"In my practice, I believe that biology is king; understanding the mechanisms behind the diseases I treat is crucial to selecting the right treatment for the right patient. Every patient is unique and hence, every treatment plan is designed to meet the individual's needs."
Dr Daryl Chia is currently an Associate Consultant in the Departments of Surgery at the National University Hospital & Alexandra Hospital, with a sub-speciality interest in Upper Gastrointestinal Surgery. He graduated from the National University of Singapore (NUS) in 2013 and joined the General Surgery Residency Programme at the National University Hospital in 2016. He obtained a Masters in Clinical Investigation (NUS) & Masters of Medicine (Surgery) in 2019 while in training. In 2022, he completed General Surgery training and obtained the Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh and received accreditation by the Specialist Accreditation Board in General Surgery. Dr Chia's clinical interests include bariatric surgery, benign foregut conditions (reflux disease, achalasia, paraesophageal hernia), esophageal and gastric cancers, advanced endoscopy, enteral access procedures and laparoscopic hernia repair.
Bridging unmet clinical needs with translational research
Dr Chia has a keen interest in improving care for patients through research. He received the Ministry of Health Healthcare Research Scholarship in 2017 where he undertook a Masters in Clinical Investigation as part of his research training. His current research interests include biological mechanisms in peritoneal metastases and its tumour microenvironment. To support and further advance his research, he has won competitive grants (ExxonMobil-NUS Research Fellowship, NUHS Seed Grant & NMRC Research Training Fellowship). He is also actively involved in clinical outcomes research for gastric cancer, bariatric and metabolic surgery and minimally-invasive surgery having authored more than 20 papers and multiple poster and oral presentations at international meetings. Through clinical and translational research, he hopes to bring the best treatment options to patients with advanced cancers and morbid obesity.
Teaching the next generation
Dr Chia is also actively involved in undergraduate and postgraduate medical education and has received teaching awards in recognition of his contributions. He currently serves as Clinical Tutor, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine in addition to his roles as Core Faculty, Post-Graduate Year 1 (PGY1) and Surgery-in-General programmes.
