Mohd Ismail, Nafeeza, PhD, MBBS

Professor Dr Nafeeza Mohd Ismail is a physician with a PhD in Pharmacology. Through understanding how drugs work and the pathophysiology of some metabolic diseases, she realised, through studying clinical and scientific literature – that there was a disconnect between the two, and there are lifestyle diseases which do better with a lifestyle change. The disconnect sparked her interest in metabolic health. This was further strengthened with an attachment at Dr. Unwin’s practice in Norwood where she observed science in action in Dr. Unwin’s patients. Her journey started with this attachment in the United Kingdom where she learned about how food choices often help not only in preventive medicine but may put some lifestyle diseases into remission. She learned from one of the pioneers in Lifestyle Medicine, Dr. David Unwin who has won many awards championing food, health and diseases especially diabetes mellitus. She has an in-depth understanding on how lifestyle changes can affect health and disease. An area that is often overlooked by many is when making healthy choices, not one maintains health but also saves money (individual and organisations) in the long run. Upon her return to UiTM from the UK, she set up a Lifestyle Medicine Clinic focussing on Metabolic Health at the UiTM Private Specialist Centre where she currently practices since 2017. In addition, Prof Nafeeza is involved in basic and clinical studies on metabolic health. She is part of the International Working Group on Diabetes Mellitus Type 2 Remission. She was the Former Dean of Medicine, UiTM and also the Former Dean of Medicine of The International Medical University. She has been actively involved in The Malaysian Society of Pharmacology and Physiology, of which she was the President a number of times over the years.