IFCC Executive Board: 2009-2011 Biographies

Mr. Joseph Bercmans LOPEZ, Member

Head, Dept. of Biomedical Sciences
MAHSA University College
50490 Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia
e-mail: jblopez2611@gmail.com

Joseph Lopez MSc obtained his BSc Honours in Biochemistry from the University of Malaya in Kuala Lumpur in 1973 and then joined the Institute for Medical Research (IMR) as a clinical biochemist where he has served for more than 32 years. While serving at the IMR, he obtained the postgraduate diploma in clinical biochemistry, the Membership of the Australasian Association of Clinical Biochemists (by examination) and subsequently the MSc from the University of Malaya. While at the IMR, he was active in research, the provision of referral diagnostic services, the training of allied health personnel and the provision of consultancy services in clinical biochemistry. During this period, he was also closely associated with the IMR's activities related to its collaboration with the World Health Organization and contributed to policy matters related to the laboratory services of the Ministry of Health. He has been the head of the Department of Biomedical Sciences at MAHSA University College in Kuala Lumpur, since January 2006.
His research interests and publications have been in the areas of laboratory methodology and evaluation, quality assurance and tumour markers, particularly the markers for primary cancer of the liver, a disease that has a high prevalence in the Far East. He has been closely involved with quality assurance throughout his career and coordinated the introduction of the first inter-laboratory QA scheme for government hospitals in Malaysia.
Throughout his career Joseph Lopez has always been active in promoting professional activities. He is a founding member of the Malaysian Association of Clinical Biochemists where he held office for some years.
He was of the Secretary of the Asian and Pacific Federation of Clinical Biochemistry (APFCB) from 1998 to 2004. He was first elected President of the APFCB in September 2004 and re-elected in October 2007, to serve until 2010. Together with his colleagues, he has been responsible for the introduction of several new initiatives within the APFCB, including the APFCB Travelling Lectureship, the APFCB Distinguished Service Award and the APFCB Philanthropic Fund. He was primarily responsible for the expansion of the APFCB's ordinary membership from 12 in 1998 to the 16 members today and for the introduction of the corporate and affiliate membership categories. He is the editor of the APFCB News, a member of the IFCC Working Group for the IFCC News, a member of the Editorial Board of the Indian Journal of Clinical Biochemistry and an invited reviewer to several journals in clinical chemistry.