EMTech: Masa lalu dan terkini
EMTech originated in 1986, the year the Intensive Research in Priority Areas (IRPA) was launched in Malaysia. Wanting to grab this research opportunity, three researchers Wan Md Zain Wan Yunus, an analytical chemist, Che Nyonya Abdul Razak, a microbiologist and Abu Bakar Salleh, a biochemist, got together in the spirit of collaboration to address research in the area of enzyme and microbial technology. Palm oil was an abundant natural source. And we thought that enhancing or adding value to this natural resource was an attractive approach. Biotechnology of fats and oils was the programme title, and we agreed to share the spoils. There were 3 projects each helmed by one of the collaborators. We were searching for enzymes (lipases) from microbial sources. We were looking for polymeric materials to immobilize enzymes, and we were experimenting on lipase catalyzed reactions for value added products from palm oil. The first research clinic, the weekly meeting was initiated. And the practice remains till this day.
In 1980s, Kamaruzaman Ampon, a protein biochemist, had returned from US and joined the group. Year 1989 saw the first paper "A plate assay for primary screening of lipase activity” published in Journal of Microbiology Method and was received with excitement! We celebrated with lunch for the whole group. It was 1990 that Mohd Yusof Samad, our first MS student, graduated. There was jubilation! It was 1993 that Mahiran Basri joined us as our first PhD student. She went on to become a stalwart member of EMTech. The group seemed to grow and prosper.
Thirty-five years on, Wan Zin is a retired Professor plying his trade elsewhere and Nyonya has adopted a life of leisure. Six other members have been promoted to Professors. We have won numerous publication awards such as Archer Daniel Best paper award from JAOCS in 1992, medals of various colures in exhibitions/expositions, both nationally and internationally. Our members have been awarded the Vice Chancellor’s Fellowships for Research, Young Scientist Award, National Patents Awards, Conference of Knight of Degree, L'Oreal-UNESCO Award for Women in Science, to list a few.
Hey, did you know our protein did get crystallized in space. In fact, we sent our proteins to space 4 times after the first flight with the Malaysian astronaut. And we have developed collaborations and networking, with colleagues in other universities, local and abroad. We have associates in Universiti Malaya, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia and Universiti Sains Malaysia...with the help of Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS), we have associates in Kyoto and Osaka, Japan. Our students worked in Dusseldorf, Uppsala and Melbourne. We went to Minnesota and we have friends in Taipei.
We are very proud to have graduates of EMTech, more than 150 of them, our ‘reps’ in almost all Universities and Research Institutes in the country, as well as in Ethiopia Iran, Indonesia, Thailand, China, India, Iraq, Libya, Sudan and Yemen.
Of course, the enzymes have diversified. After lipases there were proteases, amylases and glucosidases, desaturases, uricases, haloalkanases,....the reactions multiplied, and the products accumulated. We moved into molecular biology to enhance enzyme yield and modulate properties. We embraced structural biology to understand protein structure and function and be able to design new and novel catalysts, we adopted process engineering to enhance enzyme production, and we scrutinized nanotechnology to innovate products and applications.
People asked how did we do it? It started with the right combination of researchers, with the same intention and aspirations, wanting to serve and be useful with sincerity and honesty. A real sense of commitment begun and not abated by time. Slowly but surely, there was a sense of belonging and pride. We are EMTech researchers, we are EMTech students! We are EMTech members! EMTech is now propelled by second generation EMTech graduates, young and energetics, still embodied by the same collaborative spirit, love for science and embracing the teaching spirits in guiding the next generation.
Allah, the Almighty has been kind to us.
Abu Bakar Salleh (abubakar@upm.edu.my)
Founder and Advisor of EMTech
Jan 21