1 April 2026 - A delegation of four staff members from the UPM-MAKNA Cancer Research Laboratory (CANRES), Institute of Bioscience UPM, recently conducted a half-day working visit to the UKM Medical Molecular Biology Institute (UMBI), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. The visit, led by Associate Professor Dr. Chia Suet Lin, aimed to provide an in-depth look at the governance of cell culture laboratories and the biological sample storage systems (biobank) implemented at the facility.

The CANRES delegation was warmly received by Mr. Bisharuzi Omar, Senior Science Officer and General Manager of UMBI. The session commenced at 10:00 AM with a briefing chaired by the Deputy Director of UMBI, Ts. Dr. Saiful Effendi Syafruddin. During the session, he presented the organizational profile, including UMBI’s mission, vision, areas of expertise, and high-impact services. In return, Associate Professor Dr. Chia Suet Lin provided an introductory overview of the functions and roles of the Institute of Bioscience, UPM. The meeting, held at the Malaysian Cohort (TMC) Meeting Room, concluded with an exchange of souvenirs.

The delegation was then guided through the cell culture laboratories by Ts. Dr. Saiful Effendi and other UMBI staff members. A key highlight of the tour was the demonstration of Sistep, a systematic online laboratory equipment booking system. Additionally, detailed insights were shared regarding student management protocols as well as laboratory safety and fire prevention systems.

The visit continued to the TMC Biobank, managed by Mr. Ahmad Termidzi Mohd Azhar and Mr. Muhammad Haziq Irfan Hazmi. Notably, the TMC Biobank stands as the largest biological specimen storage center in Southeast Asia, playing a critical role as a reference repository for future medical research. Beyond the main facility, the Biobank’s infrastructure is bolstered by Satellite Biobank I at UKM-MTDC, Bangi, and Satellite Biobank II at the Hospital Canselor Tuanku Mukhriz (HCTM).

The benchmarking visit concluded at 1:15 PM. It is hoped that the insights gained will further strengthen laboratory management at CANRES, ultimately supporting the excellence of research and services at UPM.

Date of Input: 14/04/2026 | Updated: 14/04/2026 | azah