Information

Membership Number: FCA3127

Membership Type: Fellowship

Division: Natural Sciences

Corresponding Email: *****ema@sunway.edu.my

Homepage(s): https://sunwayuniversity.edu.my/staff-profiles/professor-sibrandes-poppema 

Present and Previous Positions

President and Vice-Chancellor, Sunway University.

Tan Sri Jeffrey Cheah Distinguished Professor, Sunway University.

Advisor to the Chancellor on the establishment of a Medical School, Sunway University (from 2019).

President, University of Groningen (2008–2018).

Dean and Vice President, University Medical Center Groningen (2009–2018).

Chair and Head, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Academic Hospital Groningen (1995–1999).

Professor of Pathology and Oncology, University of Alberta (1987–1995).

Director of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Cross Cancer Institute, Alberta (1987–1995).

Vice-President Research, Cross Cancer Institute, Alberta (1987–1995).

Postdoctoral researcher, University of Kiel.

Postdoctoral researcher, Harvard University. 

Fields of Scholarship and Research Interests

Pathology; Immunopathology; Hematopathology; Oncology; Higher Education Leadership.

Professor Sibrandes Poppema is a distinguished pathologist and academic leader whose work bridges biomedical research, clinical pathology, and university institution-building. Trained in medicine and pathology at the University of Groningen, where he also completed his doctorate in immunopathology, he went on to hold postdoctoral positions in Kiel and at Harvard University before developing a major international career in pathology, immunology, hematology, oncology, and transplantation. He is especially recognized as an expert in lymphoma pathology, particularly Hodgkin lymphoma, and has contributed extensively to the hematopathology literature and to standard reference works in the field.

Alongside his scientific work, Professor Poppema has had a remarkable career in academic leadership. He served for a decade as President of the University of Groningen and also held senior leadership roles at the University Medical Center Groningen. His work has combined research excellence with a sustained commitment to institutional development, medical education, international academic cooperation, and long-range university strategy. Since joining Sunway University, he has continued this dual role as both scholar and university leader, contributing to the advancement of medical education and to the broader development of a globally connected research university in Southeast Asia.

Honors, Awards and Other Membership

Knighthood in the Order of the Netherlands Lion, awarded by Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands (2007).

Officer’s Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (2020).

Medal of Honor of the City of Groningen.

Medal of Honor / Badge of Honour, Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg (2018).

Honorary Consul General in the Northern Netherlands for the Republic of Korea (2011–2022).

Member, Netherlands Academy of Technology and Innovation (ACTI). 

Selected Publications

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=WEKO_5oAAAAJ&hl=nl 

Other Information

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sibrandes_Poppema