Professor Nirmala Bhoo-Pathy is a public health physician and epidemiologist at Universiti Malaya whose work has helped reshape understanding of the hidden burden of cancer in low- and middle-income countries. Best known for leading the landmark ASEAN Costs in Oncology (ACTION) study, she has produced influential research on financial toxicity, survivorship, and the ways cancer can deepen social and economic vulnerability despite apparent progress in health systems.

Her scholarship bridges epidemiology, policy, and implementation, with a consistent focus on how evidence can drive more equitable and accountable cancer care. She has served in several major global leadership roles, including as Economic Section Lead of the Lancet Oncology Commission on the Human Crisis in Cancer, and as a Commissioner of the Lancet Commission on Women, Power and Cancer, the Lancet Commission on Cancer and Health Systems, and the Lancet Oncology Commission on Cancer Genomics. She also serves on the Steering Committee of the Global Alliance for Cancer Patient Navigation and contributes to the WHO Global Breast Cancer Initiative Patient Navigation Framework.

Her work has also been recognised beyond academia, including by Tatler, reflecting its broader societal relevance.