Dr. Asadur Jorge Tchekmedyian is a doctor graduated from the University of the Republic (UdelaR) in 1999. He completed his training in the specialty, also obtaining a diploma in Digestive Endoscopy. He subsequently completed postdoctoral training in advanced therapeutic endoscopy in Spain, under a grant from the Spanish government, and a fellowship in surgical endoscopy in Chile. He was Adjunct Professor of Gastroenterology at the Gastroenterology Clinic of the Hospital de Clínicas, where he was in charge of the Endoscopy Unit until 2010. Currently, he serves as Head of the Department of Digestive Endoscopy of the Spanish Association, an institution with more than 170 years of history, a pioneer in the country and which houses the largest endoscopy unit in Uruguay. Dr. Tchekmedyian is President-elect of the World Endoscopy Organization (WEO). In addition, he is Director of the Advisory Committee of Past Presidents of the Inter-American Society of Digestive Endoscopy (SIED), Scientific Director of the Uruguayan Association of Gastroenterology and Endoscopy (AUGE), member of the advisory committee and training center of ROEYA (Egypt), member of the Board of Directors of the International Center for Professional Development (United States-Armenia) and Ambassador of the Senadhipan Educational Foundation (India). He was President of SIED and of the Uruguayan Society of Gastroenterology (SGU). During his tenure at SIED, he chaired the 24th Pan-American Congress of Digestive Endoscopy and was co-chair of the Local Organizing Committee of the 2nd World Congress of Endoscopy. He acted as an external advisor to the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on radiation protection issues for patients and health personnel. He is a member of the International Committee of the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE), where he holds the position of Vice President, and is also a member of the ASGE International Nominating Committee, one of the most prestigious structures within the society. He is also a member of the editorial board of several scientific journals, including: The British Institute of Radiology, Acta Gastroenterológica Latinoamericana (Argentina), Revista de Gastroenterología del Perú, Arquivos de Gastroenterologia (Brazil) and Revista Gastroenterología Latinoamérica (Chile). He has given more than 200 lectures at national and international conferences, has published numerous articles in international peer-reviewed journals and has been the author and editor of books on endoscopy, capsule endoscopy, hereditary cancer and medical quality. He is a Fellow of ASGE and SIED, and an honorary member of multiple scientific societies, including: the Endoscopy Society of Ecuador, the Brazilian Society of Endoscopy/MG, the Armenian Association of Endoscopic Surgery, the Venezuelan Society of Endoscopy, the Federal Group of Surgical Endoscopy of Argentina, and a corresponding member of the Paraguayan Society of Gastroenterology and Endoscopy and the Bolivian Association of Gastroenterology.
