Volume 39 Number 5 | October 2025
Summary
ASCLS honored Dr. Hassan Aziz for his 39-year career in clinical laboratory science, marked by leadership, mentorship, and global impact, with the 2025 ASCLS Pinnacle Award. From academic roles in the United States and Qatar to serving as ASCLS president and International Federation of Biomedical Laboratory Science president-elect, Aziz has advanced education, workforce development, and quality standards, leaving a lasting influence worldwide.
Dr. Hassan Aziz accepts the 2025 ASCLS Pinnacle Award from ASCLS Past President Dr. Pat Tille during the 2025 ASCLS Awards Ceremony in Sacramento, California.
The purpose of the ASCLS Pinnacle Award is to recognize and honor an ASCLS member who has “made a difference” in ASCLS and the clinical laboratory science profession. The Pinnacle Award is synonymous with longevity and worthwhile contributions to the organization and the laboratory science profession.
Dr. Hassan Aziz has been a laboratory professional for 39 years, is a leader in the field of medical laboratory science, and has been instrumental in supporting new laboratory professionals through mentorship, leadership, and the support of scientific research, integrity, and quality laboratory testing. Dr. Aziz began his career as a teaching assistant and has held many academic positions throughout his career, influencing and mentoring young laboratory professionals early on. Throughout his academic career he has served as a program director, department head, and now dean of the College of Nursing and Health Sciences at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi.
Dr. Aziz moved to Qatar in 2011 to develop a National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS)-accredited program in medical laboratory science. This program is one of the only internationally accredited programs in medical laboratory science. During his tenure at the Qatar University, he also served as the associate dean of academic affairs until his return to the United States in 2017. His success in this role solidified his reputation as an internationally known educator in clinical laboratory science.
When asked to serve the Society or the profession, Dr. Aziz doesn’t shy away from opportunities to help others. Just like many members in ASCLS, Dr. Aziz began his service to the profession by becoming involved early as a leader at the state, serving as the president-elect of ASCLS-Georgia in 2004. Throughout the next decade he would serve on a variety of committees and eventually as a regional director for ASCLS in 2009-2012. Finally, his pinnacle of service on the ASCLS Board of Directors (BOD) was as the president-elect beginning in 2020, serving the BOD as president in 2021, and past president in 2022.
Dr. Aziz has represented the laboratory profession on many taskforces and working groups to promote quality education and workforce development both in the United States and abroad. He has served as the ASCLS representative to the International Federation of Biomedical Laboratory Science (IFBLS), an associate editor on the International Journal of Biomedical Laboratory Science, and is currently the president-elect for IFBLS.
Dr. Aziz’s presentation and publication record covers significant topics in microbiology, education, administration, and safety. He has presented more than 100 educational seminars across the globe and published more than 100 publications.
Dr. Aziz is a model leader in the profession of clinical laboratory science. He embraces professionalism, collegiality, diversity, and involvement in ASCLS and the profession. He clearly believes in the mission of ASCLS and has dedicated his life to improving the quality of laboratory diagnostic testing. Dr. Aziz is a true professional, and someone who is respected globally by colleagues.