SDG 3 | SDG 4 | SDG 8 | SDG 16 – Health/Wellbeing, Education, Quality of life.

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SDG 3 | SDG 4 | SDG 8 | SDG 16 – Health/Wellbeing, Education, Quality of life.

Silent Reservoirs: Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococci (MRS) in Migrant Communities

UMBI is pleased to share a published scientific report arising from the PhD research of Ms. Nurul Amirah Mohamad Farook under the supervision of Associate Professor Dr. Neoh Hui-min. Published in IJID Regions, the study examines the nasal carriage of antibiotic-resistant bacteria among migrant workers from Indonesia, Bangladesh, and Nepal living in Malaysia’s Klang Valley, highlighting an important but often overlooked public health issue affecting migrant worker communities in the country.

A total of 258 healthy individuals were screened, revealing that nearlyย 15% carried methicillin-resistant staphylococci (MRS), underscoring the potential role of healthy carriers as silent reservoirs for antibiotic-resistant bacteria within the community. Distinct MRS species dominance was also observed among different nationalities. The study further identified a significant link betweenย overcrowded housing conditionsย and the presence of these pathogens, particularly among workers employed in theย domestic and manufacturing sectors. Molecular analysis showed that many bacterial isolates exhibitedย multidrug resistance, raising concerns for silent transmission within the community. These findings emphasize the need for betterย health surveillanceย and improved living standards for migrant populations to manage public health risks. Ultimately, the source serves as the first investigation into howย socioeconomic factorsย may contribute to the spread of resistant staphylococci among these communities in Malaysia.

These findings further demonstrate UMBIโ€™s growing contribution to translational and community-focused molecular medicine research, particularly in understanding antimicrobial resistance, pathogen transmission, and population health challenges affecting vulnerable communities.

Read the full article to learn more about the study findings, antibiotic resistance patterns, and their implications for public health research in Malaysia:

Mohamad Farook NAM, Pereira AA, Seelan T, Di Gregorio S, Muhammad Azami NA, Neoh HM. Community carriage of methicillin-resistant staphylococci among migrant communities living in Klang Valley, Malaysia. IJID Regions. 2026;18:100849.

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#UMBI #ผฏรภย้ถน #UMBIResearchSpotlight #MolecularMedicine #AntimicrobialResistance #AMR #InfectiousDiseases #PublicHealth #MRSA #Microbiology #CommunityHealth

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SDG 3 | SDG 4 – Health/Wellbeing, Education, Quality of life

Decoding the Roles of TGFฮฒ Isoforms in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC)

UMBI is pleased to share a published article from our researchers, led by Dr. Ezanee Azlina Mohamad Hanif, exploring the distinct molecular roles of TGFฮฒ isoforms in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), one of the most aggressive and treatment-challenging breast cancer subtypes.

Using transcriptomic analysis of 486 TNBC patient samples, the study revealed that TGFฮฒ1, TGFฮฒ2, and TGFฮฒ3 regulate different gene networks, with TGFฮฒ1 demonstrating the largest genomic influence. Despite these differences, all three isoforms converged on critical biological pathways linked to metabolic reprogramming, cellular polarity, and Rap1 signalling โ€” mechanisms strongly associated with tumour progression, metastasis, and drug resistance.

Importantly, the team identified several promising prognostic biomarkers, including CAMK2N1 and COL1A1, which were associated with patient survival outcomes and may contribute toward future precision medicine strategies in TNBC management.

This work highlights UMBIโ€™s continued contribution to advancing molecular oncology, translational medicine, and biomarker discovery research aimed at improving personalised cancer therapeutics and patient outcomes.

We invite colleagues and collaborators to explore the full study:

Mohamad Hanif, E.A., Ahmad Daud, N.N. & Azman, A.A. Deciphering intra-tumoral roles of TGFฮฒ isoforms in triple negative breast cancer (TNBC). Egypt J Med Hum Genet 27, 31 (2026).

#UMBI #ผฏรภย้ถน #UMBIResearchSpotlight #BreastCancerResearch #TNBC #CancerResearch #MolecularOncology #PrecisionMedicine #TranslationalResearch #Biomarkers

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SDG 3 | SDG 4 – Health/Wellbeing, Education, Quality of life

Decoding AML: Graph-Based Method for Potential Gene Discovery

UMBI is pleased to share a recent publication from our researchers, led by Dr. Muhammad-Redha Abdullah-Zawawi, exploring novel genes associated with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) using a graph-based clustering approach and protein-protein interaction network analysis.

By analysing complex molecular interaction networks, the team identified 16 potential AML-associated genes showing significant differential expression across multiple AML subtypes, including PML-RARฮฑ and CD34-positive AML. The findings revealed that these genes are strongly linked to ribosome biogenesis, translational control, chromatin organization, and key pathways such as PI3K/AKT signalling and hematopoietic dysregulation.

Importantly, this systems-level approach provides new insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying AML progression and highlights several candidate genes that may serve as future biomarkers or therapeutic targets for this aggressive blood cancer. The study also demonstrates the potential of graph-based computational biology in advancing precision diagnostics and personalised treatment strategies in hematological malignancies.

These findings further reflect UMBIโ€™s growing strength in molecular oncology, bioinformatics, systems biology, and translational cancer research aimed at improving disease understanding and patient outcomes.

We invite colleagues and collaborators to explore the full review:

Muhamad Azuan et al. Oncologie (2026)

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#UMBI #ผฏรภย้ถน #UMBIResearchSpotlight #AcuteMyeloidLeukemia #AML #CancerResearch #MolecularOncology #PrecisionMedicine #Biomarkers #Hematology #ComputationalBiology

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SDG 3 | SDG 4 – Health/Wellbeing, Education, Quality of life

๐„๐ฑ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐จ๐ซ๐ข๐ง๐  ๐‚๐ก๐š๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ž๐ง๐ ๐ž๐ฌ ๐š๐ง๐ ๐ˆ๐ง๐ญ๐ž๐ ๐ซ๐š๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐ž ๐’๐จ๐ฅ๐ฎ๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ ๐ข๐ง ๐’๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฅ๐ž-๐‚๐ž๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ˆ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ง๐จ๐ฅ๐จ๐ ๐ฒ

UMBI is pleased to share a recent review article by our researchers, led by Dr. Nor Adzimah Johdi, published in ๐‘ฐ๐’Ž๐’Ž๐’–๐’๐’๐’๐’๐’ˆ๐’Š๐’„ ๐‘น๐’†๐’”๐’†๐’‚๐’“๐’„๐’‰, examining current challenges and emerging approaches in immune cell annotation within single-cell studies.

๐’๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฅ๐ž-๐œ๐ž๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐‘๐๐€ ๐ฌ๐ž๐ช๐ฎ๐ž๐ง๐œ๐ข๐ง๐  (๐ฌ๐œ๐‘๐๐€-๐ฌ๐ž๐ช) has significantly advanced immunology research by enabling high-resolution profiling of individual immune cells. However, accurately identifying immune cell populations remains complex, particularly when transcriptomic signals do not always correspond directly with protein expression. This review discusses how these biological and technical challenges can influence ๐๐š๐ญ๐š ๐ข๐ง๐ญ๐ž๐ซ๐ฉ๐ซ๐ž๐ญ๐š๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง in areas such as cancer, infectious diseases, and autoimmune disorders.

The article provides an ๐จ๐ฏ๐ž๐ซ๐ฏ๐ข๐ž๐ฐ ๐จ๐Ÿ ๐ž๐ฆ๐ž๐ซ๐ ๐ข๐ง๐  ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ญ๐ข๐ฆ๐จ๐๐š๐ฅ ๐ญ๐ž๐œ๐ก๐ง๐จ๐ฅ๐จ๐ ๐ข๐ž๐ฌ, including CITE-seq and spatial transcriptomics, which combine transcriptomic, proteomic, and spatial information to support more reliable immune cell characterization. It also highlights ๐ซ๐ž๐œ๐ž๐ง๐ญ ๐๐ž๐ฏ๐ž๐ฅ๐จ๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ž๐ง๐ญ๐ฌ ๐ข๐ง ๐œ๐จ๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ฎ๐ญ๐š๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐š๐ฅ ๐š๐ง๐ ๐›๐ข๐จ๐ข๐ง๐Ÿ๐จ๐ซ๐ฆ๐š๐ญ๐ข๐œ๐ฌ ๐Ÿ๐ซ๐š๐ฆ๐ž๐ฐ๐จ๐ซ๐ค๐ฌ designed to improve the integration and interpretation of multi-omics datasets.

Why these matters?

Improving the accuracy of immune cell annotation is increasingly important for advancing precision medicine and translational research. More robust analytical approaches may contribute to better understanding of disease mechanisms, improved therapeutic stratification, and the identification of potential treatment targets.

This publication also reflects UMBIโ€™s continued efforts to contribute to the broader scientific community through interdisciplinary research spanning immunology, genomics, and computational biology.

We invite colleagues and collaborators to explore the full review:

George, S., Johdi, N.A. Immune cell annotation in the single-cell studies: technologies, challenges, and integrative solutions. ๐‘ฐ๐’Ž๐’Ž๐’–๐’๐’๐’ ๐‘น๐’†๐’” ๐Ÿ•๐Ÿ’, 46 (2026)

As single-cell and multi-omics technologies continue to evolve, integrative approaches such as these may help strengthen future research in immunology and precision health.

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#Research #SingleCell #Immunology #Multiomics #PrecisionMedicine #BiomedicalResearch #Bioinformatics #UMBI #ผฏรภย้ถน #Innovation

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SDG 3 | SDG 4 – Health/Wellbeing, Education, Quality of life

๐„๐ฉ๐ิร๐€๐Œ: ๐“๐ก๐รฦ ๐†๐รฦ๐ง๐รฦ๐ญ๐ข๐œ ๐„๐ง๐ ๐ข๐ง๐รฦ ๐ƒ๐ซ๐ข๐ฏ๐ข๐ง๐  ๐„๐ฌ๐จ๐ฉ๐ก๐š๐ ๐รฦ๐š๐ฅ ๐ิร๐š๐ง๐œ๐รฦ๐ซ ๐€๐ ๐ ๐ซ๐รฦ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ง

UMBI is pleased to share a peer-reviewed publication led by Ts. Dr. Mohamad Aimanuddin Mohtar in PeerJ. The team explored the potential role of EpCAM in the development and progression of esophageal adenocarcinoma (ESCA).

Key highlights from the study include:

• ๐’๐ญ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐…๐จ๐œ๐ฎ๐ฌ

Researchers investigated the role of the Epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) in esophageal adenocarcinoma by using a unique EpCAM-null cell line (FLO-1) to observe the direct effects of the protein without background interference.

• ๐„๐ง๐ก๐š๐ง๐œ๐รฦ๐ ๐€๐ ๐ ๐ซ๐รฦ๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ข๐ฏ๐รฦ๐ง๐รฦ๐ฌ๐ฌ

The reintroduction of EpCAM into these cells significantly increased their pro-tumorigenic behaviors, including enhanced cell migration, adhesion, invasive capacity, and overall survival.

• ๐“๐ซ๐š๐ง๐ฌ๐œ๐ซ๐ข๐ฉ๐ญ๐จ๐ฆ๐ข๐œ ๐‘๐รฦ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐ ๐ซ๐š๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ข๐ง๐ 

RNA sequencing revealed that EpCAM acts as a major genetic regulator, significantly altering the expression of 797 genes primarily linked to cell motility, adhesion, and transmembrane activity.

• ๐Œ๐ข๐œ๐ซ๐จ๐รฦ๐ง๐ฏ๐ข๐ซ๐จ๐ง๐ฆ๐รฦ๐ง๐ญ ๐‘๐รฦ๐ฆ๐จ๐๐รฦ๐ฅ๐ข๐ง๐ 

The study identified specific “hub genes,” notably COL1A1 and PXDN, which are upregulated by EpCAM to remodel the extracellular matrix (ECM), effectively creating a supportive environment for the cancer to spread.

• ๐ิร๐ฅ๐ข๐ง๐ข๐œ๐š๐ฅ ๐ˆ๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐ข๐œ๐š๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ

By mapping this EpCAM signaling axis, the research positions EpCAM and its downstream ECM-remodeling effectors as critical therapeutic vulnerabilities and promising biomarkers for future targeted ESCA treatments.

At UMBI, we continue to support research efforts that contribute to a deeper understanding of cancer biology and its translation into meaningful clinical insights.

We invite colleagues and collaborators to explore the full study:

Mohtar MA et al., PeerJ (2026)

We hope this work contributes to ongoing efforts in understanding esophageal cancer and supports future studies aimed at improving patient outcomes.

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#Research #CancerBiology #CancerGenomics #TranslationalResearch #PrecisionMedicine #UMBI #ผฏรภย้ถน #BiomedicalScience

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SDG 3 | SDG 4 – Health/Wellbeing, Education, Quality of life

By: Dr. Lee Pey Yee & Ahmad Termidzi Mohd Azhar

Have you ever wondered what makes you unique? The answer lies in your DNAโ€”the extraordinary blueprint made up of three billion letters that define how you grow, how you look, and how your body works.

DNA Day commemorates two landmark scientific achievements: the ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐œ๐จ๐ฏ๐ž๐ซ๐ฒ ๐จ๐Ÿ ๐ญ๐ก๐ž ๐ƒ๐๐€ ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐›๐ฅ๐ž ๐ก๐ž๐ฅ๐ข๐ฑ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซ๐ฎ๐œ๐ญ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ž ๐›๐ฒ ๐‰๐š๐ฆ๐ž๐ฌ ๐–๐š๐ญ๐ฌ๐จ๐ง ๐š๐ง๐ ๐…๐ซ๐š๐ง๐œ๐ข๐ฌ ๐‚๐ซ๐ข๐œ๐ค ๐ข๐ง ๐Ÿ๐Ÿ—๐Ÿ“๐Ÿ‘, and the completion of the ๐‡๐ฎ๐ฆ๐š๐ง ๐†๐ž๐ง๐จ๐ฆ๐ž ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฃ๐ž๐œ๐ญ ๐ข๐ง ๐Ÿ๐ŸŽ๐ŸŽ๐Ÿ‘. These breakthroughs have revolutionised our understanding of genes and opened new frontiers in biomedical research. The interesting part is that ๐ก๐ฎ๐ฆ๐š๐ง๐ฌ ๐ฌ๐ก๐š๐ซ๐ž ๐ฆ๐จ๐ซ๐ž ๐ญ๐ก๐š๐ง ๐Ÿ—๐Ÿ—% ๐จ๐Ÿ ๐ญ๐ก๐ž๐ข๐ซ ๐ƒ๐๐€, yet these minor variations within our genetic code that make each of us unique, be it in the way we look, or how we respond to the world around us.

Today, DNA plays a crucial role in modern medicine. It helps doctors make more precise decisions, enables scientists to better understand diseases, and allows individuals to explore their ancestry. Though small in size, this molecule has a profound impact on our lives.

๐‘๐รฦ๐ฌ๐รฦ๐š๐ซ๐œ๐ก ๐‡๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ฅ๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ญ๐ฌ ๐Ÿ๐ซ๐จ๐ฆ ๐”๐Œ๐๐ˆ

UMBI continues to lead high-impact DNA research, translating genomic discoveries into practical healthcare solutions aligned with precision medicine and national priorities.

๐ิร๐š๐ง๐œ๐รฦ๐ซ ๐†๐ž๐ง๐จ๐ฆ๐ข๐œ๐ฌ

• UMBI leverages next-generation sequencing (NGS) and advanced bioinformatics to identify genetic drivers of cancer and treatment response. Current focus areas include biomarker discovery and druggable mutations to enable early detection and targeted therapies.

๐๐จ๐ง-๐‚๐จ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ง๐ข๐œ๐š๐›๐ฅ๐ž ๐ƒ๐ข๐ฌ๐ž๐š๐ฌ๐ž๐ฌ (๐๐‚๐ƒ๐ฌ)

• Through genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and epigenetic profiling, UMBI investigates genetic and environmental factors underlying chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes, with emphasis on population-specific risks.

๐Œ๐ข๐œ๐ซ๐จ๐›๐ข๐จ๐ฆ๐ž ๐‘๐รฦ๐ฌ๐รฦ๐š๐ซ๐œ๐ก

• Research on the human microbiome is uncovering how microbial communities influence diseases, including cancer and metabolic conditions. These insights are driving the development of microbiome-based biomarkers and preventive strategies.

๐๐จ๐ฉ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐š๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง-๐๐š๐ฌ๐ž๐ ๐‘๐รฦ๐ฌ๐รฦ๐š๐ซ๐œ๐ก

• The Malaysian Cohort Project is a large-scale population study involving over 100,000 participants, contributing to the development of a national-scale biobank and big data resource. This initiative integrates genomic, lifestyle, and environmental data to better understand disease patterns among Malaysians. Insights from this cohort support risk prediction, early detection, and the advancement of precision public health strategies tailored to Malaysiaโ€™s diverse population. [More on The Malaysian Cohort Project]

๐“๐ก๐รฦ ๐Œ๐š๐ฅ๐š๐ฒ๐ฌ๐ข๐š๐ง ๐๐š๐ง๐ ๐ž๐ง๐จ๐ฆ๐ž

• Building on whole-genome sequencing of 4,000 individuals from 56 Malaysian sub-ethnic groups, UMBI has developed and launched the Malaysian Pangenome to better capture the countryโ€™s genetic diversity. This initiative aims to improve the accuracy of genetic studies, enhance disease risk prediction, and ensure that precision medicine approaches are more inclusive and relevant to local populations.

This DNA Day, take a moment to appreciate the science within youโ€”simple, powerful, and uniquely yours.

Happy DNA Day!

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SDG 3 | SDG 4 | SDG 8 | SDG 16 | SDG 17 – Health/Wellbeing, Education, Quality of life, Global partnership.

By: Dr. Ezanee Azlina binti Mohamad Hanif

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a complex and highly heterogenous, made up of several intrinsic molecular subtypes that behave differently in patients.

One important group is the immunomodulatory subtype, which shows high immune cell infiltration, active immune gene expression, and engagement of immune checkpoints, reflecting a dynamic interaction between tumour cells and the immune system.

This immune landscape is closely linked with key oncogenic pathways, including BRCA-related DNA repair, PI3Kโ€“AKT, TP53, and MAPK signalling, which together influence tumour growth, immune escape, and treatment resistance. These interactions highlight the potential role of immunotherapy, particularly immune checkpoint inhibitors, in selected TNBC patients.

However, in real-world clinical settings such as Malaysia, the high cost of immunotherapy limits its broad application. As such, careful biomarker-based patient selection is essential to maximize clinical benefit, improve cost-effectiveness, and support more equitable access to personalized treatment options.

On #TNBCDay, UMBI reaffirm our commitment to advancing research that supports smarter, more personalised cancer care.

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SDG 3 | SDG 4 | SDG 8 | SDG 16 | SDG 17 – Health/Wellbeing, Education, Quality of life, Global partnership.

๐Ÿ’ ๐…๐ž๐›๐ซ๐ฎ๐š๐ซ๐ฒ ๐Ÿ๐ŸŽ๐Ÿ๐Ÿ” | ๐–๐จ๐ซ๐ฅ๐ ๐ิร๐š๐ง๐œ๐รฦ๐ซ ๐ƒ๐š๐ฒ ๐Ÿ๐ŸŽ๐Ÿ๐Ÿ”

On this World Cancer Day, UMBI reaffirms its commitment to ๐š๐๐ฏ๐š๐ง๐œ๐ข๐ง๐  ๐œ๐š๐ง๐œ๐ž๐ซ ๐ซ๐ž๐ฌ๐ž๐š๐ซ๐œ๐ก ๐ญ๐ก๐ซ๐จ๐ฎ๐ ๐ก ๐ฉ๐ซ๐ž๐œ๐ข๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐ฆ๐ž๐๐ข๐œ๐ข๐ง๐ž, ensuring every patient receives care that is as unique as their cancer. United by science and driven by impact, UMBI continues to ๐ญ๐ซ๐š๐ง๐ฌ๐ฅ๐š๐ญ๐ž ๐ฆ๐จ๐ฅ๐ž๐œ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐š๐ซ ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐œ๐จ๐ฏ๐ž๐ซ๐ข๐ž๐ฌ ๐ข๐ง๐ญ๐จ ๐›๐ž๐ญ๐ญ๐ž๐ซ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ๐œ๐จ๐ฆ๐ž๐ฌ, improved quality of life, and hope for patients and families.

๐”๐ง๐ข๐ญ๐ž๐ ๐›๐ฒ ๐”๐ง๐ข๐ช๐ฎ๐ž

.

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SDG 3 | SDG 4 | SDG 8 | SDG 16 | SDG 17 – Health/Wellbeing, Education, Quality of life, Global partnership.