Ismail Merican

Prof. Tan Sri Dato' Seri Dr. Hj. Mohd. Ismail Merican is Pro-Chancellor & Chairman of MAHSA University, was Senior Consultant Physician & Senior Consultant Hepatologist, Hospital Kuala Lumpur & Hospital Selayang and currently serves as a doctor at Prince Court Medical Center, Kuala Lumpur, specialising on hepatology and internal medicine. He graduated from the University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, with MBBS (1975). He then obtained his MRCP (Membership of the Royal College of Physicians), London, in 1980. In 1985, he went for further training in Gastroenterology at Hammersmith Hospital, London (1985), and subsequently, underwent further specialised training in Gastroenterology and Endoscopy at the Toranomon Hospital, Tokyo (1987), for which he was awarded “The Most Outstanding Fellow of the Year Award”. He was then awarded a Commonwealth Fellowship Scholarship to pursue specialised training in Hepatology at the world renowned Royal Free Hospital, London (1991-1992), under the tutelage of Dame Sheila Sherlock and Andrew K Burroughs. Upon his return to Malaysia in 1992, he set up the first dedicated Hepatology Unit which later became at department at Kuala Lumpur Hospital. The department was relocated at Hospital Selayang in 1999 and since then remains the only specialised centre in this country to offer specialised services in hepatology and hepatobiliary surgery including Liver transplantation. His numerous academic qualifications include: • Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians, London (F.R.C.P.)(Lond.)(1991), • Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians, Edinburgh (F.R.C.P.)(Edin.) (1996), • Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians, Glasgow (F.R.C.P.)(Glasgow) (1996). • Fellow of the Academy of Medicine of Malaysia (F.A.M.M.) (1996), • Fellow of the Academy of Sciences Malaysia (F.A.Sc.) (2007), • Fellow of the Academy of Family Physicians of Malaysia (FAFP) (Mal.)(2007) • Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (FRCSI)(2008). • Fellow of the Malaysian Scientific Association (F.M.S.A.) (2010). • Hon. Fellow of the American College of Physicians (FACP)(Hon)(2001), • Hon. Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (FRACP)(Hon)(2001) Previous Posts held by Tan Sri Dr. Ismail include: • Deputy Director-General of Health, Malaysia (1998 - 2005) • Director-General of Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia (2005 - 2011) • President of the Malaysian Medical Council (2005-2011) and many other important govt. appointments, too many to be listed here. He has received numerous awards – national, state, and others, amongst which are the Award of Excellence for being Top Candidate in the Leadership and Management Course for Senior Government officers (Pra JUSA Course)(1998), Vocational Service Award for 'exemplary personal dedication, commitment and service to Research and Development in the field of liver diseases in Malaysia' by Rotary Club, Kuala Lumpur North (2003), the Malaysian Medical Association Gold Medal (2005), given for outstanding contribution to the health sector by any individual or organisation, the CHT pursuit of Excellence (Medical) Award by CHT Network in 2010 and the Most Eminent Brand Icon Leadership Award by the Asia Pacific Brands Foundation in 2011. Tan Sri was President of University of Malaya Medical Alumni Association (1993-5), Malaysian Society of Gastroenterology and Hepatology (1994-5), Malaysian Society for the Study of Obesity (1994-6)(for which he was Founder President), Malaysian Society of Infectious Diseases and Chemotherapy (1997-9), College of Physicians of Malaysia (2000-04), Malaysian Liver Foundation (1996 to date)(for which he was Founder President). He has been appointed on the Board of various International Organisations, e.g. Chairman of the Joint Co-ordinating Board of the UNDP/World Bank/WHO Special Programme for Research & Training in Tropical Diseases, based in Geneva; Founding Member of the Drug for Neglected Diseases Initiative, based in Geneva, together with other original founding members :Medecins San Frontieres (or Doctors without Borders), Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Brazil, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Kenya, Indian Institute for Medical Research, India, Institute Pasteur France and the WHO/TDR Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (WHO-TDR); Member of the Expert Working Group on the APASL Chronic Hepatitis B Guideline Committee; Member of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (since 2001); Member of the European Association for the study of the Liver (since 2004); Official Examiner for the Royal College of Physicians (UK) Membership Examination (since 1997 till present). He is the Chief Editor of 'Liver Atlas and Casebook: a showcase of interesting cases managed at Selayang Hospital, Malaysia' (published by Malaysian Liver Foundation, 2009) and is Principal Investigator for numerous multi-centre international trials, especially in the field of liver diseases. He has more than 80 publications in local & international peer-reviewed journals.