Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS), through its Biotechnology Research Institute (BRI), is strengthening its international research network through a new partnership with Japan’s National Institute of Genetics (NIG).
The strategic collaboration was formalised through the signing and exchange of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the NIG campus recently.
The ceremony brought together researchers and senior representatives from both institutions, marking the beginning of closer cooperation in genetics, genomics, molecular biology, bioinformatics and other life sciences domains.
NIG was represented by its Director-General, Dr. Shigeru Kondo, while UMS was represented by BRI Director, Prof. Dr. Jualang Azlan Gansau, on behalf of the UMS Vice-Chancellor.
The five-year MoU provides a framework for both institutions to pursue mutually beneficial academic and research activities.
Identified areas of cooperation include researcher and postgraduate student attachments, joint research and grant applications, joint publications and conferences, invited lectures, as well as other research initiatives agreed upon by both parties.
For BRI, the partnership is particularly meaningful given Sabah’s rich biological resources and the expanding role of genetics and genomics in understanding, conserving and sustainably utilizing them.
One of the proposed cooperative areas involves molecular biology and genome analysis, including research on molecular markers associated with the characteristics of local biological resources.
The collaboration will also provide UMS researchers with opportunities to leverage NIG’s advanced computational infrastructure, including its high-performance supercomputing facilities.
Prof. Dr. Jualang said the collaboration serves as an important bridge connecting Sabah’s biological resources with NIG’s advanced research capabilities in Japan.
“Areas such as biodiversity genetics, genomics, microbial research and the conservation of genetic resources can benefit from combining UMS’s knowledge and resources with specialized international expertise, while also nurturing our researchers in these fields,” he said.
Beyond research collaboration, BRI recognizes the importance of managing research information derived from Sabah’s biological resources in a responsible and coordinated manner.
As international research activities expand, BRI will work closely with relevant Sabah authorities to ensure that data and scientific information generated through these collaborations remain properly integrated, accessible and appropriately managed.
This approach ensures that research data arising from Sabah’s biodiversity is not confined to individual projects, but contributes to a broader understanding of the state’s biological resources while providing a stronger foundation for future research, conservation planning and responsible utilization.
The partnership is also expected to create valuable opportunities for young researchers and postgraduate students through research attachments, training and exposure to international research environments.
For UMS and NIG, the MoU represents a platform for researchers from Sabah and Japan to exchange knowledge, build research capacity and collectively address scientific challenges that extend beyond individual projects.
Through this partnership, both institutions will explore new avenues for joint research, scientific publications, postgraduate training and the development of new research initiatives while bringing advanced international research capabilities to Sabah.
