Dr. Chan is a Professor (Pediatrics) at McMaster University, Pediatric Hematologist at Hamilton Health Sciences. He created the McMaster Pediatric Thrombosis and Hemostasis Program and holds a McMaster Children’s Hospital/Hamilton Health Sciences Chair in Pediatric Thrombosis and Hemostasis. He recently completed his term as Associate Chair of Research (Pediatrics) (2014-2020) and as Head of the Division of Hematology-Oncology in the Department of Pediatrics (2008-2019). Also, Dr. Chan is a Clinician Scientist with the Thrombosis & Atherosclerosis Research Institute (TaARI). He established the McMaster Developmental Hemostasis Laboratory (MDHL) at TaARI. He is an elected member of the American Pediatric Society and the Society for Pediatric Research. He is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, Royal College of Pathologists, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow and an Honorary Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland. He is one of the leading experts in the field of pediatric thrombosis and bleeding disorders, and is recognized nationally and internationally for his work.
Dr. Chan’s interests in discovery and clinical sciences encompass the realm of pediatric thrombosis and hemostasis. His inventions have led to many patents and products that have the potential to impact patients worldwide. His current research at MDHL is to determine the differences in the blood clotting systems of children and adults, including structural and functional differences in hemostatic proteins. He is collaborating to develop an “artificial placenta”, a pumpless lung assist device that helps to provide respiratory support to term/preterm newborns with respiratory failure. Dr. Chan is involved in designing clinical trials in pediatric thrombosis and pediatric stroke from a hematology perspective. His involvement in research, both investigator-initiated and industry-sponsored, has allowed patients access to new treatments and therapies, and have also assisted in the advancement of new drug therapies. He has led and participated in clinical trials and worked with international groups on the development of therapeutic advancements for the treatment of venous thromboembolism (VTE), stroke, and bleeding disorders. He developed close partnerships with industry to collaborate in this process. He was a member and Chair of the EINSTEIN-Jr. Steering Committee. As such, he was involved in the setup and conduct of the worldwide rivaroxaban treatment program for VTE in children. Furthermore, he has provided scientific expertise as Chief Scientific Officer, Chair of the Adjudication Committee, member of the Data Safety Monitoring Board and member of the Steering Committees for several other industry-sponsored research programs in pediatric thrombosis. He was invited to meet with Health Canada and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) to give advice on clinical trials relating to his expertise.
Dr. Chan is the inaugural recipient of the McMaster Children’s Hospital/Hamilton Health Sciences Foundation Chair in Pediatric Thrombosis and Hemostasis (currently serving a second term). He was the inaugural recipient of the Maureen Andrew Canadian Pediatric Thrombosis and Hemostasis Network (CPTHN) Award for Dedication to Childhood Thrombosis (2016). For his many achievements and contributions, Dr. Chan was awarded the Order of Ontario (2017). He also dedicates his time to other external committees, as past Chairman and current Co-Chairman of the Scientific & Standardization Committee, Subcommittee on Perinatal/Pediatric Hemostasis of the International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis, Vice-Chair of the CPTHN, past Chair of the CHR and CHARMS Committee for the Association of Hemophilia Clinic Directors of Canada (AHCDC), and Ex-officio Past President & Chair of the Membership and Nominating Committee of AHCDC. He is also a member of the Fund & Resource Development Committee for the World Federation of Hemophilia. Of note, Dr. Chan shares his expertise by providing around-the-clock consultation through the free 1800NOCLOTS service. This service provides consultation for pediatric health care professionals around the world who are seeking assistance with the treatment of children with complex problems. The service is offered 24 hours a day, seven days a week.