Globalisation and digitalisation have enabled people around the world to communicate without barriers thanks to inexpensive communication tools and channels. This can be seen in tertiary education, for example, whereby, universities are stepping up efforts to collaborate with each other to diversify learning experience and allow students and academicians to broaden their horizons.
Professor Dr Kirsten Spann (top right), from Queensland University of Technology, Australia, shared her views with INTI’s academicians.
In March 2021, the Life Sciences Division of the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences (FHLS) at INTI International University organised two virtual symposiums through collaboration with local and foreign universities in a bid to exchange ideas and academic findings.
On 27 March, the first FHLS Online Research Symposium Series was hosted via Microsoft Teams, allowing participants worldwide to gather and benefit from a topic that pertains to a global health issue. Four speakers shed light on the coronavirus pandemic in a symposium entitled “Understanding COVID-19 – A Scientific Perspective”.
Professor Dr Kirsten Spann, Deputy Head of the School of Biomedical Sciences, and leader of theRespiratory Virus Research Group at Queensland University of Technology, Australia, delivered a talk on “Virology and Pathogenesis of SARS-CoV-2” which gave audiences an overall view of how RNA viruses are prone to mutation, SARS-CoV-2 mutations in the S protein, and also how innate immune responses in the upper respiratory system are important in controlling viral infection.
Dr Soh Wai Tuck (left), a researcher from Osaka University, Japan, shared insights on “The Immunology of SARS-CoV-2” during a talk facilitated by Ms Lalita Ambigai Sivasamugham, Senior Lecturer at the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences (FHLS), INTI International University.
Dr Soh Wai Tuck, a researcher at the Immunology Frontier Research Centre, Osaka University, Japan, shared about “The Immunology of SARS-CoV-2” and elaborated on how the virus infected the host cell through spike and receptors interaction as well as why specific T-cell responses are crucial for SARS-CoV-2 immunity. He also talked about how emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants could pose potential threats.
Meanwhile, Associate Professor Datin Dr Noor Zetti Zainol Rashid, who is a clinical microbiologist and medical lecturer at the Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), delivered her talk on “Laboratory Diagnosis of COVID-19: Choices and Challenges” in which, she concluded that no test is 100% accurate and a single “Negative” test result should not be used to rule out infection, particularly if it is symptomatic.
The final talk was conducted by Associate Professor Dr. Geetha Subramaniam, a senior lecturer from the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences (FHLS), INTI International University. Showcasing her expertise in biotechnology, microbiology and immunology, she walked the audience through the facts of the COVID-19 vaccine and why people need it, how it works, as well as the types of vaccines available. Dr Geetha also shared her thoughts about the worldwide phenomena of vaccine hesitancy.
In early March, FHLS, through Ms. Lalita Ambigai Sivasamugham, organised another scientific symposium as part of their annual Antibiotic Awareness Campaign. The awareness campaign which started in 2016, was the brainchild of Dr Geetha Subramaniam, whose researches on antibiotic resistance along with Ms. Lalita, aimed to educate the community within and beyond INTI in combatting antibiotic resistance.
Associate Professor Datin Dr Noor Zetti from UKM gave a talk on “Laboratory Diagnosis of COVID-19: Choices and Challenges”.
Professor Dr David Roper, who is a professor in structural biology at University of Warwick, United Kingdom, was invited to talk about “Rethinking how we target PBPs for antimicrobial chemotherapy”.
Professor David Roper’s talk focused on the information of developing effective drugs that target the cellular structures of resistant bacteria. The session inspired students from the Bachelor of Biotechnology (Honours) programme and the Australian Degree Transfer Programme (Science) to relook into the structure of the resistant cell so that more effective antimicrobial drugs can be developed.
Through these symposiums organised by INTI, its students and academicians took advantage of the international perspectives offered by speakers on topics that they have been studying and teaching, and encourage them to continue to seek knowledge beyond geographical boundaries to keep up with the fast pace of today’s knowledge economy.