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Faculty of Science Handbook, Academic Session 2025/2026

INSTITUTE OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES

Biological science teaching and research in Malaysia can be traced back to the early days of
1959, when the Universiti Malaya was instituted with two Divisions: the Kuala Lumpur and
the Singapore Divisions. The Kuala Lumpur Division at the Universiti Malaya was officially
opened on January 15, 1959. Lessons began in the Department of Zoology and Botany on the
25th of May 1959 in borrowed premises until the Faculty of Science building was officially
opened in 1961.

On the 1st of April 1967, the two Departments of Zoology and Botany became one as the
School of Biological Sciences with five divisions: zoology, botany, ecology, genetics and
physiology. Eight years later on April 1975, the School of Biological Sciences was separated
into the Departments of Botany, Zoology, and Genetics and Cellular Biology. The other two
divisions of Ecology and Physiology were managed by the Department of Zoology. Physiology
was discontinued in 1978 while Ecology continued to flourish under the management of the
Department of Zoology. In 1980, the Division of Microbiology was formed under the
management of the Department of Genetics and Cellular Biology. On June 1st 1997, the
amalgamation of these three departments led to the formation of the Institute of Biological
Sciences (Institut Sains Biologi, ISB).

These changes were necessary to cater to changing needs and demands of the nation. The
changes within the biological sciences reflect current global trends in research evolving away
from basic disciplines of botany and zoology. As the ISB keeps up with current technological
developments, we continue to document and unravel the rich biodiversity available in our
own tropical ecosystems. This is because fundamental sciences form the bases for
biotechnology and information 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 courses in our degree programmes reflect this philosophy. More changes
are to be expected within the coming years to ensure that the study of biological sciences in
the Universiti Malaya is geared towards meeting future challenges.

The academic staff members in ISB are involved in a diverse range of biological research areas.
There are basic studies in taxonomy, biology and ecology of plants, animals, parasites and
other microorganisms, as well as applied sciences such as biotechnology, plant and animal
breeding, screening for novel products, and the development of diagnostic kits using
molecular biology, electron microscopy, computers and various other tools. For more details,
please refer to the profiles of the academic staff available at http://biology.um.edu.my

Objectives

ISB aims to advance scientific and technological knowledge in the field of biology, through the
establishment of research and scientific links with institutions in and outside the country. In
the process of doing so, we hope that high quality graduates will be produced.

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