Distinguished Professor Datuk Dr Looi Lai Meng

Professor Looi Lai Meng is Malaysia’s inaugural National Distinguished Professor, based at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, and serves concurrently as Senior Consultant Histopathologist at University Malaya Medical Centre. She graduated with her medical degree as a Malaysian Federal Scholar from the University of Singapore, and further advanced her training in Surgical Pathology at institutions including the Royal Postgraduate Medical School (UK) and Brigham and Women’s Hospital (USA). Her doctorate research was on amyloidosis. She became Chair of Pathology at UM at the remarkably young age of 36, demonstrating early leadership. Over her long and distinguished career, she has led key committees (Postgraduate Studies, Medical Research Ethics, External Academic Evaluators, Medical Advisory, etc.), contributed foundational work in amyloidosis, nephropathology and oncopathology, and has over 200 peer-reviewed publications. Her academic leadership has been crucial in establishing national policies and standards—for example, pathology laboratory accreditation in Malaysia, the Pathology Act, and national guidelines on lab practices. Professor Looi has also held major roles internationally: past President of the World Association of Societies of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, co-chairing global panels (InterAcademy Medical Panel / Partnership), serving as an editor for major pathology journals and helping shape ethical & research standards. Her many awards include the Merdeka Award for Health, Science & Technology, Distinguished Fellowship from Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia, National Science Award, ASEAN Outstanding Scientist Award, and recognition in Stanford University’s Top 2% Scientists list.