APPLICATION FORM

YSP-Travel Fellowships for 13th FAOBMB Congress, Bangkok, 23-29 November, 2012.

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Have you previously received an FAOBMB Travel Fellowship? If yes, please indicate when. No

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Curriculum Vitae Provide a brief CV showing education and research training, including any prizes or awards: (no more than one page) Education 2008-present PhD in Animal Cell Biotechnology, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) CGPA 4.000/4.000 (current) 2010 Student Exchange Program Dongguk University, Seoul Campus, South of Korea 2009 Diploma in Immunology University of Hong Kong (HKU), Hong Kong 2004-2007 Bachelor of Science (Hons) Major in Biochemistry, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) CGPA 3.928/4.000 Scholarship & Awards: 1. Young Scientist Scholarship awarded in Asian-Pacific Congress of Clinical Biochemistry (APCCB) 2010 2. Korea Global Scholarship for Student Exchange Program in Dongguk University, Seoul campus, South of Korea 3. Graduate Research Fellowship (GRF) of Universiti Putra Malaysia Scientific Conferences or Workshops: Skin Lightening Workshop (Bangkok, Thailand), 12th December 2011. 21st International Federal Society of Cosmetic Scientist (IFSCC) conference (Bangkok, Thailand), 12th - 14th December, 2011. 3. 10th World Congress of Inflammation (Paris, France), 25th-29th June 2011. (Poster presenter) 4. 12th Asian-Pacific Congress of Clinical Biochemistry (APCCB) (Seoul, Korea), 3th - 7th October 2010. (Oral Communication) 5. Frontier in Biomedical Research HKU (Hong Kong), 4th December 2009 6. 2nd HKU-Pasteur Immunology Course, HKU (Hong Kong), 17th November - 2nd December 2009. (Oral Communication) 7. 34th Annual Conference of the MSBMB in conjunction with the 3rd ASEAN Biochemistry Conference 7th-8th October 2009. (Oral Communication) 8. Translational Research in Oncology (TRiO), UPM (Malaysia), 17th January 2008 9. 33rd Annual Conferences of Malaysia Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (MSBMB), 27th - 28th August 2008. (Poster presenter) 10. 32nd Annual Conferences of Malaysia Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (MSBMB), 5th - 6th September 2007. (Poster presenter) 1. 2.

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List of Publications in International Journals* * Number all publications in international journals or book chapters, with earliest first and most recent at the end. Provide the Impact Factor (IF) of the journal and indicate your contribution the work described and the publication. Use as many pages as required. Follow the style in these examples: 1. K.H. Lee, F. H. Abdul Aziz, A. Syahida, F. Abas, K.Shaari, D.A. Israf, N.H. Lajis. Synthesis and biological evaluation of curcumin-like diarylpentanoid analogues for anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anti-tyrosinase activities. European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry 44, 3195-3200 (2009) (IF 3.269) KH has made substantial contributions to experimental conception and design, acquisition of data, analysis, interpretation of data and draft the manuscript. 2. N.M. Huang, S. Radiman, H.N. Lim, P.S. Khiew, W.S. Chiu, K.H. Lee, A. Syahida, R. Hasim, C.H. Chia. -Ray assisted synthesis of silver nanoparticles in chitosan solution and the antibacterial properties. Chemical Engineering Journal 155, 499-507 (2009) (IF 2.819) KHs contribution was to carry out the cytotoxicity study of the silver nanoparticle. 3. K.H. Lee, F. Abas, N.B.M. Alitheen, K. Shaari, N.H. Lajis, A. Syahida. A curcumin derivative, 2,6-bis(2,5-dimethoxybenzylidene)-cyclohexanone (BDMC33) attenuates prostaglandin E2 synthesis via selective suppression of cyclooxygenase-2 in IFN-/LPS stimulated macrophages. Molecules 16, 97289738 (2010) (IF 2.386) KH has made substantial contributions to experimental conception and design, acquisition of data, analysis, interpretation of data and draft the manuscript. 4. H.N. Lim, A. Kassim, N.M. Huang, K.H. Lee, A. Syahida, C.H Chia. High internal phase emulsion as reaction medium for precipitating brushite crystals. Ceramic International 36, 1503-1509 (2010) (IF 1.686) KHs contribution was to study the cytotoxicity and cellular interaction of the brushite crystal. 5. K.H. Lee, A.M. Padzil1, A. Syahida, N. Abdullah, S.W. Zuhainis, M. Maziah, M.R. Sulaiman, D.A. Israf, K. Shaari, N.H Lajis. Evaluation of antiinflammatory, antioxidant and antinociceptive activities of six Malaysian medicinal plants. Journal of Medicinal Plants Research 5, 5555-5563 (2011) (IF 0.879) KH has made substantial contributions to experimental conception and design, supervision of the research group, interpretation of data and draft the manuscript.

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6. S.I Abdelwahab, S. Mohan, M.A. Abdulla, M.A Sukari., A.B. Abdul, M.M.E. Taha, S. Syam, S. Ahmad, K.H Lee. The methanolic extract of Boesenbergia rotunda (L.) Mansf. and its major compound pinostrobin induces anti-ulcerogenic property in vivo: Possible involvement of indirect antioxidant action. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 137, 963-970 (2011) (IF 2.466) KH participated in studying the anti-inflammatory properties of Boesenbergia rotunda extract by evaluating the nitric oxide production in the activated macrophage cells. 7. K.H. Lee, Y.L. Chow, V. Sharmili, F. Abas, N.B.M. Alitheen, K. Shaari, D.A. Israf, N.H. Lajis, A. Syahida. BDMC33, A curcumin derivative suppresses inflammatory responses in macrophage-like cellular system: Role of inhibition in NF-B and MAPK signalling pathways. International Journal of Molecular Sciences 13, 2985-3008 (2012) (IF 2.598) KH has made substantial contributions to experimental conception and design, acquisition of data, analysis, interpretation of data and draft the manuscript. 8. Y.L. Chow, K.H. Lee, S. Vidyadaran, N.H. Lajis, M.N. Akhtar, A.I. Israf, A. Syahida. Cardamonin from Alpinia rafflesiana inhibits inflammatory responses in IFN-/LPS-stimulated BV2 microglia via NF-B signalling pathway. International Immunopharmacology 12, 657-665 (2012) (IF 2.468) KH has participated in designing the experimental conception and interpretation of data.

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Abstract Indicate below the abstract that is submitted by you for presentation at the YSP and the FAOBMB Congress in Bangkok (include all authors, affiliation(s) and the text of the abstract) ZERUMBONE AS NATURAL NF-B INHIBITOR TO SUPPRESS THE INFLAMMATORY RESPONSES IN THE CELLULAR MODEL OF RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS Lee KH1, Chow YL2, Noorjahan BA1, Faridah A2, Nordin HJ2, Syahida A1,2
1

Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences; 2Institute of Bioscience; Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by abnormal immune phenomena involving macrophage and synovial fibroblast, which results in progressive joints destruction. With increasing prevalence of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and various drawbacks of the long term consumption of conventional anti-arthritic medications, effort on discovering the alternative drugs to treat RA with minimal side effects of utmost importance. On the natural spectrum of treatment, zerumbone (2,6,9,9-tetramethylcycloundeca-2,6,10-trien-1-one) isolated from Zingiber zerumbet had previously shown to exhibit potent antioxidant, anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties. In this investigation, we further investigated the antiinflammatory properties of zerumbone as well as elucidated its underlying mechanism action on two cellular systems which are IFN-/LPS-stimulated macrophages (RAW 264.7) and PMA-stimulated synovial fibroblast (HIG-82). BDMC 33 was found to inhibit the IFN-/LPS-induced secretion of major pro-inflammatory mediators of macrophages in dose-dependent manner, includes nitric oxide (NO), tumour necrosis factor- (TNF-) and interleukin-1 (IL-1). Similarly, zerumbone strongly suppressed inflammatory gene expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in PMA-induced HIG-82 cells. In addition to its antiinflammatory property, zerumbone also suppressed the matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) activities or expression in PMA-induced HIG-82, includes MMP-1, MMP-3 and MMP-9. The inflammatory action of zerumbone on both macrophage and synovial fibroblast was found to be mediated via NF-B signaling pathway; as p65 NF-B nuclear translocation and NF-B DNA binding activity were being attenuated. Collectively, the experimental data suggests that zerumbone as naturally alternative agent in attenuating the secretion of pro-inflammatory mediator production and MMPs of macrophages and synovial fibroblast cells at least partly via interference on NF-B signalling pathways, which could represents a promising lead compound for future therapeutic development in rheumatoid arthritis management. Keywords: Anti-inflammatory, HIG-82, NF-B, RAW264.7, Zerumbone

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Personal Statement Indicate briefly here your Research Interests and Career Goals, why you are interested to participate in the YSP Program (including what you will bring to the YSP and what you hope to gain from it): (no more than one page) As a researcher, attending YSP for 13th FAOBMB Congress is a golden opportunity for me to present the research finding in front of different expert researchers from Asia or Oceania region. Currently, I am specializing in drug discovery on inflammatory diseases especially targeting on rheumatoid arthritis by developing anti-inflammatory agents from local medicinal plant or novel compounds. As the advancement of the technology has rapidly expanded in recent years, stem cell therapy or nanoparticle cell targeted delivery system are gaining numerous attentions in developing the novel yet effective treatment for management of the variety inflammatory diseases. This is a major drive in further understanding on the latest development of these specialized topics to meet the spectrum of research, development and commercial needs on alternative anti-inflammatory drug. This program provides me a professional developmental opportunity which can help me grow as a scientist. It allows me to share my current findings and receive international recognition on my research work. Besides, the congress also provides me a platform in knowledge sharing with other scientists who are working in the same research area as well as different field of study. This program will allow me to create personal interaction and intensive discussions with Nobel Laureates, academician and professional scientist from different nations. I strongly believe that this exciting meeting will be able to inspire us in generating new and innovative ideas in contributing to the scientific development in biochemistry and molecular sciences. In addition to knowledge and technique sharing, it is a good time to make new acquaintances from different nations and cultures. As the saying goes, more heads are better than one, hence, collaboration link between the scientists can be built up in the future to come out with astonishing findings for the world! Last but not least, it is a good opportunity for me to visit Bangkok and experience the traditional culture of Thailand. Hopefully, I will be able to get some fresh stimulations and ideas to reinvigorate my research work.

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Attachments: Letters of recommendation from two referees (Dr. Syahida Ahamd and Prof. Arif Syed) Membership of Malaysia Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (MSBMB) Copy of Applicant Passport

Submission methods: You can apply in either of two ways: by sending an email with scanned attachments to the Chair of the FAOBMB Fellowship Committee, Prof. Piamsook Pongsawasdi: piamsook.p@chula.ac.th or piamsook.p@gmail.com This is the preferred method. If using this method, please assemble the Application Form and the Attachments into a single PDF file. by sending a hard copy of the application form and supporting documents to: Professor Piamsook Pongsawasdi, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand.

Closing Date: Applications must be received by 31 July, 2012 (Bangkok time, GMT + 7 Hours). Applicants will be notified by email of the decision of the Committee by no later than 15 September, 2012.

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Recommendation Letter (from Dr. Syahida Ahmad)

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Recommendation Letter (from Prof. Modh Arif Syed)

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Membership of Malaysia Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (MSBMB)

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Copy of Passport

For YSP FAOBMB Application ONLY

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