8th September 2025 -The STEM Adventure: Unleashing the Scientist Prodigy program was successfully held, organized by the Department of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine (DTERM), Faculty of Medicine, UKM, in collaboration with the Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine Society of Malaysia (TESMA). The program was further supported by the Department of Parasitology & Medical Entomology, the Department of Medical Microbiology & Immunology, and the Multifunctional Laboratory Unit, Faculty of Medicine.

The program, chaired by Dr. Fazlina Nordin, brought together 100 students aged 12–15 years from eight schools around Cheras, namely SMA Agama Islam WP, SMK Sri Permaisuri, SMK Cheras, SM Sains Selangor, SMK Bandar Tun Razak, SK Bandar Tun Razak 1, SK Taman Midah 1, and SK Taman Midah 2.

Aligned with the government’s efforts to address the declining number of students in the science stream, particularly in schools and higher education institutions, this program aimed to cultivate students’ interest in health sciences and motivate them to pursue this field as a career pathway. Through a variety of engaging activities such as career talks, interactive experiments, 3D-bioprinting demonstrations, a STEM Explorace, and guided visits to the Parasitology Museum and the Medical Microbiology Laboratory, students were given the opportunity to witness first-hand how science is applied in real-world settings—in ways that are fun, accessible, and curiosity-inspiring.

The opening ceremony was officiated by the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, YBhg. Prof. Datin Dr. Marina Mat Baki. Also present were members of the Faculty’s management team: Prof. Datin Dr. Norlinah Mohamed Ibrahim (Deputy Dean of Postgraduate Studies), Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ruslinda Mustafar (Deputy Dean of Industry & Community Engagement), and Dr. Syamsa Rizal Abdullah (Assistant Dean of Student & Alumni Affairs), together with DTERM lecturers and Prof. Dr. Norshariza Nordin, President of TESMA, accompanied by the TESMA Executive Committee.

Overall, the program received an overwhelmingly positive response from both students and teachers. It successfully achieved its objective of bringing science closer to young learners, while also broadening their horizons on the vast opportunities available in this field.

The program was made possible with the support and sponsorship from Yayasan Muallaf Malaysia, UKM Specialist Centre, Aseptec Laboratory Instruments, JGS Stemcell, Three Bees, Regen Cell Tech, AHS Laboratory Supplies, AuctuCel, and Yakult.