Harnessing the ocean: Marine research in Borneo.

The Borneo Marine Research Institute (BMRI) is one of the premier venues for marine research in the region, and is also one of the only research institutes involved in the study of marine natural product chemistry in Malaysia. The institute was established in 1995 as a research unit under University Malaysia Sabah promoting marine science. Since then, it has established itself as one of four major research institutes under the university and despite its relatively short history, it has been able to rise to excellence in harnessing nature’s aquatic resources in research, development and its commercialization.

Speaking to Dr. Charles S. Vairappan, staff member of the BMRI and coordinator of the Marine Natural Product Chemistry Laboratory, at the Armada following his scheduled appearance at a workshop in Kuala Lumpur, it is possible to appreciate the cutting-edge science that is happening at the institute. Dr. Vairappan, is currently handling four major research groups in the BMRI including the chemotaxonomy of seaweed, isolation of chemical markers in aquatic organisms, aquaculture research and marine natural product chemistry.
 
Picture 1 : Dr. Charles S.
Chemotaxonomy is the classification of organisms based on differences at the biochemical level, especially in the amino acid sequences of common proteins. According to Dr. Vairappan, such a novel approach to the classification of marine life promises a much more efficient way to elucidate the taxonomic affinities of various organisms due to the amount of metabolites that may be obtained compared to the minute amount of DNA that is available in a cell. This has allowed researchers in MBRI to determine the taxonomy of various species of seaweed rapidly and accurately.
Similarly, aquaculture research in MBRI has taken a rather promising turn with the development of probiotic-treated rotifer feed which sees a 300% surge in rotifer population upon application. Rotifers are microscopic animals which are a major food source for fishes. Increased rotifer growth would be advantageous for the breeding of fish, hence by further developing such an invention into a commercial product, its application in the field of aquaculture would be limitless.
Picture 2: Scleronephthyea sp.
Such research has not been an individual contribution in the part of Dr. Vairappan and the many other staff for the BMRI. In fact, the institute has links with many research institutes and universities including The University of Tasmania, Aberdeen University, Kinki University, Japan, World Fish Center etc. which facilitates intellectual exchange of their findings. In fact, JAICA has even sent a senior volunteer officer to help in establishing the genomics group of the institute.

“With support from UMS and various cooperation among foreign research groups including Japan, which we have a very good working relationship with, the institute has been able to grow rapidly with the recent focus on biotech,” said Dr. Vairappan.

The emphasis UMS gives the BMRI is evident with its idyllic location at the Sepanggar Bay Area and the state of the art facilities including an aquarium, hatchery, jetty, workshop and research vessels.

“It is extremely convenient for us (staff and students) to go out collecting samples. Since the jetty is less than 100 meters away from my office and the boats are always fully equipped with scuba-diving equipment, we could just hop on a boat and head for the sea anytime we want,” he said. “I however do not know how to scuba-dive and have to rely on my students to collect the samples I need by pointing. (laughs)”
Looking into the future, Dr. Vairappan predicts rapid development in the field of biotechnology and a pressing need for people specialized in the field of aquatic biology. “With the emphasis on biotechnology by the government, we will be seeing a great increase in the requirement of skilled graduates in the field and hopefully we will also see much greater emphasis being put upon the development of marine science in the country. I’m sure that the BMRI will be on the forefront if this is to happen,” he concluded at the end of the interview.