A Milestone Achievement: IMU PhD Student Recognised at Global Conference for Photoprotective Microalgae Research - IMU University

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It was truly an honour to stand on the podium at the 8th Hunan International Conference for Innovation and Development of Biomedicine and Chinese Medicine (BioCM-8) & The 5th International Conference on Natural Products and Human Health (ICNPHH-5) to receive the 3rd prize in the Poster Presentation competition. The conference was held in Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Hunan, Changsha, China, from 23 to 27 October 2025. The theme of the conference is “Heritage & Innovation, Cooperation & Development” which focused on innovative development of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and biomedicine and encouraged academic discussions and collaborations as well as explored how to drive innovation and breakthroughs at the intersection of modern scientific technology and TCM culture. The event invited distinguished guest speakers from countries such as India, Pakistan, Brazil, Portugal, Singapore and so on. I participated as an oral and poster presenter representing IMU University alongside Ngai Zi Ni.

My title for the oral presentation is “Photoprotective Effects of Antarctic Microalgae Extracts on Human Keratinocytes Exposed to UVB”. My research highlighted the potential extracts derived from Antarctic microalgae for sunscreen applications. It was a great experience presenting to a diverse audience from different academic backgrounds.

Receiving several feedback from the audience allowed me to improve my public speaking skills. Listening to the other presenters sharing their research amazed me and opened my eyes to the potentials of ethnomedicine, biomedicine and traditional medicine in tackling healthcare issues.

While the oral presentation was a valuable experience, the most intense and rewarding discussions took place during the poster session. My poster has a similar title with my oral presentation, highlighting the methodology of my experiment and the research findings.

One of the obstacles I faced during the preparation of the poster was the difficulty in compiling all the information and conveying them in neat manner. However, my supervisor, A/Prof Dr Lim Chooi Ling and my friends greatly supported me by giving me feedback to improve my poster. I was a little nervous when I was presenting my poster to the panel of judges and the audience. Some showed great interest in the poster and asked me several questions. Regardless, I presented passionately and confidently until the session came to an end.

When they announced that I had won the 3rd prize on the last day of the conference, I was in disbelief, surprised and most importantly I feel recognised.

Receiving the 3rd prize is not just a personal recognition, it is a validation of the months and years of hard work and the potential impact of our research on the sunscreen application of Antarctic microalgae.

I would like to thank my supervisor, my lab mates, my family and funding body Sultan Mizan Antarctic Research Foundation Smart Partnership (YPASM) for their support throughout my PhD journey. I also would like to thank the organiser Hunan University of Chinese Medicine and the judging committee for giving me a precious opportunity to share my research findings.

This success fuels my motivation to continue my research and complete my PhD. The confidence and feedback I gained from this event are invaluable as I progress in my academic career. I am immensely grateful for this experience and look forward to joining future forums, building on this success to contribute meaningful work to our scientific community.

Written by Chia Kiat Fatt

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