SPOTLIGHT ON RESEARCH
PP 19354/08/2018 (034935)
2021
Finding Myself in Research
Tackling the Challenges of Global Urbanisation
Is Plastic Circular Economy the Solution?
Indian Overseas Migrants in the Colonial Era
Housing Prices and Affordability in Malaysia
The Power of Deep Reinforcement Learning
Treating Rheumatoid Arthritis
2021
HIGHLIGHTS
Tackling the Challenges of Global Urbanisation
Is Plastic Circular Economy the Solution?
Indian Overseas Migrants in the Colonial Era
Housing Prices and Affordability in Malaysia
The Power of Deep Reinforcement Learning
Treating Rheumatoid Arthritis
BEHIND THE RESEARCH
A CLOSER LOOK AT
Levelling Up Research Commercialisation
Finding Myself in Research RESEARCH DIRECTORY
24
SPOTLIGHT ON RESEARCH 1
Editor-in-Chief Prof Peter Heard Editorial Advisor Carol Wong Editor Sarah Loh Contributors Prof Agamutu Pariatamby Prof Crispin Bates Dr Hassanudin Mohd Thas Thaker Assoc Prof Dr Hwang Jung Shan Karen Lau Prof Peter Heard Prof Yau Kok Lim Designer Rachel Goh Address Sunway University No. 5 Jalan Universiti Bandar Sunway 47500 Selangor Darul Ehsan Contact Us T +603 7491 8622 F +603 5635 8630 E sup@sunway.edu.my Cover Image Credit: jamesteohart/Shutterstock.com
Copyright © 2021 by Sunway University Sdn Bhd. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, now known or hereafter invented, without permission in writing from the publisher. All information is correct at the time of publication.
from the
W
elcome to Spotlight on
We round up this volume with
Research Volume 5, the latest
a special feature by Karen Lau on
showcase of Sunway’s diverse,
Sunway Innovation Labs and Sunway
multidisciplinary research. We begin with a highlight on the Future Cities Research Institute, a research centre jointly established with Lancaster
R&D Sdn Bhd, and their roles in championing innovation and research commercialisation in the university. I hope you enjoy reading these
University to tackle the challenges of
articles as much as we enjoy being part
sustainability and urbanisation. We
of the growing success story of Sunway
continue the sustainability theme with
University. Sunway aims to become a
Professor Agamutu Pariatamby’s piece on
globally relevant university through its
plastic waste management using a
research, teaching, and partnerships.
circular economy.
To be globally relevant, it is necessary to
We then travel to the 19th century
collaborate with colleagues from around
with Professor Crispin Bates, exploring
the world, as well as here in Malaysia. If
the origins and contributions of Indian
you are inspired by what you have read,
labourers in the colonial era. This article
and would like to collaborate with us on
is followed by Dr Hassanudin Mohd Thas
these or any of the many other exciting
Thaker’s research on housing affordability
projects we are working on, please do
in Malaysia and Professor Yau Kok
contact us; we’d love to hear from you!
Lim’s application of next-generation AI technologies in today’s world. This volume also includes Dr Hwang Jung Shan’s study on rheumatoid arthritis
publishing services by
and an overview of available treatments. In Behind the Research, she shares with
Professor Peter Heard
us her life story and how she came to love
Provost
science and research.
2 HIGHLIGHTS
Tackling the M Challenges of Global Urbanisation
ost cities are growing rapidly and by 2050, two-thirds of the world’s population—about
6.5 billion people—are expected to live in urban centres. This rapid growth is particularly acute in developing countries in Africa and Asia.
Credit: Panimoni/Shutterstock.com
Two universities, one goal
For many, a move to the city brings
greater opportunities for employment and access to better services, healthcare, and
SPOTLIGHT ON RESEARCH 3
education, helping to fuel growth. This
new, joint research institute aimed
we can ensure that the “new normal” is
growth, however, also brings significant
at exploring solutions to the global
a more sustainable one.
challenges, such as pressure on natural
challenges of increasing urbanisation:
resources, waste and pollution, sanitation,
the Future Cities Research
we can make better use of the limited
energy, and social stability.
Institute (FCRI).
natural resources available to us, and
Sunway University has been working
The FCRI is based in Sunway City,
In Sustainable Cities, we look at how
how to minimise our environmental
with Lancaster University, UK for almost
but brings together multidisciplinary
impact. One particular issue we are
15 years, offering high-quality dual
teams of researchers from Sunway and
focusing on is plastic waste.
Sunway-Lancaster degrees and master’s
Lancaster, as well as other collaborators
programmes. In 2019, we launched a
from around the world. Our objectives
source of plastic waste and is also
are to study the impact of urbanisation
one of the regions most affected by it.
and to work with governments, industry,
We are analysing the problem from a
and the voluntary sectors to explore the
variety of angles, from the economics of
complex problems of rapid urbanisation
plastics, through their use, to disposal
and to develop effective solutions.
and clean-up. One group is looking at
South East Asia is a significant
We are currently focusing on two
our changing views towards the use of
main themes of research: Digital Cities
plastics and seeking ways to harness
and Sustainable Cities. There are plans
growing concerns to influence behaviour,
to establish a third theme, Liveable
from governments to individuals.
Cities, later on. In Digital Cities, we look at how
The Liveable Cities theme will focus on crucial human-centric issues, such as
cities and the individuals in them
robust and complete neighbourhoods,
are connected digitally, and how this
accessibility and sustainable mobility,
connectivity can improve lives, make
a diverse and resilient local economy,
cities more efficient, and reduce
vibrant public spaces, and affordability.
pressure on services.
These criteria are used in the ranking
As I write, Malaysia, like much of
of cities across the world, and one of
the world, is on lockdown to help reduce
our key aims is to help Sunway City and
the spread of COVID-19. Like many
Lancaster to be ranked among the top
people, I am working with colleagues,
liveable cities in the world
teaching students and helping to
Together, Sunway and Lancaster
manage the university, all from the
universities are investing more than
comfort of my armchair.
RM 25 million over the next five years
If we had been faced with this
in the FCRI, including joint appointments,
situation 20 years ago, before the age
research studentships, and money to
when the vast majority of households
pump-prime novel avenues of research.
had access to reliable high-speed wi-fi
We envisage that the FCRI will make
and smartphones, I doubt very much if
a major, positive impact on lives around
any of what we are now doing would
the world.
have been possible. There are many uncertainties with the COVID-19 crisis, but one thing is certain—the world will emerge from it in a different place. Researchers in FCRI
Professor Peter Heard
are already contemplating how our lives
Provost, Sunway University
may change, with a clear focus on how
pheard@sunway.edu.my
4 HIGHLIGHTS
T
he management of plastic waste
waste, end up in oceans as marine litter
virgin plastic (i.e., new plastic) and even
is a big concern. Out of the 6,300
every year. Plastic, including microplastics
the demand for petroleum, which is
million tonnes of plastic waste
(plastics less than 5 mm in size),
used in plastic manufacturing.
generated between 1950 and 2015,
constitutes 60%–80% of marine litter and
only 9% was recycled globally. The global
poses grave threats to marine life.
annual generation of plastic is currently
Marine fauna is known to ingest
Plastic circular economy could be implemented through extended producer responsibility (EPR), a policy approach
around 400 million tonnes, and 86% of
microplastics which could block
where manufacturers and importers
this will eventually become waste.
digestive tracts, eventually leading sea
of plastic products are responsible for
creatures to starve and die. Recent
their products’ end-of-life management.
In developing countries, plastic waste is mainly disposed of, along with other
studies show that humans may also be
constituents of municipal solid waste
ingesting microplastics through
manufacturers and importers in
(MSW) such as food waste, paper waste,
seafood consumption.
managing their waste effectively,
and glass, in some form of landfill (88% of waste ends up in landfill).
Plastic circular economy could play a
By putting the onus on
EPR ensures that the price of plastic
significant role in managing plastic waste
products incorporates the cost of their
sustainably. It promotes and maximises
safe disposal. EPR can consequently
hand, segregate MSW and adopt energy
the resource circulation of plastic waste,
reduce plastic waste disposal,
recovery and recycling of plastic waste. In
whereby the waste becomes valuable
encourage conservation of resources,
2018, for example, the European Union
through reuse and recycling.
increase plastic recycling rates, and
Developed countries, on the other
recycled 32.5% of plastic waste while 42.6% was utilised for energy recovery. Yet, 5–13 million tonnes of plastic, approximately 1.5%–4% of global plastic
Plastic waste can be used to
promote eco-designed plastic products.
substitute raw materials. Reusing plastic
Another way to implement plastic
or using recycled plastic is energy saving
circular economy is through a refund
too as it could reduce the generation of
system. This involves charging
SPOTLIGHT ON RESEARCH 5
consumers an extra amount for the
composition of mixed polymers pose a
when obtaining virgin raw material
purchase of a plastic product (e.g., water
challenge to plastic recycling.
(i.e., petroleum) is much cheaper.
Plastic waste could be contaminated
Governments could provide subsidies
price, and then refunding them that extra
when it is disposed of along with MSW.
to manufacturers or importers of plastic
amount when they return the product.
In some cases, plastic waste such as
products to alleviate the cost of labour
Sometimes, consumers are rewarded
juice bottles or syrup bottles is already
in plastic recycling.
with discount coupons or points after
contaminated with leftovers.
returning the product. In Japan, for instance, the
Plastic products made of mixed or
Further research is needed to improve plastic recycling rates and
heterogeneous polymers create mixed
maximise the potential of recycling.
refund and reward system has been
polymer waste instead. Reprocessing
Researchers could look into inventing
implemented since 2006. Using smart
mixed polymer waste poses its own
new recycling techniques, solving the
card technology, individuals who return
challenges and not knowing the pro rata
issue of plastic composition, creating
recyclable plastic products to a recycling
composition of mixed polymers makes
automated waste-sorting machines,
centre via a vending machine are
recycling harder.
etc. In the meantime, plastic circular
rewarded with points or coupons that
We must overcome these challenges
are redeemable for goods in
to implement plastic circular economy
participating supermarkets.
more successfully. To reduce the
We can also recycle the collected
economy provides a sustainable solution to current waste management problems.
contamination of plastic, for example, we
plastic materials through EPR or the
could adopt a stricter policy on
Professor Agamutu Pariatamby
refund system. However, issues such
waste segregation.
Jeffrey Sachs Center on Sustainable
as plastic waste contamination, mixed
In addition, plastic recycling is not
polymer waste, and unknown pro rata
always economically feasible, particularly
Examining the resource circulation system and its role in plastic waste management
Development agamutup@sunway.edu.my
Credit: studiostoks/Shutterstock.com
bottle, container) on top of its original
6 HIGHLIGHTS
Indian Overseas Migrants in the Colonial Era Exploring the origins and contributions of 19th-century Indian labourers
larger sample of migrants from later years is in process). For this period, it is possible to see who every migrant was, where they came from, and their destination. With a few exceptions, the migrants all left the areas of North India most heavily affected by the Indian army mutiny and uprising
I
ndians migrated overseas in large
sirdars, and maistries, who advanced
of 1857—a major conflict that led to
numbers from the 1830s onwards
wages to pay the workers’ passage and
many deaths and widespread famine in
following the abolition of slavery in
lent money to workers (at high rates of
subsequent years. Recruiting depots were based in
the British empire in 1834 and in the
interest). Workers were assembled in
French empire a decade later. They first
gangs by the intermediaries, who were
Chhapra and Arrah, large districts at
left home to work in sugar plantations
commonly returnee migrant workers
the heart of the uprising, and their
in the British colonies in the Caribbean
or overseers.
destinations, at this time, were Trinidad,
and southern Indian Ocean, as well as in
These workers were followed by
Guyana, Mauritius, and South Africa
South Africa and Fiji, and in the French
millions more unattached migrants,
(migration to Malaysia only took off in the
colonies of Reunion, Guadeloupe,
described as “passenger Indians”,
1880s and was then mostly from
and Martinique.
who used money they had saved or
the South of India).
Indian labourers (referred to as
borrowed to seek employment abroad
The most important information
“coolies”, a title that later assumed a
in trade and industry or as clerks and
revealed is the migrants’ identities.
derogatory meaning) worked in even
teachers. Chettiar moneylenders from
When overseas migration first began, the
larger numbers in the paddy fields and
Tamil Nadu came in their wake and
Government of India was told that only
coffee, tea, and rubber plantations of
funded a great deal of agricultural and
unskilled, impoverished, and illiterate
Sri Lanka, Myanmar, and Malaysia. They
urban development. According to some
labourers would be recruited, and mostly
also served as construction workers,
estimates, a total of six million people
only Dalits (“untouchables”) and Adivasis
much as they do in the Middle East in
had left Indian shores by 1938. A great
(tribals)—a belief widely held to this day.
the present day, and built roads
many more travelled abroad and then
and railways.
returned again to India.
They had limited knowledge of their
Most of the migrants came from
Our analysis of ships’ registers, however, tells us something quite different. We grouped the labourers by
destinations and their journeys required
agriculturally unstable, flood-prone, or
social status, labelling them Brahmins
great courage. They were attracted by
drought-affected areas in Bengal and
and Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and artisan
the possibility of saving money and
the Indo-Gangetic Plain in the North of
castes, “Middling Castes”, Muslims,
returning home or acquiring land in a
India (and modern Bangladesh), or from
Dalits and other backward castes,
colony. Sometimes they hoped to escape
similarly vulnerable territories in the
Adivasis, and others.
caste, gender, or religious persecution.
South, especially Tamil Nadu.
Many were in flight from poverty, famine,
Their precise origins can be deduced
It is immediately apparent that an almost identical cross-section of society
by examining the Emigration Passes and
is seen on the ships as within North India
Ships Lists preserved in the archives
itself. Only 30% of the migrants on the
to 2 million Indians were contracted as
of destination countries. Working with
ships were Dalits and other backward
indentured workers, bound to work for a
colleagues involved in the UK Arts and
castes—roughly equivalent to the
single employer for three to five years,
Humanities Research Council-funded
proportion within the general population
which some denounced as slavery.
Becoming Coolies project, I collated the
at the time. Any variations are very small.
Legally, they were not slaves, but their
registers for a significant proportion of
choices were certainly limited.
the ships carrying indentured labour
Kshatriyas, among the migrants will
and war. Between 1838 and 1907, about 1.5
The high castes, Brahmins and
to the sugar colonies that left Kolkata
certainly have included former Indian army
recruitment included the use of Indian
between 1858 and 1869, covering a
mutineers, given the time period and the
intermediaries, such as kanganies,
total of 4,639 migrants (analysis of a
places where they originated. It is thus
Other contemporaneous forms of
SPOTLIGHT ON RESEARCH 7
6% 5%
7%
11% 11%
30%
6%
12%
26%
18%
Brahmin & Kshatriya Vaishya & Artisan
7%
Middling Castes
18%
Muslim
24%
19%
Dalit & Backward Adivasi
Social status of population in Bengal and North-Western Provinces (1881 census)
Others
clear that the migrant population was
involved in a remarkable variety of
included the Chinese, who migrated in
highly diverse.
enterprises post-indenture, with more
equally large numbers. These migrants
than a third choosing to settle rather than
were courageous and enterprising, having
little effective control over recruitment.
Labour shortages gave employers
return home. Their skilled work involved
made at least as great a contribution to
The whole process was far more under
the construction of infrastructure such
the development of the modern world as
the control of the Indian migrants
as docks, roads, railways, and buildings,
European migrants in the same period.
themselves who worked to support each
many of which we still rely upon to
other and to secure employment for their
this day.
kith and kin. Further exploration in the archives
Through research, I hope to discard
Professor Crispin Bates
colonial stereotypes and biases, and
Centre for South Asian and Indian
revealed many Indian migrants to have
help engender a greater pride in the long
Ocean Studies
been highly skilled, and that they were
history of Asian migration, which also
crispinb@sunway.edu.my
East Indian Immigrants, Guyana, 1870–1900 © National Archives, London
Social status of 4,639 indentured migrants from Calcutta port to Trinidad, Guyana, Mauritius, and South Africa (1857–1869)
8 HIGHLIGHTS
Credit: wan wei/Shutterstock.com
Housing Prices and Affordability in Malaysia
H
ousing affordability has become a main concern in major cities especially those in developing
countries. While the yardstick of affordability varies by country, housing
A look into the supply-side drivers of housing prices
Data from the Ministry of Finance, Malaysia showed that from 1981 to 2019, the growth of house price index is proportional to the growth of personal disposable income of the
affordability is defined as the ability to
average Malaysian. However, personal
own a residential property or house that
disposable income grew slower than
fulfils basic living needs in terms of cost,
anticipated compared to house price
quality, and location. According to the Central Bank of Malaysia, a house is considered affordable if its cost does not exceed
a 2019 report by Khazanah Research
index. This slower growth is further
Institute asserted that houses in the
exacerbated by the substantial
country are “seriously unaffordable”.
increase in inflation rate.
Furthermore, many households
The continual increase of housing
30% of an individual’s gross income. The
reportedly have debt levels of over
prices have dampened the housing
price-to-income ratio should not exceed
85%. Tied to their various financial
sector and have an adverse impact on
3.0, but from 2014 onwards, the range
commitments, most Malaysians are
middle- and low-income earners. The
of the ratio is 4.0–4.4. Unsurprisingly,
unable to own a home.
Department of Statistics, Malaysia
SPOTLIGHT ON RESEARCH 9
5
120
areas, from 20%–30% in 1960 to 75.44%
100
in 2015. This increase has led to a
80
4
60
3
40
2
Inflation Rate (%)
6
growing demand for residential properties, which in turn pushed up housing prices. Middle- and low-income earners are the most affected by increases in housing
2019
2017
2015
2013
2011
2009
2007
2005
2003
2001
1999
1997
1995
1993
these groups in Malaysia, property
1991
0 1989
0 1987
prices. To make houses affordable for
1985
20
1983
1 1981
Log Value of MYR
7
Year
developers could consider using simpler and cheaper construction methods, such as the industrialised building system
Cumulative inflation rate (% year-over-year; not seasonally adjusted)
where materials are prefabricated.
House price index (MYR; not seasonally adjusted)
Developers could also use local materials instead of imported ones.
Personal disposable income (MYR)
On the government level, tax regulations should be reviewed
highlighted that the median monthly
exempted from the government’s sales
continually. The government could
income of middle- and low-income
and service tax.
also incentivise and form partnerships
earners, based on an average household
Housing affordability is also affected
with private developers to build more
size of four persons, are RM 6,275
by the price competition between existing
affordable housing projects, particularly in
and RM 3,000, respectively. The mean
and new housing projects. The demand
desirable locations near the city centre or
monthly income are RM 6,502 and
for existing houses (either for purchase
that are linked to public transportation. In
RM 2,848, respectively.
or rent) is higher compared to newly built
some countries, property crowdfunding—
houses for several reasons. Existing
where interested investors help fund
consistently assures the public that it
houses are usually cheaper and ready for
housing purchases—has proven to be
is trying to fulfil the growing demand for
occupancy, with some built fully furnished.
viable and could work in Malaysia.
affordable homes that cost below
Owners of existing houses are also more
RM 300,000. However, findings have
flexible in terms of house prices with
a key economic sector of Malaysia. As
shown this demand to be 48% whereas
potential buyers. All these have put a lot
the population grows, it is imperative for
the supply only 28%. The disparity is a
of pressure on developers, especially the
the country to have enough affordable
result of many affordable housing projects
small-scale ones.
houses. To be a developed country,
The Malaysian government
being abandoned by private developers.
Location plays a major role in
The housing market has always been
Malaysia needs to consistently record
determining housing prices. If the location
positive economic growth especially
housing prices and affordability in
has facilities such as a university, a
in the property sector. To achieve this,
Malaysia, many studies are skewed
theme park, or retail outlets, housing
a special blueprint or mechanism by
towards the demand-side and
prices tend to be significantly higher in
the government (and supported by the
macroeconomic factors rather than the
line with the socio-economic status of
private sector) is needed to provide equal
supply-side drivers. My study focused on
interested buyers. If the location is far
opportunity of affordable housing
the supply-side drivers as I conducted
from town, prices may be cheaper but the
for everyone.
extensive interviews with several property
area’s underdevelopment may not be as
developers in Malaysia.
appealing to buyers.
In analysing the main drivers of
I found that the increase in material
Moreover, rapid urbanisation has
and labour costs contribute to increasing
resulted in demographic migration and
Dr Hassanudin Mohd Thas Thaker
housing prices. Construction materials
expansion. The World Bank reported a
Sunway University Business School
and property transactions are not
steady rise in Malaysians living in urban
hassanudint@sunway.edu.my
10 HIGHLIGHTS
G
oogle’s DeepMind AlphaGo defeated Lee Sedol, one of the best players at strategy board
game Go in 2016, and a host of other Go world champions over the years. Since then, deep reinforcement learning (DRL)—a new AI approach that enabled AlphaGo—has brought new and refreshed enthusiasm to the world of
Maximising the potential of next-generation technologies with a better-than-human AI approach
In terms of communication systems, we are moving towards 5G wireless mobile networks and cognitive radios. Wireless applications are growing, particularly multimedia-based ones and internet services for mobile gadgets and devices. There is increasing need for more wireless bandwidth and the radio
Capitalising on the advantages of
spectrum that offers it. This increase
research in creating smarter environments
DRL, my research is geared towards the
has led to spectrum scarcity, which in
to build sustainable cities and improve
use of reinforcement learning and DRL
Malaysia, is further complicated as
society’s well-being.
in enhancing smart transportation and
radio spectrum is shared with
AI. This enthusiasm has spurred much
communication systems, which are fast-
neighbouring countries such as
industry have been racing to apply DRL
paced, dynamic, heterogeneous, complex,
Indonesia and Singapore.
in various ways, including self-driving
and data-intensive in nature.
Researchers in both academia and
cars and industry automation. They aim
Traffic congestion, for example, is
Applying reinforcement learning and DRL, I aim to enable mobile gadgets and
to make traditional systems smart and
inevitable in most urban areas. In
devices to learn knowledge and adopt the
the smart ones even smarter, perhaps
Malaysia, unpredictable weather
best possible actions for various
achieving a better-than-human intelligence
compounds the issue as heavy rain and
network operations.
as demonstrated by AlphaGo.
wet roads will slow traffic, especially during
Both approaches provide intelligence
rush hour or at night. Congestion at a
and autonomy to support core operations,
which uses layers of artificial neurons
single intersection has domino and single-
from accessing underutilised radio
that mimic the brain structure, with
point-of-failure effects that could disrupt
spectrum to routing and enhancing
reinforcement learning. The latter enables
the traffic at neighbouring roads.
security. For example, a wireless
DRL integrates deep learning,
a learning agent to explore and exploit the
I was interested in the intersections
host searches for a multi-hop route
best possible actions autonomously in a
where traffic bottlenecks are known to
to its destination node in a dynamic
dynamic operating environment (or state).
occur despite being monitored by traffic
environment in which network conditions,
lights. Using DRL, I enabled traffic light
such as licensed and unlicensed network
highest possible rewards (i.e., make the
controllers at different intersections to
traffic, change over time.
best decisions) in enhancing system
collaborate and exchange knowledge
performance over time. The agent learns
in selecting their traffic phases and
journals and conference proceedings, and
knowledge, which comprises appropriate
split phasing. This would allow a green
even resulted in a patent. Looking ahead,
actions under different states, on the fly
wave and mitigate cross blocking and
I hope my research can improve next-
and unsupervised.
vehicle idling.
generation technologies for smarter and
The agent would achieve the
Compared to reinforcement learning,
I applied this novel approach to the
My findings have been published in
more sustainable development.
DRL uses a deep neural network to
traffic lights in Sunway City, considering
represent complex sets of states. DRL
the irregular traffic caused by heavy
has been shown to achieve breakthrough
rainfall. The results showed reduced
performance with lower computational
queue length and waiting time of vehicles
Professor Yau Kok Lim
cost, reduced learning time, and more
and fewer number of vehicles crossing
School of Engineering and Technology
efficient knowledge storage.
an intersection.
koklimy@sunway.edu.my
SPOTLIGHT ON RESEARCH 11
dit: Cre
Ryz
com
k. toc ters hut
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12 HIGHLIGHTS
Treating Rheumatoid Arthritis Translating bedside observation to bench research
R
heumatoid arthritis is a chronic autoimmune disease that affects the joints in the body.
Some common symptoms include stiffness, swelling, and pain in the joints, particularly of the fingers, knees, ankles, wrists, elbows, hips, and shoulders. As the disease progresses, patients can experience fatigue, mild fever, loss of appetite, dry eyes and mouth, and the growth of nodules near the affected joints. If the patient remains untreated, the joints will become irreversibly deformed and damaged. Nearly all patients with rheumatoid arthritis experience certain difficulties in their daily life; some are not able to perform everyday tasks as simple as opening a jar lid, sitting on a toilet seat, shampooing their hair, etc. As such, they could become emotionally depressed and have low self-confidence. Rheumatoid arthritis is often confused with osteoarthritis, which is a
Credit: Lightspring/Shutterstock.com
SPOTLIGHT ON RESEARCH 13
joint inflammation caused by cartilage
in rheumatoid arthritis. These agents
there is currently no cure for rheumatoid
degeneration. This is unsurprising as
can effectively block TNF-α and hence
arthritis as symptoms can return when
both illnesses show common symptoms
suppress the inflammation in a
treatment stops.
of painful and swollen joints leading to
short time.
mobility impairment.
Biologic agents did not overtake
Researchers believe that they have not found a cure for rheumatoid
Osteoarthritis, however, typically
MTX as the primary treatment for
arthritis because no one has determined
happens in old age whereas rheumatoid
rheumatoid arthritis as they were
its actual cause. What activates the
arthritis can occur at any age. Young
costlier and produced comparable
immune system to attack the joints?
people feeling pain in the joints would
clinical significance after six months
There are growing speculations about
not think of rheumatoid arthritis and
of treatment. If MTX alone does not
rheumatoid arthritis being associated
would often attribute the pain to
work well for a patient, however,
with bacteria or viruses, but researchers
other factors such as aggressive
rheumatologists would combine the
are unsure which bacteria or viruses
sport activities.
treatment with a biologic agent to see
trigger the immune system, and how
if it works better.
they do it.
For years I have been fascinated with the fact that rheumatoid arthritis
Although MTX remains as the
I am particularly interested in
is triggered when our immune system
first-line drug for rheumatoid arthritis,
the relationship between rheumatoid
mistakenly sends immune cells
only two-thirds of rheumatoid arthritis
arthritis and Aggregatibacter
(mainly represented by T-cells, B-cells,
patients react favourably to MTX while
actinomycetemcomitans, a periodontal
neutrophils, and macrophages) to the
the other one-third fails to go into
pathogen (a bacterium associated with
joints. These immune cells produce a
remission. This has always puzzled me
gum disease) that colonises tooth
large quantity of inflammatory
and I decided to find the answer from
surfaces as part of the dental biofilm
mediators that further recruit more
rheumatoid arthritis patients
that is known to be implicated in the
immune cells to the joints, causing
in Malaysia.
destruction of the surrounding soft
aggressive inflammation. In collaboration with Sunway
Interestingly, our preliminary study
tissue. My team is currently investigating
with 700 patients (of Malay, Chinese,
this relationship by detecting the
Medical Centre, Hospital Tuanku Ja’afar
and Indian ethnicity) indicates that
presence of a toxin (leukotoxin) released
Seremban, and Hospital Selayang, I
more than half of the patients do not
from A. actinomycetemcomitans in
learnt from the rheumatologists that
respond to MTX treatment. This
rheumatoid arthritis patients.
the most widely used medication for
number is much higher than those
rheumatoid arthritis worldwide, including
previously recorded with patients from
periodontal pathogens, such as
Malaysia, is methotrexate (MTX).
Caucasian populations.
Porphyromonas gingivalis, having a role
Some studies also suggest other
Previously used as an anti-cancer
Our further study on the genes
therapy for leukaemia, MTX became the
involved in MTX metabolism suggests
arthritis and periodontitis. Researchers
standard of care in treating rheumatoid
that the different ethnic groups
have been looking for the cause of
arthritis in the early 1990s and
in Malaysia may have different
rheumatoid arthritis for decades and
replaced glucocorticoids, which had
susceptibility to MTX due to variations
studying periodontal pathogens may
brought adverse effects to rheumatoid
in their MTX metabolic genes.
bring us closer to the answer.
arthritis patients. In the late 1990s, biologic agents
in the interplay between rheumatoid
Current treatments aim to reduce inflammation to the lowest possible
such as infliximab and tocilizumab were
level and induce a complete remission.
introduced as a target therapy against
Many rheumatoid arthritis patients,
Associate Professor Dr Hwang Jung Shan
tumour necrosis factor α (TNF-α), one
however, struggle to stay in remission if
School of Medical and Life Sciences
of the active inflammatory mediators
they stop the treatment. In other words,
hwangjs@sunway.edu.my
14 14 BEHIND BEHINDTHE THERESEARCH RESEARCH
My research odyssey and the people I met along the way
M
y father was a businessman. He set up
had the privilege of sitting in the starship’s bridge
a shop selling and distributing imported
alongside captain Jean-Luc Picard.
spare parts for cars. My mother worked
I cannot say for sure if Star Trek inspired
with him and together, the shop became a family
my love for science, but I was fascinated by the
business. I believe my father wanted me to be
technology in the series. Perhaps it did plant the
like him and to assist in running the business,
seed of curiosity in me, though I believe that my
though at that time, I never gave much thought to
devotion to biology was also influenced by the
my future plans.
many people who have walked in and out of my
I spent my childhood reading books, attending ballet classes, and playing basketball.
life over the years. When I left Malaysia to study abroad, I
Most of the time, it was a typical childhood.
thought I would return home immediately. I was
As a teenager, I became a huge fan of Star
only 17 and leaving home for the first time. The
Trek. I had dreams of being onboard the USS
homesickness I felt was stressful, painful even,
Enterprise as a crew member, travelling through
and I cried frequently (not to mention excessively).
space and collecting specimens from different
I certainly did not imagine that I would instead
planets. Unfortunately, in those dreams, I never
spend the next 21 years of my life abroad.
SPOTLIGHT ON RESEARCH 15
16 BEHIND THE RESEARCH
After completing year 12 in Australia, I pursued a science degree at University of Melbourne. I kept myself busy with examinations, assignments, and making new friends. I still missed home, but I was adapting well to my new environment. In my honours year, I joined the laboratory of Professor Jim Pittard at the university’s Department of Microbiology and Immunology. Jim was one of my thirdyear lecturers and I had always admired him for his deep knowledge in the field and his incredible passion for research. His laboratory was relatively well funded too. At that time, Jim was working on the fundamental process by which E. coli regulates the aromatic biosynthesis at transcriptional level. E. coli is the model organism that has resulted in many important findings in molecular biology and cell physiology. I was happy working on E. coli and I continued my doctorate in the same laboratory. It was my experience in this laboratory that set me on my career path. I had always lacked self-confidence and it was the same when I pursued my PhD. Jim, however, showed his trust in my ability as a researcher. With his guidance and through my own belief that hard work and perseverance would pay off, I grew to be more assertive and confident in my work. I felt like I had found my calling in research. After completing my PhD, I travelled to Japan for a postdoctoral training. With the support of Professor Akira Ishihama at the National Institute of Genetics, I received a Postdoctoral Fellowship from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) to work on a project about the recombinant RNA polymerase of influenza virus for two years.
Left With my supervisor Jim at a conference Below My poster presentation at a conference in University of Sydney
SPOTLIGHT ON RESEARCH 17
Japan presented a completely new lifestyle. I was amazed at how wellequipped and well-funded their laboratories were and impressed by how hardworking the Japanese are. I soon adapted to the Japanese work culture. I later joined Professor Takashi Gojobori’s research team at the National Institute of Genetics and I worked with him for the next 10 years. At this point, I moved from studying the influenza virus to invertebrates. I looked at the evolution of cell lineage in invertebrates using planaria at first and then later with Hydra, an animal model for studying tissue regeneration. Through my work on Hydra, I encountered many passionate and generous researchers outside of Japan. One such example is Professor Charles David at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Germany. Charlie is one of the founding fathers of Hydra research and has nearly 50 years of experience in many Collecting sea urchin, or uni in Japanese, at the intertidal region of the rocky shorelines in Ashiyasu, Japan
aspects of Hydra biology, especially stem cell differentiation.
Celebrating our year of hard work in Prof Gojobori's (second from right) laboratory with a year-end party, or bōnenkai in Japanese (I am in the middle, fifth from right)
18 BEHIND THE RESEARCH
research topic. This diversity made it
were both interested in the specialised
fall of 2006. I was in Sorrento, Italy
I visited Charlie in Munich in the
hard to have fruitful discussions on
cells (or nematocytes) of Hydra. We
for a conference and I travelled over
my own research with anyone. It was
collaborated and subsequently published
1,100 km to Munich because I wanted
demotivating as I could not ask for help
a number of papers on nematocytes.
Charlie’s help in interpreting a big set of
when my experiments did not work. We
microarray gene expression data that I
were all working in silos and I did not
was a fascinating and rewarding period
had. Our work earned us a publication in
feel productive at all.
for me. It was also a time of personal
the Proceedings of the National Academy
So, as I listened to Charlie, I was
of Sciences of the United States of
beginning to see my circumstances in
America in the following year.
a new light. Charlie had experienced
During one of our dinners, I had a
Working with Charlie and then Suat
growth as I found my own feet in the field. I finally moved back to Malaysia
his fair share of challenges and he had
in 2010. My father’s business still
long talk with Charlie. He told me about
emerged from them successfully. Hearing
stands, but my younger siblings are now
his family, his journey in becoming
his story made me realise that courage
running it. I have ventured into academia
a professor, and his excitement for
is needed to overcome frustration and
though I am still very much attached to
research. Looking back, the talk was
fear, and that I could turn those into
laboratory work.
timely because I was beginning to have
passion and commitment in my research.
doubts about my path. I did not show it
Passion and commitment are powerful
reasons and I often describe it as a
then, but I had started to feel lost and
enough motivating factors to move me
process that is exciting, rewarding, and
emotionally exhausted.
forward and beyond my limitations.
full of surprises. I suppose the phrase
In the laboratory in Japan, there
I began to seek out researchers
I love doing research for many
that best describes research comes
were altogether 11 members: five
with interests similar to mine and that
from my old, favourite television series.
postdoctoral researchers and six PhD
was how I met Professor Suat Özbek
To quote Star Trek, research is “To boldly
students, each working on a different
from Heidelberg University, Germany. We
go where no man has gone before.”
Above A beaker containing Hydra Left With Charlie (far left) and Suat's PhD student
SPOTLIGHT ON RESEARCH 19
Dr Hwang Jung Shan is Associate Professor with the School of Medical and Life Sciences at Sunway University.
Credit: jamesteohart/Shutterstock.com
20 HIGHLIGHTS A CLOSER LOOK AT
Innovation requires collaboration
SPOTLIGHT ON RESEARCH 21
U
niversities are traditionally
Being entrepreneurial is now
wants. This is typically managed by a
established to generate and
expected of universities, on top of being
Technology Transfer Office (TTO), which
disseminate new knowledge.
a conventional teaching and research
commercialises university-owned IP
Yet, as the world changes, so does the
institution. There is no clear definition of
through assessing invention disclosures,
purpose of universities.
what it means to be entrepreneurial, but
protecting IP, licensing, creating spin-off
innovation is at its crux.
companies, etc.
Facing challenges such as reduced research funding, increased operation
Innovation is not always about the
costs, new competitors, and the ever-
number of patents filed or the number of
outside-in, where researchers develop
changing expectations of students,
spin-off companies created. Universities
solutions to specific issues presented
universities across the globe are beating
should break away from traditional, single-
by the industry. This is usually managed
the clock to avoid becoming obsolete.
discipline silos and instead bring together
by an Industry Engagement Office
different functions to create a micro-
(IEO), which creates collaborations
ecosystem that drives innovation.
between the university and a corporate
Rapid advances in technology and knowledge-based economies have triggered the need to innovate at scale
There are typically two approaches to
The second approach is the
partner through sponsored research,
and at speed. Universities no longer have
innovation in universities. The first is the
the option not to collaborate. Businesses
inside-out approach where researchers
consultancy, workforce training, etc.
want solutions and universities have the
develop and commercialise ideas and
IEO are separated. Yet, both involve
right expertise to provide them.
solutions that they believe the industry
capitalising internal research capabilities
In many universities, TTO and
22 A CLOSER LOOK AT
to produce value-added research outcome
task especially for ventures of hard
Technology Category at the 30th
(e.g., product, technology, or service),
technologies (i.e., tangible technologies
International Invention, Innovation and
inadvertently sharing the same goal (i.e.,
that function even without human action).
Technology Exhibition (ITEX).
knowledge transfer) and “customers” (i.e., the industry). Synergising and leveraging the
Two months later, they received a start-up grant worth RM 750,000 from
are even greater in finding a competent
the Malaysian government, which is
functions of both offices are important in
investor who understands the product
three to five times higher than a typical
“marketing” university research initiatives
or technology.
start-up grant provided by government-
to the industry. Merging TTO and IEO
In 2018, for instance, we worked
linked agencies. A part of the grant was
provides the university and its corporate
with two Sunway researchers in bringing
channelled back to Sunway for a contract
partners with opportunities of seamless
their invention to the market. They
research to further improve the invention.
collaborative work and smooth
started by participating in our four-month
knowledge transfer.
Super Accelerator programme, which
collaboration, we set up Sunway R&D Sdn
Sunway Innovation Labs, or
To fast-track university-industry
provided budding start-ups with industry
Bhd. Through this subdivision, we support
Sunway iLabs, is such a merger. We
and university support to grow their
researchers in business development,
commercialise IP owned by Sunway
business. They met with mentors, who
contract negotiation, risk assessment,
University (inside-out approach) and bring
helped to build the business model, and
and project management.
back real-world problems to university
with potential investors, who constantly
researchers for them to develop solutions
challenged them about their invention and
ensure they are delivered within budget
(outside-in approach).
financial evaluation.
and on time, ensuring a long-term
A common form of research
Credit: jamesteohart/Shutterstock.com
Building a winning product is challenging enough, but the obstacles
Sunway R&D oversees projects to
It was not an easy journey for the
relationship between the university and
commercialisation is creating spin-off
researchers, but the end result was very
its corporate partner. This fosters trust
companies. Turning research into a
rewarding. In June 2019, they received
in the relationship, especially in data
viable company, however, is a tough
a Gold Medal in the Best Automotive
analytics projects.
SPOTLIGHT ON RESEARCH 23
For young research institutions like Sunway, it is crucial to build and sustain relationships with industry players, to
for students to develop and propose
“When you need to innovate, you need
sustainable solutions for corporations.
to collaborate.” Great teams of people
In 2019, the theme of the challenge
with a collective sense of purpose will
understand the market needs, and to
was software development. A group of
drive sustained innovation. Tesla, for
think of ways to realise innovation outside
students pitched a meeting room system
example, has been releasing its patents
of campus walls.
that is powered by the internet
since 2014 to the general public as it is
of things, or IoT, to a company. However,
impossible to build more electric vehicles
with a company who owned half a billion
the company wanted something
rapidly and on its own to overcome the
of data on health insurance claims. The
completely different.
carbon crisis.
In 2019, for instance, we collaborated
resulting project provided game-changing
The students had to start from
Our mantra at Sunway iLabs is
insights that can improve the private
scratch but in working alongside the
“Inspire, Build, Launch” and we focus
healthcare system in Malaysia while
company, they developed a centralised
on commercialising research, or creating
optimising medical expenses.
zoo management system. This system
innovation, through collaboration rather
is the first and most comprehensive zoo
than competition. Our goal is to foster
management system in the region.
entrepreneurship and stimulate market-
Apart from facilitating universityindustry collaboration, we also have initiatives for aspiring students to hone their innovation skills.
Innovation is a discipline that requires persistence, going through the various
The “Make It Challenge” is our
cycles of finding the right problem to solve
annual flagship hackathon for students
and creating (or co-creating) solutions that
of Sunway and our academic partner,
add value to existing ones. Innovation
Lancaster University. It is a collaborative
is not a romantic notion and eureka
platform that has a different theme each
moments are almost never the norm.
year, in accordance with the 17 United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals,
Marissa Mayer, former Chief Executive Officer of Yahoo! once said,
driven research through universityindustry collaborations.
Karen Lau Sunway Innovation Labs karenkzl@sunway.edu.my
24 RESEARCH DIRECTORY
Aging Health and Well-Being Research Centre Professor Peh Suat Cheng pehsc@sunway.edu.my Asia Pacific Centre for Hospitality Research Professor Marcus Stephenson mstephenson@sunway.edu.my Centre for Accountability and Governance Research Professor Susela Devi K Suppiah suselas@sunway.edu.my Centre for Actuarial and Analytics Research Dr Lee Mok Siang moksiangl@sunway.edu.my
Credit: Gerd Altman/Pixabay
Centre for Higher Education Research Professor Glenda Crosling glendac@sunway.edu.my Centre for Hospitality Innovation and Leadership Anisha Chai anishac@sunway.edu.my Centre for Research-Creation in Digital Media Professor Harold Thwaites haroldt@sunway.edu.my Credit: Couluer/Pixabay
Centre for South Asian and Indian Ocean Studies Professor Crispin Bates crispinb@sunway.edu.my Centre for Virus and Vaccine Research Professor Poh Chit Laa pohcl@sunway.edu.my Graphene and Advanced 2D Materials Research Group Professor Mohammad Khalid khalids@sunway.edu.my Research Centre for Applied Physics and Radiation Technologies Professor David Bradley dbradley@sunway.edu.my
Research Centre for Carbon Dioxide Capture and Utilisation Professor Mohamed Kheireddine Aroua kheireddinea@sunway.edu.my Research Centre for Crystalline Materials Professor Edward RT Tiekink edwardt@sunway.edu.my Research Centre for Human-Machine Collaboration Associate Professor Dr Yap Kian Meng kmyap@sunway.edu.my Research Centre for Nano-Materials and Energy Technology Professor Saidur Rahman saidur@sunway.edu.my
Credit: Rodger Shija/Pixabay
Future Cities Research Institute Professor Peter Heard pheard@sunway.edu.my Jeffrey Cheah Institute on Southeast Asia jci@sunway.edu.my Jeffrey Sachs Center on Sustainable Development jsc@sunway.edu.my Sunway Innovation Labs (iLabs) innovationlabs@sunway.edu.my Sunway R&D Sdn Bhd rnd@sunway.edu.my
Credit: David Schwarzenberg/Pixabay
Credit: Tumisu/Pixabay
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