Page 23 - NIH Bulletin Vol 19, January-June 2022, Entering the Endemic Phase: Nurturing Ideas in Healthcare

#ENTERING THE ENDEMIC PHASE

YOUR RESEARCH ACHIEVEMENT?
To me, achievements were just not about winning gold
medals or awards. I view my research achievement as what
I have contributed to the society. There is nothing more
satisfying than having my research findings being used for
the benefit of mankind, such as saving the limbs of patients. I
recalled meeting a retired policeman with diabetic intractable
foot ulcers and he was told that his affected limb had to be
amputated. However, he never gave up hope and volunteered
to be the first patient to try the maggot debridement therapy
(MDT). The trial was a huge success and his limb was saved.
I will never forget his happiness and gratitude after being
‘saved’ by the maggots!

I am also happy to be acknowledged that I am not just an
armchair scientist. I had given my all to the society and I am well
satisfied with all the research that I have conducted, whether
big or small, including genetically modified mosquitoes, the
Wolbachia program, Sterile Insect Technology (SIT), leech
and tilapia skin biotherapies. The research outcomes have
impacted the local society, Malaysia and globally as well.

I’m reminded of the lyrics from Frank Sinatra’s song “My
Way” - with no regrets, I did it all by my way”. I do not concur
to the phrase “I did it all my way” as my achievements are
actually the outcomes of team effort. I worked together with
tall, bold and confident as we have the knowledge and facts different teams and I cherished and enjoyed the moments.
on forensic flies at our fingertips, to answer the challenging All the good and bad memories with the team have faded
questions from both the defending and prosecuting parties.
away with time, but the moments we spent together have
always remained and will be cherished. “A good team with
I was blessed to have a great team to work together with close binding, having the sense of belonging, direction and
on flies. It was not an easy journey. Besides the useful urgency will excel”. I have long realized that team effort is one
application of flies in forensic entomology, my team and I of the utmost important elements in scientific research. As
strived to uncover the potential employment of our local the African proverb says “If you want to go fast go alone, but
strain of blowfly, Lucilia cuprina, for maggot debridement if you want to go far go together”.
therapy (MDT) of intractable wounds, particularly in view of
the rising prevalence of diabetes in Malaysia and its dreadful There is one award that I do cherish a lot, and that is a photo of
complications. With the relentless effort of translating myself working in the laboratory was uploaded onto the World
research findings in the laboratory to therapeutic application Health Organization (WHO) Facebook for the celebration of
of MDT in primary health care centres, today, MDT is being Women’s Day on 8th March 2019. I’m truly honoured as my
practised in 152 hospitals and health clinics in most districts research achievement has been acknowledged by WHO.
in Malaysia, including those hard-to-reach areas in Sabah and
Sarawak, East Malaysia, making MDT easily accessible and WHAT WAS YOUR MOST SIGNIFICANT
affordable to the people, especially among the socially and PERSONAL AND/OR PROFESSIONAL LESSON?
geographically disadvantaged population groups. In the last The value of time and patience is one of the most important
years, more than 10,000 patients have benefitted from MDT.
lessons in my life.
WHAT ARE YOUR GENERAL RESEARCH I learned and developed the most during the difficult epochs:
INTERESTS? rejection of research proposals, manuscripts and grant
I thought I would anchor myself to the type of research I applications, unsuccessful experiments, in which this list goes
conducted during my earlier days in the university, that is on. But never once did I quit. I always had backup ideas and
working with agricultural pests. But when I joined IMR, my plans. I did not stop writing and submitting research proposals
research interest changed its course to medically important and did not wait for the best time to write a proposal, because
insects, which are mosquitoes and flies. I respect the time will never be just right.
principles of Confucius, that is “The essence of knowledge is
having it, to apply it”, which in the common language means I recognized the importance of my research. I considered that
translational research.” My research studies have always each research stage to be a vital piece of the riddle, and the
focused on solutions in operational programs for the control picture will be incomplete without my research contribution.
of flies and mosquitoes.

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