IFCC Executive Board: 2015-2017 Biographies

Dr. Graham BEASTALL, Past President

Doctor Graham Beastall (BSc, PhD, CSci, EurClinChem, FRCPath, FRCP, CBE), currently serves as professional adviser on laboratory medicine for the Department of Health in the UK. Immediately prior to becoming IFCC President he was the Clinical Lead for the multi-site network Department of Clinical Biochemistry in North Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom (UK).

He received his BSc and PhD degrees from the University of Liverpool in the late 1960s. After postdoctoral study he moved to Glasgow in 1972 as a University lecturer and became an employee in the National Health Service (NHS) as the rapid expansion of clinical chemistry practice required experienced leaders. He has specialized in biochemical endocrinology and in 1979 he formed and led the Scottish specialist endocrine laboratory based at Glasgow Royal Infirmary.
Doctor Beastall gained Mastership and then Fellowship of the Royal College of Pathologists (FRCPath), the highest professional postgraduate qualification in laboratory medicine in the UK. His breadth of experience enabled him to become Consultant Clinical Scientist and then Clinical Lead for the largest department of clinical chemistry in the UK. In this role he developed an active interest in evidence-based medicine and in the policy of adding value to the role of clinical laboratories.
He is a registered Clinical Scientist with the Health Professions Council and a Chartered Scientist (CSci) with the UK Science Council. He is also a European Specialist in Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (EurClinChem).In addition, he has held honorary positions with the University of Glasgow and has taught clinical chemistry to both medical and science students and supervised several postgraduate students. He has co-authored more than 170 peer-reviewed original publications; a number of books, chapters and review articles and has given more than 100 invited lectures and served on the editorial board of a number of journals.

Doctor Beastall has held a number of professional representative roles in the UK including Chairman, President and Past President of the Association for Clinical Biochemistry (ACB). He was the first non-medical Vice President of the Royal College of Pathologists (RCPath) and  has chaired the clinical chemistry steering committee for the UK National External Quality Assurance Schemes (UK NEQAS). He has been a board member and longstanding assessor for Clinical Pathology Accreditation (UK) Ltd (CPA), which accredits laboratories to ISO 15189 standards.

At the international level Doctor Beastall has served as the Secretary of the European Communities Confederation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (EC4) for several years during its formative stage. He also has served Chair of the IFCC Congress and Conference Division and was Secretary of the organising committee for the 16th International Congress of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine held in London in 1996. In 2005, he chaired  and the organising committee for EuroMedLab 2005, which was held in his home city of Glasgow.

Doctor Beastall has received a number of honours including the ACB Foundation Award and the EC4 Distinguished Officer Award. He also received the 2005 FESCC European Distinguished Clinical Chemist Award and became is an honorary Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians (FRCP). In 2007, he became a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for his services to medical science in the UK and received his award from the Queen at Buckingham Palace. In 2009 he became an Honorary Member of the ACB.

Graham is married to Judith, a retired schoolteacher. They have two grown sons. He has been involved in Scouting for more than 50 years and continues to work with children from one of the deprived areas of Glasgow. His other interests include gardening, hill walking and a passion for Liverpool Football Club.