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AgBiotech

 
On exploration of Malaysia’s rich natural resources, Professor of Biotechnology at UM’s Institute of Biological Sciences, Professor Vikineswary, and her colleague Professor Noorlidah Abdullah are screening mushrooms for valuable enzymes, pharmaceutical and biomedical compounds. Fungi grow as thin threads or tubes called hyphae, whereas mushrooms are the fruiting bodies of fungi. Unlike green plants which produce their own food, fungi extract food and energy from the substrates on which they live. Some fungus like Lentinus mushrooms is found to have anti-microbial properties. “Our lab work is showing that Lentinus attacks Candida, the fungus which causes eye, skin and vaginal infections in humans. This is promising as an alternative treatment,” said Noorlidah. They hunt for interesting mushrooms in University of Malaya’s field station in Gombak and make observations about their presence and how species react to environmental change.

Sarawak Chief Minister, Tan Sri Haji Abdul Taib Mahmud, on the other hand, will be bringing in foreign experts from Australia and China to help build the biotechnology park in Sarawak. Australian scientist are targeted as they are from companies specializing in researching and producing biotech products whereas Chinese experts are targeted for their knowledge in manufacturing pharmaceutical products and their ability to extract useful medicines and herbal products from plants. The minister wants the park to be developed using international expertise. “The biotechnology park will have research facilities to conduct comprehensive studies on the biodiversity found in Sarawak and to unearth potential products that we can derive from natural resources.”


On a separate news, it was found that natural resources have been used by rural Malays in treating diabetes. Diabetes is caused by lack of insulin, the hormone required to control blood sugar. It has been proven scientifically that the types of herbs used have medicinal properties to control the disease. The types of herbs used include cashew shoots, petai, putarwali and many more. Different types of herbs are used differently. Some are used as antidotes for the disease while others are used as means of prevention. Research that was conducted on diabetic rats proved that bitter hempedu bumi extracts have glucose-reducing properties. Currently, there is no cure for the disease. However, it can be controlled through diet, insulin injection or physical exercise. Herbs are viewed as an alternative measure to treating the disease. There are about 1000 types of plants that can be used to control diabetes. The opportunities presented by these plants are endless and are waiting to be exploited.
  


Food & Nutrition

  
Current fad amongst urban societies is to lose weight. Many have tried, failed and ended up with even more weight and even worse, disorders in their eating habits. There are a few principles to aid people on losing weight and to go on the right track in feeling healthier. Firstly, consume fruits and vegetables every few hours instead of snacking on chips and soda. This will not only help one maximize one’s body disease-fighting ability but also help in losing a bit of weight. Secondly, eat more fibre-rich whole grains as it will help boost one’s energy and heart health in addition to staying full longer and preventing one from overeating. Adding fibre is emerging as both a preventive and a treatment for diseases such as diabetes and obesity. Thirdly, eat two servings of protein a day as it is essential in developing lean muscle mass and regulating hormones that control appetite and help one burn calories. The amount of protein that should be eaten is a two or three ounce serving size which is equivalent to the size of a deck of cards- twice a day.

Studies have shown that women who consume more protein but the same number of calories lost more weight and retained more lean body mass compared with those on a lower-protein diet. Even so, excess consumption of protein is more likely to be stored as extra fat than as muscle. Therefore, more than six ounces of protein a day is protein without purpose. Fourthly, eat sweets with or after meals and only in moderation. Researchers found that subjects given a sugar-only drink got hungrier sooner than others given a sugar-protein drink. This leads to the suggestion that eating sugary treats alone rather than with or after a meal may cause weight gain. Lastly, keep salt like potassium, calcium, magnesium and sodium in balance to have a healthier heart and stronger bones.

 
Besides weight consciousness, the public are also concerned about the chemicals that make up our food. Safety of food additives has long been debated, but they do play a positive role in the processed foods that we eat. According to the Asian Food Information Centre (AFIC), food additives play an important role in preserving the freshness, safety, taste, appearance and texture of foods.

Probiotic cultures, carotenoids and polyphenols are among the ingredients added into food products to impart certain benefits to consumers. Preservatives are added to prevent food spoilage and bacterial contamination allowing seasonal foods to be enjoyed all year round. Antioxidants are to stop oxidation of oils and fats that can cause rancidity whereas food conditioners are used to give food the desired texture and consistency. Additives added to foods have to be labeled on their packaging. And, before using a new food additive, the food manufacturer has to submit to petition the Ministry of Health for approval and provide scientific evidence that the addictive is not harmful to human beings when consumed at the expected level.


Industry & Environment

A new survey by Economist Intelligence Unit's CEO Briefing white paper showed that advances in technology is and will be the single most critical force changing the global marketplace. In addition, they found that driving innovation, customer satisfaction and cost efficiency, as well as harnessing advances in technology will be crucial if companies are to survive. “Every chief executive officer knows that in today’s intensely competitive market-place, innovation is critical for survival,” said Derek Williams, executive vice-president of Oracle Asia Pacific. There is no doubt that technology and innovation go hand-in-hand in generating the flow of new ideas that looks set to fuel growth in industries ranging from biotechnology and healthcare to telecommunications and software. As many as 75 percent of those people who were questioned believed that healthcare, pharmaceuticals and biotechnology hold the most promising growth prospects.


One good example of innovation is the first “pneumonic pasteurellosis” spray vaccine for livestock which has been developed by two local scientists. The product, KUSTEMvax, has been tested on livestock and proven more effective than injections. This is because injections can cause lameness in some animals, painful, and waste of syringes and needles. This new method of vaccination saves time as it takes only two days to vaccinated 1000 goats, whereas previously, it took as long as a whole week to vaccinated the same number of goats. On the whole, KUSTEMvax is more economical for the farmers as they would not have to spend money on syringes and training workers to inject animals. KUSTEMvax is expected to enter the local market within the next five months. And as for the international market, more research is needed to make sure that the same formula works on foreign bacteria and is expected to be commercialized within the next two years.


Medical & Health

 
A Japan based Malaysian scientist, Dr Ishwar S. Parhar recently made a discovery that will alter the course of future treatment for infertility and brain diseases including cancer. The Japan Nippon Medical School’s Molecular Neuroendocrinology Unit director Dr Ishwar said that he and his team had identified and found ways to isolate receptors that played a role in sexual development and growth of normal and cancerous cells.

“The discovery of receptors has opened new doors for the pharmaceutical industry. They can now set new targets for drug development for clinical problems related to reproduction and cancerous cell growth,” he said in an e-mail interview from Japan.


On the local scene, Mohamad Saifulaman Mohamad Said and his team are on a crusade to hunt down the gene that dictates lung cancer. Head of UiTM’s Institute of Biotechnology and an Associate Professor of molecular medicine at medical school, he is thinking of ways to block that gene or to switch it off. Saifulaman worked with InfoValley Life Sciences Sdn Bhd to install state-of-the-art sequencers and other machines that analyse genetic material from cancer patients as cancer is a highly genetic disease.
 

In most cancers, scientists are able to pinpoint the exact genetic event. However, variations in people make it difficult to do so. “People have variations. Different ethnic groups for example, have variations which make us different despite our over-whelming similarities. People prone to certain diseases have variations that make them stand out from the rest of the population,” said Saifulaman. Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) is a small genetic variation that is of great interest to geneticists. Many SNPs have no effect on cell function but scientists believe others could predispose people to disease or influence their response to a drug. The combination of technology advancement and the unique ability of genetic variations to facilitate gene identification have resulted in a spell of SNP discoveries. The genes that are used as samples are taken from the trachea of Malaysians who have a family history of asthma. The team of researchers is studying genes from eight local people whose asthma ranges from moderate to severe.

“We know that their genes behave in a similar way. We’re also looking at the cell and what exactly happens as the body goes into an asthma attack,” said Saifulaman. He added that similar studies in Europe and North America cannot be compared to local ones as the variations in the ethnic groups differ, both in the DNA profile and in the way DNA moves around in disease mechanisms.


Trade & Policy

The country’s policy on biotechnology, the sector’s directions and measures to be taken for its development would be launched before the middle of this year, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi announced on January 13th.

The Prime Minister said that the Government would take into account the strength of Malaysia’s natural resources, its weaknesses or the challenges to overcome and the supporting mechanisms needed to be in place.

The country is still in its infancy stage in the use of biotechnology or in terms of industrial development based on biotechnology, he said when delivering his speech at the official opening of the Melaka Biotechnology Institute at Ayer Keroh, Melacca. “The Government has a major role to play in the development of the biotechnology sector particularly as the facilitator for the scientists and entrepreneurs involved,” he added.

In an unrelated article, the palm oil industry has entered into a new phase that promises substantial income for the country, after the achievement in producing diesel from palm oil and vitamin products from palm kernel has been made.

Research has also found that the oil palm trunk can be used in the making of laminated veneer lumber (LVL) to produce various products, including furniture and partition walls. “LVL could generate an estimated income of about RM2.5bil a year, based on the conservative price of RM500 per cubic metre,” said the Forest Research Institute of Malaysia (FRIM) director-general Datuk Dr Abdul Razak Mohamad Ali. The projected income is based on the felling quota of about 13.6 million oil palm trunks in the replanting of 100,000ha of plantations annually throughout the country.