iPROMISE is engaged in interdisciplinary research in the areas of pharmacogenomics, genomics, bioinformatics, metabolomics and proteomics to enhance P4 medicine (predictive, preventive, personalised, participatory).

Genomics & Health

•   Personal Genome Sequencing: Sequencing of the Malay genome to understand the local genetic variation.
•   Orang Asli Genome Variation: Unravelling the medico-genomic architecture of Orang Asli to understand their fragility and endangerment.
•   Metagenomics: Exploring the composition and roles of gut microbiota in predisposing host towards obesity.
•   Epigenomics: Unraveling the heritable changes of DNA-methylation associated with heroin addiction.
•   Dissecting the molecular mechanism of Garcinia astroviridis in transgenerational inheritance of epigenetic in diet-induced obese rats

Bacterial Genomics & Host-Bacteria Interaction

•   Whole genome sequencing and comparative analysis of a locally isolated Streptococcus agalactiae.
•   Understanding extrapulmonary tropism of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
•   Elucidating the route of evolution in understanding the mechanisms of antibiotic resistance acquisition in Acinetobacter baumannii.
•   Exploring the metabolic regulatory networks of virulence and resistance behaviour of pathogenic Klebsiella pneumoniae and Proteus mirabilis.

Pharmacogenomics & Drug Metabolism

•   Genetic polymorphism of ITGB3A, P2Y12 and CYP2C19 among cardiovascular patients and a cohort study of three ethnic groups in Malaysia.
•   Relevance of genetic polymorphism of HLA-B*1502 and Carbamazepine-induced cutaneous adverse drug reaction.
•   Relevance of pharmacogenetic differences of colorectal cancer patients in optimization of 5-fluororacil drug therapy.
•   Relevance of pharmacogenomics of abcb1 gene in monitoring kidney transplant patients treated with tacrolimus.
•   Understanding interpatient variation of clinical responses among acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) patients treated with 6-mercaptopurine (6-mp).

Genotype & Phenotype

•   Unravelling the genetic variation of obesogenic related genes among the obese Malaysian.
•   Studying the implication of genetic polymorphism of FGFR1OP2/Wit3.0 on the bone remodeling of oromaxillofacial region following reduced function.

Computational Drug Discovery

•   Virtual screening of drug-induced hypersensitivity through chemical-protein interaction.
•   Drug targets: discovery and validation

Metabolomics & Proteomics

•   Development of health-risk prediction model for Orang Asli using PLSDA-metabolomic approach.
•   Profiling the metabolome of patients with diseases such as colorectal cancer, acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) patients and kidney failure to monitor their clinical responses towards drug therapies.
•   Biomarkers discovery of cardiovascular disease in patients treated with aspirin and its association with aspirin resistance.
•   Elucidation of thermostability factors in Geobacillus thermocatenulatus A8 through mapping of physiological pathway and structural proteomics study.
•   Unraveling the molecular mechanism of hepatoprotective activity of Muntingia calabura leaves extract against chemical induced hepatotoxicity.

LIST OF SELECTED PROJECTS

1. INTEGRATIVE OMICS

•   Evolutionary genomics and anthropological approaches on the endangered Malaysian aborigine populations: towards ensuring their sustainability
•   Determinants of executive performance function of the younger generation: understanding the genetic variation of BDNF-TrkB and microRNA regulatory roles
•   Dominator of success: your genes and personality traits
•   Signatures of the champions : enhancing sport performance via integrated physical training , diet and genomics approaches
•   Accurate assessment of micronutrients in the elite athletes : a need for personalized diet therapy
•   Understanding the relationship of gut and oral microbiota with cognitive and behavioral stress response among university students
•   Metagenomics and metabolomics analysis of human gut microbiota: evaluation of the predisposing mechanisms and probiotic effects on obesity
•   Profiling the metabolome signatures of gut microbiota in obese subjects in understanding the effect of physical induced weight loss
•   Investigating anti-proliferative effect of chalcone derivatives against breast cancer: in silico and in vitro approaches
•   Elucidating the anticancer activity of Polygonum minus and Christia vespertilionis extracts in breast cancer cell lines
•   Secondary metabolites of Tacca integrifolia with anti-proliferative properties: factors and mechanisms in regulating the expression of genes to enhance the yield
•   Anxiolytic effects of Moringa oleifera extract using chronic unpredictable stress zebrafish model
•   Elucidating the molecular mechanisms of the anti-inflammatory properties of chalcone and flavones derivatives
•   Dissecting the molecular mechanisms of Garcinia atroviridis in transgenerational inheritance of epigenetics in diet-induced obese rats

2. PHARMACOGENETICS

•   Evaluation of the VKORC1 haplotypes in individualising warfarin therapy
•   Expression analysis of thiopurine methyltransferase (TPMT) activity in leukemic patients
•   Tacrolimus pharmacogenetics: the influence of genetic polymorphism of CYP3A5, MDR1 and pregnane x receptor (PXR) in transplant patients
•   Genetic polymorphism of drug metabolizing enzymes and estrogen receptor innpharmacogenetics of tamoxifen: implication for optimization of breast cancer treatment
•   Transgenerational epigenetics in substance abuse: exploring the inheritable DNA methylation underlying the aggressive behaviour and altered stress response
•   Bone remodeling in the oromaxillofacial region following reduced function: implication of Wolff's law and genetic polymorphisms of FGFR1op2/WIT3.0

3. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE / COMPUTATIONAL MODELLING

•   Computational approaches on prediction of diseases risks and nutrigenomics for precision medicine
•   Computational studies on chalcone and flavone derivatives as multi-target inhibitors: towards anti-inflammatory therapy
•   Understanding facial expression of schizophrenia : use of innovative photography
•   High sensitivity optimal path trace back system development based on veterbi algorithm for DNA sequences alignment accelerator application
•   Formulation of A Robust Image Segmentation Framework for Micro Bleeds Detection in MRI Images of Cerebrovascular Diseases
•   Novel Random-Valued Impulse Noise Removal Based On Adaptive Switching Filter And Local-Preserving Scheme
•   Diagnosis Of Cervical Cancer Stages Using Hybrid Radial Basis Function Network With Fuzzy Membership-K-Means Clustering As Centre Positioning Algorithm
•   Identification of Tumor Existence in Mammogram Image Using Image Processing Algorithm
•   Intelligent Classification System for Microcalcification of Breast Cancer
•   Formulation of A New Watershed-based Segmentation Method for Features Extraction of Lung Cancer nodule in CT-scan IM
•   New ROI-Based Features Extraction Method Based On White Matter Lesions From MRI Images Of Small Vessel Stroke Predisposition
•   Drone- Assisted Victim Localization and Identification in Mass – Disaster Management from a Forensic Perspective
•   Hierarchical Deep Networks Technique for Swift Drone-Assisted Mass Disaster Victim Localization and Identification
•   Multimodal Deep-Learning–Based Robotic Therapy (MDLRT) of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder
•   A Low Complexity Convergence and Non-Convergence Output Detection Algorithms and Early Termination Criterion for Big Data in Iterative Decoding
•   Hemispheric Brainwave Characterisation in Human Learning
•   Novel Optimized Element Algorithm for Sizing DNA Sequence Alignment, Duration
•   Big Data Analytics of Large Scale Botnet Detection in Heterogeneous BYOD Environment
•   High Sensitivity Optimal Path Trace Back System Development Based on Veterbi Algorithm for DNA Sequences Alignment Accelerator Application
•   Abnormal Gait Analysis and Classification Based on Machine Learning Approach

4. MICROBIOLOGY/ PARASITOLOGY

•   Genome Map of COVID-19 in Malaysia
•   Molecular characterization of Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains in the tropics for a better understanding of transmission mechanism, pathogenesis and tissue tropism
•   Mutation analysis of MDR-TB strains isolated in Malaysia and Nigeria
•   Exploring the metabolic regulatory networks of virulence and resistance behaviour of pathogenic Klebsiella pneumoniae and Proteus mirabilis using whole genome sequencing, proteomics and metabolomics approaches
•   A whole genome analysis of the adaptive power of S. aureus to antibiotics: emergence of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA)
•   The potential pathogenicity of Acanthamoeba isolates contact lens users on human corneal cells and their resistance to commercially available contact lens disinfectant solutions.
•   Understanding the relationship of gut and oral microbiota with cognitive and behavioral stress response among university students.
•   Molecular genotyping and physiological characterization of potentially pathogenic Acanthamoeba isolates from recreational water sources in Peninsular Malaysia.
•   Development of a new multiplex PCR for rapid detection of Blastocystis sp. In human stool samples.
•   Comparison of microscopy, in vitro cultivation and DNA-based method for detection of Blastocystis sp. In human stool samples.
•   Molecular phylogenies of Blastocystis sp. Isolates from different hosts: identification of subtypes, implication for pathogenicity and zoonosis.
•   Neglected parasitoses among indigenous communities in Peninsular Malaysia.

5. PERSONALISED TARGETED DRUG DELIVERY

•   Design of polysaccharidic nano-in-micro soft agglomerates as primary oral drug delivery vehicle for colon-specific targeting.
•   Alginate-c18 conjugate nanoparticles loaded in tripolyphosphate-crosslinked chitosan-oleic acid conjugate-coated calcium alginate beads as oral insulin carrier.
•   Coatless alginate pellets as sustained-release drug carrier for inflammatory bowel disease treatment.
•   Drug release, preclinical and clinical pharmacokinetics relationships of alginate pellets prepared by melt technology.
•   Oral 5-fluorouracil colon-specific delivery through in vivo pellet coating for colon cancer and aberrant crypt foci treatment.
•   Design of multi-particulate “dome matrix” with sustained-release melatonin and delayed-release caffeine for jet lag treatment.
•   Chitosan-carboxymethyl-5-fluorouracil-folate conjugate particles: microwave modulated uptake by skin and melanoma cells.
•   Folate-induced nanostructural changes of oligochitosan nanoparticles and their fate of cellular internalization by melanoma.
•   Carboxymethylcellulose film for bacterial wound infection control and healing
•   Lung cancer: active therapeutic targeting and inhalational nanoproduct design.
•   Critical physicochemical attributes of chitosan nanoparticles admixed lactose-peg3000 microparticles in pulmonary inhalation.
•   Critical physicochemical and biological attributes of nanoemulsions for pulmonary delivery of rifampicin by nebulization technique in tuberculosis treatment.