Dr Goh Pei Sean is a Universiti Teknologi Malaysia associate professor and a research fellow of UTM’s Advanced Membrane Research Technology Research Centre. Stemming from her study in nanostructured materials and membrane-based gas separation, Dr Goh’s research also looks at how CO2 gas can be separated from a source and captured via a special membrane filtration unit that separates and channels undesirable waste CO2 gas into a microalgae photo-reactor, where it cultivates microalgae that can be harvested and used as feedstock or other useful products.

“I always thought I wanted to be the type of researcher who sits in the lab only. But in the last five years, I’ve changed my mind about that and felt I had to do something. Even if it was a small move, at least I would have started and even small moves eventually lead to greater achievements,” says Goh.    

#Throwback: Award-Winning Malaysian Scientist Dr Serena Nik-Zainal Speaks Up About Breaking The Glass Ceiling 

Born in Kuala Lumpur but currently based in Perlis, Dr Umi Fazara obtained her PhD from the Imperial College London and is a professional engineer with the Board of Engineers Malaysia. Her research looks at novel materials that capture carbon dioxide from agricultural waste in an effort to reduce greenhouse gasses and help Malaysia achieve a zero carbon-emission rate.

Outside of her research lab, Umi has co-authored works that have been published in scientific journals and regularly speaks at various schools in Perlis to encourage and help underprivileged girls to enter careers in STEM.

More: 6 Women Working Towards a Greener Malaysia

Microbiologist and University of Malaya Faculty of Medicine lecturer Dr Cindy Teh was a gifted arts and music student in her school days. But after entering a career in science and joining University of Malaya's Department of Microbiology, Dr Teh's interest in antimicrobial resistance sparked her research on finding ways to identify 'superbugs', namely bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites that gradually change and develop a resistance to antibiotics or medicines used to treat them. 

Having identified biomarkers that rapidly detect the presence of these multidrug-resistant superbugs, Teh is now working on a testing method that detects these deadly superbugs from a patient's blood sample within 30 minutes–a game changer for more effective treatment and higher patient survival rates given that current laboratory diagnosis of takes three to five days.

More: Pan Jia Wern Is Harnessing Big Data To Combat Cancer In Asian Patients

How does a cell become cancerous? That is the central question that led Sunway University Associate Professor and International Agency for Research of Cancer postdoctoral fellow Dr Felicia Chung on a path to learn all she could about distinct mutations and patterns in a cell's DNA triggered by cancer-causing agents. Using these DNA mutations in cells can help scientists and doctors determine what factors caused an individual's cancer and potentially, better ways to treat and prevent it.   

"As a woman in science in the 21st century, I have a duty to give my very best to the science field with the precious opportunities that are presented to me. I am on a road that was paved by the brave women who came before me, one that they paved such that those that come after may run. This is why women in science are worth investing in." says Chung.  

The L’Oréal-Unesco Young Talent Programme endowment will go a long way towards helping Cheung study the patterns of DNA changes in upper tract urothelial cancers to understand the major causes of this type of cancer that's known to be relatively common among Asians.

Related: Surina Shukri On Living With Breast Cancer

An associate professor at the University of Nottingham, Malaysia, Dr New Siu Yee completed her PhD at the National University of Singapore. Her research focusses on finding a new way to use DNA biosensors to detect miRNA, which can potentially be used as a cancer biomarker. Using the help of AI and nucleic acid design software, New and her team hope to overcome the challenges of this complex process. 

"My research field isn't common in Malaysia. I'm working on this DNA sensor that made up of quite a new nano-material, namely nano-clusters," says New. "This research is mainly done in China and US. In Malaysia, only two who are in this field, one of whom has moved on to a different direction. So I'm the only one focussing on this research now. It's challenging to find collaborators to develop this research further, so I hope with this endowment from the L’Oréal-Unesco Young Talent Programme, I'll get to promote my work to the wider community and find like-minded collaborators."          

NOW READ

How BRCA Gene Testing Can Help Reduce The Risk of Breast Cancer

4 Brilliant Malaysians on 'Brain Food' and Childhood Memories

Why We Need To Make Science Fun For Children