Nerdy Science Blog

BERNAMA:

Malaysia Sees Potential In Tissue Banking

KUALA LUMPUR, May 20 (Bernama) — The development of the science of tissue banking in Malaysia will contribute substantially to the biotechnology sector as it could lower the cost for Malaysian patients in need of such care.

Datuk Iskandar Mizal Mahmood, chief executive officer of Malaysian Biotechnology Corporation (BiotechCorp), said today that for the development of tissue banking, Malaysia needs to industriously complement the efforts of the National Tissue Bank and Nuclear Malaysia in stepping up commercialisation of tissue banking.

The Tissue Engineering and Stem Cell Technology Report 2007 published by Visiongain estimates the market for future tissue engineered products, including regeneration of bone, cartilage and other connective structural treatments, at US$5 billion globally, he said.

“The market value of tissue banking could contribute to the Malaysian economy even though there are no definitive numbers as yet for Asia or the Asia Pacific, but the growth of the business in key markets in India and China is more than positive,” he said.

According to NovaSterilis, a US company which provides sterilisation technology for medical devices and human tissue, indicated that the US tissue bank market was worth US$400 million last year, he said.

“Tissue banking offers exciting possibilities in managing complex bone and cartilage diseases, spinal cord injuries and other serious injuries. It also prolongs life and adds meaningful years of freedom and mobility not only for the elderly but also for our children and youth by crippling diseases,” he told a press conference here on the forthcoming 5th World Congress on Tissue Banking.

Malaysia’s National Tissue Bank is recognised for producing safe, high quality tissue grafts in a wide field of application for burns, orthopaedic, microsurgery, facial, dental and paediatric surgery, according to Iskandar.

The National Tissue Bank’s research & development activities had achieved outstanding international work, with more than 40 research findings in amniotic membranes, bone grafts, trauma and reconstruction.

“Integrated research is also conducted in bio-materials, tissue engineering and stem cells,” he said.

Meanwhile Iskandar said that with the contribution of Nuclear Malaysia and other Malaysian participants, the 5th World Congress on Tissue Banking here on June 3-5 will feature speakers from 20 countries including the US, Cuba, UK, Germany, Belgium, Poland, Russia, India, Korea and Hong Kong.

– BERNAMA

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Kean Jim showed me a letter wrote by Wyn regarding to the future of forensic science undergraduates in Malaysia (Letter was written in Chinese).

As it is a demand for forensic science in Malaysia, Malaysia Royal Police (PDRM) and Malaysia Chemistry Department (JKM) had introduced the course for Bachelor of Forensic Science degree in local university, USM. The course was designed by them to teach them all the knowledges one needed in investigating crime, handling evidences, court knowledges, and also all the related skills. Wyn mentioned that after they graduate, there was no suitable positions in either PDRM or JKM. Wyn was confused why on earth the course was designed by them if it was not to train forensic professionals to aid in crime investigating. Wyn questioned if the course was designed just for the sack of it without thinking if there was any job vacancies for all the gradutes. PDRM explained that if people graduate with the degree, they need to be a police first before they can join their lab. Becoming a police in Malaysia is not an issue, but there is a minimum requirement as a police candidate, which is that one cannot wear spectacles (vision problems). As you know, science kids are nerds and most of us wear specs. JKM also rejected these undergraduates as they thought these people did not have enough chemistry knowledge (and the course was designed by JKM). Wyn also pointed out that one of the government owned TV channel was showing “Crime Scene Investigation” programme, which attracted more people considering taking forensic science degree.

Wyn felt lost as he did not know how would he do in the future. People who chose to take forensic science degree (as well as other degree) were not dumb, instead they were qualified to study medicine. We chose to do science was simply because we were really passionate in it. The same thing does not only happen on forensic science, but also biotechnology degree as government was promoting it heavily in recent years, and the job prospective in Malaysia is really bad (#).

(letter [pic][via])

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I was reading malaysiakini news and came across this.

On Whatever happened to the bio-tech initiative?

Concerned Academic: This initiative has brought much grief to many young people. Let me tell you why. I was a lecturer in several private colleges in early 2000 to the present. There were thousands of students who took Biotechnology and Bio-Medical Sciences after intensive promotion by the government of the day and the private colleges. Well, most of these students now have very poor career prospects.

If you look at the job section of the papers, you can hardly see any jobs for people who took such courses. Most of the course required people with engineering and physical sciences degrees (physics, chemistry, materials science etc).

I think the government has a lot to answer for with their promotion of Biotechnology and nothing to show for it. So those who are thinking of doing bio-related courses, be warned. There are very few jobs for you upon graduation. Your prospects are either in teaching or in sales.

Youzi, one of the Nerdy Science Blog blogger commended that “doing science in Malaysia can be pretty depressing, and passion killing most of the time.”  She also shared her experience working in private lab as another painstaking experience as she was required by the private sectors to create miracles.

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BERNAMA:

KUALA LUMPUR, April 7 (Bernama) — The Malaysian Biosafety Act 2007 to regulate the import, export, handling and use of living modified organisms, will be enforced in the second half of this year, Natural Resource and Environment Minister Datuk Douglas Uggah Embas said Monday.

He said the ministry was consulting the Public Service Department to establish a body which would regulate the implementation of the Act.

He noted that the agency would be acting as a one-stop centre on all matters pertaining to biosafety, from approvals to enforcement and monitoring.

I’m glad that the Biosafety Act will be enforced so that companies and scientists cannot exploit the law for their own benefits.

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BERNAMA 31/3/2008

Minister To Decide On Space Programme

SEREMBAN (Malaysia), March 31 (Bernama) — Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Dr Maximus Ongkili will decide whether the national space programme is continued, the country’s second astronaut Mej Dr Faiz Khaleed said Monday.

Faiz said he would meet Ongkili soon to discuss the minister’s strategy in implementing the space programme.

“Right now we are at an early stage of putting forward suggestions and the final decision will be made by the minister,” he told reporters Monday.

Yes, it’s not too late to stop now.

Faiz said this after his inaugural appearance as the National Service (NS) icon and the opening of the NS’s training session by Deputy Defence Minister Abu Seman Yusop in Mantin near here.

He said the national space programme which was introduced last year was well received as it had a big impact on the country, not only for research but also on changing the mindset of the people, especially the young, on space exploration.

Yes, mindsets of people are changed. Young voters vote for oppositions. Dumb people science is about rocketing to the sky. Many people think that science is a childplay in space.

“The space industry is not only about astronauts but is an industry by itself. That is why we must continue the programme,” Faiz said.

Totally agree with Faiz. It’s about using the taxpayers money to bring fortune to the industry, and don’t forget the space traveller as well.

Faiz also said he hoped to exchange views with the trainees on the NS training in his effort to instil noble values and determination in them.

It’s nothing nobel in space traveller who use taxpayers’ money for his own luxury travelling.

Meanwhile, Abu Seman said as NS icon, Faiz served as a role model and provided motivation for the NS trainees.

“We will formulate programmes for Dr Faiz to meet trainees in selected camps,” he said.

– BERNAMA

That’s just what Faiz want, FAME.

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MOSTI to retain policies under new minister
By : Farrah Naz Karim

PUTRAJAYA, Mon:

The new Science, Technology and Innovation minister has promised that old policies will stay. Datuk Dr Maximus Ongkili said he will be meeting department heads over the next month to keep track of the progress of ongoing programmes and those in the pipeline.

“Only then can we think about new initiatives that need to be carried out to stir the people’s interest in science and technology,” he said at a handing-over-of-duties ceremony at his ministry here, formally taking over from former minister Datuk Seri Dr Jamaluddin Jarjis. Also present was newly-appointed deputy minister Fadillah Yusof.

On the top of Ongkili’s agenda is the need to dispel the notion among some that science and technology was only for the elite and those trained in the fields.

On plans to send Mej. Dr Mohd Faiz Khaleed to the international space station (ISS) in 2011, he said it would go on as planned.

He said the Malaysian Space Programme would also have value-added factors to increase public awareness of advancements in science and technology.
“All programmes under the Ministry would be value-added so that the importance of science and technology will reach rural folk,” he said.

No more Space Programme in Malaysia please. This is one of the reasons for the defeat of ruling coalition in recent election. Please fund more to research labs in stead of sponsoring more people to space travelling. Please increases the salary paid of researchers in Malaysia to attracts more people coming back Malaysia to work and also being more productive.

(news)

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Malaysia Prime Minister had announced the new Cabinet after the recent election.

Science, Technology and Innovation
Minister - Datuk Dr Maximus Ongkili

• Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics - La Trobe University, Australia
• Fellowship and Summer Programmes - United Nations University, Tokyo and Harvard Institute for International Developmen, Boston.

Deputy - Fadillah Yusof

The above people are who Malaysia’s scientists should closely examine for the next four years. They are the key people who take care of the research funding from the Government, the job quality of researchers in Malaysia and also country’s “scientific” projects.

I can’t find any information of Fadilah Yusof, Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) Youth chief. All I know is that he is a Member of Parliamentary for Petra Jaya (suburb of Kuching, Sarawak). He is also president of the Sarawak Bumiputera Amateur Golf Association. Can anyone please provide some details about him, such as his academic background?

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Last year August, Malaysian Government adopted a plan to export macaque monkeys for meat, scientific research purposes, and the safety of cats. Although many people, including me, yelled at the government’s doings, animal lovers were ignored and bloggers were coined ‘monkeys’ by the government.

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia: Malaysia has dropped plans to capture macaque monkeys in urban areas and export them for food and scientific research, after discovering most of the animals are riddled with diseases, a Cabinet minister said Saturday.

Today, Malaysian Government abandoned policy to export the overcrowded macaque monkeys. According to the government, Malaysia macaque monkeys are unhealthy. Environment Minister Azmi Khalid said that diseases like tuberculosis, malaria, hepatitis and HIV/AIDS virus (deserved for raping other animals) were found on 80% of the urban macaques. I guess these diseases made these monkeys have better research value, but why they can’t be exported? Oh, most of the macaques are exported for meat purposes isn’t it? I guess another reason government can’t trade the monkeys because long-tailed macaque are listed as endangered under the Convention on International Trade in Endagered Species of Flora and Fauna (CITES).

After the policy of exporting macaques did not work, it is said that government might take on another policy to kill macaque monkeys.

(news)

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This is another exciting news in Malaysia biotechnology field.

KUANTAN: Pahang will host the world’s largest stem cell manufacturing facility when US-based Bio-Cellular Research Organisation (BCRO) sets up operations in Janda Baik, Bentong, this year.

The deal will be formalised in a memorandum of understanding to be signed between the state government-owned Pahang Technology Resources Sdn Bhd (PTR) and BCRO Stem Cell Xenotransplantation Sdn Bhd tomorrow.

State Science, Innovation, Information and Information Technology Committee chairman Datuk Mohd Sharkar Shamsuddin claimed that the company will manufacture stem cell that is ‘halal‘. This creates another large market in Islamic world.

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The Star:

SUNGAI PETANI: US-based bio-technology company WaferGen Biosystems Inc is setting up a RM10mil research and development centre at Kulim-High Tech Park in Kedah, the company’s first venture outside Silicon Valley.

It has set up a subsidiary, WaferGen Biosystems (M) Sdn Bhd, to handle the operations.

WaferGen develops gene expression, genotyping, cell biology and stem cell research systems for the life science and pharmaceutical industries.

WaferGen chairman and chief executive officer Alnoor Shivji said the R&D centre would be ready by April and would require some 100 researchers and scientists, mainly locals.

Sungai Petani, where my last love from. Malaysian scientists are getting more jobs, but then the wages are not as high as other countries. As my friends said, working as a scientist may got paid higher than other jobs, but the problem is you never have a chance for salary increase.

You can read the press release of WaferGen for this launching of Malaysia centre here.

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