UMBI Receives Recognition at the 6th Business Excellence Awards by BMCC

The UKM Medical Molecular Biology Institute (UMBI), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), has been recognised at the 6th Business Excellence Awards organised by the British Malaysian Chamber of Commerce (BMCC), securing Third Place in the Partnership of the Year 2025 category.

This marks the second consecutive year UMBI has been acknowledged at the prestigious awards, following its Second Place achievement in the same category in 2024, highlighting the institute’s growing reputation in international research collaboration.

The recognition was awarded for a collaborative research project focused on analysing body composition among 6,000 individuals using Dual-Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DXA) and investigating its association with non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. In addition, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was conducted on 100 participants to further validate the findings.

Key findings from the study revealed that body composition varies among Malaysia’s multi-ethnic population, which may contribute to differing risks of developing NCDs such as diabetes and heart disease. The study also demonstrated that MRI and DXA produced comparable results in assessing body composition, strengthening the reliability of these imaging approaches.

Beyond its scientific findings, the project has generated significant academic and capacity-building impact, including:

• Establishing one of the largest imaging studies in Southeast Asia and Malaysia using DXA and MRI.

• Appointment of Professor Sarah Lewington from the University of Oxford as an Honorary Professor at UMBI.

• Placement of University of Oxford postgraduate students at UMBI for MSc and PhD research training.

• Development of big data analytics expertise among UMBI researchers.

• Production of several research publications, with additional manuscripts currently in progress.

The achievement reflects the strength of collaborative efforts between UKM, UMBI researchers, the Faculty of Medicine UKM, and the Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, alongside the support of partners including the Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE), the Medical Research Council (MRC) through the UK–Malaysia Partnership for Non-Communicable Disease (My-PAIR) initiative, The Malaysian Cohort participants, MyCRO Sdn Bhd, and other contributors involved in the project.

UMBI dedicates this recognition to all collaborators and stakeholders whose commitment and partnership have contributed to advancing impactful research in population health and precision medicine.