My View: Qualities of a Good Researcher

In my opinion, the two most important attributes of a research scientist in order to be effective include diligence and perseverance. A research scientist should always be diligent in carrying out research by persistently engaging in the development of his or her research while continuously gaining knowledge via voracious reading. Reading is crucial to keep pace with the latest developments in science. A research scientist should also be perseverant, always strive to overcome obstacles while on the research journey to reach the milestones aspired. Perseverance is a key attribute that can continuously propel a researcher forward without any thoughts of giving up.

My Research: Contribution & Expertise

My research work is mainly focused on the identification of non-protein coding RNAs (npcRNAs), which are the key players of the pathogenesis underlying infectious diseases. A plethora of npcRNAs has been translated into molecular diagnostic applications, particularly PCR assays. We are also interested in aptamers, a class of synthetic npcRNAs that could bind to a variety of targets and have vital diagnostic/therapeutic implications. We have pioneered the first aptamer laboratory in Malaysia, specialized in the development of aptamers for diagnostics and therapeutic applications.

My major research achievement is on the discovery of the short tandem repeats arrays of prokaryotes that are transcribed and processed into smaller CRISPR RNAs, which contributed to the mosaic puzzle piece in solving the questions that lead to the development of the CRISPR/Cas9-based genome editing tool. In addition, we have also discovered the target specific-synthetic molecular recognition elements known as nucleic acid aptamers. Several aptamers for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes are in-line for patent application.