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress
In office
14 March 2013 – 10 March 2023
Chairman Zhang Dejiang
Li Zhanshu
Chairman of the Chinese Peasants' and Workers' Democratic Party
In office
December 2012 – 9 December 2022
Preceded by Sang Guowei
Succeeded by He Wei
Minister of Health
In office
June 2007 – March 2013
Preceded by Gao Qiang
Succeeded by Li Bin
(as Minister in charge of the National Health and Family Planning Commission)
President of the Red Cross Society of China
In office
6 June 2015 – 10 October 2024
Preceded by Hua Jianmin
Succeeded by He Wei
President of Chinese Medical Association
In office
2010–2015
Preceded by Zhong Nanshan
Succeeded by Ma Xiaowei
President of the Western Returned Scholars Association
In office
2013–2021
Preceded by Han Qide
Succeeded by Ding Zhongli
Personal details
Born (1953-08-17) August 17, 1953 (age 71)
Shanghai, China
Political party Chinese Peasants' and Workers' Democratic Party
Alma mater
  • Jiangxi Provincial Shangrao Health School
  • Shanghai Second Medical University
  • Paris Diderot University (DSc)
Awards Chevalier of the Legion of Honour
Scientific career
Fields Hematology, Molecular biology

Chen Zhu (born August 17, 1953) is a famous Chinese scientist and public servant. He is a specialist in blood diseases and molecular biology. From 2015 to 2024, he was the president of the Red Cross Society of China.

He has held many important positions in China. He was a vice chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress from 2013 to 2023. He also led the Chinese Peasants' and Workers' Democratic Party from 2012 to 2022. From 2007 to 2013, he was the Minister of Health for China.

Chen Zhu is also a respected academic. He is a member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. He is also a foreign member of important science groups like the Royal Society in the UK and the U.S. National Academy of Sciences. He teaches at the Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine.

About Chen Zhu's Life

Chen Zhu was born in Shanghai, China, in August 1953. His family originally came from Zhenjiang in Jiangsu Province.

Early Career and Education

Chen Zhu started his medical journey by working as a "barefoot doctor" in rural China for five years. These doctors provided basic healthcare in villages. He then went to university to study more.

He earned his master's degree in September 1981 from Shanghai Second Medical Sciences University. This university is now part of Shanghai Jiao Tong University. Later, he traveled to Paris, France, to continue his studies. He earned his Ph.D. from the Paris Diderot University. He also completed his medical training and research there.

Leadership in Science and Health

Chen Zhu has led several important scientific organizations. He was the president of the Shanghai Institute of Hematology. He also directed the China Human Genome Center (South) in Shanghai. This center studies human genes.

He served as the Minister of Health for China. In this role, he helped manage the country's healthcare system. He was also the president of the Red Cross Society of China. This organization helps people in need, especially during disasters.

Awards and Recognitions

Chen Zhu has received many awards for his important work in science and medicine.

Major Scientific Honors

Prestigious Awards

  • The Chinese government gave him the State Scientific and Technological Award.
  • He received the "Prix de l'Qise" from a French cancer organization. He was the first person not from France to win this award.
  • In 2002, the French Government gave him the Legion of Honour. This is France's highest award for military and civil achievements.
  • The University of Hong Kong gave him an honorary doctor of science degree in 2005.
  • In 2010, he received an honorary degree from the University of York in England.
  • In 2012, he won the Szent-Györgyi Prize for Progress in Cancer Research. This award recognizes important discoveries in cancer research.
  • In 2018, he was awarded the Sjöberg Prize by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. He shared this prize with two other scientists. They were recognized for finding new ways to treat a type of blood cancer called acute promyelocytic leukemia.

Chen Zhu's Family

Chen Zhu comes from a family of accomplished doctors. His father, Chen Jialun, and mother, Xu Manyin, were both well-known doctors and medical professors in Shanghai.

He is the oldest of three children. His younger brother, Chen Zhen, was a famous artist who lived in France. Chen Zhu also has a sister named Chen Jian. Chen Zhu's wife, Chen Saijuan, is also a very respected hematologist. She is a member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering. Chen Zhu and his wife have a son. Both Chen Zhu and his wife learned from a famous doctor named Wang Zhenyi.

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