Ms. Li Yanping, an international Ph.D. student guided by me at Management and Science University, Malaysia, conducted impactful doctoral research titled:
“Identification of Novel Drug Targets in Klebsiella pneumoniae and Potential Antibacterial Traditional Chinese Medicine Compounds through Computer-Aided Drug Design Approach.”

Her work focused on integrating computational biology, traditional medicine, and drug design to combat multidrug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae, one of the world’s most pressing antimicrobial threats.

Key Achievements:

• Published Six SCOPUS-Indexed Research Articles, with a cumulative citation count of 150+:
  
  

  1. "Characteristics of antibiotic resistance mechanisms and genes of Klebsiella pneumoniae"
     Open Medicine, 2023 – Citations: 65
     
     

  2. "Klebsiella pneumonia and Its Antibiotic Resistance: A Bibliometric Analysis"
     BioMed Research International, 2022 – Citations: 63
     
     

  3. "Mechanisms of Antibiotic Resistance and Developments in Therapeutic Strategies to Combat Klebsiella pneumoniae Infection"
     Infection and Drug Resistance – Citations: 20
     
     

  4. "Screening of promising molecules against potential drug targets in Yersinia pestis"
     Archives of Microbiology – Citations: 1
     
     

  5. "Identification of Novel Drug Targets and Potential Antibacterial Traditional Chinese Medicine Compounds for Klebsiella pneumoniae"
     Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, 2025
     
     

  6. "Shikimate Kinase 1 from Klebsiella pneumoniae as a New Drug Target Enzyme"
     Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, 2024
     
     

• Her multidisciplinary work bridges traditional medicine and modern computational drug design, enhancing the therapeutic pipeline against resistant pathogens.

Mr. Alfred Simbun, a Ph.D. student mentored by me at Management and Science University (MSU), Malaysia, conducted advanced interdisciplinary research titled:
“Computational Prediction of Mild and Severe Symptoms in COVID-19 Based on Images and Gene Expression Analysis.”

His doctoral work bridges artificial intelligence, medical imaging, and transcriptomic data analysis to improve COVID-19 prognosis through integrative computational methods.

Key Achievements:

• Published Research:
  
  

  • Artificial Intelligence-Driven Prognostic Classification of COVID-19 Using Chest X-rays: A Deep Learning Approach
    A. Simbun, S. Kumar – arXiv preprint, 2025
    This work explores no-code deep learning tools to classify COVID-19 severity based on chest X-rays with enhanced diagnostic accuracy.
    
    

• Award Recognition:
  
  

  • First Prize Winner for Best Oral Presentation at the International Conference in Computational Biology and Precision Medicine (INCOBIOM 2024) for his talk titled:
    “Revolutionising the COVID-19 Prognosis: Harnessing No-Code Deep Learning for Enhanced X-Ray Diagnostic Accuracy”.
    The event was hosted by MSU’s Faculty of Health and Life Sciences and supported by MyCell and AICS (Artificial Intelligence and Cyber Security Centre).
    
    

• Media Recognition:
  His research journey and innovation have been featured in national media outlets, highlighting the societal impact of AI in healthcare:
  
  

  • The Sun: Exploring AI in Health Sciences
    
    

  • The Sun: An Inspiring Journey
    
    

  • MSU Alumni Spotlight
    
    

Mr. Simbun’s success exemplifies the potential of AI-driven translational research under my mentorship, positioning him as a rising innovator in digital health and precision medicine.

Ms. Yu Min, an international Ph.D. student under the guidance of Dr. Suresh Kumar at Management and Science University (MSU), Malaysia, is pursuing advanced research on antimicrobial drug discovery with a focus on neglected bacterial pathogens. Her Ph.D. thesis is titled:
“Computational Identification and Characterization of Novel Potential Drug Targets in Chlamydia trachomatis by Using Subtractive Genomics and Docking Approach.”

Research Focus:

Her work integrates subtractive genomics, comparative proteomics, and structure-based drug design to discover novel and essential protein targets in Chlamydia trachomatis, a pathogen of global public health concern. The goal is to identify viable targets for developing new therapeutic strategies against persistent and drug-resistant chlamydial infections.

Ms. Ummi Shahieda Lazaroo, a dedicated and high-performing student mentored by me, has shown exceptional growth from undergraduate research to postgraduate studies. She completed her Bachelor’s research project under my supervision and later advanced to the Master of Science in Biomedicine program at Management and Science University (MSU), continuing her research under his guidance.

Master’s Thesis Title:

“Molecular Docking Studies on Botanical Beverages Against Breast Cancer and Uterine Fibroids.”

Her M.Sc. research focuses on the use of structure-based virtual screening and molecular docking approaches to identify bioactive compounds from botanical beverages with potential therapeutic effects on hormone-responsive cancers and fibroids.

Key Achievements:

• Poster Presenter at the Global Research on Oncology and Cancer Research Conference, Munich, Germany
  (Topic: Molecular Docking Studies on Botanical Beverages Against Breast Cancer and Uterine Fibroids)
  
  

• Best Speaker Award Winner at the Scholars International Conference on STD, HIV, AIDS, and Infectious Disease Research, Tokyo, Japan (Nov 18–19, 2019)
  
  

• Best Research Award Winner at the International Conference on Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, Bangkok, Thailand (Jan 16–17, 2020)

• Oral  Presenter: 2nd Global congress on  Bacteriology and Infectious  disease, Bangkok, Thailand (12-13, June 2019)
  
  

These accolades recognize her strong academic foundation, analytical capabilities in computational biomedicine, and international presentation skills—nurtured through consistent mentorship by me across both undergraduate and postgraduate levels.

Umairah Natasya Binti Mohd Omeershffudin is a Master of Science student in Biomedicine whose research is focused on “Identification of Potential Drug Targets Against Drug-Resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae by Subtractive Genomic Approach.” Her academic journey has been marked by steady progress, evolving from an undergraduate student to a postgraduate researcher dedicated to tackling urgent global health threats such as antimicrobial resistance.

Her work has already made a substantial academic impact, with four peer-reviewed publications, three of which are indexed in Scopus and have together received a total of 47 citations to date. These include:

1. Emerging threat of antimicrobial resistance in Neisseria gonorrhoeae – Archives of Microbiology, citation: 9
   
   

2. In silico approach for mining of potential drug targets from hypothetical proteins – International Journal of Molecular Biology Open Access, citation: 26
   
   

3. Antibiotic resistance in Neisseria gonorrhoeae – Genomics & Informatics, citation: 6
   
   

4. Antimicrobial resistance in Klebsiella pneumoniae – Genomics & Informatics, citation: 6
   
   

In addition to her publication record, Umairah has presented her research at multiple prestigious international conferences, showcasing her work on global platforms:

• 2nd Global Congress on Bacteriology and Infectious Disease, Bangkok, Thailand (2019)
  
  

• 4th International Conference on Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease (2019)
  
  

• 20th International Conference on Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, Dubai, UAE (2020)
  
  

• 1st MSU International Conference on Interprofessional Education and Reproductive Health and Infectious Disease (2019)
  
  

Umairah’s commitment to excellence and her focus on computational drug target discovery against resistant pathogens underscore her potential as a future leader in infectious disease research and biomedical innovation.

Student: Yuvapriya A/P Thevarajan

Nationality: Malaysian

Program: Master of Science Student 

Her research focuses on using computational approaches to identify novel drug targets and phytochemicals that could combat antibiotic-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis. This work is particularly relevant in the context of rising concerns about antibiotic resistance in tuberculosis.

Her journey in academia has seen a seamless progression from an undergraduate student to a Master's level researcher. This advancement reflects her growing expertise in the field of biomedicine and her dedication to tackling complex health challenges. Through her research, Yuvapriya aims to contribute valuable insights to the development of alternative treatments for resistant strains of tuberculosis.

Student: NUR EMILY JASMINE CHUA

Nationality: Malaysian

Program: Master of Science Student 

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) remains a multifaceted neurodevelopmental condition with complex genetic and molecular roots. Despite growing research interest, a substantial gap persists in the comprehensive understanding of ASD's molecular mechanisms—particularly in the identification and functional annotation of hub genes that play a central role in disease progression.

This research project aims to bridge that gap through a bioinformatics-centered approach. By systematically analyzing high-throughput genomic and transcriptomic datasets, the study seeks to identify key hub genes—genes that are highly connected and may serve as crucial regulators in ASD. Further functional enrichment analyses, gene ontology mapping, and network biology tools will be employed to understand how these genes contribute to neural development and ASD-associated pathways.

The significance of this study lies in its translational potential. By identifying and characterizing central molecular drivers of ASD, the project aspires to inform the development of diagnostic biomarkers and potential therapeutic targets. Ultimately, this research could contribute to a shift toward precision medicine in ASD care, offering personalized strategies that improve developmental and behavioral outcomes for individuals with ASD.

Student: Pawanthi Kanishka Hettiarachchi

Nationality: Sri Lanka

Program: International Master of Science Student 

The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the urgent need for broad-spectrum antiviral agents that remain effective against emerging variants. This project, undertaken by international Master’s student Pawanthi Kanishka Hettiarachchi, employs a comprehensive in silico approach to discover antiviral leads derived from natural products.

By focusing on conserved elements within the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2, the study aims to overcome the challenge of viral mutation and escape, thus providing more durable therapeutic and preventive strategies. Through high-throughput computational screening, structure-based drug design, and immunoinformatics analysis, the project seeks to identify potent natural compounds and design candidate vaccines that can serve as a foundation for the development of universal coronavirus interventions.

This research is particularly timely and impactful, offering a scalable and sustainable model for rapid antiviral development in response to current and future viral threats. The findings could significantly contribute to global efforts in pandemic preparedness and the design of next-generation therapeutics and vaccines.

I am proud to share the remarkable achievement of my undergraduate research student, Mageshwari Sundaraj, from the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Management and Science University (MSU). Under my supervision, Mageshwari presented her research at the 7th International Conference on Bioscience, Biochemistry and Bioinformatics (ICBBB) 2017, held in Bangkok, Thailand, and was honored with the Best Oral Presenter Award.

Her presentation, titled "Computational Functional Annotation of Pectobacterium Didulcide Strain 630", stood out among submissions from over 12 countries, including China, South Korea, Taiwan, Iran, and the Philippines. Competing primarily against postgraduate students and seasoned researchers, Mageshwari’s achievement is particularly impressive as she was the only undergraduate student selected for oral presentation at the conference.

This accomplishment is not only a reflection of her dedication and hard work, but also a testament to the importance of nurturing undergraduate talent in research. Her success was recognized nationally, as her story was featured in The Star, one of Malaysia’s leading newspapers.

Mageshwari credits the experience of completing her final-year project with building her confidence, enhancing her communication skills, and making her a more independent and open-minded individual. I am confident she has a bright future ahead in the field of bioinformatics and scientific research.