When your heart skips a beat, it might not be love, it could be a warning. Professor. Kamalan Jeevaratnam uses stem-cell models to uncover the causes of irregular heart rhythms, advancing early detection and prevention of life-threatening conditions.

By recreating these disruptions in the lab, he was looking to uncover how irregular heartbeats begin — and how to detect them before they become dangerous. It’s a powerful step toward earlier diagnosis and better prevention.

With a foundation in veterinary medicine and advanced training in cardiac electrophysiology, Prof. Kamalan bridges animal models and human heart research. His cross-disciplinary approach offers valuable insights into how the heart functions — and fails — across species.

He is currently Dean of Veterinary Medicine and Prof of Clinical Physiology at the University of Surrey. He earned his PhD from the University of Cambridge, following earlier training at Universiti Putra Malaysia. 

Dr. Kamalan received the Merdeka Award Grant in 2014 and completed his 3-month attachment at University of Cambridge, United Kingdom.