tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59613170498529164942024-03-13T22:19:00.094+08:00Malaysia4BiotechMABIC bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09695418317728354546noreply@blogger.comBlogger118125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5961317049852916494.post-79691262053732313482019-05-31T16:07:00.002+08:002019-05-31T16:07:48.465+08:00Crank up the wheels of our S&T sectorTHERE seems to be too much on Pakatan Harapan’s plate – as there are many matters that are not readily getting the coalition’s attention. One of the prime minister’s favourite subjects – Science & Technology – too, seems to be lying lifeless in the back burner. It has been ten months since the Pakatan Harapan pact took over the administration of the country, but very little has been spoken byMABIC bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09695418317728354546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5961317049852916494.post-24000969815270811002019-05-31T16:00:00.000+08:002019-05-31T16:02:28.394+08:00Science communication needs a local narrative
I AM pleased to announce that the Malaysian Biotechnology Information Centre (Mabic) and The Petri Dish have launched a home-grown science communication module to train local researchers and Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (Stem) practitioners.
For long we have been reliant on foreign experts in this area and it is time to change this.MABIC bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09695418317728354546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5961317049852916494.post-75342915372788157522015-11-01T13:24:00.000+08:002015-11-01T13:24:57.282+08:00Confessions of a rookie FB user
I wanted to be the last person standing on Planet Earth without a Facebook account.
But my email inbox was flooding with enquiries from students, parents and the general public - so I thought, well, an FB page will give me a breezier platform to entertain their queries when I am more relaxed and not on work mode.
So, two months ago I connected with the universal worldMABIC bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09695418317728354546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5961317049852916494.post-6649246688811057622015-11-01T13:16:00.004+08:002015-11-01T13:17:33.932+08:00Farewell to the ‘Missile Man of India’
quotesandmessages.com
This is one man I really was hoping I could meet one day in person. The late Dr APJ Abdul Kalam is the pride of every Indian.
He was an Indian by citizen, a Tamil by mother tongue, and a Muslim by religion - a perfect amalgam that united India.
I don’t know any other living scientist who is so accomplished in his field while being a poet, philosopher, held the MABIC bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09695418317728354546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5961317049852916494.post-73749462296695764002015-07-13T17:22:00.001+08:002015-07-14T10:00:25.212+08:00NOT AS INFLUENTIAL YET…..
I was not blogging for a while because I was/am basking in stardust for a while now, so to speak. Never in my wildest dream had I thought I will go viral on social media. After all, who even takes a second look at someone who is involved in science? But things took a complete twist when the news broke that I am listed by Scientific American Worldview as one of the 100 most influential MABIC bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09695418317728354546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5961317049852916494.post-66748892391315253232015-02-18T17:37:00.002+08:002015-02-23T11:45:53.883+08:00Correlation between Autism and GMOs
The
increase in the number of autism cases has been correlated to genetically
modified organisms (GMOs) and vaccines for long. While it is true autism cases
has been in the rise in the past few decades, the spurious correlation to
vaccines and GMOs does not hold any water or stand the security of science.
Arvind
Suresh in an article written for Genetic Literacy Project says that researchers
MABIC bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09695418317728354546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5961317049852916494.post-33995627521938984992015-02-18T17:36:00.001+08:002015-02-18T17:36:29.159+08:00The Rise and Rise of Biotech/GM Crops
While the critics of biotech/GM crops are busy trying to impede the approvals and commercial cultivation of the crops, farmers are happily increasing their hectarage.
A record 181.5 million hectares of biotech crops were grown globally last year - an increase of more than six million hectares from 2013.
This is according to a report released here today by the International Service for the MABIC bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09695418317728354546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5961317049852916494.post-19733153549336234502015-02-18T15:51:00.002+08:002015-02-18T15:51:16.965+08:00Is this a form of Compulsive Disorder?
I read some time ago that people who have an aversion to math may be less able to understand topics linked to GMOs and other health-related information. This was revealed by researchers at Penn State University. It might be due to their lack of understanding of statistics.
I always felt that there are many reasons for being anti-GMO. Ignorance or lack of knowledge on science, driven by MABIC bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09695418317728354546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5961317049852916494.post-70171487296219089772015-02-18T15:51:00.001+08:002015-02-18T15:51:05.753+08:00Because science has its ‘wow’ factors!
LAST month we launched a new-look The Petri Dish – with a refreshingly new masthead, layout and font types. This breezy new look is accompanied this month by the introduction of a special pull-out – SCOPE.
So now, The Petri Dish comes in 20 full-colour pages. This is 67% increase in the number of pages since The Petri Dish was first MABIC bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09695418317728354546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5961317049852916494.post-27691834027968653732015-02-11T14:30:00.005+08:002015-02-11T14:49:58.048+08:00Is DNA a bad word?
Americans have been voting in every States on whether they do or don’t support mandatory labeling of GM foods. While a majority supports labeling, how much of the decisions made at the ballot box are based on knowledge and understanding of biotech remains a question.
I came across two surveys which strengthen my observation that the public is not making a well-informed decision. It is just MABIC bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09695418317728354546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5961317049852916494.post-41194342433132090652015-01-26T23:51:00.000+08:002015-01-26T23:51:03.174+08:00On to a New Year With Renewed HopeHAPPY New Year to all our readers! We hope that everyone had wonderful holidays and are back energised and inspired to kick start 2015. It is almost four years since we started publishing The Petri Dish amid skepticism whether or not a science newspaper can be sustained in Malaysia. The main reason behind its success is every one of you who have been giving us positive feedback and encouragement.MABIC bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09695418317728354546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5961317049852916494.post-82869925714466717462015-01-26T23:49:00.001+08:002015-01-26T23:49:05.070+08:00Spreading the Science-bug For the Making of a Science-literate SocietyAS the year comes to an end, it is time for some reflection and stock taking. As for many, 2014 was an extremely busy and fruitful year for us at The Petri Dish. We became the official media for BiotechCorp to disseminate information on the Bioeconomy Transformation Programme. Through BiotechCorp, The Petri Dish now has readers at the corridors of power, reaching out to all cabinet members and MABIC bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09695418317728354546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5961317049852916494.post-8281638796750214452014-10-13T12:14:00.002+08:002014-10-13T12:14:14.654+08:00Change of Mood at MOP7
The seventh meeting of the CBD Conference of the Parties serving as Meeting of the Parties to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (COP/MOP7) convened at the Alpensia Convention Centre in Pyeongchang, Gangwon Province, Republic of Korea.
The Cartagena Protocol on is an international agreement which aims to ensure the safe handling, transport and use of living modified organisms (LMOs) MABIC bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09695418317728354546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5961317049852916494.post-83428714187644437172014-09-09T14:50:00.000+08:002014-09-09T14:50:50.098+08:00A long road to transgenic animals
SEPTEMBER will be a hectic month for those involved in biotechnology and biosafety with two prominent international meetings – the APEC High Level Policy Dialogue (Beijing) and the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety COP-MOP7 (Pyeongchang, South Korea). Important decisions on the regulations of GMOs will be taken here.
In fact, I attended a workshop on animal biotechnology in Brasilia MABIC bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09695418317728354546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5961317049852916494.post-42240815382783909072014-09-02T11:16:00.004+08:002014-09-02T11:47:37.136+08:00Jolting JulyWHAT an eventful month July turned out to be. After an exciting month for football fans all over the world in June, there was a series of shocking airplane tragedies in July – the worst being the loss of our own airplane – MH17 which was downed by a surface-to-air missile.
Just too many innocent, aspiring and promising lives were lost in a blink of an eye over the Ukrainian airspace.MABIC bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09695418317728354546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5961317049852916494.post-11352923278206399852014-07-11T14:21:00.001+08:002014-07-11T14:23:20.270+08:00From the San Diego circuit
I HAD a great time at the recent BIO International Convention in San Diego as part of the BiotechCorp delegation, representing the media. I must say I was elated by the spirit shown by the Malaysian delegation from various agencies in embracing Bioeconomy initiatives. While I was skeptical about the biotechnology/bioeconomy initiatives nine years ago when the National Biotechnology Policy was MABIC bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09695418317728354546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5961317049852916494.post-3744805440678897562014-05-23T15:33:00.001+08:002014-05-23T15:33:13.309+08:00Vermont – the First State in the US to Label GM Foods
Vermont was the first state in the US to
abolish slavery. Today it became the first for passing a mandatory GMO
labelling law. It is really unclear how this move will help consumers. In fact,
it will certainly increase food price as labelling exercise would involve a lot
of monitoring and testing procedures throughout the agriculture supply chain.
&MABIC bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09695418317728354546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5961317049852916494.post-55360338799486485402014-05-21T13:22:00.002+08:002014-05-21T13:35:45.222+08:00Media against Bt Brinjal in Bangladesh
Bangladesh took a wise step in Jan 2014
with her approval of Bt brinjal for cultivation, putting India and the
Philippines to shame after years of research.
Now that there are happy farmers who do not
have to spend thousands for pesticides, the media is at work to discredit the
performance of Bt brinjal. The Age reported that the biotech plants did not
grow up and came under attack of MABIC bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09695418317728354546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5961317049852916494.post-43543767730605704552014-05-09T10:08:00.001+08:002014-05-09T10:08:16.414+08:00Socioeconomic and Environmental Impact of GM Crops
These are the highlights from the recent
report of Dr Graham Brookes, PG Economics.
<!--[if !supportLists]-->·
<!--[endif]-->GM crops have led to reduced
release of greenhouse gas emissions from agricultural practices. This is due to
less fuel use and additional soil carbon storage from reduced tillage with GM
crops. In 2012, 27 billion kg of MABIC bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09695418317728354546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5961317049852916494.post-41353456799372482852014-05-01T21:10:00.002+08:002014-05-01T21:10:36.842+08:00Scientists Going Public
A scientist carries out rigorous
experiments for years and finally completes a breakthrough research. Eureka! A
new invention, solution or product is developed or invented. Series of papers
are published in high impact journals and presentations made at prestigious
conferences. End of the day – the breakthrough is made known to the audiences –
the peers.
The scientists feel the job is done MABIC bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09695418317728354546noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5961317049852916494.post-62034940596144590712014-02-14T10:14:00.004+08:002014-02-14T10:47:34.557+08:00Global Staus of Commercialised GM Crops 46 -2013
Eighteen Million Farmers in 27 Countries Chose Biotech Crops in 2013, Global Plantings Increase by 5 Million Hectares
Inaugural plantings of biotech drought-tolerant maize in U.S.; further developments in drought-tolerance technology across the world
BEIJING (Feb. 13, 2014) — The International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications (ISAAA) today released a report MABIC bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09695418317728354546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5961317049852916494.post-63258857921808165012014-01-29T12:21:00.003+08:002014-01-29T12:21:49.088+08:00She Speaks for the Farmers and NOT TO the Farmers
Read this article to understand the other side of Vandhana Shiva, well known for her stunt against GM crops and Green Revolution. How do we trust a women who falsify her academic qualification?
http://www.geneticliteracyproject.org/2014/01/28/who-is-vandana-shiva-and-why-is-she-saying-such-awful-things-about-gmos/#.UuhkvtFXjIW
MABIC bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09695418317728354546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5961317049852916494.post-2186300404401013192013-12-29T11:18:00.001+08:002013-12-29T11:19:45.581+08:00Scientifying our lawmakers
I wished for every Member of Parliament to understand the impact of emerging technologies and be able to distinguish between science and pseudoscience. It has been in my wish list for a long time to engage MPs and scientists in a dialogue to bring science to the corridors of power.
Sounds like an uphill task? It dawned on me that if you don’t try, you will never know if our lawmakers are MABIC bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09695418317728354546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5961317049852916494.post-31655236153376164862013-05-07T12:13:00.002+08:002013-05-07T12:19:35.020+08:00A wish list for a reformation in science and technology
Reproduce from The Petri Dish April issue
It
is election time once again. Parties from both sides of the political divide
are feverishly campaigning to convince the electorate to embrace their
manifestos. Bread and butter issues are being pedalled by both, the current
caretaker government and the opposition coalition right out and upfront. On the
macro level, eradication of corruption and MABIC bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09695418317728354546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5961317049852916494.post-32345828073411739392013-02-21T12:06:00.000+08:002013-02-21T12:06:01.198+08:00Developing countries fared better than industrialised countries!
For the first time since GM crops were commercialised in
1996, developing countries took over industrialised countries in terms of GM
crop hectarage. To date GM or biotech crops are grown on 170 million hectares
of land. This is 100-fold increase where in 1996, 1.7 million hectares were
used to grow GM crops.
The main question remains: Would farmers continue to adopt a
technology that is MABIC bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09695418317728354546noreply@blogger.com0