The Division of Biomedical Sciences & BMed Society Newsletter 2021/2022

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

Programme Director, Editor in Chief & President Forewords

06

BMed Society and the committees

STUDENT EXPERIENCE

09 Life as an International Student in Biomedical Sciences

Internship Experience at Pantai Hospital

My Learning Experience as a Biomedical Sciences Undergraduate Student

16

Study Abroad & Exchange Experience in the UK Campus

EVENT

Keto Diet Talk

Discovering Careers in Health Sciences

The 12th Malaysian Symposium of Biomedical Science (12thMYSYMBIOS)

6th Annual Pharm/Biomed Postgraduate Research Symposium

ACHIEVEMENT

FOSE Staff Forum and Award Ceremony 2021

FOSE Award Ceremony 2022

Programme DirectorProgramme Director

It is indeed a great pleasure to be able to welcome you to the Division of Biomedical Sciences, at University of Nottingham Malaysia. For year 2 & 3 students, welcome back! Starting university is one of life’s great adventures. We hope our newsletter will provide you with some insights on our excellent teaching staffs, teaching and research activities, student mobility and student life and learning experiences on campus. The Division of Biomedical Sciences is the sister department to the School of Life Sciences (SoLS) in Nottingham UK. We have strong ties with SoLS and our students have unique opportunity to exchange to the UK campus. We embrace friendly, welcoming and inclusive cultures and we will give you every opportunity to achieve your full potential as an undergraduate, whatever your aspirations for the future.

Biomedical Science is about the study of the human body, its structure and function in health and disease. This is an exciting opportunity to study aspects of Biology in the context of medicine and its applications. We do hope that you will enjoy and be challenged by your degree in Biomedical Sciences. It involves a lot of hard work but I can assure you that this is an exhilarating and fulfilling journey. Our staff at the Malaysia campus bring together extensive expertise and experience from around the world and are eager to welcome you to the school. Please do not hesitate to get in touch if you need any further information.

Please accept my very best wishes for your studies and we should surely meet at some stage of your degree!

Biomedical Sciences (BMS)

Dr Fang Chee Mun

CheeMun.Fang@nottingham.edu.my

Editor-in-Chief EForeword ditor-in-Chief Foreword

Greetings and warm welcome to all new and returning students to our new 2022/2023 academic year and I hope everyone had a wonderful summer break! On behalf of the Division of Biomedical Sciences and BMed Society, I would like to sincerely thank and express my gratitude towards those who have spent their time contributing to this newsletter. This wouldnt have been possible without all ofyou.

In this newsletter, we have included several student experiences, as well as various events and activities that were held mainly online due to the pandemic. It was indeed a journey for me throughout the past 2 years as I have not been able to ‘fully’ experience life as a university student as most classes and clubs and societies events were online. Nonetheless, glad that we will all be coming back to campus this new academic year. I’m so excitedto see everyone, make newfriends andenjoy my last year in uni!

Lastly, thank you, dear reader! I truly hope you will enjoy reading this just as much as how I enjoyed creating it. Happy reading and hope that you’ll look forward to all the physical events (finally after 2years!!)comingyour way this semester. Till next time!

Best wishes, Aina Mohd Ashri Editor in Chief BMedSociety MarketingOfficer 21/22

President's PNote resident's Note

Good day everyone! Welcome to the Division of Biomedical Sciences! I hope that you are excited to start your year. Welcome back to the Year 2 and Year 3 students (good luck with your final year projects, we can do this!)

For me, the last two years in university have been fulfilling. Although the pandemic made most of my classes online, I still got to reside on campus and experience some “normal” university life. As more classes are going to resume physically, I wish that everyone cherishes the time spent with your peers to the fullest.

I would like to specially thank the BMed Soc committee of 21/22 (Teo Siow Yee, Tan Ban Li, Kayshiiney Pillai, Teh Hui Ying and Aina Ashri) for their hard work in organising events for the past academic year despite everything having to be online.

Time flies fast, so I hope that you will enjoy your university life to the best that you can! Hope to see you all on campus soon! Until then, take care.

Best regards,

Katharine Tay Xin Yi

President of BMed Society 21/22

KatharineTayXinYi

TeoSiowYee

TanBanLi

BMed BSociety Med Society

The Biomedical Sciences Society (BMedSoc) has mainly been created to help Biomedical Sciences (BMS)students flourish andparticipatein extracurricular activities with fun events as well as BMS-related activities. Our aim is to help students network more among themselves, the lecturers and UNM at large, thus enriching their university life and experience

Anotherimportantgoalissharingknowledge.Therearesomesimplefactsthatwelearnthat nobody knows. One such interesting fact is that obesity is not only a result of a bad diet or lack of exercise There are chemicals, called obesogens, found in receipts, electronic cases, cleaners, magazine covers, hair care products, carpets and even coffee pots Basically, everywhere!Simplytouchingtheseobjectsaffectsyourbodyweightandaffectsafoetusina mother’s womb making it more likely to become obese in the future. Intriguing and scary some people might say. We have access to the most recent progress done in the research worldandsharingthiswiththegeneralpublicisoneofourgoals

Aims, Purpose and Objectives of the Society Introduction

Create a society centered around Biomedical Sciences, where members and nonmembers can share and gain more knowledge, in a friendly and fun atmosphere.

Give opportunity to all members and non-members alike, to engage in BMS-related activities like awareness campaigns and fundraisers for emerging and lethal diseases.

Increase interaction between the BMS students and lecturers as well as the interaction of BMed with UNM at large

Help the students apply what they have learnt to health awareness campaigns for the public and increase their practical knowledge

The society also intends to organize fun filled activities like ice breaking games, sports games, and annual dinner to bring members closer together and for team building purposes.

Our Past Events

1. Clubs & Societies Fair - We introduced BMed Society to foundation students, recruited new members and did a small ice-breaking session.

3. Keto Diet Talk - The Nutrition Club (NutriC) in collaboration with PharmNotts and BMed Society conducted a talk titled “Can You Lose Weight on A Keto Diet?” with our guest speaker Mr. Chong Shen Yi Clinical Dietitian & Co founder of @myfindiet

4. Discovering Careers In Health Sciences - Organized by BMed Society UNMC 2021/2022, PharmNotts and Careers Advisory Service.

2. Induction Night - An event where all people of BMS are able to connect and have fun with each other.

5. Pajama Party 2018

6. Halloween Movie Night 2019

Life as an LInternational ife as an International SStudent tudent in Biomedical iSciences n Biomedical Sciences

MohammadRahim

DarshniSureshBid

GabrielleJessicaRobby

What is your learning experience in face to face classes?

It is honestly not that different compared to face to face classes back then, but it is very different to online Not only do you feel more motivated and actually are able to pay attention, but the interaction between the lecturer and the students just makes the experienceallthebetter

Rahim

I love getting hands-on experience after only learning it in theory! I appreciated the virtual labstheschoolprovidedwhenphysicallabs/ workshopsweren’tviable,butvirtuallabscan only replace so much of physical labs. To tell the truth, I felt that I was running behind my peers as I wasn’t able to experience physical labs during my first year, but this imposter syndrome (mainly) disappeared when I had my first physical lab in UG! Our lecturers and teachingassistantsweresohelpfulthatInow feel much more confident about my lab skills andthetheoriesbehindourpracticalclasses

Gabrielle

Tell us a little about your daily life: accommodation and food

NowthatIambackinMalaysia,Iliveoff campusandsinceIamavegetarianIhave beencookingoften,albeitmycookingskills areelementarybutatleastmyeyeballing skillshavebecomegreatThisiswhymycalls backhomeareaminimumof1houralmost daily,becausewithmostofthecallscome muchappreciatedcookingtipsaswell.

Darshni SocurrentlyI’mstayingoffcampusinan accommodation nearby called Tetris apartment.It’sabitfarawayonwalk,butI shareacarwithafriendsolifeiseasier.In termsoffood,Iwouldeithereatoutsideor cook,sodependingonhowbusyIamLunch wouldmostlikelybeoutsideduetoclassesor othertasksbutfordinnerIwouldcook becauseI’malreadyinmyroom.Itdoesget confusinginthebeginning,butitshonestly notthatdifficulttolivebyyourselfonceyou getthehangofthingslikecooking,cleaning, financingetc.

Rahim

Darshni Suresh Bid, Mohammad Rahim and Gabrielle Jessica Robby are Year 2 Biomedical Sciences (BMS) international students Let’s take a look at their study abroad experiences in the University of Nottingham Malaysia (UNM)

LakeNaivash,Kenya(Darshni'shomecountry) daytriplunchatFisherman’scamprestaurant

What are the biggest differences between attending classes in your home country and Malaysia for a BMS student?

While attending classes online, the time zone difference was the biggest difference I faced, I’m not specifically a night owl or a morning person as long as I get 8-10 hours of sleep, I am able to focus for the day. During the time I was back home in Kenya, when there were lectures early morning at 4am or 5am then I would offset waking up early with afternoon naps I loved those naps during that time while it lasted.

Darshni

The biggest difference for me was the time zones. Back in my home country, classes at 9am would be at 6am for me meaning all of my submission, work or anything related to the university would be have to be done 3 hours earlier It did take some time to get used to, but eventually adapted to it Other than that, being in Malaysia, we got to use the facilities such as the lab, printers, library, so I would say that it made a lot of difference in terms of studies and lifestyle.

Rahim

I think the biggest challenge in studying abroadwouldbebeingawayfrommyfamily.I never perceived myself as a family person beforeuniversityorFoundation,butsincethe pandemicandreturningtomyhometown,I’ve realizedthatItookqualitytimewithmyfamily for granted. Despite this, I think living independently definitely has its advantages: livingonmyownmeansthatthereisalower risk of me transmitting COVID19 to my family,especiallywiththenumberoffaceto face labs / workshops in BMS and my upcoming internship during the summer break

Apart from that, I would occasionally miss speaking in my mother tongue as I speak in full English when I’m in Malaysia. I usually overcome this by contacting my family and friends from back home and checking up on whatthey’reupto.Thankfully,Irarelyfeellike an outsider considering how Malaysia and Indonesia share similar cultures, language, andfood,butwheneverIdo,Itrytoleaninto it and treat myself like a tourist by going to placesI’veneverbeen.Thisalsoremindsme of how blessed I am to be able to explore a differentcountryonmyown

Gabrielle

How are you enjoying the student life in UNM?

I am enjoying living alone and in Malaysia, part of the reason why my family agreed to let me come here in Malaysia is for me to experience individuation. Going into this can seem dauntingbut the more time you spendthe easier it gets as you get to knowyourselfbetter. It also helps having friends to go through this experience with as you grow along through university, more likely than not they may be experiencing or have experienced similar aspects as you. so, reaching out to people is great even though as an introvert I felt a bit out of my comfort zone first few times, but it was great because this is how I ended up making many friends like my grocery shopping buddies, or the many people I have interacted within the university with course mates, during events, clubs and societies and outside randomly meetingpeople as well.

Darshni

It is a bit stressful due to our university’s 3 year plan, but it is very manageable and fun. You get to explore a lot of different concepts and cultures due to the diversity in the university andthe country itself.

Rahim

What is your advice to students who hesitate to study abroad?

Well,it’sgoingtobescarytothinkaboutit,maybe you’reafraidtoleaveyourparents,oryou’reafraid you won’t be able to live by yourself or won’t have anyfriends Butthefactis,thingsworkout,youfall, you get up, you learn Eventually things become easierandyoutendtofindyourwaythroughitall

Rahim

Studyingabroadreallyisawonderfulexperience,as Ibelieveitpushesyoutobeindependentandhavea moreopenmindbyinteractingwithvariouspeople. Beingawayfromhomewasaturningpointinmylife, as it led me to improving my mental health by appreciatingmoreinlife,havingamore‘bigpicture’ mindset, and not caring too much on what others think of me. I genuinely believe this experience allowed me to grow tremendously as a person. I recognize the amount of privilege and sacrifice requiredformetoevenconsiderstudyingabroad,so I wholeheartedly recommend it if you have the meansto.

Gabrielle

BeachviewinBali,Indonesia (Gabrielle'shomecountry)

Internship Experience Iat nternship Experience at Pantai PHospital antai Hospital

by Tan Ban Li

Year 3 Biomedical Sciences

My friends and I who were at the Bangsar branch rotated throughout a total of 10 differentdepartmentsincludingmicrobiology, histology, cytology, haematology, biochemistry, specimen reception, outpatient department,bloodbank,urine&serologyand also immunohistochemistry. Each of the departmentshadtheirroutinesetofteststhat they would perform and we as interns would observe and if they allowed it we would help withthetestsaswell.

For example, the Biochemistry department performs many different tests including measuring Troponin T, Bilirubin, Dengue antigentestsjusttonameafewoutofmany, many different tests performed. The other departmentsalsohadtheirownsetofroutine taskstheyperformandwewouldobserveand helpthemwiththeirtasks.Someofthetasks were more mundane and perhaps less interesting than the others but it was still importanttogetthejobdone.

When I first started looking for an internship position, I browsed through the websites of many different medical laboratories including Sunway medical laboratories, Gribbles pathologies, KPJ Lablink and so on and I would email them about internship positions as well as call their Human Resource departments. Most of them however, weren’t looking for or accepting interns due to the worsening situation of the pandemic at the time. After waiting for a response for quite a period of time, I managed to obtain a position at the Bangsar branch of Pantai premier pathologies with the help of Dr Fang, who was helping us with applications at the time too.

As I mentioned earlier, we would help the different departments with their tasks so we learned how to perform the different tests hands on depending on the departments we were in. I think more importantly however, we learnt about the principles behind the tests like why the tests are performed, the different abnormalities associated with different abnormal parameters measured by each of the different tests performed.

One skill that we picked up was phlebotomy. I learned about phlebotomy in the outpatient department and about the different techniques and expertise required to draw blood from different patients.

It was definitely an eye opening experience learning how to deal with the different types Other than the practical skills and theories that I learned during my internship, I also picked up certain soft skills such as communication, problem solving skills, how to work under pressure and that experience is definitely different from what anyone will experience at school. That was perhaps one of the most important things that I experienced here and working at this medical laboratory also gave me insight to this industry and perhaps gave me a clearer idea of what I want to do in the future after I graduate from the Biomedical Sciences course at University of Nottingham Malaysia (UNM).

It was definitely an eye-opening experience learning how to deal with the different types of patients that come every day. We also had the opportunity to perform phlebotomy on each other so we did get hands on experience on doing so rather than just observing it!

Other than the phlebotomy part that I mentioned earlier, most of the other tests and principles behind it were taught by the UNM Biomedical Sciences course and that definitely helped us be more prepared for the internship. I will say though that performing the tests hands on really put things into perspective as prior to this we only learnt about everything on paper and in theory thus it was hard for me at times to actually picture how everything worked in the bigger picture. It was important that we did our own research on certain topics or tests we didn’t understand as well. Because of this I learnt a lot of new topics and theories that I haven’t learned yet.

I do think that most students who will work as interns will be well prepared knowledge wise as many of those theories that you will use will be covered in lectures. But as I mentioned in the earlier section, there will be certain theories or practical skills that we won’t be familiar with thus it is important that we always keep an open mind and be prepared to always learn something new. I personally am a more introverted person so it was sometimes a challenge to take the initiative and ask the staff to learn about the department. But I managed to overcome it once I started to get more comfortable with the surroundings and kept in mind that everyone has to start somewhere, including the staff working there.

Perhaps the most important thing to keep in mind while interning however, is that wherever a student might be he/she should have the initiative to engage the staff and learn more about the department that you will be stationed in. There will always be something new to learn whether it be some new theory or practical skills so it is important to ask. In my experience, most of the staff seem busy and unwilling to teach at first but once I asked them they were more than willing to show me around the department and teach me what I needed and wanted to know whenever they had any free time.

So yes, if I have any advice to give for future interns, it would be to have the initiative to learn and don’t be afraid to ask any questions if you have any, we all have to start from somewhere.

My Learning MExperience y Learning Experience as a Biomedical aSciences s a Biomedical Sciences

Undergraduate UStudent ndergraduate Student

by Darshni Suresh Bid Year 2 Biomedical Sciences

My learning experience after going through the first 2 years of undergraduate studies has been mostly online. Despite wanting to give it a good chance to like it as much as physical classes, I prefer physical learning far more and hope that face to face classes are completely back. There are certain aspects of both that are helpful but it is easier to become more passive in online classes unless you are very disciplined or motivated to remain structured, while physical classes sort of keep you more on your toes to learn proactively. I like working tangibly and that is why I like doing practicals or projects in the lab, which is what I looked forward to the most when I started on Biomedical sciences course. I enjoy the process of learning the techniques in detail, optimizing to improve, and obtaining results that can potentially be useful and can further be researched on.

Since I was not able to do that in year 1 and 2, I hope to do more of it now. I am currently doing a summer internship on campus regarding the effects of microplastic on isolated trachea; which although my practical skills were elementary at first, I was able to improve on it with the help from my supervisor and I am able to conduct my protocol mostly autonomously now. The first couple of instances when I conducted the protocol, I definitely made mistakes hence ending up with unusable data. However, after the necessary corrections are made, there is an obvious improvement. Seeing the results soon after taking the needed action and then analysing them to see where the correction can be made evokes a motivating or rewarding feeling to keep going on despite the hiccups that have occurred. I guess this is why I like running experiments as the feedback is almost instant in the form of acknowledging your data, so identifying what needs to be improved becomes easier.

Study Abroad & SExchange tudy Abroad & Exchange

Experience in the UK ECampus xperience in the UK Campus

What motivates you to apply for an exchange programme? Any tips for those who are planning to apply?

It’s always a dream for me to study abroad. The reason I chose to pursue my studies in Nottingham is because of the chance to exchange and transfer to the UK campus. So, it was actually one of my targets from the moment I joined foundation. The only advice I could give is to try to score well in your exams. As from what I acknowledged, the exchange program is highly competent with limited slots and good results will be prioritised.

What is your best experience in the UK so far?

The best thing about being here in the UK is travelling. Stepping outside of your comfort zone actually introduces me to new cultures, food, people and much more. I had been travelling throughout the UK and had broadened my horizon. During my trip to Edinburgh, Scotland, I got to experience Scottish breakfast with black pudding (blood sausage) and haggis (pudding with sheep’s heart, liver and lungs). Knowing that I wouldn’t be travelling there again, made me try them out. If you want to know how it tastes like, try it for yourself ?

How much do you spend on living costs and travelling?

To save up money for travelling, I cook and do meal preparations most of the time. The average meal cost for dining in would be around 15 pounds whereas with 15 pounds for groceries.

Chong Zhi Yee

Farewell party with the tutor and all of Year 2 UNM Biomedical Sciences exchange students From left; Wan Adriana, Tim, Anissha, Yi Xuan, Zhi Yee, Xin Tong

What are the benefits of being an exchange student?

First of all, I learnt a lot of new culture. I live with three lovely locals and they taught me so much about the British culture. Secondly, I realised how pampered I was back at home. Now that I have to do everything on my own in a different country, I became more independent. I started cooking (something I never did back at home) cause it’s cheaper to make food that buy outside. Personally, studying abroad has widened my horizon on what the world can offer I was surprised to see the opportunities one can have if you go looking for it. I would definitely recommend studying abroad to others because of the experience it offers. Truly amazing.

Tell us a little about your daily life: How organized was your accommodation? Did you cook for yourselves or did you eat out? Was it hard for you to live on your own?

There isn’t much difference between my life here in the UK and back in Malaysia, except that I have to do everything on my own now, such as grocery shopping, cooking, doing the laundry, and cleaning. I have never lived so far away from home and for such a long time, so it is quite new and challenging for me, but thankfully, my flatmates help me out a lot. It has been only one semester, and I already feel at home. I cook most of the time, as eating out is quite expensive and it’s difficult to find Malaysian cuisine. I am not a person that likes to go shopping, but surprisingly, I love to shop for groceries when I am here, as it is kind of relaxing.

What would you recommend to those who hesitate to stud

It must be difficult to step out of the first step and leave a familiar place, wandering into a new place, with a new environment and culture. However, we should always be adventurous, especially when we are still young! There’s nothing much to worry about, as long as your visas and accommodation are sorted out, it won’t be a big problem. I would suggest that you ask the seniors that have been to the UK what to bring, especially on attire and food. I would say that waterproof clothing and Maggi are a must to bring. Just keep calm and enjoy life here!

... more sharing from the students!

ItwouldbealietosaythatIdon’tmisshome,butthankstomyfriendsandcoursemates,I amabletocopewithitwell.Toavoidhomesickness,weoftengathertogetherformealsor leisure activities, so that we don’t feel lonely or secluded. We also support and encourage eachotherinourstudiesandlives,bysharingourproblemsandworrieswithoneanother I would say that company from friends play a critical role in dealing with homesickness If youarecomingherealone,withoutanycoursemates,Iwouldhighlyrecommendyoutojoin moreclubsandsocietiestomakenewfriends.Thatwouldreallyhelpalot,asyouwillgain supportandhelpfromthem.

2021/2022hasbeenthemostadventurousyearsinceIwasborn,bothasaninternational student and a tourist. It is easy to get around Europe from the United Kingdom, as it is nearer and the flight tickets are cheaper I have traveled to a few countries, and the experiences are just extraordinary We get to experience different cultures and festivals in differentcountrieswithinashortperiodoftime.Travelingcanbequitetiring,aswehaveto planandarrangeeverythingfromscratch,including,bookingflighttickets,accommodation, planning the itinerary and so on. But all the hard work will be paid off, once we reach the place Thanks to BMS for this wonderful experience, I wish more students would get the chancetostudyintheUKcampus

Teo Yi Xuan

Surprisingly there’s not much of a difference academicallyamongbothcampuses.However, strike actions do take place quite frequently across universities in the UK The academics often refuse to work to protest against poor pay and conditions, as well as cuts to their future pensions We are the lucky ones as our lecturers are very very responsible. Oh yeah!

There is also nothing to worry about if you’re joining the exchange programme next year, just approach your personal tutor if you encounter any problems. Here’s a shoutout to ourtutorMr TimothySimpsonwhotookgreat careofus!

The classes are held in person throughout the whole year Which was great, as we get to meet new friends and learn about different cultures. Most importantly we lost 2 years of fun during the pandemic, I guess thats why having classes in person hits differently. We had so so much fun studying together !

Thinking about the memories we created togetherjustmakesmesmile

Chong Zhi Yee

Theinpersonexamstook placeinthesportsbuilding.A veryintimidatingexperience, asthehallwashuge

Yes,welovepicnicsthatmuch!

Keto Diet KTalk eto Diet Talk

by Teo Siow Yee

As a person who has been struggling for years to maintain my physique, I have tried different types of diets, namely intermittent fasting, mediterranean diet and ketogenic diet So, I was elated when I heard that The Nutrition Club had invited Mr Chong Shen Yi, clinical dietician and co founder of @myfindiet to talk about facts about the keto diet and promote ways of healthy living. A little backstory about the food lover Mr Chong, he is currently working in a private healthcare facility in Johor and a strong believer of “you are what you eat”, and not a “salmon and broccoli” advocator, hence the creation of @myfindiet on Instagram to spread nutritional knowledge via reels because a good understanding in what we eat doesn’t just help us lose weight, it can even help tackle nutrition related health issues like diabetes and obesity.

At first, Mr Chong talked about the secret of losing weight Apparently, there are 3 secrets to weight loss and the one that I remembered the most is that we need to create a calorie deficit, which means to eat less than the amount of energy we consume.

Then, we had a look at FAD diet, diet plans that promise quick weight loss, targeting people that are desperate to lose weight. It is normally unbalanced as it severely restricts food groups and would often impose side effects because once you enter the fall off state, a feast response will occur whereby you eat more than usual to compensate for the weight lost. Mr Chong introduced the origin and mechanism of the keto diet Did you know that it was first introduced to treat epilepsy in 1921? It consists of high fat, moderate protein and very low carbohydrates Basically, it deprives your body of glucose, so the cells start to break down fat to gain energy, causing the production of ketones, hence the name keto diet

Keto Diet Talk was held in the collaboration between The Nutrition Club, PharmNotts and BMed Society.

There will be certain side effects during the diet, the short term side effects are of losing weight, fatigue, smelly breath from the ketones produced, dehydration and many more The long term side effects are less obvious like the increase in LDL cholesterol (the bad kind) and the decrease in bone mineral density, which can cause very severe problems in health issues There also are claimed benefits of the keto diet, being the treatment of diabetes, cancer, PCOS or even heart disease However, these findings are not conclusive yet At this point, I felt that there were more side effects than actual benefits for this diet Mr Chong somehow read my concerns and stated that we can still try it with deliberate health considerations The people that don’t suit the keto diet however, are those with health issues, endurance athletes and high risk individuals. Alternatives to lose weight are always available for those that couldn’t undergo keto diet, my favorite being drinking plenty of water because I personally believe that drinking enough water helps a lot for not just weight loss, acne and health issues can also be preventedeffectively.

I felt so satisfied after this session as many of my questions about the keto diet had been answered, especially duringthe Q&A session after the sharing.

Discovering Career Din iscovering Career in Health HSciences ealth Sciences

by Tan Ban Li

Discovering Career in Health Sciences is an event that is held annually by the School of Pharmacy working in conjunction with the university’s Career Advisory Services department. This event has been successful in garnering attention from students in past cohorts as more than 100 students have attended each of the past two editions despite it being held online due to the pandemic. The goal of this event is to invite speakers that are working in different fields with many different skill sets in order for them to share their experiences with students. Students who are pondering on life after graduation might thus gain valuable insight into potential career paths that they might want to take.

In the latest Discovering Career in Health Sciences talk, the School of Pharmacy managed to invite three highly reputed guest speakers - Dr Ong Wee Kiat, R&D pharmacist at Amber Compounding, Ms Gan Shang Yen, marketing executive at Pfizer, and Ms Yap Siew Teng, Safety Data management specialist at Pfizer.

Personally as a student, I have greatly benefitted from attending the talk as I have gained insight into the inner workings of different fields from our reputed guest speakers. I believe that this talk has also benefitted many more students who have doubts about their futures just as I did.

Groupphotoatthe endofthetalkwith participantsand speakers:)

The 12th Malaysian Symposium Tof he 12th Malaysian Symposium of Biomedical Science B(12thMYSYMBIOS) iomedical Science (12thMYSYMBIOS)

by Katharine Tay Xin Yi

The School of Biomedical Science had the honour of hosting the 12th Malaysian Symposium of Biomedical Science (12thMYSYMBIOS) on the 9th and 10th of April this year. MYSYMBIOS is an annual, nationwide event, where Biomedical Science students come together to compete in the oralandpostercompetition.

The 12thMYSYMBIOS was held as an online event, where 300 students nationwide attended. This year, the organising committee decided to hold 4 competitions, which are the oral presentation, poster presentation, research proposal and the Non-Final Year Kahoot Quiz. For those who are not familiar, an oral presentation is done in the final year of the Biomedical Science degree where the student is required to prepare a presentation that summarises their final year project (FYP), which can either be a research based project or a literature based review. A poster presentation is their FYP summarised as a poster, without presentation.

As a second year student, I am grateful that I was able to help organise and attend this event. Compared to previous years, our organising committee wanted to include more interactive activities for non-final year students, as the oral and poster competition are based on FYP, nonfinal year students are unable to join the competition. Hence, the research proposal competition was targeted to both final and nonfinal year participants. We also held a Kahoot quiz for non-final year students, where the top 3 winnerswereawardedwithfoodvouchers.

Through the symposium, I was able to gain insight on how to prepare for my final year project, and seeing how people present and structure their presentation and poster gave me inspiration on what I would want to achieve in myfinalyear.

Lastly, I would like to thank the whole organising committee for putting in their hard work and their time despite being busy with final year exams and assignments. I would also like to thank our advisors Dr Fang Chee Mun, Dr Kan Mun Seng and Dr Pung Yuh Fen for their guidance throughout the event. I would also like to thank Professor Ting Kang Nee for starting oureventwithheropeningspeech.

Groupphotowiththecommittees, DrFangandDrPungonthelast dayofthesymposium

6th Annual 6Pharm/Biomed th Annual Pharm/Biomed

Postgraduate Research PSymposium ostgraduate Research Symposium

by Lamia Noushin Sadeque Chowdhury (MPhil Year 1)

The Pharm/Biomed Postgraduate Research Symposium is an annual event organized by the University of Nottingham Malaysia (UNM) SchoolofPharmacy Thisyearmarkedthe6th annual postgraduate symposium, and it was held on the 26th of August 2021 in collaboration with Srinakharinwirot University, Thailand(SWU) Duetotheon goingCovid 19 pandemic, the symposium was held online through Microsoft Teams. We had a total of 100participants,50participantsforUNMand SWU, respectively The theme for this year’s symposiumwas‘InnovatingScience:Evolution toRevolution’.

The symposium was comprised of oral presentationsandposterpresentations,which served as a platform for all presenters to showcase their research findings and gain valuable feedback from the judges Oral presentationsweredeliveredbystudentsfrom both UNM and SWU, while poster presentations were delivered solely by studentsfromUNM

This year, we had a variety of topics ranging from diet and self-care behaviour to herbdrugreactionsandcancertreatments.

It was a pleasure to have Dr Fang Chee Mun (UNM),DrMohammedTahirAnsari(UNM),Dr Ng Zhi Xiang (UNM), Dr Ajit Singh (UNM), Dr Yap Fei Ling (UNM), Dr Georgina Elizabeth Marsh (UNM), Dr Amarin Narkwichean (SWU) and Dr Ramida Watanapokasin (SWU) as our paneljudges.

Professor Susan Anderson from the UK campus was invited as the keynote speaker for the symposium, and she presented her work titled “Beyond Research: Public Engagement and Why It Is Important”. Professor Susan shared her experience and recommendations for the audience to take a stepfurtherintheircareer

Academics and students from UNM and SWU enjoyed the networking opportunities and wereabletogainnewinsightsandknowledge from each presentation and fellow researchers. I would like to thank the organizing committee members, the keynote speaker, panel judges, academics and postgraduate students for attending the symposiumandmakingitasuccess.

Groupphotooftheparticipants (apologiestotherestwhodidn’t fitintothescreen!)

Testimonials from the winners:

My project is looking into the possible effects of low GI coloured rice in the management of diabetes For the showcase, I formulated my main points around my research question: the possible clinical outcomes and modification in the mitochondria in response to the rice From the showcase, I learnt the necessity of presenting a project in a concise and easy to understand manner. Overall, the showcase was enlightening, and I was exposed to other fields and individuals that otherwise I would not have been able to meet I am grateful for the opportunity and I highly encourage others to do so.

It’s important to use as little jargon as possible and use figures/schemes rather than a lot of texts. Therefore, designing a poster did really challenge my creativity Also, understanding the big picture, i.e. the purpose/advantages of the project, helped me to decide what details to include I find that having to communicate my project using a poster helps me to understand my project better The process also helps me to reflect on my progress Therefore, it helps me to identify my next course of action.

My research focuses on the areas of type 2 diabetes, health literacy and self-care where I am exploring both patients’ and pharmacists’ experiences and perceptions on disease knowledge andmanagementtoempowerself carebehaviours

Presenting your research to the public can be a daunting task because you need to convey your research in a simple and easy language.ThefeedbackandquestionsyoureceivedduringthePG showcase help in sharpening your skills on how to present in a non scientificwayforeveryonetounderstandyourresearch

So, I would highly recommend all my postgraduate peers to join theshowcase.Whenpreparingforanypresentations,youneedto knowwhoyouraudienceis.

Keep your poster/slide simple and use attractive colours to attract people’s attention Also, get feedbacks from your supervisors and your friends and family before submitting your final poster or slide as they might be able to see something that you have missed. Lastly, practice presenting and timed yourself toensureyoudonotgooffthetimelimit

LowHuiChing (BiomedicalSciencesPhD studentsupervisedbyDr PungYuhFen)

JessicaOoiSuiYing(Pharmacy PhDstudentsupervisedbyDr NewSiuYee)

AzrinaElyBintiAhmadAzhari (PharmacyPhDstudent supervisedbyDrJimChai)

FOSE Staff Forum and

OSE Staff Forum and Award Ceremony C2021 eremony

FOSETEACHINGEXCELLENCEAWARD

Dr Ho Wan Yong

Dr Pung Yuh Fen

FOSEWELLBEING

Dr Mustafa Al Shagga

Dr Georgina Marsh Dr Lee Mei Kee

Dr Pan Yan Dr Khoo TengJin

Dr Seyed Yazdan Madani

Dr Lim Kuan Hon Dr Low Bee Yean Dr Fang Chee Mun

Dr Ho Wan Yong Dr Then Sue Mian

FOSE PROFESSIONAL OUTREACH AND EXTERNAL ENGAGEMENT AWARD

FOSE ACADEMIC QUALITY ASSURANCE AWARD

FOSE

RECRUITMENT AND MARKETING

BEST MARKETING TEAM

The School of

Dr Georgina Marsh Dr Pung Yuh Fen

Dr Low Bee Yean

Ning

THE

Melissa Liew Jing Wun

Wong

In Memory of Dr Aini IHamid n Memory of Dr Aini Hamid

by Eunice Lua Zhi Nee (Class of 2022)

I first met Dr Aini Hamid during my first year, when I first joined my degree as a Biomedical Sciences student. When I saw her name on the tutor list, I was expecting her to just be a normal lecturer assisting me through my degree journey. Never have I expected she would create such a big impact to my life.

Dr Aini was different, she was confident, she had a great humor, she gets along with students well. Her charming personality definitely grew on me. She never failed to show so much care for us tutees, and had always felt like a warm ray of sunshine guiding us through our degree. I really liked her and our tutor meetings.

I found out about her condition during 2020, awhile after COVID-19 started. It was shocking news to me, cause I wouldn’t have been able to tell that she’s struggling with cancer. I remember asking her about her prognosis and she calmly filled me in about her progress, as if it wasn’t something serious. It was bitter sweet, the fact that I knew about her condition gave me mixed feelings. At one part I was happy I knew about it and that I still had the opportunity to get to know her and create more memories with her, and some days it was sad, watching someone withering away day by day, not knowing when would be the day I will have to say goodbye. But watching her fight so hard to survive, and thrive really inspired me. Cancer didn’t dim her passion for teaching, she never failed to outperform and educate us with passion and wisdom. Every single lecture and classes I had with her was extremely memorable and insightful.

Recalling the last moment I’ve talked to her was during our Public Health class, it was our presentation session and one of our last classes. Dr Aini was the host and have delicately prepared the session to ensure students benefit from the feedback by the external guests.

She sounded extremely passionate. After her class, I contacted her discussing about the students feedback. She replied to me through audios as she said she was too tired to even type andit broke my heart She was in pain, she couldbarely type, she was suffering

Yet, she showednone ofthat pain to the students in class

All I could do was to tell her I can hear that she’s in a lot of pain, I remember she laughed and said, “howcan you hear pain?You’re funny Eunice.”

“Will I see you during my graduation ceremony Dr Aini?”

“You will Eunice, I’ll see you during the ceremony.”

That was our last conversation.

A few days later, I received the news that Dr Aini passed away during Christmas Eve I cried a lot, but at the same time I felt relieved I wonder if she left peacefully, with pride that she fought even at her last moment? I wonder if she saw her end coming when she told me she’ll be there?

I texted her one last time on WhatsApp, knowing that she would not reply to my messages anymore, or laugh at something stupid I said anymore, thanking everything, and everytime she’s been by my side AndI came by her profile caption on her WhatsApp

“Carpe diem”, seize the day

Until today, I remindmyselfthis everyday.

Thank you Dr Aini, you’ve instilled the spirit in me, to cherish and seize every day and every opportunity I had. Wherever you are, knowthat you will always have aplace in my heart.

Always

A Tribute to Dr AAini Tribute to Dr Aini

by Dr Then Sue-Mien

At that time, only Aini’s closest circle are privy to her condition and provided help to her when she needed it. At that time I remembered Aini telling me she wanted me to see her when she is better, not at her worse. Although I didn’t know the details of her first treatment, I admired her for her strength and patience to go through the treatment as she is the only child and she don’t have many close relatives to depend on, she has to be strong and recovered for the sake of her mother. That was her motivation to fight cancer. After the completion of her surgery and treatment, her cancer went into remission in 2015 and we all were very happy for her to win this battle. Or so we thought. When I joined UNM and get to know Aini better, she was first diagnosed with breast cancer. At that time, she was quite secretive about it, understandably so. My mom also suffered long-term illness, at the beginning of her diagnosis, she was also secretive about it and wouldn’t want many people to know, so as bystander, I understood the response of patients with long-term illness like Aini and my mom. I’m not within her closest circle amongst the colleagues, I would say I am a bystander, my support is to cover her teaching and admin work when necessary.

I remember how calm and matter of fact when Aini told me about the tumour has metastasize to her lungs and told me what is she going to do about it, no tears no drama. I remember sitting at Secret Recipe (which was still operational at that time) with another colleague, hearing her describing her condition. I’m speechless and didn’t know how to respond to it. She even had the time to send me a newborn present for my son. Aini is always thinking of others.

Something in Aini has changed, this time she was more open to tell us her condition when we asked her and she openly asked for help from us when she needed it. I remembered visiting her one of the weekend, she quickly took hold of that opportunity to ask if I could drive her to run errands, although she can’t drive and is in pain, she is still sharp enough to organized all her errands on that day. Aini is always resourceful and always searching for solution to her problem, trying to live out the best of her life inspite of her cancer. She was in so much pain but she tries to give hope to others, involving herself in writing theatrical script about cancer patient, advocating for cancer patient care and management, raising awareness of cancer, which has lead her to win the Vice Chancellor Award in 2020.

My most memorable experience working with Aini is in 2019 when she was the convener for the Tropical Medicine and Beyond Summer School. Organising this together with her, I realised how little petty things in the summer school that she needed to manage have taken a toll on her, but she is always so kind to the students, always accommodating and understanding, which I personally think she even sacrificed her health to ensure the summer school ran successfully. I don’t think the students know about her condition, as they went to her for all sorts of issue and little requests. As co-convener taking up her legacy for this summer school for next year, I am grateful for the foundation that Aini has lay for us. That is Aini, how she managed to achieve within the short time that she had with us. She is a fighter and has fought a good fight. I will miss the endless banter with her at the corridor and in her room. When I volunteered to organized the online event “Remembering Aini” in Febuary this year, that is what I wanted to do, to gather people that cherished her and recount the good memories with her, which I hope we will keep in our hearts and never forget.

Test

knowledge and try this crossword out!

CCredits redits

Dr. Lee Mei Kee Dr. Fang Chee Mun Advisor :

Designed by : Aina Ashri

Articles arranged and edited by : Aina Ashri Katharine Tay

Articles provided by :

Mohammad Rahim Darshni Suresh Bid Gabrielle Jessica Robby Tan Ban Li Chong Zhi Yee Teo Yi Xuan Anissha A/P S Thayaparan Katharine Tay Teo Siow Yee

Lamia Noushin Sadeque Chowdhurry Eunice Lua Zhi Nee Dr. Then Sue Mien

@unm biomedical science

UNM Biomedical Science

linktr.ee/unm

science

blogs.nottingham.edu.my/biomedicalsciences/