5.6.2026 – UMBI Research Updates Series (RUS) in Molecular Medicine
5 June 2026 | This morning’s ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ฌ๐๐๐ซ๐๐ก ๐๐ฉ๐๐๐ญ๐ ๐๐๐ซ๐ข๐๐ฌ ๐ข๐ง ๐๐จ๐ฅ๐๐๐ฎ๐ฅ๐๐ซ ๐๐๐๐ข๐๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐จ. ๐๐/๐๐๐๐ featured an insightful presentation by ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ฌ๐๐๐ซ๐๐ก ๐
๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐จ๐ฐ, ๐๐ซ. ๐๐ข๐ญ๐ข ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐ก๐๐ก ๐๐ฎ๐ฅ๐๐ข๐ฆ๐๐ง, entitled โFatty Liver: Thin Doesn’t Mean Immuneโ.
The session highlighted fatty liver disease as a growing global health concern and a silent epidemic, with prevalence continuing to rise worldwide. Dr. Aishah shared that the global prevalence reached approximately 38% in 2022, affecting an estimated 3 billion individuals, while more than 30% of the population in South-East Asia is affected. In Malaysia, findings from the ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ญ๐ก ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐จ๐ซ๐๐ข๐๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐ซ๐ฏ๐๐ฒ (๐๐๐๐) ๐๐๐๐ indicate that approximately 28% of Malaysians have fatty liver disease.
A key focus of the presentation was the often-overlooked phenomenon of Lean MASLD (Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease), where ๐ข๐ง๐๐ข๐ฏ๐ข๐๐ฎ๐๐ฅ๐ฌ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐ ๐ง๐จ๐ซ๐ฆ๐๐ฅ ๐๐จ๐๐ฒ ๐ฆ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐ข๐ง๐๐๐ฑ (๐๐๐) ๐ฆ๐๐ฒ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐๐๐ฏ๐๐ฅ๐จ๐ฉ ๐๐๐ญ๐ญ๐ฒ ๐ฅ๐ข๐ฏ๐๐ซ. The audience was introduced to the concept of ๐๐๐
๐ (๐๐ก๐ข๐ง ๐๐ฎ๐ญ๐ฌ๐ข๐๐, ๐
๐๐ญ ๐๐ง๐ฌ๐ข๐๐), describing individuals with relatively low subcutaneous fat but high levels of visceral fat, which may increase MASLD risk despite appearing lean. Dr. Aishah also discussed the ๐ฉ๐จ๐ญ๐๐ง๐ญ๐ข๐๐ฅ ๐ซ๐จ๐ฅ๐ ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐ง๐๐ญ๐ข๐ ๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ข๐๐ง๐ญ ๐ข๐ง ๐๐๐๐ง ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐๐๐ฉ๐ญ๐ข๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ.
The presentation further explored the differences between obese and lean MASLD profiles, highlighting current clinical challenges and the tendency for ๐๐๐๐ง ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ญ๐ข๐๐ง๐ญ๐ฌ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ง๐๐๐ซ-๐ฌ๐๐ซ๐๐๐ง๐๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐๐ฏ๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ง๐ข๐๐๐ฅ ๐๐ข๐๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐จ๐๐ข๐๐ญ๐๐ฌ ๐๐๐ญ๐ญ๐ฒ ๐ฅ๐ข๐ฏ๐๐ซ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐ข๐ฆ๐๐ซ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐จ๐๐๐ฌ๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ.
The session concluded with an engaging Q&A discussion, reflecting strong interest from participants. Appreciation is extended to Dr. Aishah for her informative sharing and to all attendees for their active participation and insightful questions.
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SDG 4 – Quality Education
