27-28 April 2019 – International Medical University‘s Biomedical Science student, Voon Shee Man from BM1/16 won the Second Prize for the Poster Presentation for Non-communicable Diseases Category in the 10th Malaysian Symposium of Biomedical Science hosted by Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) in Kelantan. At the Symposium, Shee Man presented her final year project (conducted under the supervision of IMU researchers, Dr Koh Rhun Yian and Prof Leong Chee Onn) entitled ‘Effects of Amyloid Precursor Protein Overexpression on RHO-GTPase Pathway in Neuronal Cells’. She relates her experience here.
“I was fortunate to be given an opportunity to participate in the 10th Malaysian Symposium of Biomedical Science as one of the poster presenters. This prestigious annual event saw participants from both public and private universities and served as a platform for biomedical science undergraduates to present their research findings as well as to cultivate their ability and maturity in discussing science.
My supervisor, Dr Koh Rhun Yian has encouraged me to join the symposium as it was a rare opportunity to be able to present my research findings in such a huge event with a total of 250 participants from universities all over Malaysia. It would have been a great pleasure for me to share my research findings with the audiences, yet I hesitated due to the lack of experience in participating in symposiums as presenter. On top of that, I don’t really have any confidence to present in front of numerous proficient researchers with various expertise. With all these insecurities, I was doubtful in my ability to take part as a presenter. 
What made me decide to register myself was some words of encouragement from my best friend. “You will never know what your strengths and weaknesses are, if you never try,” she said. As a result, I managed to register myself before the registration deadline and presented my final year research project entitled “Effects of Amyloid Precursor Protein Overexpression on Rho-GTPases Pathway in Neuronal Cells” at the 10th Malaysian Symposium of Biomedical Science. The preparation was not easy as during this period of time, I was doing my internship in a hospital while having a part-time job. It was then I realised that time management is important and I managed to squeeze some time out for the preparation, despite the busy schedule. The three-day symposium saw talks by keynote speakers which were interesting and eye-opening. I was very impressed by the presentations of other presenters which provided me further insights to on-going projects and current trends of science. It was definitely a good learning experience for every participant. On top of that, I am truly honoured to receive the first runner-up prize of poster presentation for non-communicable diseases category. It was a big step to get out of my comfort zone. However, I am beyond grateful for my experience at this symposium. As a biomedical science student, I have learnt that communication skill is as important as scientific knowledge and laboratory skills. Participating in a symposium is a great way to exchange thoughts and research ideas. For instance, I received some constructive feedback on my research project which provides ideas for improvement and future planning of the current experiment. By joining as a presenter, it helped to enhance my communication and critical thinking skills to deliver scientific content to the audience with different backgrounds and education levels, as well as to boost my confidence level. At the same time, I have gained so much knowledge and interest in science.
Overall, the symposium was an insightful event. The experience as a presenter has been rewarding and memorable thanks to my supervisor, Dr Koh Rhun Yian, who plays a huge role in my development as a biomedical science student, as well as my friends and lovely juniors for the advice and support given to me. Besides, I am also thankful to IMU Biomedical Science Programme for providing me with sufficient fundamental knowledge and presentation skills.
Last but not least, I would like to end this with a quote by John A. Shedd, “A ship in a harbor is safe, but that’s not what a ship is built for”. Why not give it a try to step out of your comfort zone and start looking for your value in life?”
Written by Voon Shee Man from BM1/16
Congratulations to Shee Man!
Related article: Chang I Shuen, another Biomedical Science student at the International Medical University, was the second runner-up for the “Best Oral Presentation” category at the 10th Malaysian Symposium of Biomedical Science: IMU Biomedical Science Student Bagged Second Runner-Up Prize for Best Oral Presentation Category at Malaysian Symposium
