The award ceremony took place, Friday, at EASL headquarters in Copenhagen, Denmark as part of the 44th EASL annual meeting April 22-26, which drew around 7,400 clinicians and scientists, the institute said in a statement.

Chen left Taiwan a few days ago for Copenhagen to receive the award in person, according to the statement.

Chen, a former dean of National Taiwan University's College of Medicine, has long been devoted to combating hepatitis B and the devastation it has caused around the world.

The research conducted by Chen and his team has contributed to understanding the natural history of the hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, the early detection and treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma, and the prevention of HBV infection.

Chen's achievements also extend to the hepatitis C virus, having developed a new and effective treatment for chronic hepatitis C.

The combination therapy of interferon and ribavirin recommended by Chen has become a standard treatment worldwide, according to Academia Sinica, the highest academic institute in Taiwan.

Chen is also a distinguished chair professor in the Department of Internal Medicine of the National Taiwan University College of Medicine (NTUCM) where he specializes in hepatology.

Chen was elected an academician of Academia Sinica in 1992, a fellow of the Third World Academy of Sciences in 2001 and foreign associate of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences in 2005.

He was president of the International Association for the Study of the Liver (2004 and 2006) and in 2007 he earned the Presidential Science Prize of Taiwan.

EASL, founded in 1966, is a leading European association in the field of liver research. It currently has 28 members.