Co-Founder & Chairman

Professor Franklyn Chen, Ph.D., currently serves as Chairman of the Canadian College of Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine (CCATCM), Medical Specialist at the S-T Natural Medicine Centre of Canada, Vice Chairman of the Thread Embedding Acupuncture Specialty Committee of the World Federation of Chinese Medicine Societies (WFCMS), Vice President of the Nova Scotia Chapter of the Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture Association of Canada, Vice Chairman of the Canadian Alliance of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture, and Chairman of the Health and Wellness Committee of the Canada–China Trade and Innovation Alliance.

Born into a family with a long-standing tradition of medical practice, Professor Chen began studying Traditional Chinese Medicine under the guidance of his grandfather from an early age. He later became a direct disciple of the renowned acupuncture master Professor Zhang Jin, a representative inheritor of the Zhang Jin School of Acupuncture. Throughout his career, Professor Chen has remained dedicated to preserving, advancing, and sharing the heritage of Traditional Chinese Medicine and acupuncture with future generations worldwide.

In 1998, Professor Chen, together with Professor Diana Li, co-founded the Canadian College of Natural Medicine, which was renamed the Canadian College of Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine (CCATCM) in 2008. Over the past decades, CCATCM has played an important role in developing acupuncture education in Canada. Its graduates have established acupuncture clinics across the country, with a particularly significant contribution to the four Atlantic provinces. Many acupuncture clinics in Eastern Canada have been founded and operated by CCATCM graduates, providing professional acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine services to thousands of patients each year.

Professor Chen holds a Ph.D. in Acupuncture and Tuina from Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, China. He has devoted much of his professional life to the advancement of Traditional Chinese Medicine education and clinical practice. Together with Professor Diana Li, he has developed and contributed to numerous English-language TCM textbooks and educational resources for students in Canada and internationally.

During nearly four decades in Canada, Professor Chen has dedicated himself to the integration of Traditional Chinese Medicine with effective natural medicine approaches. He has presented numerous academic papers at international conferences, including events organized by global acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine organizations. His long-term research has focused on the application of natural therapies and TCM approaches in treating Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS), a complex environmental illness. His extensive research, comprising more than 100,000 words, represents a significant contribution to the exploration of integrative approaches within the field of TCM and acupuncture.

During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021, CCATCM, in collaboration with the Canadian Alliance of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture, successfully organized the First Canadian International Conference on Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture with the theme of Mental Health and Pain Management. As Co-Chair of the conference, Professor Chen played a key leadership role in organizing this landmark academic event. The conference received congratulatory messages from Canadian government leaders, including the Prime Minister of Canada and the Speaker of the House of Commons, as well as the President of the World Federation of Acupuncture-Moxibustion Societies. Distinguished TCM experts from around the world participated in the conference, sharing the latest research achievements and exploring the future development of acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine for global health.

In 2024, Professor Chen served as Co-Chair of the 8th World Congress on Integrative Medicine, where CCATCM was honored with the Outstanding Educational Innovation Award in World Integrative Medicine in recognition of its contributions to innovative TCM education.

For more than 30 years, Professor Chen has devoted himself to promoting Traditional Chinese Medicine and acupuncture in Canada. In recognition of his outstanding contributions to healthcare, education, and cultural advancement, he has received numerous commendations from the Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia, provincial leaders, government officials, and municipal mayors.

Professor Chen remains committed to advancing the education, modernization, and international development of Traditional Chinese Medicine, ensuring that this valuable medical heritage continues to benefit communities in Canada and around the world.