Professor Tony Nelson

Professor Tony Nelson

CUHK Employment

Professor in Paediatrics, Department of Paediatrics, CUHK

Email

tony-nelson@cuhk.edu.hk

Biography

Tony joined The Chinese University of Hong Kong in 1993. He previously had clinical, research and teaching experience in a range of developed and developing countries (South Africa, Zimbabwe, Saudi Arabia, New Zealand and Malawi). He has a strong commitment to global child health with research interests spanning vaccines, diarrhoeal and respiratory disease surveillance, obesity and child growth, breastfeeding promotion and sudden infant death syndrome. He has undertaken Phase I/II and Phase III vaccine studies for rotavirus, seasonal influenza, avian influenza, herpes zoster and human papilloma virus. He is Chair of the Steering Committee of Immunization Partners in Asia Pacific which organises the biennial Asian Vaccine Conference (ASVAC). He is a member of the ROTA Council (2012- ) and was a member of the Asian Rotavirus Surveillance Network (1999-2008). He participated in WHO’s SAGE Working Group on Maternal and Neonatal Tetanus Elimination and Broader Tetanus Control (2015-2016), WHO’s Expert Advisory Group on Quantitative Immunization and Vaccines Related Research (2007-2012) and was a technical advisor for the Supporting Independent Immunization and Vaccine Advisory Committees Initiative (2008-2011). Tony graduated from the University of Cape Town in South Africa in 1978 and obtained his doctorate from the University of Otago in New Zealand in 1989.

Education

MB ChB (Cape Town), MD (Otago), FRCPCH, FRCP(Edin), FHKAM(Paed), FHKCPaed, DCH

Research Interests

  • Rotavirus, influenza and other vaccines
  • Diarrhoeal and respiratory disease surveillance
  • Obesity and child growth
  • Breastfeeding promotion
  • Sudden infant death syndrome

Others

Honorary Appointments

  • Member of WHO SAGE Working Group on maternal and neonatal tetanus elimination and broader tetanus control (2015-2016)
  • Civil Society member of the Commonwealth Advisor Committee on Health (CACH) (May 2013-2017)
  • Treasurer, Commonwealth Health Professions Alliance (2013-2014)
  • Member of Medical Curriculum Steering Committee, Faculty of Medicine (2010–2017)
  • Member WHO’s Quantitative Immunization and Vaccines Related Research Expert Advisory Group (2007-2012)
  • Year 4/5 coordinator, Faculty of Medicine (2005–2017)
  • Chairman and member, Scientific Committee Enteric Infections and Foodborne Diseases, Centre for Health Protection, Department of Health, Hong Kong (2004 – 2016)
  • Member, Scientific Committee Vaccine Preventable Diseases, Centre for Health Protection, Department of Health, Hong Kong (2004–2013)
  • Member of Education Committee of the Hong Kong College of Paediatricians (2004–2012)
  • Chairman New Territories East Cluster Paediatric Department Drug Committee (2002–2016)
  • Member of Exemptions Sub-Committed of Licentiate Committee of The Medical Council of Hong Kong (2001–2016)
  • President / Secretary / Council member, Commonwealth Association of Paediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition (2004-2006 / 1997-2003 / 1994-1997)
  • Chairman / Secretary, Epidemiology Group, Global Strategy Task Force on SIDS (1996-2000 / 1994-1996)

Publication

  • Yeung KHT, Chan KCC, Chan PKS, Lam DSY, Sham PCO, Yau YS, Chan WH, Chiu WK, Ng KL, Ng DKK, Chan IMC, Nelson EAS. Influenza vaccine effectiveness in hospitalised Hong Kong children: Feasibility of estimates from routine surveillance data. Vaccine 2018.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vaccine.2018.04.081
  • Burnett E, Tate JE, Kirkwood CD, Nelson EAS, Santosham M, Steele AD. Estimated impact of rotavirus vaccine on hospitalizations and deaths from rotavirus diarrhea among children <5 in Asia. Expert Review of Vaccines. 2018. https://doi.org/10.1080/14760584.2018.1443008
  • Chan NPT, Tarrant M, Ngan E, So HK, Lok K, Nelson EAS. Agreement between Self-/Home-measured and Assessor-measured Waist Circumference at 4 Three Sites in Adolescents/Children. PlosONE March 22, 2018. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0193355
  • Chan DFY, So HK, Hui SCN, Chan R, Li A, Sea M, Chu WCW, Chan M, Woo J, Nelson EAS. Dietitian-led lifestyle modification programme for obese Chinese adolescents with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: A randomized controlled study” International Journal of Obesity. 2018 Jan 30. doi: 10.1038/s41366-018-0010-8.
  • Yeung KHT, Duclos P, Nelson EAS, Hutubessy RCW. An update of global burden of pertussis in children aged below 5 years: a modeling study. Lancet Infectious Diseases. 2017;17(9):974–980.
  • Nelson EAS, Steele AD. Vaccine Impact Data Should Support Country Decision Making (Editorial Commentary). J Infect Dis 2017;215 (11): 1634-1636. https://doi.org/10.1093/infdis/jix187
  • Yeung KHT, Tate JE, Chan CC, Chan MCW, Chan PKS, Poon KH, Siu SLY, Fung GPG, Ng KL, Chan IMC, Yu PT, Ng CH, Lau YL, Nelson EAS. Rotavirus vaccine effectiveness in Hong Kong children. Vaccine. 2016 Sep 22;34(41):4935-42. doi: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2016.08.047. Epub 2016 Aug 29.
  • Ip P, Ho FKH, Hung-Kwan So HK, Chan DFY, Ho M, Tso W, Nelson EAS. Socioeconomic gradient in childhood obesity and hypertension: A multilevel population-based study in a Chinese community. PLOS ONE June 3, 2016. http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0156945
  • Tam WWS, CHAN J, Lo KKH, Lee A, Chan PKS, CHAN D, Nelson EAS. Parental attitudes and factors associated with varicella vaccination in preschool and school children in Hong Kong. Medicine 94 (36):e1519.
  • Abraham AA, Chow WC, So HK, Yip BHK, Li AM, Kumta SM, Woo J, Chan SM, Lau EYY, Nelson EAS. Lifestyle Intervention Using an Internet-based Curriculum with Cell Phone Reminders for Obese Chinese Teens: A Randomized Controlled Study. PLOS ONE DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0125673 May 6, 2015.
  • Nelson EAS, Ip M, Tam JS, Mounts AW, Chau SL, Law SK, Goggins W, Simpson LA, Chan PKS. Burden of influenza infection in hospitalised children below 6 months of age and above in Hong Kong from 2005 to 2011. Vaccine. 2014;32(49):6692–6698.
  • Nelson EAS, Bloom DE, Mahoney RT. Monitoring what governments “give for” and “spend on” vaccine procurement: Vaccine Procurement Assistance and Vaccine Procurement Baseline. PLoS ONE 2014;9(2): e89593. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0089593.
  • Chiang GPK, Nelson EAS, Timothy J.H. Pang TJH, Law SK, Goggins W, Chan JYC, Ip M, Chan PKS. Rotavirus incidence in hospitalised Hong Kong children: 1 July 1997 to 31 March 2011. Vaccine 2014;32(15):1700-1706.
  • Parashar UD, Nelson EAS, Kang G. Diagnosis, management, and prevention of rotavirus gastroenteritis in children. BMJ 2013;347:f7204.
  • Nelson EAS, de Quadros CA, Santosham M, Parashar UD, Steele D. Overcoming perceptions of financial barriers to rotavirus vaccine introduction in Asia. Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics. 2013;9(11):1-9. http://dx.doi.org/10.4161/hv.26107
  • Ip M, Chau SSL, Lai LS, Ma H, Chan PKS, Nelson EAS. Increased nasopharyngeal carriage of serotypes 6A, 6C, and 6D Streptococcus pneumoniae after introduction of childhood pneumococcal vaccination in Hong Kong. Diagnostic Microbiology and Infectious Disease 2013;76:153-157.
  • Nelson EAS, Lam HS, Choi KC, Ho WCS, Fung LWE, Cheng FWT, Sung RYT, Royals M, Chan PKS. A pilot randomised study to assess immunogenicity, reactogenicity, safety and tolerability of two human papillomavirus vaccines administered intramuscularly and intradermally to females aged 18 to 26 years. Vaccine 2013;31:3452-60.
  • Lau YL, Nelson EAS, Poon KH, Chan PKS, Chiu S, Sung R, Leung CW, Ng D, Ma YM, Chan D, Lee TL, Tang J, Kwan YW, Ip P, Ho M, Fung LWE, Tang H, Suryakiran PV, Han HH, Bock H. Hong Kong Rotarix Study Group. Efficacy, safety and immunogenicity of a human rotavirus vaccine (RIX4414) in Hong Kong children up to three years of age: a randomized, controlled trial. Vaccine 2013;31:2253-59.
  • Kwok SY, So HK, Choi KC, Lo AFC, Li AM, Sung RYT, Nelson EAS. Resting Heart Rate in Children and Adolescents – Association with Blood Pressure, Exercise and Obesity. Archives Disease Childhood. Published Online First: 19 February 2013 doi:10.1136/archdischild-2012-302794.
  • So HK, Li AM, Choi KC, Sung RYT, Nelson EAS. Regular exercise and a healthy dietary pattern are associated with lower resting blood pressure in non-obese adolescents: a population-based study. Journal of Human Hypertension advance online publication, 18 October 2012; doi:10.1038/jhh.2012.41.