Education

Graduate education

    • University of Malta Medical School:
    • M.D. with Exceptional Performance in Medicine
    • February 1987 – June 1992
    • Dean: Prof. F.F. Fenech, MD, FRCP, FACP.
    • Mayo Graduate School, Rochester:
    • Ph.D. in Molecular Biology
    • July 2000 – May 2003
    • Mentor: Dr Stephen J Russell, MD, PhD
    • University of Tennessee, Knoxville:
    • Introduction to Mathematical Biology
    • March/April 2003
    • Director: Prof. L.J. Gross, PhD

Post-doctoral Training

  • University of Tennessee, Knoxville
    • Optimal Control Theory in Application to Biology
    • July 2003
    • Director: Professor S. Lenhart, PhD
    • Santa Fe Institute, New Mexico:
    • Mathematics and Computers in Medicine
    • July/August 2004
    • Director: Professor Lee Segel, PhD
    • Harvard University, Cambridge
    • Mayo Foundation Scholar
    • Program for Evolutionary Dynamics
    • Dept. of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology
    • September 2005 – June 2007
    • Director: Professor Martin A. Nowak, PhD
    • University of Lisbon, Lisbon:
    • Visiting Scientist and Mayo Foundation Scholar
    • Complexo Interdisciplinar, Dept. of Physics
    • January 2007 – February 2007
    • Director: Professor Jorge M. Pacheco, PhD

Internal Medicine & Subspeciality Training

    • Internship:
    • St Luke’s University Hospital, Malta.
    • July 1, 1992 – June 30, 1994
    • Director: Prof. F.F. Fenech, MD, FRCP, FACP.
    • Senior House Officer:
    • Department of Internal Medicine, St Luke’s University Hospital, Malta.
    • July 1, 1994 – October 31, 1996
    • Director: Prof. F.F. Fenech, MD, FRCP, FACP
    • Haematology
    • Senior House Officer: Department of Hematology,
    • West Glasgow University Hospitals
    • NHS Trust, Glasgow, Scotland. November 1, 1996 – May 31, 1997
    • Head of Department: Dr E.J. Fitzsimons, MD, FRCP, FRCPath
    • Residency:
    • Mayo School of Graduate Medical Education, Rochester, Minnesota.
    • June 27, 1997 – June 29, 2000
    • Director: Dr H.J. Schultz, MD, MACP
    • Fellowship:
    • Division of Hematology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine,
    • Rochester. July 1, 2003 – July 1, 2005
    • Program Chair: Dr Martha Q. Lacy, MD
    • Chair: Dr Morie A. Gertz, MD

Board Certification & Licensure

    • Internal Medicine: Malta Medical Council, July 1, 1994 – present
    • Internal Medicine: General Medical Council, United Kingdom, November 1, 1996 – May 31, 1997
    • Internal Medicine: Florida Board of Medical Practice, November 1998 – July 1999
    • Internal Medicine: Minnesota Board of Medical Practice, July 1999 – present
    • Internal Medicine: Diplomate, American Board of Internal Medicine, October 18, 2000 – present
    • Internal Medicine: Arizona Board of Medical Practice, July 2003 – July 2004
    • Hematology: Diplomate, American Board of Internal Medicine, January 3, 2006.

Honors and Awards

    • First prize in Biology, Chemistry and Physics, The New Lyceum, Gozo, Malta, June 1986.
    • Distinction in Physiology and Biochemistry: University of Malta Medical School, June 1989
    • Distinction in Anatomy: University of Malta Medical School, June 1989.
    • Exceptional Performance in Medicine: University of Malta Medical School, June 1992
    • First in Graduating Class: University of Malta Medical School, June 1992.
    • Attitude, Commitment and Excellence Award (ACE): Mayo Graduate School of Medicine, June 2000.
    • Internal Medicine Resident Research Award, Mayo Graduate School of Medicine, April 2000.
    • General Mills Foundation Clinician-Investigator Fellowship, Mayo Graduate School of Medicine, May 2000.
    • Winner of Regional Medical Jeopardy, ACP Minnesota Chapter Meeting, Minneapolis, November 1999.
    • Winner of National Medical Jeopardy, ACP National Meeting, Philadelphia, April 2000.
    • Mayo Medical School Excellence in Teaching Award, 2000.
    • First Prize (Student Section): Building Bridges Research Symposium, Mayo Foundation, Rochester, MN, November 2001.
    • Fellowship Award, Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation, November 2001 (Competitive research grant with funding for 1 year).
    • Travel Award, American Society of Gene Therapy, June 2003, Washington D.C.
    • Fellowship Award, Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation, September 2003 (Competitive research grant with funding for 1 year).
    • Travel Award, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, March 2003 (Introduction to the Mathematics of Biological Complexity).
    • Travel Award, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, July 2003 (Optimal Control Theory in Application to Biology).
    • Travel Award, Santa Fe Institute, Workshop on Mathematical Modeling and Computers in Medicine (July 2004).
    • Merit Award, American Society of Clinical Oncology, Orlando, Florida, May 2005.
    • Donald C. Balfour Award for Meritorious Research, Mayo Alumni Association, May 2005.
    • Elected Fellow, American College of Physicians, January 2007.
    • Elected Fellow, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow, March 2007.
    • Elected Fellow, Institute of Biology (UK), April 2007.
    • Elected Fellow, Royal College of Physicians of London, May 2007.
    • Early Career Development Award for Clinician-Scientist, Mayo Clinic Rochester, April 2007.
    • Elected Fellow, Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh, July 2007.
    • Bellman Prize 2006 – 2007 – Mathematical Bioscience, 2009.