Cancer is a terrible disease that affects millions around the world regardless of age, gender, or race. Research is continuously carried out to investigate new ways of treatment. And Malaysian scientist Dr Serena is receiving a prestigious award for her research!
Dr Serena Nik-Zainal from Malaysia is currently based in the UK and conducting research on cancer. She is part of University of Cambridge’s Medical Genetics Department and Medical Research Council Cancer Unit.
Her collaboration with Dr Paul Calleja and Dr Ignacio Medina led to research on accelerating the holistic interpretation of the cancer genome.
In fact, their work is so revolutionary that they will be receiving the Dr Josef Steiner Cancer Research Prize 2019. Dr Serena who is leading the team will be receiving the award at the University of Bern, Switzerland.
The award is also referred to as the Nobel Prize for Cancer research. During the ceremony, Dr Serena will be presenting on the teams work, ‘Accelerating holistic cancer genome interpretation towards the clinic’.
Furthermore, their research has unravelled mutations in cancer tumours. Through this, they can now be analysed through new bioinformatic methods. Moreover, this helps to develop new methods of targeted therapy for patients.
The award will help the University of Cambridge to translate expertise and develop meaningful algorithmic tools. Having a more automated foundation will allow for better references in the future.
Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah took to her Facebook to congratulate Dr Serena. In her post she writes about how the cancer researcher is the daughter of a renown medical icon.
The late Datuk Dr Nik Zainal Abidin Nik Abdul Rahman was at the forefront of Malaysia’s first cardiology department.
