S.S. Hwang joined Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus (SUTS) in 2010 as a lecturer in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Hwang received her PhD in Molecular Biology and her dissertation research investigated genes involved in the starch biosynthesis pathway of sago palm (Metroxylon sagu). Her early research was focused on defense response genes from oil palm (Elaies guineensis Jacq.), when she attached to Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) for her MSc. project. Prior to joining SUTS, Hwang was a researcher at the Agrobiotech Branch of Agriculture Research Center (ARC), Department of Agriculture Sarawak. Her research experiences include molecular biology of disease resistance in crops and development of molecular marker for crops breeding programs. Her current research projects focus on biomedical sciences including biomarkers, pre-clinical and clinical studies in cardiovascular disease and cancers. She also involves in the studies of nutraceuticals development from natural products such as Sarawak local rice extracts for cardioprotection, anti-cancer and anti-diabetic properties; transcriptome analysis and molecular mechanisms in disease resistance and fruit ripening in Sarawak black pepper
Potential research higher degree candidates are welcome to enquire about postgraduate opportunities in the following areas/ projects:
Please contact Dr. Hwang SS for more information on the above topics.
| Name | Degree | Area of Research | Start year | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Diana Choo Chung Ying | PhD | Natural products- biological activity against nasopharyngeal cancer cells (NPC) | 2017 | Co-supervisor |
| Nur Diyana | MSc | Bioactivities in food extracts | 2017 | Co-supervisor |
| Khew Choy Yuen | PhD | Transcriptomic analyses and molecular characterization of flower and fruit development in black pepper | 2016 | Coordinating Supervisor |
| Lau Ee Tiing | PhD | Transcriptome and molecular characterization of pepper defense genes | 2016 | Coordinating Supervisor |
| Vivian Lee | MSc | Serum biomarkers in association with coronary artery calcification | 2015 | Coordinating Supervisor |
| Jong Siu Mei | PhD | Leucocytes telomere length in acute myocardial infarction | 2015 | Co-supervisor |
| Reagan Entingu Linton | PhD | Potential Treatments for Nasopharyngeal cancer | 2015 | Co-supervisor |
SUTS Top Down StraDG Grant/2014
Title of Project: Physiological, Biochemical and Gene Expression Study of Abiotic Stress and Tolerance in Local Rice Varieties of Sarawak
Swinburne Melbourne-Sarawak Research Collaboration Scheme Grant 2013
Title of project: Testing the nutraceutical effects of vitamin E components isolated from rice and barley in a model cell line, for cardiovascular health benefits.
Swinburne Sarawak Research Grant 1/2013
Title of Project: Extraction and Antioxidant Activity Studies of Tocotrienols and γ-oryzanol from Sarawak Local Rice Varieties
Swinburne Sarawak Seed Grant Scheme 2012
Title of project: Cytochrome P4502C19 (*2, *3, *17) Allelic Variant, Platelet Aggregation and Clinical Outcome in Clopidogrel-treated Patients Prior to Coronary Angiography.
External Grant: Ministry of Health Malaysia (MOH) 2013. A collaboration project with Sarawak General Hospital Heart Center.
Title of project: Plaque Instability Markers as a Possible Multimarker Approach in Defining and Monitoring an Unstable Angina Event (Multimarker-Unstable Angina)
External Grant: Ministry of Health Malaysia (MOH) 2012. A collaboration project with Sarawak General Hospital Heart Center.
Title of project: Thrombin and Activated Coagulation Factor X as Biomarkers to Identify Poor Respondents towards Warfarin among Multiethnic Malaysian patients – A Pilot Study.
External Grant: Ministry of Health Malaysia (MOH) 2010. A collaboration project with Sarawak General Hospital Heart Center.
Title of project: Platelet reactivity to aspirin and clopidogrel in patients undergoing coronary angiography: a multiethnic study in Malaysia population.