Inventor expanding disease test scope
Expert creates fast genomic screening for illnesses
PETALING JAYA: A pioneer in molecular medicine, 81-year-old Prof Datuk Dr Liew Choong-Chin is not calling it quits yet.
Over the past few years since his return to Malaysia, the scientist has devoted his efforts to advance genomic medicine in the country.
“I wanted to do something for the country, after having made my name in the field.
“I was interested in genomic medicine as a way to customise medical care to meet each individual’s unique genetic make-up,” he said.
Prof Liew, a globally recognised leader in disease-specific genomic research, has invented a simple test kit to detect risk for eight common cancers and three disorders.
The list includes breast cancer, prostate cancer, stomach cancer, liver cancer, osteoarthritis, Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.
He said the quick, non-invasive procedure only requires “a teaspoon of blood” and “a week’s wait for the report”.
He invented the kit to help people predict if they are predisposed to certain diseases even before they show any symptoms.
“The blood test provides very early detection of a person’s susceptibility to certain diseases.
“This way, they can take appropriate measures to stay healthy,” said Prof Liew, who owns the right to the test.
Born in Sungai Siput, Perak, Prof Liew went to Chung Ling High School in Penang and graduated with a Bachelors of Science in Biology from the Nanyang University in Singapore.
After receiving his Master’s and PhD from University of Toronto, Prof Liew joined the university’s Faculty of Medicine before retiring in 2003.
He also taught at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School.
He is now working to expand the blood test to detect up to 40 diseases.
“The aim is to help people to live healthy, full lives,” he said.
The spry and energetic Prof Liew has no plans to slow down on researching and inventing.
“As long as I’m healthy, I’d like to continue to help improve people’s wellness,” he said.
Prof Liew is also the inventor of an award-winning blood-based diagnostic technology that can identify molecular signatures for virtually any human disease.
He holds 30 patents related to this.