Professor Paul Tambyah elected President-Elect of International Society of Infectious Diseases

Published: 16 Jun 2020

NUS professor and infectious diseases expert Paul Tambyah to head Society in 2022

As the President-Elect of the International Society of Infectious Diseases (ISID), Professor Paul Tambyah will support the incumbent President, Professor Alison Holmes, in the running of the organisation.He will succeed incumbent President, Professor Alison Holmes, in 2022 as the first President from Asia.

The ISID aims to support health professionals, non-government organizations, and governments around the world in their work to prevent, investigate, and manage infectious disease outbreaks and endemic infectious diseases such as tuberculosis and dengue. ISID places special focus in countries with limited resources and which disproportionately bear the burden of infectious diseases, and is dedicated to developing partnerships and finding solutions to the problems of infectious diseases across the globe. It encourages the collaborative efforts of human health, veterinary health, and environmental health communities working locally, nationally, and globally for best control and management of infectious diseases.

Established in 1986, the Society is a non-profit, apolitical and transparent organization based in Massachusetts, USA. Its network of over 90,000 individuals worldwide share a collective belief that infectious diseases cross all borders and that long-term, effective solutions require international scientific exchange and cooperation.

Commenting on Prof Tambyah’s appointment, Professor Marc Mendelson, Past-President of ISID, said, “Paul is well-known to all in the field of infectious diseases, and brings a wealth of experience from his time with multiple international societies and august bodies, as well as formidable experience across the spectrum of infection, including outbreaks, tropical medicine, and clinical applied research. He is a go-to speaker on so many topics and currently serves as Chair of the ISID Publications Committee, playing a vital role in the success of our journal IJID.”

At the NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, Prof Tambyah is Professor of Medicine. He is also a Senior Consultant in Infectious Diseases at the National University Hospital and has served as the Research Director in the Division of Infectious Diseases at the National University Health System (NUHS). Outside of the NUHS, Prof Tambyah is the President of the Asia Pacific Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infection. Other positions Prof Tambyah has held include being the immediate past-president of the Singapore Society of Infectious Diseases and Assistant Dean at NUS Medicine in 2015.

“This is a critical time for infectious diseases globally. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought home the fact that viruses do not respect international boundaries. No one is safe anywhere until everyone is safe everywhere. Singapore academics, clinicians and public health professionals have much to contribute to societies such as ISID to help make the world a healthier place for everyone,” said Prof Tambyah.

Click here to read the full press release.

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