 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
World renowned surgeon and Professor Alfred Cuschieri has received a knighthood for services to minimal access surgery.
Professor Cuschieri is recognised as the prime moving force behind the introduction of keyhole - or minimal access - surgery, which allows surgeons to operate through very small incisions in the body. Under his guidance Ninewells Hospital became home to Europe's first purpose built surgical skills unit which is now one of only three training centres for the speciality in Britain.
The professor and his team have been working on a revolutionary technique, image guided microtherapy, which combines the skills of surgeons and radiologists. He has predicted that new developments could make keyhole surgery so precise that as many as 90% of surgical cases in the future will not have to spend even one night in hospital.
Originally from Malta, Sir Alfred was educated at the Royal University of Malta.
While studying there he was awarded the Pfizer Prize and graduated Doctor of Medicine with honours in 1961. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh in 1965 and a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of England two
years later. In 1968 he gained the degree of Master of Surgery at Liverpool University
and in 1973 he was awarded the Moynihan Medal and Prize of the Association of Surgeons of Great Britain and Ireland for his work on the biochemical detection of tumour spread in breast cancer.
He was a reader in surgery at Liverpool University and honorary consultant surgeon with the Liverpool Area Health Authority before being awarded the chair of surgery at Dundee University in 1975. Sir Alfred gave up the post at Dundee University to move to a similar position in Birmingham in 1988. However, he was reappointed to his former post in Dundee within a matter of weeks after resigning from Birmingham University over what he saw as inadequate clinical facilities.
Mr William Cooper (recently retired), Senior Scientific Officer in the department of obstetrics and gynaecology was awarded the MBE in the New Year's Honours list writes Peter Howie, head of the department of obstetrics and gynaecology.
Mr Cooper worked in the University for 50 years starting his career in 1947 in the department of pharmacology and therapeutics. In 1962 he moved to the department of obstetrics and gynaecology where he was active in the research leading to the development of new assays for oestrogen and other pregnancy hormones. He served the university in many capacities and many individuals have reason to be grateful for the personal assistance which he gave them.
His other interests are in skiing, photography and hill walking. There are few individuals who have such a record of loyalty to an institution over half a century thoroughly justifying the reward of his MBE.
