Page 159 - handbook 20152016

Faculty of Science Handbook, Session 2015/2016

important roles in the development of our nation and the
INSTITUTE OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES world in the future.

Research Funds and Facilities
Biological science teaching and research in Malaysia can
be traced back to the early days of 1959, when the Research projects in ISB are funded mainly by research
Universiti Malaya was instituted with two Divisions: the and development grants from the Government of Malaysia
Kuala Lumpur and the Singapore Divisions. The Kuala and special votes from the university. Our researchers are
Lumpur Division at the Universiti Malaya was officially actively seek funding from various international sources
opened on January 15, 1959. Lessons began in the such as DANCED, CICHE, Wellcome Trust Foundation,
Department of Zoology and Botany on the 25th of May French Embassy at Kuala Lumpur, Japanese International
1959 in borrowed premises until the Faculty of Science Research Centre for Agricultural Sciences, CIDA and
building was officially opened in 1961. JIRCAS for research and other educational activities. The
university and institute also provide a number of facilities
to assist researchers in their projects.
On the 1st of April 1967, the two Departments of Zoology
and Botany became one as the School of Biological Facilities for Teaching and Research
Sciences with five divisions: zoology, botany, ecology,
genetics and physiology. Eight years later on April 1975, The ISB has research and teaching facilities housed in 13
the School of Biological Sciences was separated into the buildings, spread throughout the campus; two sites are
Departments of Botany, Zoology, and Genetics and outside of the campus. Within the campus are laboratories
Cellular Biology. The other two divisions of Ecology and for teaching and research, offices for lecturers and
Physiology were managed by the Department of Zoology. administration, seminar rooms and a small lecture theatre
Physiology was discontinued in 1978 while Ecology in the Rimba Ilmu complex. The seminar rooms and
continued to flourish under the management of the lecture theatres are self-contained, with LCD, slide and
Department of Zoology. In 1980, the Division of overhead projectors. There are also specialised
Microbiology was formed under the management of the laboratories dedicated to special functions such as
Department of Genetics and Cellular Biology. On June 1st microtechniques (plant and animal studies), molecular
1997, the amalgamation of these three departments led to biology (DNA sequencers and other related
the formation of the Institute of Biological Sciences paraphernalia), scanning electron microscopy, water
(Institut Sains Biologi, ISB). analysis, animal house, aquarium, greenhouses and
computing facilities. The Institute has excellent research
These changes were necessary to cater to changing grade microscopes equipped for image analysis. There
needs and demands of the nation. The changes within the are also drawing equipments and a laser dissecting
biological sciences reflect current global trends in microscope. Ten vehicles are available for field research
research evolving away from basic disciplines of botany and teaching. The Institute has also accumulated large
and zoology. As the ISB keeps up with current collections of plant and animal specimens for teaching and
technological developments, we continue to document research. These are housed in the Herbarium at Rimba
and unravel the rich biodiversity available in our own Ilmu and the Zoological Museum, respectively. Each
tropical ecosystems. This is because fundamental lecturer has their respective laboratories dedicated to their
sciences form the bases for biotechnology and information research field.
science. Our philosophy is to keep up with the latest
advances in science and at the same time not lose sight of
the need for basic studies on our rich biodiversity. The ACADEMIC STAFF
courses in our degree programmes reflect this philosophy.
More changes are to be expected within the coming years HEAD
to ensure that the study of biological sciences in the Dr. Rosli Ramli, BSc(UM), PhD(Glasgow)
Universiti Malaya is geared towards meeting future
challenges. DEPUTY HEADS
Dr. Nurhayati Zainal Abidin, BSc(W Illinois), MSc(W
Illinois), PhD(UM)
The academic staff members in ISB are involved in a Dr. Normaniza Osman, BSc(Iowa), MSc(UM), PhD(UM)
diverse range of biological research areas. There are Dr. Noor Hasima A.K. Nagoor Pitchai, BSc(UM),
basic studies in taxonomy, biology and ecology of plants, MSc(UM), PhD(Edinburgh)
animals, parasites and other microorganisms, as well as
applied sciences such as biotechnology, plant and animal
breeding, screening for novel products, and the PROFESSORS EMERITI
development of diagnostic kits using molecular biology, Dato’ Dr. Haji Mohamed Abdul Majid, PSBS, FASc,
electron microscopy, computers and various other tools. BSc(UM), PhD(Glasgow)
For more details, please refer to the profiles of the Dr. Yong Hoi Sen, JMN, FASc, BSc(UM), PhD(UM)
academic staff available at http://biology.um.edu.my.
Some members of the Institute are actively involved in
research at Sungai Selai, the Endau-Rompin National PROFESSORS
Park, Johor, while another group is active in the National Dr. Agamuthu Pariatamby, BSc(UM), MSc(UM),
Antartica Initiative. PhD(UM)
Dato’ Dr. Aishah Salleh, BSc(UM), PhD(London)
Objectives Dr. Amir Feisal Merican Aljunid Merican, BSc(UM),
MPhil(Cambridge), DPhil(Oxford)
The ISB aims to advance scientific and technological Datuk Dr. Amru Nasrulhaq Boyce, BSc(UM),
knowledge in the field of biology, through the PhD(Bristol)
establishment of research and scientific links with Dr. Chong Ving Ching, BSc(UM), MSc(UM), PhD(UM)
institutions in and outside the country. In the process of Dr. Halijah Ibrahim, Dip, BSc(UM), PhD(Northumbria)
doing so, we hope that high quality graduates will be Dr. Hiroyuki Takaoka, PhD(Kagoshima)
produced. These young men and women will play Dr. Irene Tan Kit Ping, BSc(UM), MSc(UM), PhD(UM)

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