Honorary Fellow Professor CHEUNG Nga Yin Annie (2026)

Professor Cheung graduated from the University of Hong Kong in 1985, receiving the Gordon King Prize in Obstetrics and Gynaecology. She then pursued specialist training in Pathology, focusing on anatomical Pathology, particularly in Gynaecological pathology and cytology.

Currently, she serves as Clinical Professor at the University of Hong Kong and as the Director of the HKU University Pathology Laboratory for Cervical Cytology and Molecular Pathology, which she has led since 1996.

Under her guidance, this laboratory became the first in Hong Kong to obtain international accreditation from the College of American Pathologists, introducing advanced technologies like liquid-based cytology, automated imaging, and HPV molecular testing into routine cervical cancer screening.

She is currently the lab director in the CAP lab accreditation program, focusing on high standard of quality assurance across various specialist pathology services in QMH.

As the key gynaecological pathologist at Queen Mary Hospital and an Honorary Consultant at the Hong Kong Sanatorium and Hospital, she has provided expert diagnostic opinions on challenging gynaecological cases, often referred from colleagues in this room.

Her research has focused on improving the lives of women with cancer and pregnancy-related diseases. Her work encompasses ovarian, endometrial and cervical cancers, and gestational trophoblastic disease. Her team has identified critical genetic and molecular alterations in these cancers and dissected their impacts on carcinogenesis and prognosis. She holds the Laurence L T Hou Professorship in Anatomical Molecular Pathology.

In cervical cancer, Professor Cheung has pioneered the application of digital imaging, HPV testing, and molecular markers to enhance early detection. In gestational trophoblastic disease, she was among the first globally to explore the significance of genetic alterations and oncogenic signalling pathways, and her research has resulted in approximately 280 publications in high-impact journals, such as Oncogene, Clinical Cancer Research, and Nature Communications.

Beyond her own research, Professor Cheung is also a gifted mentor and supervisor. She has guided 15 PhD and 14 MPhil students, along with numerous Master's students and fellows, many of whom have become prominent figures in their fields. Her trainees have gained international recognition, having received esteemed awards such as the prestigious “ scholar -in -training” award from the American Association for Cancer Research.

In medical education, Professor Cheung is widely respected as an inspiring teacher and curriculum leader. She was instrumental in reforming the MBBS curriculum at HKU. She has served various leadership roles, and her dedication has been recognized with multiple teaching awards, including the University’s Outstanding Teaching Award and the Faculty Teaching Medal. She has embraced digital innovation in pathology education, strengthening the curriculum to prepare graduates for the era of precision medicine.

Professor Cheung is a past President of the Hong Kong College of Pathologists. She played a vital role in establishing Genetic and Genomic Pathology as a recognized specialty in Hong Kong. She is also a past President of the Hong Kong Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology (HKSCCP). She has been a member of the Cancer Expert Working Group on Cancer Prevention and Screening and is currently the Chairman of the Medical Laboratory Technologists Board.

Professor Cheung has been the Chief of Service in Pathology at HKU-Shenzhen Hospital for 12 years since its opening in 2012 and all along she has been active in specialist pathology education in the mainland. Her influence is also global; she holds key roles in various international societies and she is a Standing Member of the Editorial Board for the 5th Edition of the WHO Classification of Tumours. She has also served on the Board of the International Collaboration on Cancer Reporting, contributing to standardized cancer reporting. As a Commissioner on the Lancet Commission on Diagnostics, she has worked to strengthen diagnostic services worldwide.

For HKCOG, however, perhaps the most meaningful part of Professor Cheung’s story is her deep and enduring partnership with obstetricians and gynaecologists. Her interest in our specialty dates back to her medical student days and to her early career days as in intern and medical officer in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Queen Mary Hospital. She had fond memories of those formative experiences on the wards, in clinics, in labour ward and in operating theatres, and she has carried that understanding of bedside clinical practices into her career in pathology.

She has worked closely with our College on multiple HKCOG guidelines, including those on cervical cancer prevention and the management of endometrial hyperplasia, and she is actively supporting our training, tumour boards and accreditation activities. Through her role in FIGO’s gestational trophoblastic neoplasia staging subcommittee, in AOGIN and in various international working groups, she has helped ensure that the perspectives of Hong Kong obstetricians and gynaecologists are reflected in global standards.

Professor Cheung often describes her career as a journey alongside obstetricians and gynaecologists. For many of us, she is an indispensable colleague, a wise advisor, and a steadfast friend to our specialty.

Mr. President, in recognition of her outstanding contributions to medical science, education, clinical service, and especially to women’s health, it is my honour to present Professor Annie Cheung Nga-Yin for admission as an Honorary Fellow of the Hong Kong College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

Professor CHAN Kar Loen Karen
at the conferment ceremony in 2026