MBBS, MMedSc, MS, PDipMDPath, MD, MEd, FHKAM(orth), FRCSEd(orth), FHKCOS

Department Chairperson

Li Shu Fan Medical Foundation Professorship in Orthopaedic Surgery

Clinical Professor

Honorary Consultant

Professor Jason Pui Yin Cheung is the Department Chairperson and Clinical Professor of the Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology at the University of Hong Kong. After obtaining his MBBS degree from The University of Hong Kong in 2007, Prof. Cheung received his training in Orthopaedics at Queen Mary Hospital. He completed his membership examination in 2009 and obtained his Masters of Medical Sciences degree from The University of Hong Kong in 2012. He completed his specialist training in 2014. He joined the Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology as a Clinical Assistant Professor in November 2012 and promoted to Clinical Associate Professor with early tenure in 2018. He obtained his Master of Surgery in 2017, Postgraduate Diploma in Molecular and Diagnostic Pathology in 2018, Doctor of Medicine in 2019, and Master of Education in 2021. He was promoted to Clinical Professor in 2023. His main clinical research interests are paediatric growth and spinal deformity, lumbar degenerative disorders, lateral access surgery and novel imaging and clinical phenotyping.

• Basic and clinical research related to pediatric spine deformity, skeletal growth and novel treatment methods
• Developmental spinal stenosis
• Scoliosis genetics
• Basic and clinical research related to degenerative disorders including chronic neck and back pain
• Novel imaging and clinical phenotyping
• Cervical myelopathy management
• Artificial Intelligence and Modeling

• Paediatric and adult spinal deformities
• Degenerative spine conditions
• Lateral access surgery
• Endoscopic spine surgery
• Cervical myelopathy
• Orthopaedic infections
• Non-fusion surgery for scoliosis

Scoliosis Genetics

• Feng X, Ye Y, Zhang J, Zhang Y, Zhao S, Mak JCW, Otomo N, Zhao Z, Niu Y, Yonezawa Y, Li G, Lin M, Li X, Cheung PWH, Xu K, Takeda K, Wang S, Xie J, Kotani T, Choi VNT, Song YQ, Yang Y, Luk KDK, Lee KS, Li Z, Li PS, Leung CYH, Lin X, Wang X, Qiu G; DISCO (Deciphering disorders Involving Scoliosis and COmorbidities) study group; Watanabe K; Japanese Early Onset Scoliosis Research Group; Wu Z, Posey JE, Ikegawa S, Lupski JR, Cheung JPY, Zhang TJ, Gao B, Wu N. Core planar cell polarity genes VANGL1 and VANGL2 in predisposition to congenital vertebral malformations. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2024 Apr 30;121(18):e2310283121.
• Cheung JPY, Wang X, Yue M, Cheung PWH, Fan Y, Wu M, Wang X, Zhao S, Khanshour AM, Rios JJ, Chen Z, Wang X, Tu W, Chan D, Yuan Q, Qin D, Qiu G, Wu Z, Zhang TJ, Ikegawa S, Wu N, Wise CA, Hu Y, Luk KDK, Song YQ, Gao B. Impaired glycine neurotransmission causes adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. J Clin Invest. 2024;134(2):e168783.
• Yu H, Khanshour AM, Ushiki A, Otomo N, Koike Y, Einarsdottir E, Fan Y, Antunes L, Kidane YH, Cornelia R, Sheng RR, Zhang Y, Pei J, Grishin NV, Evers BM, Cheung JPY, Herring JA, Terao C, Song YQ, Gurnett CA, Gerdhem P, Ikegawa S, Rios JJ, Ahituv N, Wise CA. Association of genetic variation in COL11A1 with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. Elife. 2024;12:RP89762.

Paediatric growth

• Cheung PWH, Wong JSH, Luk KDK, Cheung JPY. Using the Proximal Femur Maturity Index at Brace Initiation for Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis Predicts Curve Progression Risk.J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2024 Mar 20;106(6):531-541. doi: 10.2106/JBJS.23.00694. Epub 2024 Jan 23.
• Cheung PWH, Canavese F, Chan CYW, Wong JSH, Shigematsu H, Luk KDK, Cheung JPY. The Utility of a Novel Proximal Femur Maturity Index for Staging Skeletal Growth in Patients with Idiopathic Scoliosis, J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2022 Jan 7
• Cheung PWH, Cheung JPY. Does the Use of Sanders Staging and Distal Radius and Ulna Classification Avoid Mismatches in Growth Assessment with Risser Staging Alone ?. Clin Orthop Relat Res. 2021. 26 ;479(11) :2516-30. Doi : 10.1097/CORR.0000000000001817.
• Cheung PWH, Cheung JPY. Sanders stage 7b : Using the appearance of the ulnar physis improves decision-making for brace weaning in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. Bone Joint J. 2021 ;103-B(1) : 141-147. Doi : 10.1302/0301-620X.103B1.BJJ-2020-1240.R1.
• Cheung JPY, Cheung PWH, Luk KD. When should we wean bracing for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis? Clin Orthop Relat Res. 2019; 477(9):2145-2157.
• Cheung JPY, Cheung PW, Samartzis D, Luk KD. Curve progression in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis does not match skeletal growth. Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research. 2018 ;476(2) : 429-436.
• Cheung JPY, Cheung PW, Samartzis D, Cheung KM, Luk KD. The use of the distal radius and ulna classification for the prediction of growth : peak growth spurt and growth cessation. Bone Joint J. 2016 ;98-B(12) :1689-1696.

Deformity

• Cheung PWH, Chan OKO, Wu H, Lai MKL, Wong LPK, Tang S, Cheung JPY. Immediate vs Gradual Brace Weaning Protocols in Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Pediatr. 2024;178(7):657-668. doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2024.1484.
• Meng N, Wong KK, Zhao M, Cheung JPY, Zhang T. Radiograph-comparable image synthesis for spine alignment analysis using deep learning with prospective clinical validation. EClinicalMedicine,. 2023;61:102050.
• Zhang T, Zhu C, Zhao Y, Zhao M, Wang Z, Song R, Meng N, Sial A, Diwan A, Liu J, Cheung JPY. Deep Learning Model to Classify and Monitor Idiopathic Scoliosis In Adolescents Using a Single Smartphone Photograph. JAMA Netw Open. 2023;6(8):e2330617.
• Meng N, Cheung JPY, Wong KK, Dokos S, Li S, Choy RW, To S, Li RJ, Zhang T. An artificial intelligence powered platform for auto-analyses of spine alignment irrespective of image quality with prospective validation. EClinicalMedicine. 2022;43:101252.
• Wong LPK, Cheung PWH, Cheung JPY. Curve type, flexibility, correction, and rotation are predictors of curve progression in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis undergoing conservative treatment : a systematic review, Bone Joint J. 2022 Apr;104-B(4):424-432
• Wong LPK, Cheung PWH, Cheung JPY. Supine correction index as a predictor for brace outcome in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis, Bone Joint J. 2022 Apr;104-B(4):495-503
• Lai W, Feng X, Yue M, Cheung PWH, Choi VNT, Song YQ, Luk KDK, Cheung JPY, Gao B. Identification of Copy Number Variants in Southern Chinese Cohort of Patients with Congenital Scoliosis. Genes 2021 ; 12(8) : 1213. Doi : 10.3390/genes12081213
• Feng X, Cheung JP, Je JS, Cheung PW, Chen S, Yue M, Wang N, Choi VN, Yang X, Song YQ, Luk KD, Gao B. Genetic variants of TBX6 and TBXT identified in patients with congenital scoliosis in Southern China. J Orthop Res. 2021 ;39(5) :971-988. doi : 10.1002/jor.24805.
• Zhang T, Sze KY, Peng ZW, Cheung KMC, Lui YF, Wong YW, Kwan KYH, Cheung JPY. Systematic investigation of metallosis associated with magnetically controlled growing rod implantation for early-onset scoliosis. Bone Joint J. 2020 ;102-B(10) :1375-1383. Doi : 10.1302/0301-620X.102B10.BJJ-2020-0842.R1.
• Cheung PWH, Wong CKH, Cheung JPY. Comparative Study of the Use of Paediatric Quality of Life Inventory 4.0 Generic Core Scales in Paediatric Patients with Spine and Limb Pathologies. Bone Joint J. 2020 ;102-B(7) :890-898. Doi : 10.1302/0301-620X.102B7.BJJ-2019-1766.R2.
• Cheung JPY, Cheung PWH, Supine flexibility predicts curve progression for patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis undergoing underarm bracing., Bone Joint J. 2020 Feb;102-B(2):254-260.
• Cheung JPY, Cheung PWH, Yeng WC, Chan LCK, Does Curve Regression Occur During Underarm Bracing in Patients with Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis?, Clin Orthop Relat Res. 2020 Feb;478(2):334-345.
• Cheung JPY, Chong CHW, Cheung PWH. Underarm bracing for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis leads to flatback deformity: the role of sagittal spineopelvic parameters. Bone Joint J. 2019; 101-B(11): 1370-1378.
• Wong AYL, Samartzis D, Cheung PWH, Cheung JPY. How common is back pain and what biopsychosocial factors are associated with back pain in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis? Clin Orthop Relat Res. 2019;477(4):676-686.
• Cheung JPY, Yiu K, Kwan K, Cheung KMC. Mean 6-year follow-up of magnetically controlled growing rod patients with early onset scoliosis : A glimpse of what happens to graduates. Neurosurgery. 2018. Doi : 10.1093/neuros/nyy270.
• Cheung JPY, Samartzis D, Yeung K, To M, Luk KD, Cheung KM. A randomized double-blinded clinical trial to evaluate the safety and efficacy of a novel super-elastic nickel-titanium spinal rod in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis – 5 year follow-up. European Spine Journal. 2018 ;27(2) : 327-339. Doi :10.1007/s00586-017-5245-x.
• Cheung JPY, Yiu KKL, Samartzis D, Kwan K, Tan BB, Cheung KM. Rod lengthening with the magnetically controlled growing rod : factors influencing rod slippage and reduced gains during distractions. Spine. 2018 ;43(7) :E399-E405. doi :10.1097/BRS.0000000000002358.
• Shigematsu H, Cheung JPY, Bruzzone M, Matsumori, H, Mak KC, Samartzis D, Luk KDK. Preventing fusion mass shift avoids postoperative distal curve adding-on in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research. 2017 ;475(5) :1448-1460.
• Cheung PW, Wong CK, Samartzis D, Luk KD, Lam CLK, Cheung KMC, Cheung JPY. Psychometric validation of EuroQoL 5-Dimension 5-Level (EQ-5D-5L) in Chinese patients with Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis. Scoliosis and Spinal Disorders. 2016 ;11 :19. Doi : 10.1186/s13013-016-0083-x.
• Cheung KMC, Cheung JPY, Samartzis D, Mak KC, Wong YW, Cheung WY, Akbarnia BA, Luk KDK. Magnetically controlled growing rods for severe spinal curvature in young children : a prospective case series. Lancet. 2012 May 26 ;379(9830) :1967-74. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(12)60112-3. Epub 2012 Apr 19.

Lumbar degenerative disease

• Boer CG, Hatzikotoulas K, Southam L, Stefánsdóttir L, Zhang YF, Coutinho de Almeida R, Wu TT, Zheng J, Hartley A, Teder-Laving M, Skogholt AH, Terao C, Zengini E, Alexiadis G, Barysenka A, Bjornsdottir G, Gabrielsen ME, Gilly A, Ingvarsson T, Johnsen MB, Jonsson H, Kloppenburg M, Luetge A, Mägi R, Mangino M, Nelissen RRGHH, Shivakumar M, Steinberg J, Takuwa H, Thomas L, Tuerlings M, [arcOGEN Consortium], [HUNT All-In Pain], [ARGO Consortium], Babis G, Cheung JPY, Lietma SA, Slagboom PE, Stefansson K, Tobias JH, Uitterlinden AG, Winsvold B, Zwart JA, Smith GD, Sham PC, Thorleifsson G, Gaunt TR, Morris AP, Valdes AM, Tsezou A, Cheah KSE, Ikegawa S, Hveem K, Esko T, Wilkinson JM, Meulenbelt I, Lee MTM, van Meurs JBJ, Styrkársdóttir U, Zeggini E. Deciphering Osteoarthritis Genetics Across 826,690 Individuals From 9 Populations. Cell. 2021. [In Press]. Doi : 10.1016/j.cell.2021.07.038 
• Wu H, Shan Z, Zhao FD, Cheung JPY. Poor Bone Quality, Multilevel Surgery, and Narrow and Tall Cages Are Associated with Intraoperative Endplate Injuries and Late-onset Cage Subsidence in Lateral Lumbar Interbody Fusion : A Systematic Review. Clin Orthop Relat Res. 2021. [Epub]. Doi : 10.1097/CORR.0000000000001915. 
• Lai MKL, Cheung PWH, Samartzis D, Karppinen J, Cheung KMC, Cheung JPY. The profile of the spinal column in subjects with lumbar developmental spinal stenosis. Bone Joint J. 2021;103-B(4):725-733. Doi: 10.1302/0301-620X.103B4.BJJ-2020-1792.R1.
• Lai MKL, Cheung PWH, Samartzis D, Karppinen J, Cheung KMC, Cheung JPY. Clinical implications of lumbar developmental spinal stenosis on back pain, radicular leg pain, and disability. Bone Joint J. 2021 ;103-B(1) :131-140. Doi : 10.1302/0301-620X.103B1.BJJ-2020-1186.R2.
• Cheung JPY, Fong HK, Cheung PWH. Predicting spondylolisthesis correction with prone traction radiographs. Bone Joint J. 2020 ;102-B(8) :1062-1071. Doi : 10.1302/0301-620X.102B8.BJJ-2020-0528.R1.
• Cheung PWH, Fong HK, Wong CS, Cheung JPY. The influence of developmental spinal stenosis on the risk of re-operation on an adjacent segment after decompression-only surgery for lumbar spinal stenosis. Bone Joint J. 2019; 101-B(2): 154-161.
• Cheung PWH, Hu Y, Cheung JPY. Novel compression rat model for developmental spinal stenosis. J Orthop Res. 2019;37(5):1090-1100.
• Cheung JPY, Kao PYP, Sham P, Cheah K, Chan D, Cheung KM, Samartzis D. Etiology of developmental spinal stenosis : a genome-wide association study. Journal of Orthopaedic Research. 2018 . 36(4) :1262-1268.doi :10.1002/jor.23746.
• Tomkins-Lane CC, Melloh M, Lurie J, Smuck M, Battie M, Freeman B, Samartzis D, Hu R, Barz T, Stuber K, Schneider M, Haig A, Schizas C, Cheung JPY, Mannion A, Staub L, Comer C, Macedo L, Ahn S, Takahashi K, Sandella D. ISSLS prize : Consensus on the clinical diagnosis of Lumbar spinal stenosis : Results of an international Delphi study. Spine. 2016 ;41(15) :1239-46.
• Cheung JPY, Samartzis D, Shigematsu H, Cheung KMC. Defining clinically relevant values for developmental spinal stenosis : A Large-scale Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study. Spine. 2014 ;39(13) :1067-1076.
• Cheung JPY, Shigematsu H, Cheung KMC. Verification of measurements of lumbar spinal dimensions in T1- and T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging sequences. The Spine Journal. 2014 ;14(8) :1476-1483. Pii : S1529-9430(13)01502-7. Doi :10.1016/j.spinee.2013.08.054.

Cervical disease

• Yung CS, Leung DKC, Cheung JPY. The prevalence and impact of cervical spine pathologies in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Oral Oncology. 2019; 90: 48-53.
• Cheung JPY, Cheung PWH, Law K, Borse V, Lau YM, Mak LF, Cheng A, Samartzis D, Cheung KMC. Postoperative rigid cervical collar leads to less axial neck pain in the early stage after open-door laminoplasty – A single-blinded randomized controlled trial. Neurosurgery. 2018. Doi : 10.1093/neuros/nyy369.
• Cheung JPY, Cheung PWH, Cheung AYL, Lui D, Cheung KMC. Comparable clinical and radiological outcomes between skipped-level and all-level plating for open-door laminoplasty. European Spine Journal. 2018 ;27(6) : 1365-1374. Doi : 10.1007/s00586-018-5530-0.
• Shigematsu H, Cheung JPY, Mak KC, Bruzzone M, Luk KD. Cervical spinal canal stenosis first presenting after spinal cord injury due to minor trauma : An insight into the value of preventive decompression. J Orthop Sci. 2016. pii :S0949-2658(16)30176-2.
• Cheung JPY, Wei WI, Luk KDK. Cervical spine complications after treatment for nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Eur Spine J 2013 ;22(3) :584-592. doi: 10.1007/s00586-012-2600-9. Epub 2012 Dec 1.

• Global Spine Congress Best Paper 2024
• AO Spine Asia Pacific Chairman 2025-2027 (Chairman-Elect 2024)
• International Exhibition of Inventions of Geneva (IEIG) 2022:
  Gold Medal – An Intelligent Orthopaedics Platform: AlignPro
  Silver Medal – Non-contact, non-radiation device that accurately locates multiple implants in a patient’s body
• Global Spine Journal Best Paper 2021
• John H. Moe Best Basic Research Poster 2021
• APOA Spine Section Award Winner 2021
• Sir Patrick Manson Gold Medal (MD Thesis) 2020
• SOSORT Best Paper Award 2019: Are lung functions related to spinal deformities in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis? A systematic review and meta-analysis
• Best paper (ISSLS 2018): Does lumbar disc degeneration predict facet joint changes or vice versa? A 5 year prospective MRI study
• SICOT Young Investigator Award 2017: Predicting curve progression at skeletal maturity in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis using the distal radius and ulna classification
• APSS-ASJ Best Clinical Research Award 2017: Predictability of curve progression in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis using the distal radius and ulna classification
• ISSLS Clinical Prize (2016): Clinical consensus on the clinical diagnosis of lumbar spinal stenosis: results of an international Delphi study
• APSS Best Paper Award (1st prize, 2016 Oral): Predictability of peak growth spurt and growth cessation using the distal radius and ulna classification
• APSS Best Spine Paper Award (2016): Five year longitudinal MRI follow-up of a population based cohort of subjects with ossified yellow ligament: a natural history study
• HKU Research Output Prize (2013)
• AR Hodgson Award (2013, 2017)
• Arthur Yau Award (2011, 2012)
• BORT Gold Medal by Hong Kong Academy of Medicine (2012, 2013, 2014)

• Research chairman (AOSpine Asia Pacific)
• Asia-Pacific Representative of ISSLS (2018-)
• Research Officer (AOSpine East Asia)
• Research Committee Chairman (APSS)

• Acta Orthopaedica et Traumatological Turcica
• Asian Spine Journal
• BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders
• Frontiers in Pediatrics
• Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery
• Spine deformity
• Hong Kong Medical Journal