Mohammed Tikly is Professor Emeritus in the Division of Rheumatology at the University of the Witwatersrand. He was previously Academic Head of Rheumatology at Wits University. He completed his undergraduate at Wits and postgraduate training in Internal Medicine at Chris Hani Academic Baragwanath Hospital. Subsequently did his rheumatology fellowship at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland. He has a special interest in clinical outcomes of rheumatic diseases as it affects South Africans and autoantibodies in the rheumatic diseases.

Post-retirement, he was awarded the titles of Master of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR, Honorary Member of the European League of Associations of Rheumatology (EULAR) and Master of the African League of Associations of Rheumatology (AFLAR)