Research grants are available to und research efforts made by universities, individuals and other groups. Research can encompass many subjects, such as literature, environment and medicine. At the IMU Schoolof Pharmacy, the academic staff are involved in many types of research and funding is essential for this. Some of them had been successful in getting funding externally.
One of the School of Pharmacy staff who was successful in this is Dr Lim Wei Meng. Dr Lim had successfully secured the Fundamental Research Grant Scheme grant of RM160,000 for pancreatic cancer research. Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the deadliest cancers with an overall 5-year survival rate of < 5%. Despite modest success with therapy such as gemcitabine, pancreatic cancer incidence remains virtually unchanged in the past 25 years.
Research found that Nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NFκB) is recognised as a key mediator of inflammation and has been frequently observed to be upregulated in PDAC. Several lines of evidence suggest that NFκB pathways play a crucial role in PDAC development, progression and resistance. Along the NFκB pathway, IKKα-mediated signaling is constitutively active in PDAC and is a key regulator of both canonical and non-canonical NFκB signaling. The project entitled ‘Functional roles of IKKα in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC)’ will explore the mechanism and signaling landscape regulated by IKKα, and will allow us to identify critical IKKα protein targets that are responsible for its essential oncogenic role in PDAC cells and provide new avenues for potential routes to clinical intervention.
Other Recipients of External Grants
| Year | Research Grant | Title | Investigators |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | MPOB Research and Development Grant | Development and biological evaluations of novel palm oil-based metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) for drug delivery | Dr Lee Choy Sin (PI) Dr Low May Lee Prof Mallikarjuna Rao Pichika |
| 2020 | MAKNA Grant | Elucidating the functional role of sphingosine kinase 1 (SPHK1) in mediating breast cancer stem cell survival through interferon (IFN)/STAT1 signaling pathway | Hii Ling Wei (PI) |
| 2019 | Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (FRGS) funded by Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) | Regulation of nasopharygeal cancer cells (NPC) survival by p38 mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) | Prof Leong Chee Onn (PI) Dr Mai Chun Wai |
| 2019 | Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (FRGS) funded by Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) | Smart palm oil-based polyurethane-acrylate with pH, light and thermal responsive properties: An isocyanate-free route | Dr Lee Choy Sin (PI) Prof Mallikarjuna Rao Pichika |
| 2019 | Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (FRGS) funded by Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) | Identification of pharmacophoric features for potent and selective inhibition of 5-Lipoxygenase (5-LO): Synthesis of novel chemotype hybrids and their molecular mechanisms in atherosclerosis | Dr Vasudeva Rao Avupati (PI) Prof Mallikarjuna Rao Pichika |
| 2019 | MyPAIR-PHC-Hibiscus Grant | Epigenetic regulation of tumor cell-intrinsic immune evasion in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) | Prof Leong Chee Onn (PI) Dr Mai Chun Wai |
| 2019 | Research fund by Thailand Ministry of Education | Antimalarial properties and mechanism of action of fluorinated rhodacyanine analogues | A/Prof Ng Chew Hee (PI) |
| 2019 | Sultan Mizan Antarctic Research Foundation (YPASM) Smart Partnership Initiative | Molecular evaluation of biogeography and functional redundancy theory in antarctic rhizosphere prokaryotic communities | Dr Mai Chun Wai (PI) |
| 2018 | Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (FRGS) funded by Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) | Role of 6-shogaol, an active component of ginger in the Amelioration of Atherosclerosis | Prof Mallikarjuna Rao Pichika (PI) |
| 2018 | Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (FRGS) funded by Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) | Role of superhydrophobic surface to alleviate hemolysis and biofilm formation for blood containing medical devices | Dr Then Yoon Yee (PI) Dr Mai Chun Wai Dr Liew Yun Khoon |
| 2018 | Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (FRGS) funded by Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) | The influence of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (PDA) cells and Pancreatic Stellate Cells (PSC) on Myeloid Derived Suppressor Cells (MDSC) immunosuppressive properties | Dr Ho Ket Li (PI) |
| 2018 | Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (FRGS) funded by Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) | Influence of IsaA gene disruption on Staphylococcal phenotypic characters, genes and protein expression profiles | Dr Liew Yun Khoon (PI) |
| 2018 | Institute of Islamic Understanding Malaysia (IKIM) Research Fund | Hubungan Guru-Murid Dalam Makmal Saind di Universiti dan Sekolah: Pengalaman Jepun dan Malaysia – Beserta Rujukan Selari Terhadap Tradisi Pendidikan Islam | A/Prof Mohd Zulkefeli bin Mat Jusoh (Co-PI) |
| 2018 | Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (FRGS) funded by Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) | Deconvoluting the molecular mechanisms of kinase inhibitor induced cardiotoxicity | Dr Mai Chun Wai (Co-PI) Prof Leong Chee Onn (Co-PI) |
| 2017 | Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (FRGS) funded by Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) | Mechanistic basis of tumor evasion from cytotoxic T cell (CTL) surveillance in pancreatic cancers | Dr Mai Chun Wai (PI) |
| 2017 | Malaysia Toray Science Fund (MTSF) | Novel Peptide-based Protein Arginine Deiminase IV Inhibitors for Suppression of Autoimmune Disease | Dr Teo Chian Ying (PI) |
| 2017 | UM Frontier Research Grant, 2017 | Synthesis and characterization of novel bifunctional linker-bridged dinuclear metal complexes, and evaluation of factors affecting their hybrid properties | A/Prof Ng Chew Hee |
| 2016 | Sultan Mizan Antarctic Research Foundation Research Fellowship | The antifungal effects of bacteria isolated from Antarctic soil | Dr Mai Chun Wai |
| 2016 | Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (FRGS) funded by Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) | Functional roles of sphingosine kinase 1 (SPHK1) in human breast cancer stem cells | Prof Leong Chee Onn (PI) Dr Mai Chun Wai |
| 2016 | MPOB Funded Research Grant | Hyperbranched Polyglycerol-ester-amide as Drug Carrier for Solid Dispersion: Synthesis, Formulation and In-vitro studies | Dr Lee Choy Sin (PI) Prof Mallikarjuna Rao Pichika |
| 2016 | Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (FRGS) funded by Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) | Chemical profiling, dereplication and isolation of new and cytotoxic chemical constituents from Goniothalamus lanceolatus (Ban) Mat-salleh | Dr Mai Chun Wai (Co-PI) |
Research Achievements and Awards
| Year | Awards & Recognition Titles | Recipient |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 2019 IMU achievement award (Individual), Investigator Award | Dr Dinesh Kumar Chellappan |
| 2020 | “IMU Achievement Award” under Development of New Programmes – for the successful development of “Postgraduate Diploma in Diabetes Management & Education” (Group Category) | Dr Pravinkumar Vishwanath Ingle |
| 2019 | Best Reviewer Award by Wiley Science, reviewing for the journal “Pharmaco-epidemiology & Drug Safety” | Dr Syed Imran Ahmed |
| 2019 | Silver Medal, International Invention and Innovation Exhibition (ITEX) 2019, Medical and Health category, “Poly(glycerol esteramide) (HPGEA), A Palm-based Oleochemical Derivative Materials, as Excipient for Poorly Water Soluble Drugs” | Dr Lee Choy Sin Prof Mallikarjuna Rao Pichika |
| 2019 | Rising Star Award 2019 by the Malaysia Association of Cancer Research (MACR) | Dr Mai Chun Wai |
| 2019 | Chartered Scientist by Royal Society of Chemistry (UK) 2019 | Dr Mai Chun Wai |
| 2019 | Asian Young Pharmacists Group (AYPG) Professional Excellence Award 2019 | Dr Mai Chun Wai |
| 2019 | “Education Leadership Award” from the World CSR Day & World Sustainability Congress at the World Education Congress Global Awards 2019 held on 4-5 July 2019 at Mumbai, India | Dr Palanisamy Sivanandy |
| 2019 | 2018 IMU achievement award (Individual), Investigator award | Prof Mallikarjuna Rao Pichika |
| 2019 | 2018 IMU achievement award (Individual) under the Research & Publications award | Dr Dinesh Kumar Chellappan |
| 2018 | Top Research Scientist Malaysia (TRSM) 2018, Academy of Science Malaysia | Prof Leong Chee Onn |
| 2018 | Malaysian Oil Scientists’ and Technologists’ Association (MOSTA) Young Scientist Award 2018 | Dr Lee Choy Sin |
| 2018 | Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (FRSC) | Prof Mallikarjuna Rao Pichika |
| 2018 | Chartered Chemist by the Royal Society of Chemistry (CChem) | Dr Sagineedu Srinivasa Rao |
| 2018 | 2017 IMU achievement award (Group) under the Research & Publications category. | Prof Dr Leong Chee Onn Dr Mai Chun Wai |
| 2018 | 2017 IMU Achievement Award-Research Publication (Individual) | Dr MariKannan Maharajan |
| 2017 | Research in Pharmacology Award by, Venus International Healthcare Awards Ceremony’ held at Le Royal Meridien, Chennai, India | Dr Palanisamy Sivanandy |
| 2017 | Silver Medal, International Invention and Innovation Exhibition (ITEX) 2017, Materials category, “Novel Hyperbranched Organometallic Polymer as Antimicrobial Agent for Coating Applications” | Dr Lee Choy Sin Prof Mallikarjuna Rao Pichika |
| 2016 | IKM & RSC Prize in Polymer Science, Malaysian Institute of Chemistry 2016 | Dr Then Yoon Yee |
