In remembrance of Emeritus Professor Makumkrong Poshyachinda, M.D.

Abstract

Emeritus Professor Dr. Makumkrong Poshyachinda, M.D. (d. January 26, 2026) was a pioneering leader in Thai nuclear medicine and a central figure in academic radiology at the Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University. After earning her M.D. in 1959, she began her career in the Isotope Unit—an early foundation of what became the Division of Nuclear Medicine—helping build clinical services, professional standards, and training pathways that shaped generations of specialists. She served in major leadership roles, including Head of the Nuclear Medicine Division (1979–1986), Vice Dean for Research (1985–1988), and Head of the Department of Radiology (1986–1990), and contributed extensively to national governance in radioactive-material oversight and nuclear medicine specialist training. Internationally, she strengthened collaboration with the IAEA, supporting capacity building, expert missions, training programs, and institutional development. She was honored as a “Distinguished Nuclear Professional” in 1996 and continued teaching and clinical service well beyond retirement, particularly in thyroid care. She also authored the book “Diagnosis and Treatment of Thyroid Diseases with Radioactive Tracers” (Thai: “การตรวจรักษาโรคของต่อมไทรอยด์ด้วยสารกัมมันตรังสี”). To the Thai nuclear medicine community, she is remembered as a foundational leader whose legacy endures through enduring systems, mentorship, and service.