In May, Dr Sandy Loh, the principle investigator of plant-based vaccine development at UNMC coordinated a research visit of two internationally renowned researchers, Dr Vidadi Yusibov and Professor Abdul Rahman Omar to the University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus.
Dr Vidadi Yusibov (Executive Director Fraunhofer USA - Center for Molecular Biotechnology) is responsible for the oversight of all plant-based vaccine and therapeutics development programmes. Dr Yusibov has been involved in different aspects of plant molecular biology, including molecular farming, with a major focus on transgenic plants and plant viruses since 1985. He is recognised nationally and internationally as an expert in plant-based vaccine development.
Professor Dr Abdul Rahman Omar is the Director of Institute of Bioscience (IBS) at Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM). IBS is the premier research institute at UPM with the mission to develop high impact and competitive research in the fields of life and medical sciences and biotechnology. In 2010, IBS was named the National Centre of Excellence for Animal Vaccines and Therapeutics by Ministry of Higher Education, Government of Malaysia. Professor Omar is recognised nationally and internationally as an expert in animal vaccine development.
This research visit was very significant for strengthening the existing and future research collaboration between the School of Biosciences, Fraunhofer USA, Crops for the Future Research Centre and Institute of Bioscience, Universiti Putra Malaysia. Besides, they were very kind to have also presented their exclusive research talks to Faculty of Science members. “An alternative approach to producing vaccine antigens and therapeutic proteins” was presented by Dr Yusibov and “Avian influenza virus H5N1 vaccination in poultry: Background and update” presented by Professor Omar.
Posted on 1st June 2012