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Research Cluster

Faculty	Research Cluster Name	Research Cluster Members	Summary of Research Cluster
Faculty of Engineering, Architecture & Built Environment	Energy and Power Research Cluster	Chair: Chockalingam Aravind Vaithilingam Gilbert Thio Kanendra Naidu	Efficient Energy Conversion Systems, Power Electronics Drives and Control, Motor Drive and Controllers, Electrical Machine Design Modelling, Analysis and Fabrication. Research Cluster Updates
Faculty of Management & IT	SocRaTeS: Social Realm of Teaching (and Learning) System	Chair: Shahrinaz Ismail Yamen Batch Sarerusaenye Ismail Jessica Ho Sze Yin	The research name is “SocRaTeS- Social Realm of Teaching (and learning) System”, with interest on social media/tools and Web 2.0 in teaching and learning environment. This project is under the research area of Educational Technology, but it is expandable to be under the research area of emerging technologies, information retrieval, knowledge management and others. From the observation throughout the years of experience working in the case organisation, UCSI University, there are quite a number of significant issues in class management. The issues are considered as challenges in teaching and learning in the international private university, where the number of students from foreign countries is very high. In the midst of understanding the real situation that brought up the issues of class management, some of the lectures in the university tend to try using the emerging technology of Web 2.0 to solve them on personal basis. The emerging technology includes social media, such as blog, micro-blogging, social networking, social bookmarking, wiki, multimedia files sharing, podcasting, webcasting, among many others. The social media has becoming part of the campus life where everybody is connected and being updated at all times, and for the concerned lecturers, there is no other way to reach the students other than joining them in their ‘virtual life’ or realm.
Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences	Clinical Pharmacy (Clinical Pharmacy Education, Pharmacy Practise)	Chair: Ms. Lyna Irawati A.P. Dr Yeong Siew Wei Ms Saraswathi a/p Simansalam Mr Omotayo Oladuntoye Fatokun Ms Wong Pei Nee Mr Allan Lee Hung Weng	Focus of this group will be on clinical pharmacy education and drug utilisation studies.
Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences	Pharmaceutical Biology (Medical Microbiology, Pharmacology of Natural Products, Physiology)	Chair: Prof Dr Noran binti Abdul Majid Ms Priya Madhavan Mr Mohamed Saleem Abdul Shukkoor Mr Enoch Kumar Perumal	Focus of this group will be on medical significance of microbes, pharmacological uses of natural products and their physiological effects through monitoring of physiological parameters and analyses of histological damages.
Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences	Natural Products	Chair: Dr Gabriel A. Akowuah Dr Lim Vuanghao Dr Chin Jin Han Mr BVS Lokesh	Phytochemical Analysis and Safety Assessment of Herbal Medicinal Products (HMPs).
Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences	Pharmaceutical Technology (Physical Pharmacy, Technology of Formulations, Biopharmaceutics, Pharmacokinetics, Advanced drug delivery systems)	Chair: Dr Prasannaraju Y Dr Loganathan V Mr Rajesh S Nair	This research team will focus on studies to improve rheological behaviour of semi solid formulations; the interfacial/ surface energy of drug / excipient molecules; the stability / Pre-formulation studies of new moieties; solubility, dissolution, bioavailability enhancement studies and design/ develop novel drug delivery systems.
CERVIE	Operation Management and Sustainability Research Group	Chair: Dr Keoy Kay Hooi Dr Kwek Choon Ling Irwin Hidayat	Performance improvement Supply chain management and logistics E- commerce Total quality management Core competence evaluation Knowledge management Quantitative research methods Diffusion and adoption of information technology Green supply chain management Ethnic Entrepreneurship and Succession planning Performance measurement Other areas of interest include the management and dissolution of supply contracts, use of information systems including collaborative product commerce, IT strategy and decision support systems. The group is also researching in entrepreneurship, innovation management and SME clusters.
Faculty of Music, Social Sciences & Design	ELC Research Cluster	Chair: Dr. Ivie Carbon Esteban Krishnaveni Subramaniam Arlini Binti Alias	TESL, Discourse Analysis, Genre Analysis, Critical Discourse Analysis, Language and Literature, English Language Studies, Southeast Asian Studies, Grammar and Composition Writing, Advertising Discourse, Spoken Discourse, Ethnography of Communication, and Global Media and English.
Faculty of Hospitality & Management (Sarawak Campus)	Green Campus Initiative	Chair: Irene Foo Ping Ping Members: Kho Sze Yun Jane Teo Pei Ling Mukvinder Sandhu Liew Jing Hong Julie Yii Ai Siew	Area of Expertise: Framework validation Quantitative Analysis Literature Review
Faculty of Hospitality & Management (Sarawak Campus)	Sustainable Tourism	Chair: Sim Pei Lin Members: Ida Ak Ingko Vloreen Nity Anak Mathew Sunita Sara Gill Binti Shamsul	Area of Expertise: Eco-Tourism Customer Satisfaction Management: conservation Ecology-product
Faculty of Hospitality & Management (Sarawak Campus)	Teaching & Learning	Chair: Lee Choon Kin Members: Irene Kho Lee Sa Edison Lau Sie Ngiap	Area of Expertise: Edu-Tourism (Mobility Programme) National Park Management E-Learning incorporated with Hospitality
Faculty of Engineering, Architecture and Built Environment	Embedded System Research Cluster	Chair: Rodney Tan Members: Jimmy Mok	Area of Expertise: Embedded System Power & Energy Instrumentation Signal Processing Current Project: Schneider Electric Green the Campus Project 2010
Faculty of Applied Sciences	Molecular Biology, Genetics, Genomics and Diagnostics	Chair: Dr. Hwang Jung Shan Members: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hon Wei Min, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Renee Lim Lay Hong, Ms. Teo Swee Sen, Ms. Alice Phua Choon Yen, Ms. Vun Vui Fui	Research focuses on the use of molecular biology, genetics, genomics to address issues on medical science, plants and animals and as tools for diagnostics. Our primary focus on medical sciences involves reproductive technologies, the study of molecular basis of disease genes, the application of genotyping human diseases. We study animals and plants systematically based on the molecular phylogenies. Our interests also include the applications of genome technology to marine species such as seaweed and cnidarians. Molecular diagnostics research ranging from diagnosing genetic diseases to halal food detection.
Faculty of Applied Sciences	Natural Bioactive Compounds Research - Screening, Identification and Pharmacological studies	Chair: Dr. Ivan Ho Chun Wai Members: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hon Wei Min, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Renee Lim Lay Hong, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Chan Hor Kuan, Dr. Nyam Kar Ling, Dr. Eric Chan Wei Chiang, Dr. Amsaveni Selvaraj, Mr. Patrick Nwabueze Okechukwu, Mr. Yim Hip Seng, Ms. Yap Wai Sum, Ms. Tan Suat Hian	Nature is rich with untapped resources of bioactive compounds. Traditional medicinal plants with their reliable therapeutic efficacy, are attracting increased global attention and serves as an excellent pool of bioactive compounds for the drug discovery. This research cluster focuses on the screening of natural bioactive compounds (i.e. anti-oxidants, anti-cancer, anti-microbial, anti-diabetic and anti-pyretic) from traditional medicinal plants (i.e. bitter gourd, pegaga, mushrooms) and domestic flowers. A wide array of research methodologies are employed, involving chromatographic methods such as TLC, HPLC and functional assays such as in-vitro antioxidant assays, antimicrobial assays, antidiabetes assays, anti-inflammatory, cytotoxicity assays on cancer cell lines, and in-vivo assays in animal models. Purification process is a value-added process to the standardized crude extract and is essential to obtain a standardized purity of targeted bioactive compounds for further toxicology and dose-dependent efficiency test either in-vitro or in-vivo. Potential bioactive compounds can be subsequently identified using various methods such as LC-MS and NMR for antioxants compounds; and 2D-Gel coupled with MALDI-TOF analysis for protein-based active compounds. These potential bioactive compounds can then be evaluated for commercialization criterias.
Faculty of Applied Sciences	Natural Bioactive Compounds Research - Screening, Identification and Pharmacological studies	Chair: Dr. Ivan Ho Chun Wai Members: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hon Wei Min, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Renee Lim Lay Hong, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Chan Hor Kuan, Dr. Nyam Kar Ling, Dr. Eric Chan Wei Chiang, Dr. Amsaveni Selvaraj, Mr. Patrick Nwabueze Okechukwu, Mr. Yim Hip Seng, Ms. Yap Wai Sum, Ms. Tan Suat Hian	Nature is rich with untapped resources of bioactive compounds. Traditional medicinal plants with their reliable therapeutic efficacy, are attracting increased global attention and serves as an excellent pool of bioactive compounds for the drug discovery. This research cluster focuses on the screening of natural bioactive compounds (i.e. anti-oxidants, anti-cancer, anti-microbial, anti-diabetic and anti-pyretic) from traditional medicinal plants (i.e. bitter gourd, pegaga, mushrooms) and domestic flowers. A wide array of research methodologies are employed, involving chromatographic methods such as TLC, HPLC and functional assays such as in-vitro antioxidant assays, antimicrobial assays, antidiabetes assays, anti-inflammatory, cytotoxicity assays on cancer cell lines, and in-vivo assays in animal models. Purification process is a value-added process to the standardized crude extract and is essential to obtain a standardized purity of targeted bioactive compounds for further toxicology and dose-dependent efficiency test either in-vitro or in-vivo. Potential bioactive compounds can be subsequently identified using various methods such as LC-MS and NMR for antioxants compounds; and 2D-Gel coupled with MALDI-TOF analysis for protein-based active compounds. These potential bioactive compounds can then be evaluated for commercialization criterias.
Faculty of Applied Sciences	Microbial Research – Screening and isolation of Probiotics and Functional Microorganisms	Chair: Dr. Amsaveni Selvaraj Members: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hon Wei Min, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Renee Lim Lay Hong, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Chan Hor Kuan, Ms. Stephenie Wong Yoke Wei, Ms. Tan Yong Hui	Research focuses on the study and isolation of functional microorganisms such as probiotics, antibiotic producers and oil degraders. One area of research is in determining the quality and survivability of commercial probiotic food and health supplements. Another focus is on the isolation of potential antibiotic producing actinomycetes, MRSA (Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus) and oil degrading bacteria. Both areas of study would involve molecular and biochemical characterization of the isolates, employing both molecular biology and chemical assays.
Faculty of Applied Sciences	Food Science - Product development and Safety	Chair: Ms. Rachel Tan Choon Hui Members: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hon Wei Min, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Chan Hor Kuan, Ms. Stephenie Wong Yoke Wei, Dr. Ivan Ho Chun Wai, Ms. Carolyn Lim	Food product development is about creating innovative foodstuff which involves new manufacturing techniques for product improvement, reduced cost formulation, production specifications, storage stability of food product and tests of consumer acceptability. Product development is a necessary response to an ever changing consumer demand and market condition. Collaborative product ideation and concept identification are essential prior to the production of innovative foodstuff. Quality control protocols are taken into consideration to ensure the food safety of the new products.
Faculty of Applied Sciences	Food Science - Analytical Chemistry	Chair: Dr. Nyam Kar Lin Members: Mr. Victor anak James Noik, Ms. Rachel Tan Choon Hui, Ms. Marisol Hainny, Mr. Andrew Morgan Tennant, Dr. Wong Chen Wai,	The research cluster focuses on fundamental and specific aspects of the development, optimization, and practical implementation in routine laboratories, and validation of food analytical methods for the monitoring of food safety and quality. The research cluster also doing some research on improvement of the existing methods. These include analytical technology and methodology for food microbial contaminants, food chemistry and toxicology, food quality, food authenticity, food traceability and extraction on bioactive compounds.
Faculty of Applied Sciences	Human Nutrition and Intervention	Chair: Mr. Yim Hip Seng Members: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hon Wei Min, Ms. Roseline Yap Wai Kuan, Ms. Satvinder Kaur, Ms. Shashikala Sivapathy, Ms. Serene Tung En Hui, Ms. Alice Phua Choon Yen	Research focus of this cluster is to study the role of nutrition and food (and its components) in optimizing human health and in reducing the risk of nutritionally related disorders in the diverse population. We conduct research towards understanding how nutrition and dietary components interact (physiological, sociological, environmental factors and genetic factors), and affect the health of populations comprising of different ethnicity, gender, lifestyle and environment. The group also conducts critical surveys to find out what people are eating, their nutritional status, body image perception, physical activity; investigates nutritional status of certain at risk cohort within the population and the role of nutrients and food components to improve their nutritional status; and examine the impact of dietary interventions on health in animal and human research.
Faculty of Applied Sciences	Environmental Studies - Waste management, recycling, monitoring and mapping	Chair: Mr. Andrew Morgan Tennant Members: Mr. Victor anak James Noik, Mr. Kong Chee Leong, Ms. Tan Yong Hui	This cluster focuses on monitoring research-based heavy metal contamination/pollution assessment in natural water, soil as well as wastewater. Besides that, concern of heavy metal content in food sources is also part of the research area under this cluster. Application of geographical information system (GIS) and satellite remote sensing imagery will be an integral part in the method involve, where applicable. For waste management and recycling, the research focuses on nutrient recovery for potential biosolids (organic fertilizers) production from municipal solid wastes via co-composting methods, besides production of methane gas as alternative energy from the same wastes source and method. Goals: To gain further understanding of certain factors that affect the working environment in block C (UCSI) To be able to provide monitoring over an extended time period To be able to detect and quantify selected heavy metals in commonly eaten fish Outcomes: To be able to provide guidance for improving and managing the indoor environment As above To be able to understand metal content amounts and patterns in selected local commercial fish To be able to utilise this information in the areas of customer safety and product awareness.
Faculty of management & IT	Mobile-Assisted Instruction for Domestic Maid (MAID)	Chair: Teh Phoey Lee Members: Ong Huey Fang, Ting Hock Chin	The research name is “MAID – Mobile-Assisted Instruction for Domestic Maid”,which finding a mobile solution for problem faces by the employers who hired domestic maid. One of the main obstacles encountered by Malaysian employers with their maids is the communication difficulties due to the differences in language, background and culture. For instance, maids from Cambodia who first mother tongue was Khmer language weren’t able to communicate well in English language. This communication barrier will decrease the productivity of the maid in accomplishing their responsible. In addition, it may indirectly cause the unnecessary social problems due to the misunderstanding between the employer and their maid. The purpose of this research cluster is to propose a mobile-assisted solution that enable employer to deliver instructions effectively to their maid. Whereby, a series of actions/activities/tasks that is normally assigned to a domestic maid will be included in the application. The series of tasks are represented in graphics and sounds which will be easier to be understand by both parties. Moreover, the main feature in this application is a flexible timetable scheduler that is able to generate an interactive household chores timetable based on employer’s needs.
Faculty of Engineering, Architecture and Built Environment	Control System Research Cluster	Chair: Albert Fong Members: Rodney Tan Mahmud Iwan Solihin Gilbert Thio Tzer Hwai	Robotics, Automations, Pneumatics Systems, Mechatronics, Electronics, Intelligent Control Systems and Power.
Faculty of Engineering, Architecture and Built Environment	Intelligent Systems Research Cluster	Chair: Mahmud Iwan Solihin Members: Dr.Tarig Faisal Ibrahim Mohd Sulhi Mohd Azman Albert Fong Yu Choi Gilbert Thio	The research cluster has expertise in intelligent systems (fuzzy logic, neural networks, genetic algorithms, modern optimizations) and applications to various engineering systems such as control systems, robotics and automation as well as other applications such as biomedical signal processing, biotechnology, and economics time-series and prediction.
Faculty of Engineering Architecture and Built Environment (School of Engineering)	Product Design, Manufacturing and Automation Research Cluster (PDMARC)	Chair: Ehsan Amiri Tehranizadeh Members: Dr. Tarig Faisal Ibrahim Mahmud Iwan Solihin Mohd Sulhi bin Azman Fahri Heltha	This cluster serves as an academic platform for conducting research in the niche areas of Product Design, Manufacturing and Automation systems engineering, which generally encompass the mechanical and mechatronics system. The cluster will not only focus on the research from the technical perspective, but the cluster will strive to be a leading and world class research cluster in mechanical and mechatronics system with ethics and values. The area of research carries a strong potential for significant impacts in many industrial service applications as well as enriching the mechanical and mechatronics field with pool of academic resources. Results obtained from the completed research will be published in reputable journals and also be presented at national and international conferences throughout the world.

Last updated: 09 Jan. 2012