UTAR NPFASS a first in the University

The inaugural UTAR National Postgraduate Fundamental and Applied Sciences Seminar (NPFASS) 2013 was held at UTAR Perak Campus from 13 to 14 May and saw the active participation of around a hundred postgraduate students from UTAR and also other public and private universities in Malaysia

A joint effort by UTAR Centre for Biodiversity Research, Faculty of Science and the Institute of Postgraduate Studies and Research, the two-day seminar consisted five sessions which covered five science topics namely Chemical Science, Biotechnology, Health Sciences, Molecular Biology and Agricultural Science which not only saw erudite professors being keynote speakers and moderators but also postgraduate students presenting their research findings. The seminar also had participants displaying colourful and informative posters on their research topics.   

Organising Chairman Dr Say Yee How said in his welcome speech that the participants were privileged to have prominent experts as keynote speakers. "I thank the keynote speakers from the bottom of my heart and truly appreciate their enthusiasm in disseminating and sharing their latest observations and discoveries in their respective fields."

Vice President (Student Development and Alumni Relations) Assoc. Prof Dr Teh Chee Seng who was invited to open the seminar echoed his sentiments. "This is a good platform to interact with academics from UTAR and other institutions and we are honoured to have prominent speakers here today such as Prof Dr Taufiq- Yap Yun Hin from Universiti Putra Malaysia, Dr Anthony Ho from Taylor's University, Prof Dr Tengku Sifzizul bin Tengku Muhammad from Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, Prof Dr Choo Kong Bung from UTAR and so on." Dr Teh then applauded Dr Say's effort in successfully organising this seminar for the first time and hoped there will more for the following years. 

Fazilah Abdul Manan from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia expressed her pleasure in attending the seminar. "It is good to be here to pick on the keynote speakers' and other outstanding speakers' brains. I think the number of participants would double should the seminar be widely publicised next year," shared the supervisor who was introduced to NPFASS by a UTAR lecturer.   

Towards the end of the seminar, NPFASS also awarded deserving participants who performed well in the oral presentation and poster presentation at the seminar. List of the winners in random order is as follows:

• Oral Presentation:
  • Fan Sook Ha, UTAR, MOLECULAR SCREENING OF LEPTIN AND LEPTIN RECEPTOR GENE VARIANTS AND THEIR ASSOCIATION WITH OBESITY PHENOTYPES IN THE KAMPAR SUBURBAN POPULATION.
• Jamie Kok Mei-Lin, Taylor's University, ANTIBACTERIA AND ANTIOXIDANT POTENTIAL OF CRUDE Sagassum polycystum IN RELATION TO THEIR CAROTENOIDS AND PHENOLIC CONTENTS.
• Poster Presentation:
  • Tan Kar Soon, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, EFFECT OF LIGHT INTENSITIES AND PHOTOPERIOD ON PROTEOLYTIC ACTIVITIES IN PURPLE NON-SULFUR MARINE BACTERUM Afifella marina.
• Lim Sheng Jye, UTAR, ESTABLISHMENT OF INDUCED PLURIPOTENT STEM CELLS FROM KERATINOCYTES.
• Sivakamy Sunthiram, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, SYNTHESIS OF NOVEL POLYMERIC ANTI TUBERCULOSIS DRUG.

Participants looking at the displayed posters.

Winners of the poster presentation categorty (starting with second from left) - Lim Sheng Jye, Tan Kar Soon and Sivakamy Sunthiram flanked by Chairperson of UTAR Centre for Biodiversity Research Dr Tee Chong Siang (left) and Dr Say (right).

(From left to right) Sivakamy, Fan Sook Ha, Tan, Dean of Faculty of Science Assoc. Prof Dr Lim Tuck Meng, Lim, Jamie Kok Mei Lin and Dr Say posing for a photograph session.