Dr Masliza Mahmod made history as the first Malaysian woman at UK's Oxford University to be promoted as Associate Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine recently.

Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah today congratulated Dr Masliza on her promotion and acknowledged her brilliance as well as outstanding achievements as a cardiologist.

"She is indeed a brilliant cardiologist and despite difficulties and challenges, her perseverance and deep passion in clinical research made her an outstanding academic cardiologist.

"There is no stopping her now to achieve greater heights. We are proud of her achievements... ," he said in a Facebook post today.

According to Oxford's Radcliffe Department of Medicine, Dr Masliza's research focuses on the use of cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) and spectroscopy techniques for early detection of cardiac abnormalities as well as to find novel treatment for patients with cardiomyopathy, heart failure, aortic valve disease, and diabetes mellitus.

The 47-year-old doctor from Batu Pahat, Johor is currently a member of the Steering Committee of the British Society of Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance (BSCMR) Heart Failure Research Task Force.

The member of the Royal College of Physicians (MRCP) from London has a Master of Internal Medicine (MMed) from Malaysia and primary medical degree (MBChB) from Otago University, New Zealand.

-- BERNAMA