Professor Ntobeko Ntusi is the President and CEO of the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) effective 1 July 2024. He joins the SAMRC from the University of Cape Town and Groote Schuur Hospital where he was the Chair and Head of the Department of Medicine. He is a distinguished and highly respected figure in the medical community as a key global opinion leader. His lifelong passion for evidence-based healthcare, health systems research, noncommunicable disease multimorbidity, and universal health coverage has positioned him as a trailblazer in medical research.

Prof. Ntusi is committed to advancing medical research and innovation; and is passionate about improving healthcare outcomes aligned with the SAMRC's mandate to advance the nation’s health and quality of life. His leadership spans various national, regional, and international platforms, where he has played pivotal roles in shaping academic agendas, postgraduate medical education standards, and advancing key national strategic priorities. His commitment to mentoring young professionals and supervising postgraduate students underscores his passion for nurturing the next generation of medical leaders, instilling hope for the future of medical leadership.

Prof. Ntusi obtained a BSc(Hons) degree in Cellular and Molecular Biology from Haverford College, USA, and an MBChB degree from the University of Cape Town. He is a  qualified physician and cardiologist, and holds numerous additional qualifications, including a DPhil in Cardiovascular Medicine from the University of Oxford, St. Cross College, and an MD in Cardiology from the University of Cape Town.

Through his research partnerships and collaborations, he has extensive experience with basic science, translational and clinical research. He has built strong links with colleagues in clinical medicine, immunology, molecular genetics, physics, biomedical engineering, and biomedical statistics; and he has shown capacity for performance in scientific investigational teams and is suited to being part of multi-disciplinary and multi-centre clinical studies.

Prof. Ntusi provides key scientific leadership globally through boards and scientific advisory committees of numerous organisations he serves on.