Universiti Teknologi Mara maps Malay genome

Researchers at Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) have managed to map out the genome of the Malay race, opening up doors to billions in pharmaceutical ringgit.

According to Biotech Corp chief executive officer Mohd Nazlee Kamal, the mapping of the genome could be worth “a couple of billions of ringgit per annum”.

“The Malay ethnic group is not just in Malaysia... the population is about 200 million. Drug companies interested (in targeting this market) will want access (to the genome map) to help them develop new generation medicine which are more effective,” he said.

Speaking to reported after the launch of the genome map at UiTM Puncak Alam, Mohd Nazlee said that most of the medicine developed are for the European and US markets, which are “not suitable for our population”.  

He added  that the genome map is particularly appealing to pharmaceutical companies as it involves a lucrative South East Asian market.

“This is very important to South East Asia... as it can be expanded to other ethnic groups in the region. The population in the region is the focus for pharmaceutical companies as the population is growing in terms of wealth,” he said.

Orang Asli tribes may have migrated from Africa

According to lead scientist Mohd Zaki Salleh, the RM150,000 project funded fully by the university began in June 2010 and concluded in December that year.

Following this, Mohd Zaki, partner Teh Lay Kek and their team are working on unravelling the genome structure for the Orang Asli community.

The study, which kicked off in July, aims to probe a National Geographic theory that the Orang Asli of peninsular Malaysia is the second oldest community in the world.

“We want to prove that theory and the theory that Orang Asli had migrated from Africa,” he said.

At present, the team has collected gene samples from Pahang’s Che Wong tribe, which is among six “endangered tribes” that the team would study.
 
“We are focusing on endangered tribes, that is those with populations of less than 500. There are 26 sub ethnic groups with this population size, and the Che Wong has a population of 180,” he said.

The project, funded through a RM8 million ministry of higher education grant, is in collaboration with Universiti Sains Malaysia, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Universiti Malaysia Kelantan and Monash University.

In his speech, Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said that biotechnology is considered a “core industry” for Malaysia, and is the nation’s focus as it can create value added investments.

He added that there are already positive signs from the nation’s investment in the area, with three percent of the 207 of the mostly small-to-medium biotechnology companies set up via Biotech Corp are listed locally and abroad.