My name is Dvya Delilaa Clarence and I am a Project Executive at Emergency Care Research Institute (ECRI). My academic pathway brought me through several years of education including a level, Bachelor of Science double majoring in Medicinal Chemistry and Biotechnology which then eventually led me to pursue my MSc in Molecular Medicine (MMM) at IMU.
After completing my BSc, I was still very keen on furthering my education as I still wanted to learn more from the industry. I came across the IMU MMM course and found it to be very comprehensive, as it consisted of both study and research method of learning. I opted to begin the course in March 2020 on a part time-mode. However, as many of us know, COVID-19 had just hit Malaysia and put many activities on hold around the world.
Although I opted to join MMM via the conventional method, however most of the face-to-face classes were conducted via online synchronously due to COVID-19. IMU was able to ensure the learning process was conducted with ease for all students and all lecturers and supervisors were accessible to student throughout the course with no hitches whatsoever.
| My Research Experience |
|---|
| Upon completing the learning component of the course, I then began the research component. This was truly an exciting and challenging time for me as we were still in lockdown, and I did not have easy access to the lab at that point.
However, with much perseverance and with the help of my supervisors (Dr Dinesh Kumar Chellappan, Dr Thiagarajan Madheswaran and Dr Kamal Dua), I was able to successfully come up with a research project and begin the work in the second half of 2021. My research was a study on assessing the potential of nano-delivery systems containing zerumbone in targeting lung inflammation, more specifically chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
The learning curve during the research component of my MMM was exponential as I had to figure out the ins and outs of the lab with the help of my supervisors whenever possible. This allowed me to develop my critical thinking skills which is a key criterion in my current job today.
During my research, I also had the privilege of conducting some experiments and research in University Technology Sydney, Australia. In the lab, I was guided by a few colleagues who were very well versed in the field of research that I was pursuing. This aided my transitioning to the new environment and allowed me to learn many new skills and concepts during my time in Australia. |
Another highlight during MMM was that I successfully published a review article entitled, ‘Unravelling the Therapeutic Potential of Nano-Delivered Functional Foods in Chronic Respiratory Diseases’ in the journal Nutrients with its impact factor of 6.706. This was truly an exciting moment for me as it has always been a dream of mine to get a paper published.
Overall, IMU provided me with a challenging yet exhilarating experience throughout my MMM studies. Completing this course with Distinction has been one of the biggest achievements for me and it has truly set me up for many more successes in the near future. Lastly, I would like to thank all my supervisors and lecturers for guiding me through the MMM course and I wish you all the very best!
