By Dr. Norkhairunnisa Mazlan

MALACCA, 30 April - Lam Jia Yong, a 27-year-old PhD student from the Faculty of Medicine and Health Science was awarded first place in the 2019 National Material Lecture Competition (MLC) with his lecture entitled, DNA biosensor based on optical fiber for the detection of pathogen: A novel approach.

He is the first UPM representative who made it to the final round and won the competition.

He beat 15 other participants from 15 local universities in the semi-final and qualified him to participate in the final rounds which held at Universiti Teknikal Malaysia (UTeM), Malacca on 30 April 2019.

In the final, he beat other 4 finalists from Universiti Malaya (UM), Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS), and Universiti Malaysia Kelantan (UMK)and merged as the first prize winner.

His winning MLC presentation focusing on the utilization of tapered fiber-optic to detect the Leptospira DNA, a pathogen responsible for a globally important disease called leptospirosis (rat urine disease). His supervisor are Assoc. Prof. Dr. Chee Hui Yee.

The winner was awarded RM3,000 in cash, certificate, and plaque. Lam Jia Yong will represent Malaysia at the Young Persons’ World Lecture Competition (YPWLC) organized by The Institute of Materials, Minerals, and Mining (IOM3), which will take place in London, England in October 2019.

The MLC competition was introduced in 2012 by the Institute of Materials Malaysia (IMM) and IOM3 UK. This competition is an initiative intended to enhance awareness among young scientists and students in Malaysia on the importance of materials engineering and sustainability in the advancement of technology and humankind.

It opens to all bachelor, master and PhD students under the age of 28 years-old. The topic of the presentation is on material and it can be applied in various fields including (not limited to) medicine, engineering, science health, food, agriculture, forestry, etc.

His mentors, Dr. Norkhairunnisa Mazlan, Dr. Ahmad Salahuddin Mohd Harithuddin, Dr. Yasmin Mustapha Kamil, Dr. Mohd Salahuddin Mohd Basri, and Dr Ainun Zuriyati Mohamed@Asa'ari assisted and prepared him for the national competition. - UPM

Date of Input: 08/05/2019 | Updated: 29/05/2019 | hairul_nizam