ASM FAScinate Series (November 2021)

The second instalment of the ASM FAScinate Series in 2021 was held on 10 November this year. The programme featured four more scientists from ASM’s illustrious Expert Network.

Professor Lim talked about the great potential of maslinic acid as an anti-cancer drug. Maslinic acid is isolated from a local plant known as Ubi Kemili and demonstrated by her research team to show strong anti-tumour promoting activity.

Professor Ts Dr Lim Yang Mooi is a Professor of Biochemistry at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman. Currently, she is the President of the Malaysian Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and the delegate to the Federation of Asian and Oceanian Biochemists and Molecular Biologists. Professor Lim’s research interests are cancer chemoprevention, phytochemistry, herbal medicine and syndrome differentiation study in Chinese Medicine and medicinal properties of edible bird’s nest.

Next up was Professor Suzana, who presented on green and sustainable innovations through process intensification. The application of process intensification and optimisation related to the conversion of biomass to biofuel and value-added products was elaborated by Professor Suzana.

Green innovation plays a significant role in realising the SDG agenda. Embedding principles of green chemistry and sustainable engineering in innovations offer creativity, knowledge, and technology advancement.

Professor Ir Dr Suzana Yusup is the founding Director of UTP Centre for Biofuel & Biochemical Research and is currently a Professor at the Chemical Engineering Department, Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS. She specialises in biomass conversion to biofuel and bio-based products and green processing.

Nature has provided humans with sources of many essentials of life. Every plant is a fascinating chemical factory, biosynthesizing a diverse and complex array of chemicals, orchestrated through sophisticated pathways.

These molecules, generated by Nature have unique functions, many are now known but many more are still a mystery for the human mind to fathom. Within its peculiar cellular walls and crevices, a multitude of lifesaving molecules could be lying in wait for that miraculous discovery by a wandering phytochemist.

Professor Dr Nor Hadiani Ismail was in attendance to expound on the fascinating factory that is Nature. Professor Nor Hadiani is a Professor of Chemistry attached to Atta-ur-Rahman Institute for Natural Product Discovery at Universiti Teknologi Mara, an institute of which she is also a leader. Under her leadership, the institute has evolved to become a major centre for multi-disciplinary research on biologically active molecules extracted from natural resources.

The involvement of an educator in creating a positive learning environment and instructional approaches is crucial to inspiring the next generation of students.

When successful, these approaches increase student agency, engagement, motivation, and higher-order thinking abilities, with the goal of equipping students with the skills they will need to succeed. It considers the instructor’s responsibility to be that of a guide rather than a gatekeeper to knowledge, preparing today’s students for tomorrow’s challenges.

Dr Manraj Singh Cheema rounds up the panel of speakers with his presentation titled: Engaging, Inspiring and Transforming the Learners of Tomorrow.

Recently, the Vice-chair of the Young Scientists Network-ASM has embarked on the journey to redesign medical and health sciences education through global learning, gamification, and physical/virtual game-based approaches. These approaches encourage students to feel ownership over their learning and are able to create their own knowledge, translate and share it with the communities.

Read the ASM Expert Network here.