Non-Communicable Diseases & Population Genomics in Asia
Malaysia is home to a multi-ethnic, multicultural and multi-religious population that provide a fertile ground for studying NCDs and population genomics. The research work undertaken by Monash Malaysia complement and value-add the global research work undertaken by other research centres at Monash University. This unique biodiversity and integration amongst the diverse populations provide the greatest opportunity to synergize the basic sciences and biomedical, translational, clinical, public health and intervention research to achieve an integrated outcome in addressing NCDs in the region. This will enable greater understanding and provide a more holistic perspective of preventive measures on cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, obesity and metabolic syndrome, which are complex and multifaceted. Our researchers are also investigating the link on human genomics, migration and evolution in this SouthEast Asian region. Other keys areas of research also include clinical biomarkers for diabetic nephropathy and retinopathy, effect of vitamin E, tocopherols and tocotrienols on the diabetic patients, delivery of insulin using nanoparticles, health economics and diabetic management.
Key contact information:
Prof. Maude Phipps undertakes research in human population genetics and health with special focus on indigenous communities in Malaysia and international collaborative projects on native populations in Asia and Oceania. She is currently working on 2 projects related to this area: Microbiomes in Indigenous Populations of Malaysia and HLA and Indigenous Populations of SouthEast Asia.
Prof. Chow’s interest lies mainly in the understanding of how xenobiotics modulate the immune system, particularly on T lymphocytes' function. T lymphocytes play an important role in the regulation of virtually all immune responses. Using various human and rodent model systems, the immunomodulatory effects of xenobiotics on many aspects of T cell biology are being investigated. All these processes have defined endpoints that are tightly regulated by signaling pathways, metabolic processes and enzyme cascades. Understanding how these molecular processes are affected by xenobiotics helps to provide a better understanding in the development of new strategies for therapeutic intervention for some immunological disorders.
Another major interest is to understand the mechanisms of death and extracellular survival of the apicomplexa T. gondii. Identification of the death effectors involved in the parasite death pathway can be exploited for anti-parasitic drug development to combat and eliminate parasites which cause widespread infections.
Professor Dato’ Dr Khalid Abdul Kadir
Prof. Khalid's main research interest is in nutritional stress in the pathogenesis of metabolic syndrome and investigating compounds for the treatment of diabetes and metabolic syndrome. He was awarded the Tun Abdul Razak Research Award in 1986, the Asia Pacific Society Clinical Nutrition Award 1996, the National Science Award Malaysia in 1997 and also the joint winner of the MERDEKA Award for medicine, science and technology in 2008.
His current research interest is on the effects of tocotreinols and tocopherols on diabetic complications namely neuropathy, nephropathy and retinopathy. The other current interest is the effect of diabetes and its complications on the quality of life of the patients
Prof. Tin Tin Su is a public health physician and researcher with more than 20 years of working experience. She is passionate in improving population health via community health development approach, social epidemiology and implementation research. She is a director of SouthEast Asia Community Observatory (SEACO) Health & Demographic Surveillance system and principal investigator for a community cohort which includes about 38,000 population. Her current research on NCD includes, prediction of 10-year CVD risk, cascade of care for hypertension and diabetes. She is a lead researcher for the Investigating MUltimorbidity ThroUgh cApacity buiLding (MUTUAL) project and co-investigator for the innovating behaviour and health surveillance for cardiovascular disease prevention in Malaysia projects. She was a principal investigator of the first nationwide, population-based, study to benchmark cancer awareness in Malaysia. Based on the finding of the study, the Promoting Awareness of Cancer and Early Diagnosis (PACED) initiative was developed. She is a co-principal investigator and lead researcher for the development of population-based colorectal cancer screening and the community navigator-led breast cancer screening programme.
Dr Chong Chun Wie is a microbial ecologist with a strong research interest in using systems biology approach to investigate the interplay between genetic, physiology and microbiome in non-communicable diseases (NCDs). He is also keen in exploring big data/machine learning techniques to identify potential biomarkers to facilitate risk stratification and early disease intervention. He is currently leading a digital-supported prediabetes intervention project. The project aims to integrate Internet of things (IoTs), conventional blood biomarkers and the power of big data in improving the management of prediabetes in Malaysia. The project team consisted of scientists across different schools within Monash University Malaysia, experts from Monash University Australia as well as industrial partners who are the leaders in pharmaceutical cares and diabetes monitoring devices.
Associate Professor Uma Devi A/P M Palanisamy
A pioneer Natural product researcher in Malaysia and a National Natural product Consortium member, she has been working in this area for the past 20 years. Her current focus is on advancing research on polyphenols, particularly; its health benefits (metabolic syndrome), innovative methods to improve its bioavailability and its prebiotic potential. She has published over 100 articles in the past 7 years and the novelty of her research has resulted in four patents being filed of which two have been granted. Personalised nutrition can be a strategy to prevent the onset of Metabolic syndrome, and the discovery of different human metabotypes (metabolic phenotypes) related to CVD/Metabolic biomarkers after consumption of the polyphenols, provides evidence. She aspires to collaborate with international experts to perform metabotyping experiments among Malaysian populations who are plant-based diets.