A Day of Progress and Appreciation

"Celebrating Progress, Honouring Our Legacy"

On 31 July 2025, the Centre hosted a vibrant Progress Update Meeting, bringing together the full spectrum of microbiome research—from benchwork to big data, from student interns to senior scientists. The event highlighted not only the Centre’s scientific depth but also its collaborative spirit and commitment to shaping the future of microbiome science.

The session opened with welcoming remarks by our centre director A/P Dr Chong Chun Wie and featured a dynamic line-up of presentations:

• “Ethnicity-Specific Gut Microbiome-Metabolome Patterns in Obesity: A Machine Learning Approach” by Dr Song Cheen, exploring how computational models can uncover metabolic signatures linked to ethnicity and obesity.
• “The Interplay Between Diet and the Gut Microbiome” by Lily, highlighting the role of dietary patterns in shaping microbial diversity within Malaysia’s multi-ethnic population.
• “Disorders of Gut Brain Interactions (DGBI)”, a multi-centre clinical project conducted across three local hospitals, presented by Dévora da Silva Freitas, Emily Wong Yan Yi and Ahmad Danial Bin Noor Zainureen.
• “The 1000MY Microbiome Project” by Mok Chui Yang, updating on biobank development and foundational data generation.
• “Internship Reflections at the Monash Microbiome Research Centre” by Rayene Benmahmoudi from SupBiotech, France, sharing her cross-cultural learning and research journey.

The event concluded with a heartfelt farewell to Professor Sadequr Rahman, whose leadership, mentorship, and scientific contributions have left a lasting legacy. As the Centre continues to push the frontiers of microbiome research, his influence remains deeply woven into its foundation and future direction.