Academician Datuk Professor Dr Lai-Meng Looi is Malaysia's inaugural National Distinguished Professor, positioned at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya (UM) in Kuala Lumpur. She holds a concurrent appointment as senior consultant histopathologist at the University of Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC).

She has more than 190 peer-reviewed publications on amyloidosis, nephropathology and oncopathology, is devoted to promoting a research and ethical culture among researchers, has delivered >400 guest lectures and regularly conducts scientific writing workshops nationally and internationally.

She is the Founding President of the College of Pathologists, Academy of Medicine Malaysia, and was instrumental in developing pathology laboratory accreditation for Malaysia, the Pathology Act and several National guidelines on medical laboratory practices. In 2010 she was honoured RCPA Distinguished Fellow and Inaugural National Distinguished Professor (Profesor Ulung Negara). She was President of the World Association of Societies of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine (WASPALM) from 2013-2016, and continues to Chair its Education Committee which focusses on capacity-building in countries-in-need. In 2015, she was awarded the Gold-Headed Cane, the highest honour from WASPALM, for outstanding leadership.