MARCH-APRIL , 2022 | THE HEALTH

DR SHANICE Mah Chui Yan has been named a Merdeka Award recipient , honouring outstanding Malaysian students in South Australia for their academic achievements and efforts to promote cooperation between the two countries .

She is a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Adelaide , based at the Prostate Cancer Research Group at the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute ( SAHMRI ).

Conferred a Doctor of Philosophy ( PhD ), her research is focused on studying the roles of lipid metabolism in prostate cancer development and disease progression .

The research aims to discover ways to prevent cancer cells from using the fats they rely on as fuel by blocking the protein or enzyme that digests the fat , thereby overloading the cells with fat and killing them . This work has led to developing the world ’ s first therapeutic drug that targets this enzyme . If this process proves successful , it may one day be developed into a cancer drug .

“ Cancer is a very smart disease . It ’ s not that easy to eradicate it ,” said Mah .

One could argue that she is motivated by a passion for science , but one can ’ t help but think that deep down , Mah is trying to figure out losing her father to cancer all those years ago .

Her father , who was 42 , was diagnosed with Stage 4 pancreatic cancer when she was 13 years old .

Her father had been feeling ill for the past week , which was the only sign of his illness . He ’ d been feeling nauseous and had lost weight . He ’ d also lost his appetite and been suffering from a stomachache .

They travelled to Singapore for her father ’ s chemotherapy treatment for the next six months . She witnessed her father ’ s cancer treatment . She saw him being pricked with needles and had tubes protruding from his body .

Her father died soon after . She is no stranger to the suffering of fighting cancer and wants to understand more about the disease and how to stop it . She persevered in the face of adversity and set her sights on studying abroad .

Whilst undergoing her foundation year at Sunway College , she attended a presentation on studying at the University of Adelaide . Her choice was made and sights set . She proceeded to study the first year of her undergraduate degree at Taylor ’ s University before articulating into a degree at the University of Adelaide .

Mah received a partial scholarship from the University of Adelaide for her undergraduate degree . She was later offered a full scholarship to pursue a PhD in Medicine , in prostate cancer research .

As she soldiers on in the fight to find the cure for cancer , she dedicates her work to the man who gave her life but was gone too soon .

TWO MALAYSIANS , retired dentist Dr Vinod Kumar Joshi ( left ) and adventure guide Tham Yau Kong , will receive Honorary Awards from the United Kingdom ( UK ).

Dr Joshi will be awarded the Officer of the Order of the British Empire ( OBE ) for exceptional services to fighting cancer , while Tham will receive the Member of the Order of the British Empire ( MBE ) for outstanding services in environmental , historical , and cultural conservation .

According to the Honorary Awards List , announced in the United Kingdom ( UK ) on Feb 22 , Dr Joshi and Tham will be presented with their awards later this year .

In a statement , British High Commissioner to Malaysia Charles Hay congratulated Dr Joshi on his successful career , dedication , and services to cancer research viewed as significant contributions in the UK .

He said : “ Dr Joshi created the muchneeded support network to connect like-minded patients , which evolved into a charity . As well as sharing a wealth of resources on mouth cancer , Dr Joshi and his Foundation have also been instrumental in encouraging screening as early diagnosis saves lives .”

In 2004 , Dr Joshi founded the Mouth Cancer Foundation to provide professional support to patients , caregivers and survivors of mouth and head and neck cancers .

He started a long-running campaign to encourage all dentists to be aware of the risk of mouth cancer through screening . He created a hugely successful self-examination programme where the general public can check themselves for mouth cancer at home and connect patients through a community forum and website .

Dr Joshi retired from the NHS in 2011 to work as a consultant at the University of Malaya ’ s Faculty of Dentistry in Kuala Lumpur , where he assisted in the establishment of a restorative dentistry oncology clinic for head and neck cancer . He remains on the Mouth Cancer Foundation ’ s Board of Trustees .

Dr Joshi said the OBE award was a recognition of the perseverance of all the patients , carers , and supporters who have supported the charity ’ s vision since its inception and over the years .

DR MOHD AMIR Mukhsin Zurin Adnan of the Universiti Malaya ( UM ) Faculty of Dentistry won the prestigious JK Williams Medal for 2020 , making him the first student in Malaysian history to do so .

He was awarded the medal at the Membership in Orthodontics Examination , Royal College of Surgeons of England .

PROFESSOR OF Global Health Dr Cheah Phaik Yeung , and Associate Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine Dr Masliza Mahmod , are two celebrated Malaysian scientists at the University of Oxford .

Dr Cheah had been at the university for 17 years , and Dr Masliza for 12 years . They shared their journey to one of the world ’ s top research universities .

They both agreed about having to prove themselves , especially as women in such a competitive field . Both are passionate about research which is unsurprising as they had set their sights on science and medicine from a young age .

Dr Cheah said she had always been interested in medicine and research . “ After school , I went to Universiti Sains Malaysia and got a degree in pharmacy . I studied about drugs , drug treatments and was very interested in drug trials and how a type of drug has evidence for treating a type of disease .”

Her passion for research led her to pursue a PhD at the same institution , and she considered herself fortunate to be involved in a big clinical trial on prostatitis . The findings of the clinical trial made a difference to her .

Her project , Village Drama against Malaria , won the University of Oxford ’ s 2019 Vice-Chancellor ’ s

The medal is awarded yearly to one of the best candidates on the intercollegiate examination .

On Feb 15 , UM congratulated him on Facebook , saying : “ Congratulations on being the first student from Malaysia to win the medal . We wish you further success .”

Dr Cheah Phaik Yeung and Dr Masliza Mahmod

Choice Award for Public Engagement .

Dr Cheah , is based in Bangkok at the University of Oxford ’ s MORU Tropical Health Network , and is also the founder and head of Bioethics and Engagement there . Dr Masliza , a clinician and researcher , agreed with Dr Cheah on the importance of engagement . She is enthusiastic about involving patients and the general public in her projects , which she refers to as patient public engagement .

She recalled working extremely hard to obtain specialist registration and a consultant position at John Radcliffe Hospital , where she now works .

“ Currently , I am doing a couple of clinical trials : one is looking at sudden death syndrome .

“ For this , I am looking at an inherited thickened heart muscle cardiac condition that can cause sudden death .

“ Because I am a clinician , a medical doctor with a cardiology background , I treat patients in the hospital , consult , and give treatment . At the same time , I do research on them . So , I am wearing two hats .”

Dr Masliza , a member of the Steering Committee of the British Society of Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Heart Failure Research Task Force , has earned many awards for her research on hypertension . — The Health