IJN Specialists Earn Regional Recognition at NHAM Congress 2026, Reinforcing Malaysia’s Leadership in Cardiovascular Research and Innovation

Institut Jantung Negara (IJN) continues to strengthen its position as Malaysia’s leading cardiovascular centre and a growing regional authority in cardiovascular medicine following multiple recognitions received by its specialists and researchers at the National Heart Association of Malaysia (NHAM) Congress 2026.

The awards, spanning categories including Heart Failure, Interventional Cardiology, Clinical Case Presentation, and the Young Investigator Award, reflect IJN’s depth of expertise across complex cardiovascular subspecialties as well as its strong culture of clinical research, innovation, and academic excellence.

Among the recognitions, IJN achieved Winner status in the Free Paper Interventional Cardiology category through Clinical Fellow, Department of Cardiology, Dr Fa’iz bin Mashood, for the study “Structural Tricuspid Intervention and Clinical Outcomes in Severe Tricuspid Regurgitation: Real World Evidence.” In the Free Paper Heart Failure category, Clinical Fellow Dr Daniel Eng Theng Sheng was recognised for his work titled “Beyond Tricuspid Regurgitation Reduction: Early Dissociation Between Clinical Recovery and Right Ventricular Reverse Remodelling After Bicaval Valve Implantation.” IJN also secured the Heart Failure Research Award through Clinical Fellow Dr Noor Muhammad Azlan Shah for the study “Pacing-Induced Cardiomyopathy: Prevalence, Time Course, Predictors, and Device-Specific Risk in Leadless Versus Transvenous Pacemakers — A 10-year Real-World Experience from a Southeast Asian National Heart Centre.”

In the Clinical Case Presentation category, Clinical Fellow Dr Iskandar Mirza Amran was recognised for the case titled “From Rescue to Crushing,” while Clinical Fellow Dr Soh Si Ling received a Consolation Prize in the Young Investigator Award category for her study “Mid and Long-Term Outcomes After Mitral Valve Repair for Severe Primary Mitral Regurgitation: A 10-Year Analysis with Echocardiographic and Strain Phenotyping.”

Group Chief Executive Officer of IJN, Prof. Dato’ Sri Dr. Mohamed Ezani Md Taib, said the recognitions reflect IJN’s continuous commitment to advancing cardiovascular medicine through research, innovation, and collaborative multidisciplinary care. He said the achievements are significant not only for the awards themselves, but because they represent meaningful scientific work with the potential to improve patient outcomes, treatment strategies, and long-term cardiovascular care. He added that many of the studies are based on real-world Southeast Asian data and long-term clinical outcomes derived from IJN’s own patient population, strengthening Malaysia’s contribution to cardiovascular science while highlighting the importance of Asian data in shaping global treatment approaches. He further noted that these recognitions also demonstrate IJN’s growing role in developing the next generation of clinician-scientists and cardiovascular leaders, with research and innovation fully integrated into its clinical ecosystem alongside patient care, medical education, and continuous improvement in quality and safety.

IJN Chief Clinical Officer, Datuk Dr. Shaiful Azmi Yahaya, said research at IJN has evolved beyond an academic requirement and is now embedded within its clinical culture. He explained that IJN clinicians are not only managing complex cardiovascular cases but are also actively contributing to scientific advancement through real-world data, innovation, and long-term outcome analysis, enabling clinical experience to be translated into knowledge that benefits patients in Malaysia and across the region. He added that IJN’s multidisciplinary environment, high patient volumes, and exposure to complex cases provide a strong foundation for meaningful cardiovascular research and innovation.

He also expressed encouragement over the increasing involvement of younger clinicians and investigators in research, noting that developing the next generation of clinician-scientists is essential to ensuring Malaysia’s continued contribution to the advancement of cardiovascular medicine.

The NHAM Congress is one of Malaysia’s premier cardiovascular scientific meetings, bringing together cardiologists, cardiothoracic surgeons, researchers, allied health professionals, and healthcare industry leaders from across the region.

These latest recognitions further reinforce IJN’s position as Malaysia’s National Heart Specialist Centre and a leading regional referral hub for advanced cardiovascular care, innovation, education, and research.