UTAR academics and student beam proudly with MTSF awards

Their research achievements have made impacts that will echo for years, and they were well celebrated at the Malaysia Toray Science Foundation (MTSF) 32nd Prize Presentation Ceremony, held on 11 November 2025 at the InterContinental Hotel, Kuala Lumpur.

Science & Technology Award

Centre for Communication Systems and Networks Chairperson Prof Ts Dr Lim Eng Hock from the Lee Kong Chian Faculty of Engineering and Science (LKC FES) was conferred the Science and Technology Award, which recognises deserving Malaysian scientists/researchers for their outstanding achievements, discoveries, and contributions in Science and Technology. He also secured a grant of RM30,000 for his research titled Malaysia-Invented RFID Technologies with Improved Reading Capabilities for On-metal Applications.

As a world-class researcher in radio frequency identification (RFID) technology, he was the first to show that anti-metal tag antennas could also be designed out of low-profile flexible substrates, with the possibility of achieving excellent read performance. This advancement has made such tag antennas foldable and wearable. Through his research, he has also developed many new design techniques to enable anti-metal tags to read beyond 10 meters. This breakthrough is significant as most tags could only be read within the range of less than four metres conventionally. His flexible anti-metal tags have been commercialised through MDT Innovations Sdn Bhd (Malaysia), SAG (Taiwan), and Bohngtech (China) internationally, with over 10 million units shipped since 2017.

He shares this award with his co-winners, LKC FES academics Ir Prof Dr Chee Pei Song, Dr Tan Chun Hui, and Dr Low Jen Hahn. This recognition of his idea and research, which is protected with patents and shared through many research papers, has advanced the field of antenna design and is now being used in real-world applications.

Prof Lim enthused, “The true reward of our research has been seeing a fundamental discovery evolve into a viable technology. We believe that the future of RFID is powerful, flexible and adaptable. We are honoured to be able to attest that scientific curiosity, when pursued with rigor, can lead to both new knowledge and tangible industrial progress.”

Science & Technology Research Grant

Doctor of Philosophy (Engineering) student Mercedes Chan Simh Peh was the proud recipient of the Science and Technology Research Grant, securing a grant of RM20,000 for her research titled Integrating behavioural and neuroendocrine analyses with machine learning to investigate anxiety-related traits in a schizophrenia-like zebrafish model. The project was co-researched with LKC FES academics Dr Mok Siew Ying and Assoc Prof Dr Tang Pek Yee.

Chan’s research investigated anxiety-related traits in a schizophrenia-like MK801 zebrafish model by leveraging the power of machine learning. The use of zebrafish was selected as it has emerged as a valuable model for neuropharmacology research due to its genetic and neurobiological similarities to humans. She expressed, “I am honoured to be able to use my research to contribute to the neuropharmacology field. The data from the research will help uncover novel behavioural–biological associations, improve phenotypic accuracy, and deepen insights into the pathophysiology of schizophrenia, while establishing a reliable framework for quantifying anxiety-related traits, strengthening the zebrafish’s role as a translational model for neuropsychiatric research.”

Science & Technology Education Award

Centre for Foundation Studies (CFS) Kampar academic Mr Ho Wai Yew was awarded the Science & Technology Education Award, and received the winner’s prize of RM6,000 for his research titled PseudoBlood: Realistic Biohazard-free Blood and Anti-sera Analogues for ABO and Rhesus (D) Typing. He shares this achievement with his co-winners, CFS Kampar academics Ms Rachel Tham Jia-Hui and Ms Chan Jer Jing.

His research showcased that the assemblage of blood and anti-sera analogues, aptly designed and named “PseudoBlood”, allows all eight main blood groups to be simulated realistically without the biohazard risks associated with real blood. This is achieved by taking advantage of the salt metastasis reaction and food dyes to simulate blood agglutination realistically. Since they are formulated using non-toxic common laboratory salts and food dyes, they can be assembled easily, are stable at ambient temperature for an extended period, and do not need special disposal methods.

They enthused, “This award is more than a recognition of our effort in ensuring safety without compromising on quality; it also proves that innovative science can, and should be safe. We believe that with PseudoBlood, educators and students can confidently perform experiments in a biohazard-free way.”

Another recipient of the Science & Technology Education Award is CFS Sungai Long academic Ms Lee Cin Dee, who won the runner-up prize of RM4,000 for her research titled GENEXpress: An Interactive App to Master Gene Expression through Transcription and Translation Simulations. She shares this award with her co-winners, CFS Sungai Long academics Ms Harttini Neeni binti Hatta and Ms Yeoh Li-Cheng.

The app enables students to better understand the application of molecular biology concepts by transforming gene expression into an interactive, hands-on experience. In this app, students can convert DNA sequences into mRNA and amino acids, and even attempt reverse challenges to test their understanding.

Lee commented, “This app is designed to be both scientifically accurate and engaging, promoting the development of higher-order cognitive skills. We are happy with the results obtained from the pilot study, which reported that students using this app gained higher exam confidence and found the learning more interesting. This award is a recognition of our hard work to bring e-learning an engaging journey of discovery.”