Pioneering Children's Surgeon and Stem Cell Researcher Dies at 42

MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL (Dec. 16, 2005)--Leo Fung, M.D., chief of pediatric urology at the University of Minnesota’s Medical School, died Saturday, Dec.10, at the age of 42.  The cause of death was cancer, according to his family.   A memorial service will be held Sunday, Dec. 18 at 2 p.m. at the McNamara Alumni Center on the campus of the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis.

The Leo C. Fung M.D. Memorial Fund is being established at the Minnesota Medical Foundation to further excellence in clinical care, research, and education in pediatric urology. Contributions can be sent to: Minnesota Medical Foundation, 200 Oak St., Suite 300, Minneapolis, MN 55455.

Fung, who pioneered and advanced procedures used today for childhood urologic surgeries, was trained at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto and at Harvard Medical School’s Children’s Hospital in Boston.

Fung is survived by his wife, Dr. Cathy Fung, a biochemist who is currently curriculum coordinator at Ubah Medical Academy, and their three children Alex (age 10), Julia (age 7), and Andrew (5 months old).  Fung’s sister, Dr. Claire Fung Fisher, is a noted radiation oncologist on the faculty at Massachusetts General Hospital, and Harvard Medical School.  His brother Richard Fung is corporate counsel at Ernst & Young in Los Angeles.  Fung’s parents, Shiu-Lam and Sydney Fung, reside in Hong Kong.

Fung was one of the world’s leading authorities on the surgical restoration of obstructed urinary passages, a potentially life-threatening condition in children. He pioneered laparoscopic surgical techniques used in the reimplantation of ureters in children and other critical surgical reconstructions.

“Dr. Fung was a rising star in the field of pediatric urology.  His extraordinary clinical talents have benefited a generation of children suffering from urologic abnormalities, while his skill and meticulousness earned him the respect and admiration of urologists throughout the world, “ said Jon Pryor, M.D., chair of the department of urologic surgery at the University of Minnesota

David Fisher, M.D., professor of pediatric oncology at Harvard Medical School, added:  “Dr. Fung was among the most brilliant and creative young surgeons in America. He contributed innovative technical breakthroughs with research inquiries into tissue regeneration that were advancing pediatric urology to new heights.”   Fisher is married to Fung’s sister, Claire.

John R. Schreiber, M.D., chair of the department of pediatrics at the University of Minnesota Medical School, said "Dr. Fung was the quintessential academic surgeon. He was an extraordinary clinician and teacher, and had a passion for research and the care of children. He made significant advances in Pediatric Urology, and will be sorely missed by the medical community."

At the time of his death, Fung was investigating the use of stem cells in the restoration of genital and urinary tissue damaged by the catastrophic collapse of kidney and bladder function in children.

Fung was the recipient of multiple research and teaching awards including a first prize for clinical research in urology awarded by Boston’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital in 2000 and a first prize in urology research awarded by the Department of Surgery at the University of Toronto.  He lectured widely on medical advances in urology and contributed multiple scholarly book chapters and research publications in leading peer-reviewed medical journals worldwide.

Fung frequently presented his research work at the invitation of leading medical associations and societies, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery, the American Urological Association, the Canadian Urological Association, the I.E.E.E. Medical Imaging Conference, the Society for Fetal Urology, the Society for Urology and Engineering, the Society of Nuclear Medicine, and the World Congress of Endourology.

The Academic Health Center is home to the University of Minnesota’s six health professional schools and colleges as well as several health-related centers and institutes. Founded in 1851, the University is one of the oldest and largest land grant institutions in the country. The AHC prepares the new health professionals who improve the health of communities, discover and deliver new treatments and cures, and strengthen the health economy.

Contact: Molly Portz, Academic Health Center, 612.625.2640