Guest guest Posted April 16, 2002 Report Share Posted April 16, 2002 ***************************Advertisement*************************** TechCentral http://star-techcentral.com ***************************************************************** This message was forwarded to you by yitzeling. Comment from sender: marine science conference This article is from thestar.com.my URL: http://thestar.com.my/lifestyle/story.asp?file=/2002/4/16/features/hrtech & sec=fe\ atures ________________________ Tuesday, April 16, 2002 Technology to check decline MARINE scientists are gaining increasing recognition in the country with the realisation that the sea provides more than just a source of food for us. Once obscure specimen-collectors and writers of scientific reports, these scientists have now been thrust into the forefront of innovative industrial inventions. Marine science departments in local universities have been given a boost of close to RM1bil in government grants – under the Intensification of Research in Priority Areas – for research and development over the last 10 years. “When it pays to discover more of something which we have, that itself will provide the impetus to protect that resource so we can continue to harness the intrinsic properties. It is a win-win situation, striking a balance between industrialisation and conservation,” says marine biologist Dr Phang Siew Moi from the Institute of Biological Sciences, Universiti Malaya. Phang views the ocean as the last frontier. “New technologies in exploration allows for deep-sea sampling. The deep sea is a relatively unexplored ecosystem. New techniques in molecular biology makes identification of an organism’s genetic set-up a breeze. Cutting-edge techniques in screening for useful compounds further ease tedious chemical analysis. “These are exciting times which will see tremendous progress in scientific exploration. It is every scientist’s dream come true,” says Phang. “The search for useful biopharmaceuticals from the sea is not new,” admits Phang. “Extensive studies were done on the marine organisms of the Great Barrier Reef in Australia as early as the 1970s. However, the hits were very low and it was very costly to bring any drug from identification to the market. “The government is supporting a multi-institutional project on drug discovery from seaweeds starting this year. The Universiti Malaya research group is also involved in the setting up of a DNA library for seaweed,” says Phang, adding that the library will be the first of its kind for Malaysian seaweed. All this will contribute towards seaweed genomics (mapping of gene composition) for the improvement of seaweed, enthuses Phang. Thus far, research on the red seaweed focuses on the production of high quality agar-agar as a food source for crustaceans (like shrimps) and even humans. Phang’s project will also look into developing micro-algae as indicators of environmental stress and for wastewater treatment systems. Another aspect of the study includes monitoring the response of tropical, temperate and Antarctic algae to increased ultra-violet radiation and global warming. The quest for marine conservation, thankfully, is not lost in exploring the commercial value of marine organisms. “Conventional screening methods may result in the over-harvesting of materials from the wild but cutting-edge technology minimises exploitation,’’ says Phang. Government NOD The National Oceanographic Directorate (NOD) was set up in 2000 to coordinate oceanographic research and development. “The government realises the importance of the ocean, the resources that can be tapped and issues affecting Malaysia as a maritime nation,” says NOD director-general Prof Dr Ho Sinn Chye. “In the past most scientists worked in isolation. There was a general lack of coordination but all this is changing.” Prof Ho says NOD assesses ongoing research, enhances them, sets priorities and recommends new research. It also creates the right forum for scientists to showcase their findings, and paves the way for international collaboration. Global system Application of integrated satellite technology with analytical land-based information software eliminates the need to utilise a lot of human resources. A 1km coastal area, for instance, can be surveyed in just 10 minutes. Marine biologist Prof Dr Mohd Ibrahim Mohamed and his team at Universiti Putra Malaysia have been using Global Information System (GIS) to compile information ranging from land-use patterns to studying the colour of water bodies to probe sedimentation and chlorophyll level. “Such information can be used as management tools by public agencies for analysis, monitoring and detection purposes. For example, satellite images transmitting input on the colour of water bodies, the salinity level and wind pattern, can tell us if there is a school of fish migrating. The information can be disseminated to the fishing community and with proper management, the industry can operate cost-effectively, thus enhancing the quality of life. “Similarly, when there is an oil-spill, data on physical and chemical oceanography can be fed into the system to simulate how the oil interacts with the water, under the influence of the current and wind patterns, to forecast oil movement. Such information helps the contingency team to contain the pollution and decide on the best method of clean-up.” Erosion prevention According to a coastal erosion study conducted in 1985, 29% of our coastline is affected by severe erosion. Prior to 1998, coastal defence mechanisms relied heavily on imported technology which was ill-suited to local conditions, says Prof Dr Noraieni Mokhtar of the Bureau of Innovation and Consultancy, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia. The marine physicist applied her own findings to improve on existing coastal protection system. A pilot project was carried out on a 120m stretch on Shah Beach, Malacca, four years ago where a concrete structure was installed to prevent further erosion of the beach. The result is nothing short of remarkable. The step-like structure mimics the contour of waves which come into contact with a solid surface and was able to neutralise the force. The durability of the structure has earned Noraieni another project. She has been asked to apply the same technology to a 400m stretch of beach at Lereh, Malacca. Noraieni’s model won the gold medal for Best Woman Inventor’s category of the World Intellectual Property Organisation in 1999. ________________________ Your one-stop information portal: The Star Online http://thestar.com.my http://biz.thestar.com.my http://classifieds.thestar.com.my http://cards.thestar.com.my http://search.thestar.com.my http://star-motoring.com http://star-space.com http://star-jobs.com http://star-ecentral.com http://star-techcentral.com 1995-2002 Star Publications (Malaysia) Bhd. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission of Star Publications is prohibited. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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