She specialises in creating evolved enzymes for biodegradable plastics production in microbes. She was the first Malaysian to earn a PhD at the age of 27 from the Institute of Physical and Chemical Research (RIKEN).
She first became interested in molecular biology at the age of 16 after reading a book, following this she did her own research on the discoveries of scientists until she became a scientist herself.
Her current research interests involve fundamental research of investigating the functions, structures and potentials of hypothetical proteins in microbes. Her most recent research is on overcoming antimicrobial resistance by generating new peptides. These will act as combative agents to antibiotics-resistant pathogens saving human lives.
She has published her work in reputable journals and has won various awards and recognitions such as being selected as one of Malaysia’s young scientists to attend the 2010 Interdisciplinary Lindau Meeting of Young Scientists with Nobel Laureates and the Young Scholar Award by the Chemical Societies of the Pacific Basin. She is also involved in society awareness programmes such as inculcating the importance of biotechnology to school children under the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation’s Biotechnology Promotion Program.
