PETALING JAYA: The University of Cambridge has appointed the first-ever professor of urology in its 812-year history, and he happens to be a Malaysian.

       Prof Vincent J. Gnanapragasam has been a lecturer with the university for the past 13 years and is also an honorary consultant urologist at the university’s hospital.

       “As far as I can find and on (searching) the University of Cambridge library records, there has not been a professor of urology in the university before, so I believe I am the first,” he said.

       His life in the United Kingdom started when he enrolled in medical school in Newcastle in 1988 and graduated with a PhD.

       Prior to that, he completed his primary school education at SK La Salle in Petaling Jaya before continuing his secondary schooling in Singapore.

       “My work specialises in prostate cancer, researching the disease and managing it in patients.

       “I was appointed a clinician scientist there through a personal award from Cancer Research UK and moved to Cambridge in 2008,” he added.

       The 52-year-old, who hails from Petaling Jaya, said his journey to the professorship was unusual as the university decided to change its official academic titles from “Reader” to “University Professor”.

       “I was promoted to Reader last year. It is an academic title that has existed in the University of Cambridge for hundreds of years.

       “This year, the university decided to change its official academic titles and Readers are now considered Professors, hence my official title is Professor of Urology,” added Prof Gnanapragasam, who was appointed to the title in early October.

       His achievements in the field include inventing a device that could take prostate biopsies for men with suspected prostate cancer more safely. The device, named the CamProbe, has a lower risk of infection, and is used under local anaesthetic using a transperineal route (the area under the testicles).

       The invention is transformative as currently, prostate diagnosis requires a biopsy needle being passed through the bowel wall to reach the prostate. This could pose a risk of bacterial infection from the bowel entering the urinary system and bloodstream.

       According to the university’s website, Prof Gnanapragasam also holds a number of patents and has won numerous prizes for his research.

       These include the CE Alken prize, Urological Research Society Medal, a Hunterian Professorship, and a University of Cambridge Vice Chancellor’s Award for Research Impact (Established Researcher).

       “Skill, talent and innovation can come from anyone. Nobody should be deprived of opportunities to realise their full potential.

       “It is only through challenge, competition and adversity that anything meaningful can ever be gained,” he said.