Academician Emeritus Professor Dr Cheong Soon Keng was appointed 2021 Senior
Fellow of the Academy of Sciences Malaysia in recognition of his leadership
in medical education and research, particularly in haematology and stem cell
transplantation.
The 2021 Senior Fellows and Fellows were elected and appointed at the
Academy of Sciences Malaysia’s 26th Annual General Meeting on 24
April 2021.
According to The Academy of Sciences Malaysia, a Fellow is an individual
with outstanding achievement and contribution in the areas of science,
engineering, technology or social sciences and humanities. Fellows are
elected for life based on their scientific and scholarly achievements and
are regarded as being of exceptional merit and distinction.
The criteria of appointment as Senior Fellows in the Academy of Sciences
Malaysia are as follows:
Outstanding
individual achievements or outstanding leadership in science,
engineering and technology.
Innovative achievements or development of high technology industries or technological industries or technological operations within non-technological industries, or of Government or non-Government organisations (NGOs) dealing with issues relating to science, engineering and technology.
Outstanding contributions in the areas of science, engineering and technology that have benefited the community and mankind.
Outstanding contributions to ASM during their tenure as Fellows by being actively involved in ASM activities and mission.
Outstanding
contributions at international level and outstanding individual
recognition for achievements and contributions internationally in the
fields of science, engineering and technology.
Prof Cheong has been involved in research on stem cells for many decades. In
early 2000, Prof Cheong became interested in Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs)
found in the human bone marrow, MSCs were first isolated and developed in
his laboratory for clinical use for the first time in Malaysia. These MSCs
are now undergoing clinical trials in collaboration with industry partners.
In the 2010s, Prof Cheong’s research group in UTAR was the first to generate
Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPSC) in Malaysia. This technology was first
reported in 2006 and the discoverer, Dr Shinya Yamanaka was conferred the
Nobel Prize in 2012. Prof Cheong’s research group was able to generate
iPSC-cancer cell lines for disease modelling and drug discovery. iPSC-cancer
cell lines successfully generated included the iPSC-myeloid leukaemia,
iPSC-osteosarcoma, iPSC-oral squamous cell carcinoma, and iPSC-colonic
carcinoma. Using virus-free, serum-free techniques, the research group was
also able to establish clinical-grade, GMP-compliant normal iPSC cell lines
from normal skin cells and haemopoietic stem cells. These mother cells can
be used for future differentiation into the intended mature cell type for
regeneration and repair. These generated IPSC clones are now cryopreserved
in liquid nitrogen tank and being trade-marked for distribution purpose from
2020.
Prof Cheong’s career in Malaysia started when he returned from the UK in
1980 and joined Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM). He was the sole
clinical haematologist providing clinical service under UKM to Kuala Lumpur
General Hospital for 17 years until the establishment of Hospital UKM in
1997 where he continued his medical professional practice. He was
responsible for setting up the clinical haematology services in the new UKM
teaching hospital at Bandar Tun Razak, Cheras. He also introduced the first
haematology and oncology day care centre which was established in 1997. The
concept of day care was so successful that this service was subsequently
emulated by other specialties.
He was instrumental in setting up the PPUKM-MAKNA Cancer Centre, which was
established in 1998, a collaboration between UKM and MAKNA which continues
to date. He was Head of the Centre until his retirement from UKM and
continues to support the collaboration as Vice-President of MAKNA.
The first haemopoietic stem cell transplantation for hospital UKM was
carried out in 1999. Prof Cheong pioneered a new approach in stem cell
transplantation using peripheral blood stem cells rather than the bone
marrow, and the non-myeloablative conditioning regimen. This approach has
extended the age limit of the recipients of transplantation from the
standard 45 years as a cut off, benefitting the elderly patients up to 65
years or more. Today, the transplant centre in HUKM continues to conduct
about 20 transplants a year with support from MAKNA. Since its inception,
the centre, which is now known as Cell Therapy Centre, has successfully
conducted more than 300 transplants. After retirement from UKM, Prof Cheong
continues to participate in cell-based clinical trials carried out in this
centre, until today.
Professionally, Prof Cheong has numerous notable accomplishments. In 1994,
he was one of the Founding Council Members of the National Cancer Council
(MAKNA), a not-for-profit charity organisation, setup up to fight cancer and
help cancer patients. He was elected in 1997 as Vice-President of MAKNA and
has been holding this post since then.
He was also responsible for the research arm of MAKNA. More than RM 15
million had been dispersed over 2 decades to support research programmes
undertaken by different research groups nationwide.
In 2001, the MAKNA Cancer Research Award for young scientists below
the age of 40 years was established in collaboration with the Academy of
Sciences of Malaysia. To date, many young scientists (more than 60) has been
funded through this scheme. He also regularly assists in the dispersal of
fund from a bursary programme to needy cancer patients to help them overcome
financial hardship and purchase expensive equipment or non-formulary drugs
needed for cancer treatment.
Prof Cheong retired from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) in 2005 while
holding the post of the Founding Head of the Laboratory Diagnostic Services,
as well as Founding Head of the Clinical Haematology & Haemopoietic Stem
Cell Transplant Services of the UKM Medical Centre. In 2007, he was
conferred Emeritus Professor by UKM.
In 2008, he was elected as President of the College of Pathologists, Academy
of Medicine of Malaysia (CPathAMM). He initiated the International Congress
of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine which is now held biennially. He had also
established the MCPath QAP Sdn Bhd under the College in 2013 to provide
external quality assurance programme (McQAS) for diagnostic pathology
laboratories and support the national drive for laboratory accreditation
under ISO15189, which is still voluntary at this stage.
In 2009, Prof Cheong was invited to be the Founding Dean of UTAR Faculty of
Medicine & Health Sciences, a post he has held until now.
In 2011, he was elected as Fellow of the Academy of Medicine, Singapore
(FAMS), and Founding Fellow of the Faculty of Sciences for clinical
scientists, Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia (FFScRCPA).
In November 2017. Prof Cheong was appointed by the Minister of Health as an
Appointed Member of the Malaysian Medical Council, which is a corporate
entity under the revised Medical Act 1971 and the regulator of the medical
profession. In August 2018, he was further appointed as Chairman of the
Preliminary Investigation Committee 2 which looks into the complaints by the
public against the doctors.
UTAR congratulates Prof Cheong on this significant appointment and wishes
him even greater successes and achievements in the years ahead.
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