08/15/2024
Cleveland Clinic mourns the loss of Dr. Charis Eng
Dr. Eng is a pioneer in the field of genomic medicine, and is credited with the understanding that genes and genetics can cause cancer
Dr. Eng stands with President Biden after being awarded the Medal of Honor from the American Cancer Society
The Eng lab
Dr. Eng in her office, July 2006
Dr. Eng receiving a $50,000 award from Hyundai
Dr. Eng was enthusiastic about her research and loved to share her passion with others
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Charis Eng, MD, PhD, Global Director of Genomic Research Strategies in the Chief Research and Academic Office, Chair of the Center for Personalized Genetic Healthcare, and Sondra J. and Stephen R. Hardis Endowed Chair in Cancer Genomic Medicine.
Dr. Eng was a pioneer in genetic and genomic medicine, and her legacy will remain not only in the programs she founded but with the generations of trainees she inspired. Prior to joining Cleveland Clinic in 2005, Dr. Eng was the inaugural founder and director of the Ohio State University James Cancer Hospital’s Clinical Cancer Genetics Program. During her time at Cleveland Clinic she founded the Center for Personalized Genetic Healthcare and the PTEN Multidisciplinary Clinic: Center of Excellence.
Born and raised in Singapore, Dr. Eng dedicated her life to medicine and biomedical sciences for the benefit of humankind. She was inspired by family members who were decorated researchers and physicians. Dr. Eng discovered a passion for human cancer genetics in high school, before graduating at the age of 16. She attended the University of Chicago and conducted undergraduate research in the laboratory of Dr. Ed Garber, who remained a lifelong mentor, colleague and friend. Dr. Eng completed her MD and PhD at the University of Chicago’s Pritzker School of Medicine. She completed her residency in Internal Medicine at Beth Israel Hospital and received training in medical oncology at Harvard’s Dana-Farber Cancer Institute as well as in laboratory-based human cancer genetics at the University of Cambridge and the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust in the UK.
Dr. Eng’s work at the bench and the bedside garnered international acclaim for her discoveries in personalized genetics and genomics to improve patient outcomes and quality of life. After she made a breakthrough discovery connecting the PTEN gene to an overgrowth disorder called Cowden Syndrome, Dr. Eng challenged the “one-gene-one-disease" paradigm by connecting inherited PTEN mutations to many seemingly disconnected conditions – including multiple overgrowth disorders, several cancer types and autism spectrum disorder.
Dr. Eng worked hard to improve the lives of patients born with PTEN mutations in the clinic and the lab. The PTEN Multidisciplinary Clinic, a PHTS Clinical Center of Excellence, attracts patients from all over the world for specialized treatment. Her clinical and research discoveries were made based on observations of these patients, with whom she worked intimately. Dr. Eng’s research program set the standard for implementing cancer genetic research that can be translated into the clinic.
Like her mentor Dr. Garber, Dr. Eng lived by the motto, “Serendipity strikes those who work hard.” Dr. Eng’s own hard work earned her many awards and appointments. She held 17 major administrative and leadership positions over her career and received over 100 research and clinical awards and appointments. She received the prestigious Medal of Honor from the American Cancer Society in 2018. Clinically, she was named in the top 1% of America’s Most Honored Doctors in 2020 and had received similar recognitions almost every year dating back to 2007. In May of 2024, she won Cleveland Clinic’s highest award for innovation, the Sones Award, recognizing her indelible mark on science and our organization, as well as her record as a prolific inventor.
Dr. Eng will be mourned by many, including her family, friends, colleagues and mentees. As she was inspired by her mentors, Dr. Eng has inspired countless generations of scientists, clinicians and patients alike. Her legacy, teachings and curious spirit will live through them and will be passed on for many generations to come.
A scientific symposium honoring Dr. Eng’s life and legacy will be held at the Cleveland Clinic in the fall. To learn more, contact [email protected].
Those who would like to make gift in Dr. Eng's memory are encouraged to do so by visiting https://give.ccf.org/campaign/610649/donate.