Furqan Irfan, Ph.D., MBA, MBBS

Dr. Furqan B. Irfan is an Associate Professor in the Department of Neurology and Ophthalmology, and an affiliated faculty at the Institute of Global Health at Michigan State University (MSU). He is also the Director of Research Development for the Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine.

Dr Irfan has a M.B.B.S. (M.D.), Ph.D., MBA background and has worked, studied, and lived in over six countries. He was born and grew up in Dubai; completed his medical degree from Aga Khan University, Pakistan; worked in genetics and stem cell research at the University of Toronto, Canada; completed a clinical translational year in Dubai Medical College, Dubai; worked as a clinician-scientist in Hamad Medical Corporation, Qatar; completed a Ph.D. in Epidemiology at Karolinska Institute, Sweden; and a Diversity Fellow for MBA at Kelley School of Business, Indiana University.

He teaches a longitudinal interdisciplinary Epidemiology and Evidence-based Medicine pre-clerkship course that includes the fundamentals and concepts of Epidemiology, Biostatistics, Research Methods and Evidence-based Medicine that is delivered to around 300 medical students each year.

With an inter-disciplinary background in Epidemiology, health systems strengthening and global health policy, global cardiovascular health, one health, zoonotic diseases, and climate change, the long-term goal is health systems strengthening and universal health coverage.

Dr. Irfan has more than 35 peer-reviewed publications and more than $2.5 million USD in active grant funding.

He has served as an advisory board member at Health Practice, Silicon Valley Innovation Center and Infineon Technologies AG. Infineon Technologies AG is one of the largest semiconductor manufacturers worldwide, with an annual revenue of $10 billion (€8.6 billion) in 2020. The role involves advising on preventive and precision health technology, market and ecosystem, and recommending new areas for investment and strategic partnerships.

Dr. Irfan works with governments, multilateral donors, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and communities in developing countries on health systems strengthening, health policy, universal health coverage and global health security. He serves as a health advisor and technical lead with global development firms for proposal development and implementation of USAID and multilateral donor awards.