24 and 25 November – In 2020, the Nutrition Society Malaysia (NSM) 35th Annual Scientific Conference was conducted virtually for the first time in its history with the theme of “Together Towards Optimal Nutrition”. The NSM Conference is the most awaited annual event for nutritionists, dietitians and food scientists of Malaysia and some ASEAN countries. This year’s conference was attended by more than 600 delegates from both the public and private sectors of Malaysia, Indonesia and Australia. The Division of Nutrition and Dietetics, School of Health Sciences of International Medical University was well represented by faculty, alumni, postgraduate students as well as undergraduate students at this conference.
| Speakers at the Conference | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dr Sangeetha Shyam, Senior Lecturer of the Division of Nutrition and Dietetics | Invited Speaker | Presented her research findings entitled “Isomaltulose (PalatinoseTM): Recent Evidence for Health Benefits” |
| Ong Jia Wen, a final year student of the University’s BSc (Hons) in Nutrition programme | Selected for Paper Presentation | Presented her research with the title of “Postprandial Glycaemic Response to Isomaltulose in Healthy Malaysian Adults: A Single-blind, Randomised, Crossover Pilot Study” |
The two-day conference came to an end on 25 November with a prize giving ceremony.
| IMU Alumna’s and Students’ Winning Projects | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Student Name | Prize Won | Topic of Poster/Research | Research Supervisors |
| Lee Lii Sin, an alumna of the BSc (Hons) in Nutrition programme | Best Undergraduate Thesis Award | Determination of in vitro starch digestibility, alpha-amylase and alpha-glucosidase inhibitory capabilities and glycaemic response of guava at different ripening stages | Dr Chang Sui Kiat and Dr Snigdha Misra |
| Ng Xin Qian (Final year student of BSc (Hons) in Nutrition programme) | First prize for the undergraduate poster competition | Colonic Fermentation of Isomaltulose in Healthy Malaysian Adults | Dr Tan Seok Shin, Dr Sangeetha Shyam and Dr Megan Chong |
| Chang Chun Yuan, a PhD candidate at the Division of Nutrition and Dietetics | Second prize under the Young Researchers’ Symposium Award | The role of familial resemblance in peak bone mass attainment among Malaysian children | Prof Winnie Chee, A/Prof Erwin Khoo, Dr Megan Chong and Dr Yang Wai Yew |
Ng Xin Qian was awarded first prize among the 140 posters submitted by the government and private universities.
