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Faculty of Science Handbook, Session 2017/2018

Research Funds and Facilities
INSTITUTE OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
Research projects in ISB are funded mainly by research
and development grants from the Government of Malaysia
and special votes from the university. Our researchers are
Biological science teaching and research in Malaysia can actively seek funding from various international sources
be traced back to the early days of 1959, when the such as DANCED, CICHE, Wellcome Trust Foundation,
Universiti Malaya was instituted with two Divisions: the French Embassy at Kuala Lumpur, Japanese International
Kuala Lumpur and the Singapore Divisions. The Kuala Research Centre for Agricultural Sciences, CIDA and
Lumpur Division at the Universiti Malaya was officially JIRCAS for research and other educational activities. The
opened on January 15, 1959. Lessons began in the university and institute also provide a number of facilities to
Department of Zoology and Botany on the 25th of May 1959 assist researchers in their projects.
in borrowed premises until the Faculty of Science building
was officially opened in 1961. Facilities for Teaching and Research

On the 1st of April 1967, the two Departments of Zoology The ISB has research and teaching facilities housed in 13
and Botany became one as the School of Biological buildings, spread throughout the campus; two sites are
Sciences with five divisions: zoology, botany, ecology, outside of the campus. Within the campus are laboratories
genetics and physiology. Eight years later on April 1975, for teaching and research, offices for lecturers and
the School of Biological Sciences was separated into the administration, seminar rooms and a small lecture theatre
Departments of Botany, Zoology, and Genetics and Cellular in the Rimba Ilmu complex. The seminar rooms and lecture
Biology. The other two divisions of Ecology and Physiology theatres are self-contained, with LCD, slide and overhead
were managed by the Department of Zoology. Physiology projectors. There are also specialised laboratories
was discontinued in 1978 while Ecology continued to dedicated to special functions such as microtechniques
flourish under the management of the Department of (plant and animal studies), molecular biology (DNA
Zoology. In 1980, the Division of Microbiology was formed sequencers and other related paraphernalia), scanning
under the management of the Department of Genetics and electron microscopy, water analysis, animal house,
Cellular Biology. On June 1st 1997, the amalgamation of aquarium, greenhouses and computing facilities. The
these three departments led to the formation of the Institute Institute has excellent research grade microscopes
of Biological Sciences (Institut Sains Biologi, ISB). equipped for image analysis. There are also drawing
equipments and a laser dissecting microscope. Ten
vehicles are available for field research and teaching. The
These changes were necessary to cater to changing needs Institute has also accumulated large collections of plant and
and demands of the nation. The changes within the animal specimens for teaching and research. These are
biological sciences reflect current global trends in research housed in the Herbarium at Rimba Ilmu and the Zoological
evolving away from basic disciplines of botany and zoology. Museum, respectively. Each lecturer has their respective
As the ISB keeps up with current technological laboratories dedicated to their research field.
developments, we continue to document and unravel the
rich biodiversity available in our own tropical ecosystems. ACADEMIC STAFF
This is because fundamental sciences form the bases for
biotechnology and information science. Our philosophy is HEAD
to keep up with the latest advances in science and at the Dr. Nurhayati Zainal Abidin, BSc(W Illinois), MSc(W
same time not lose sight of the need for basic studies on Illinois), PhD(UM)
our rich biodiversity. The courses in our degree
programmes reflect this philosophy. More changes are to DEPUTY HEADS
be expected within the coming years to ensure that the Dr. Noorma Wati Haron, Dip(DBP), BSc(UM),
study of biological sciences in the Universiti Malaya is PhD(Reading)
geared towards meeting future challenges. Dr. Adawiyah Suriza Shuib, BSc(Minnesota),
MMedSc(UM), PhD(USM)
The academic staff members in ISB are involved in a
diverse range of biological research areas. There are basic PROFESSORS EMERITI
studies in taxonomy, biology and ecology of plants, Dato’ Dr. Haji Mohamed Abdul Majid, PSBS, FASc,
animals, parasites and other microorganisms, as well as BSc(UM), PhD(Glasgow)
applied sciences such as biotechnology, plant and animal Dr. Yong Hoi Sen, JMN, FASc, BSc(UM), PhD(UM)
breeding, screening for novel products, and the
development of diagnostic kits using molecular biology, PROFESSORS
electron microscopy, computers and various other tools. Dr. Amir Feisal Merican Aljunid Merican, BSc(UM),
For more details, please refer to the profiles of the MPhil(Cambridge), DPhil(Oxford)
academic staff available at http://biology.um.edu.my. Dr. Habsah Abdul Kadir, BSc(Illinois), MSc(Missouri),
Some members of the Institute are actively involved in PhD(Missouri)
research at Sungai Selai, the Endau-Rompin National Park, Dr. Halijah Ibrahim, Dip, BSc(UM), PhD(Northumbria)
Johor, while another group is active in the National Dr. Hiroyuki Takaoka, PhD(Kagoshima)
Antartica Initiative. Dr. Jennifer Ann Harikrishna, BSc(Surrey),
PhD(Cranfield)
Dr. Ling Tau Chuan, BSc(UPM), MSc(UPM),
Objectives PhD(Birmingham)
Dato’ Dr. Mohd. Sofian Azirun, BSc(UM),
The ISB aims to advance scientific and technological PhD(Birmingham)
knowledge in the field of biology, through the establishment Dr. Mohamad Suffian Mohamad Annuar, BSc(UM),
of research and scientific links with institutions in and PhD(UM)
outside the country. In the process of doing so, we hope Dr. Noorlidah Abdullah, Dip(Informatics), BSc(Surrey),
that high quality graduates will be produced. These young MSc(UM), PhD(UM)
men and women will play important roles in the Dr. Norzulaani Khalid, BSc(UM), PhD(Nottingham)
development of our nation and the world in the future. Dr. Norma Che Yusoff, BSc(UM), PhD(Sussex)

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