Xiu-Jie Wang, MD, Receives SVU Scientific Award Named for SARS Victim 

LANHAM, MD, June 14, 2006 -- The Society for Vascular Ultrasound (SVU) presented an important Scientific Research Award at its 29th Annual Conference in Philadelphia, PA. The Alex Chao, MD, Young Investigator's Award for excellence in a scientific research paper in vascular technology was presented to Xiu-Jie Wang, MD, Englewood Hospital & Medical Center, Englewood, NJ, for her scientific paper on "Determination of a Safe Target Zone for the Use of Endovenous Laser Therapy of the Small Saphenous Vein." The 2006 Dr. Alex Chao Award was sponsored for a third year by Philips Ultrasound in Bothell, WA.

First presented in 2004, the Dr. Alex Chao - Young Investigator's Award is a SVU award dedicated in memory of Dr. Alex Chao, a vascular surgeon who died suddenly in 2003 at the age of 37 of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) acquired from a patient he had treated in Singapore. SARS first emerged in Southern China in 2002.

Alex was the only child of Professor Chao Tzee Cherg, a former President of the Singapore Medical Academy. He trained for three years in Sydney, Australia, acquiring vascular surgical and imaging skills. He had strong links with Australia and at the time of his death, he was actively promoting linkage between the Australian Society for Vascular Ultrasound in Medicine and the Society for Vascular Ultrasound with the Medical Ultrasound Society of Singapore.

SVU looks forward to next year's 30th Anniversary SVU Annual Conference on June 7-9, 2007 in Baltimore, MD. For more information on SVU and its awards, see www.svunet.org.