Research at IMU: achievements, thrust areas and future challenges

There have been significant achievements in research at IMU as indicated by the increasing amount of external funds obtained, and number of publications and postgraduate students produced since it started its research activities in the year 2000. However, it is a great challenge indeed to ensure sustainability of our research, which is currently heavily dependent on internal funding. There is a need to realign our strategies to further enhance our competitiveness in securing external funding for research. In line with this, the Institute for Research, Development and Innovation (IRDI) was officially established on 18 September 2012. The Institute will serve as a platform to support all research activities at IMU. There are four Centres of Excellence based on the identified thrust areas under IRDI, namely 1) Centre for Bioactive Molecules and Drug Discovery; 2) Centre for Environmental and Population Health; 3) Centre for Cancer and Stem Cell Research, and 4) Centre for Health Professional Education Research. Major findings based on research in these four thrust areas are reviewed in this paper. With the strategic planning and establishment of IRDI, it is our aspiration to bring research at IMU to a higher level.

Biotechnological applications of microalgae

Microalgae are important biological resources that have a wide range of biotechnological applications. Due to their high nutritional value, microalgae such as Spirulina and Chlorella are being mass cultured for health food. A variety of high-value products including polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), pigments such as carotenoids and phycobiliproteins, and bioactive compounds are useful as nutraceuticals and pharmaceuticals, as well as for industrial applications. In terms of environmental biotechnology, microalgae are useful for bioremediation of agro-industrial wastewater, and as a biological tool for assessment and monitoring of environmental toxicants such as heavy metals, pesticides and pharmaceuticals. In recent years, microalgae have attracted much interest due to their potential use as feedstock for biodiesel production. In Malaysia, there has been active research on microalgal biotechnology for the past 30 years, tapping into the potential of our rich microalgal resources for high-value products and applications in wastewater treatment and assessment of environmental toxicants. A culture collection of microalgae has been established, and this serves as an important resource for microalgal biotechnology research. Microalgal biotechnology should continue to be regarded as a priority area of research in this country.

Research On Bioactive Molecules: Achievements And The Way Forward

Research on bioactive molecules is one of the thrust areas of research at the International Medical University (IMU). The bioactive molecules that have attracted the interest of IMU researchers include tocotrienol, astaxanthin, zingerone, apigenin, carrageenan and phycocyanin. There are also projects which focus on the screening of extracts from local plants such as Elephantopus mollis, Morinda citrifolia, Pereskia bleo, Euphorbia hirta, Zinger officinale, Mangifera indica and Nephelium lappaceum and algae such as Spirulina and Gracilaria. Characterisation of the toxin from Bacillus thuringiensis is another area of active research at IMU. The compounds and extracts from the various organisms are screened for anticancer, antioxidative, antiviral and immuno-modulating activity. There are also studies on the production of recombinant molecules, especially monoclonal antibodies for the detection of house dust mites, Salmonella typhi and Candida. The pool of faculty with diverse expertise and the active collaboration with public universities and institutions have enhanced the progress of bioactive research at IMU. With the current postgraduate and Bachelor of Medical Science (B. MSc.) programme and the introduction of new programmes in health sciences, there are good opportunities for training of students in the research on bioactive molecules. The future research direction should focus on the mechanisms of action of the bioactive molecules using new approaches such as ‘omic’ technologies and in silico modelling.

Environmental Health And Building Related Illnesses

Malaysia has good environmental laws to protect the outdoor environment and public health. However there are no laws governing indoor air quality (IAQ) and the knowledge among the public about its importance is also lacking. Environmental professionals think it is not a priority and this influences the policy decisions in the country. Therefore there is a need to create awareness by way of research, education and other promotional activities. What is much needed at this time is the establishment of standards for the conduct of risk assessment studies. To establish standards we need reliable data which can be used to develop appropriate guidelines for the purpose of mitigation and adaptation programmes. IAQ can have significant influence on health resulting in drop in productivity and economy of a country. It has been estimated that in the US, building related illnesses (BRI) symptoms have a relationship with decrease (3 to 5%) in work performance in an affected population resulting in an annual loss of US$60 billion in revenue. However, based on efficient management programmes they have also projected that the potential annual savings can be in the region of US$10 to 30 billion. This establishes that fact that good management programmes based on efficient guidelines is of economic value to a country and wellbeing of the population. The IMU has embarked on a research programme to collect the much-needed data for the framing of a good IAQ guideline for Malaysia.