Professor Dr. Sargunan Sockalingam is the former Head of Rheumatology at the University Malaya Medical Centre. He is a graduate of the Manipal Academy of Higher Education's Kasturba Medical College and completed both Masters in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology Subspecialty training in University Malaya. His research activities have focused on clinical trials using biologic therapy in Lupus and Rheumatoid Arthritis. He is currently working on developing a registry of rheumatology cases in UM. He is also a member of the Asia Pacific Lupus Collaboration.  His primary academic interest is the cellular and molecular basis of autoimmunity and speaks on this subject both within Malaysia and SEA. The Rheumatology unit in UMMC is the premier University based Rheumatology centre in the country and in addition to clinical work, it is a Rheumatology subspecialty training centre for both Malaysian and international physicians.