The WEO Awards were established in 2020 to recognize outstanding leaders who have significantly contributed to the field of endoscopy worldwide and to the fulfilment of the WEO mission.
After careful evaluation, the WEO Awards Committee led by WEO President, Hisao Tajiri (Japan) and composed of representatives of all WEO zones, is very pleased to announce the 2024 recipients of its four prestigious awards:
Dr. Jerry Waye (USA), WEO Lifetime Achievement Award 2024
The Lifetime Achievement award pays tribute to a significant contributor to WEO activities and mission. In particular, the award honors an individual with international recognition and significant publications within the field of GI endoscopy.
Dr. Jerry Waye has been at the Mount Sinai Hospital in New York for his entire medical career, following graduation cum laude from Boston University School of Medicine which he attended after graduating from MIT.
A past president of ASGE and recipient of the Rudolf Schindler Award, Dr. Waye’s many accomplishments include groundbreaking work on colonoscopy and polypectomy techniques, and he has become one of the world’s most impactful teachers and mentors in this field. He has published several hundred articles in peer-reviewed journals and has written seven textbooks including the major text on colonoscopy. He has lectured and participated in live endoscopy demonstrations on every continent.
Dr. Waye was a co-founder and president of the New York Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy and a past president of the World Endoscopy Organization. He was also President of the Mount Sinai Alumni Association and received its highest honor, the Gold Cane Award. He pioneered remote endoscopy education, teaching GI endoscopy techniques to colleagues in several African countries via a virtual platform.
Dr. Fabian Emura (USA), WEO Master Endoscopist Award 2024
The Master Endoscopist award honors leadership within internationally renowned endoscopic units and expertise or innovation regarding endoscopic techniques. The award honors an individual with international recognition and significant publications within the field of GI endoscopy.
Dr. Emura is a full-time gastroenterologist and advanced therapeutic endoscopist at the Digestive Health and Liver Diseases Division of the University of Miami and the Surgical Endoscopy Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital. With over 20 years of experience, Dr. Emura is deeply involved in gastrointestinal cancer research and publication. His focus lies in endoscopic diagnosis and treatment of early tumors, as well as image-enhanced endoscopy. Having taught over 260 gastroenterologists worldwide in advanced endoscopic techniques, Dr. Emura is a pioneer in minimally invasive therapies for esophageal, gastric, and colorectal cancer in Latin America.
Additionally, he holds the patent for the global clinical application of systematic alphanumeric code endoscopy (SACE) for early upper GI cancer diagnosis and has made remarkable contributions to colon polyps categorization using NBI technology. Notably, since 2006, he has funded an annual stomach cancer screening program in Colombia, benefiting over 2200 economically disadvantaged patients. Dr. Emura's contributions also include the development of novel endoscopic techniques for treating cancer patients, particularly those with Barrett's neoplasia, laterally spreading tumors in the colon, and rectal cancer. The Medical Associations have awarded Dr. Emura numerous national and international recognitions, such as the 2016 Presidential Award by the Colombian Society of Endoscopy, the 2020 International Service Award by the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, and the 2023 International Service Award by the InterAmerican Society of GI Endoscopy.
Dr. Emura has contributed significantly to numerous programs in the World Endoscopy Organization and held several leadership positions including the President of the organization from 2020-2022.
Dr. Evelien Dekker (The Netherlands), WEO Research Mentoring Award 2024
The Research Mentoring award recognizes an outstanding role in fostering a new generation of endoscopic investigators. In addition, it honors significant publications in GI endoscopy and contributions to the activities and mission of WEO.
Dr. Evelien Dekker, Professor at the Gastroenterology department of Amsterdam University Medical Centers, has been awarded the WEO Research Mentoring Award.
Evelien Dekker is Professor of Gastrointestinal Oncology at the University of Amsterdam’s Faculty of Medicine (UvA) and the Amsterdam University Medical Centers (AUMC). She heads the AUMC expert clinic for familial and hereditary polyposis and colorectal cancer (CRC) and is medical director of the Bergman IZA expertise center for endoscopy.
She combines her clinical work with clinical and translational research, having chaired the CRC research group at the AUMC Gastroenterology department since 2005. This group focuses on screening and surveillance for CRC, both in average-risk individuals (population screening) and high-risk populations such as those with hereditary polyposis and cancer syndromes. Her research work also includes quality and advanced techniques in colonoscopy, and endoscopic treatment modalities for gastrointestinal polyps and early cancers.
Dr. Dekker has been one of the leading lights of the Dutch national CRC screening program and is currently the global chair of WEO’s Colorectal Cancer Screening Committee.
Prof. Seigo Kitano (Japan), WEO Distinguished Educator Award 2024
The Distinguished Educator award honors an outstandingly effective contribution to worldwide endoscopy education in, for example, trainee education, publication of educational material, or conduct of educational courses. Additionally, the awardees are recognized for their contribution to the activities and mission of the WEO.
Professor Seigo Kitano is President of Endoscopic Surgery, Oita University, and current President of Oita University, Japan.
Professor Kitano graduated from Kyushu University School of Medicine and obtained his MD in 1976. After surgical training at Kyushu University Hospital, he finished a four-year course at the Postgraduate School of Kyushu University School of Medicine and received his PhD in 1981.
Professor Kitano’s leadership roles include the Presidencies of The Asian-Pacific Society for Digestive Endoscopy (APSDE; from 2014 until the present) the Mekong Endosurgery Development Association (MESDA) (of which he is also the founder), and Asian Medical Education and Training Support (AMETS). He is also President Emeritus of the Japan Society for Endoscopic Surgery, and Advisor to the Japan Gastroenterological Endoscopy Society.
He became President of Oita University in 2011. Notably in 2012, he was elected as the 5th President of the International Federation of Societies of Endoscopic Surgeons (IFSES) by a unanimous decision. He served in this role until 2016.