Overview

The applied health research strand at NUMed covers public health problems in Malaysia and global health problems affecting low and middle income countries. It is centred around addressing challenges set through the United Nations Sustainability Goals, namely Good health and Well Being (SDG3), Gender equality (SDG 5), Clean water and sanitation (SDG6), Affordable and Clean Energy (SDG7), Reduced inequalities (SDG10), Climate Action (SDG13); Partnerships for the Goals (SDG 17), Life below water and Life on Land (SDG 14 and 15).

All projects are in partnership with Newcastle University, but include partners, in Malaysia, Indonesia, Cambodia, Vietnam, India, Myanmar, Thailand, Tanzania, Columbia, Ethiopia and will soon include Philippines, Brazil, South Africa and Kenya. The projects that are currently ongoing include

1. The Water Security Hub
2. Dementia Prevention and Enhanced Care (DEPEC)
3. HIV epidemiology in Malaysia
4. Paediatric musculoskeletal research

 

Overview

Cancer is one of the most serious health problems worldwide. The global cancer burden is estimated to increase to 18.1 million new cases and 9.6 million deaths in 2018 (http://gco.iarc.fr/). In the next two decades, seventy per cent of global deaths caused by cancer are predicted to occur in low and middle-income (LMIC) nations. The increasing burden of cancer is a rapidly changing spectrum i.e. reduction in infection-related cancers and increase in lifestyle change-mediated cancers such as breast, prostate, and colorectal cancer. The three key interlinked elements that is central to the decrease in overall cancer mortality rate are cancer prevention, early detection, screening and treatment. The over all aim of the cancer research projects at Newcastle University Medicine Malaysia are to address the disparity in global cancer treatment outcomes by functioning as a South East Asian Cancer Research Hub for Cancer Researchers to focus on developing screening, diagnostics and treatment suitable for resource limited settings.

The current cancer research areas includes :

1. Haematological Malignancies.
2. DNA mismatch repair associated familial cancers including colorectal cancer.

The research approach includes :

1. Population-based studies that synthesises evidence for policy and clinical treatment improvements.
2. Experimental research programs that aim to develop innovative diagnostic methods through population studies, molecular biology and genomics technologies.

South East Asian Cancer Genomics Research Partnership Programs

1. Rutherford Fund Strategic Partnership between Newcastle University and Malaysian Institutions (Universities UK International) Prof Derek Mann and Dr.Jeyanthy Eswaran

• https://www.ncl.ac.uk/medicalsciences/contact/team/profile/derekmann.html#background
• https://www.ncl.ac.uk/numed/staff/profile/jeyanthyeswarannewcastleedumy.html#background
• https://ukm.pure.elsevier.com/en/persons/nurul-syakima-ab-mutalib
• https://www.amdi.usm.my/index.php/regenerativeemmanuel
• https://www.imr.gov.my/index.php/en/carc

2. Lady Tata International Leukaemia Award (Lady Tata Memorial Trust, London) to study the genetic landscape of Malaysian BCP-ALL cohort 

• https://www.ncl.ac.uk/medical-sciences/people/profile/christineharrison.html
• http://www.ukm.my/umbi/staff-directory/professor-dr-hamidah-alias/
• https://www.imr.gov.my/index.php/en/carc

3. Prevalence of genomic biomarkers of colorectal and familial cancer in LMICs through novel NGS methods

• https://www.ncl.ac.uk/medical-sciences/people/profile/johnburn.html
• https://www.ncl.ac.uk/medical-sciences/people/profile/michaeljackson.html
• https://www.ncl.ac.uk/medical-sciences/people/profile/maurosantibanez-koref.html
• http://www.ukm.my/umbi/
• http://www.ukm.my/umbi/news/rp-professor-datuk-dr-rahman-jamal/
• https://ikd.ugm.ac.id/halaman-67-dewi-kartikawati-paramitassimsiphd.html
• https://www.geneticcentre.org/

Overview

Educational research is crucial in navigating our programs in Newcastle University Medicine Malaysia (NUMed). Being an international branch provides us with a unique opportunity to study a UK based curriculum in a foreign setting and facilitates cross border comparisons. NUMed strongly believes in engaging in educational research as a critical activity to inform future educational practices. The aim of NUMed educational research is to improve the teaching and training quality (via research and staff development) at NUMed, in order to produce medical graduates that will enhance medical practice in Malaysia.

Objectives:

1. To promote faculty development at NUMed in order to improve personal and professional development and support our overall aim (stated above).
2. To develop medical education research skills among NUMed academic staff.
3. To facilitate the dissemination of new knowledge from NUMed research outputs via publication, conference and medical education research networks.

NUMed, being an international branch campus of Newcastle University, UK develops its own signature pedagogical research by being glocal with its international curriculum applied in the local Malaysian healthcare context. Our educational research is focussed on Program Evaluation, to identify the educational environment of our three faculties, Faculty Development Programs, Medical Students Resilience, Stress among medical students, learning styles, feedback strategies and etc.

Transnational research projects are focused on two main themes: Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL) and Student Exchange program, a collaborative research project with Newcastle University, UK. This cross-border research enables evidence-based teaching at NUMed and enhances knowledge and skills among our educators and promotes the quality of our program delivered while still being part of Newcastle University, UK. In support of educational research work, NUMed offers Postgraduate Certificate in Medical Education, for its staffs to empower them further to engage in educational research.

Recent publications :

• Veasuvalingam Bhavani (2014): Physiotherapy Students’ Perception of their Educational Environment: A study to identify the areas of concern for remedial measures at two Schools of Physiotherapy in Malaysia. Education in Medicine Journal. Vol 6(3).
• Veasuvalingam Bhavani (2012): Identifying physiotherapy stakeholders for program evaluation: Education in Medicine Journal. Vol 4(2). E85-88.
• Bhavani V. (2012). Practical Teaching Behaviour Inventory (PTBI): An Inventory as a Feedback Mechanism to Improve Competency of Physiotherapy Graduates. 15th Ottawa Conference Abstract Book: pg. 33
• Majed Wadi & V. Bhavani (2011): Experience in Effective Learning Strategy Workshop. Education in Medicine Journal. Vol 3(2) e75.